Transvaal and Umzeilla's Country. 63 



branches of a clump of high trees, where they had nests ; I 

 could not climb to the nests, which were high up in the top 

 branches, but think they must have contained eggs or young, 

 as the birds would not be driven away from them. I fired 

 four shots at them, killing as many birds, but the others 

 flew, circling round, and settled again immediately. 



These Herons are fond of searching for food in the Kaffir 

 gardens ; the stomach of one that I shot contained a mouse. 



BuTORiDEs ATRicAPiLLA, Afzcl. AfHcan Black-headed 

 Heron. 



Male, shot at Rovi-rand, 19th June, 1885. Female shot 

 at the same place, 17th June, 1885. Iris yellow; upper 

 mandible black ; lower mandible yellow, with a black stripe 

 along the upper edge. 



I found these little Herons on several of the small streams 

 where the banks were well wooded ; those I saw were perched 

 on trees or bushes on the edge of or overhanging the water. 

 When disturbed they utter a harsh cry, not unlike that of the 

 Great Kingfisher {Ceryle maxima). 



403. Leptoptilus CRUMENiFER (Cab.). African Marabou. 



Two specimens, both in process of change from immature 

 to adult dress, shot at Rovi-rand, 11th June, 1886, one of 

 which was found to be a male, and the other was believed to 

 be a female ; but injury from the course of the bullet pre- 

 vented this from being ascertained with certainty. 



Male — length 4 feet 10 inches, wing 2 feet 7 inches, tail 

 1 foot 2 inches, expanse of wings from tip to tip 9 feet 

 8 inches. Iris brown; bill dirty green; legs black, but 

 covered with fine ashy powder; a patch of yellow skin at 

 the back of the neck, where it joins the body. 



Presumed female — length 4 feet 3 inches ; wing 2 feet 

 3 inches; tail 1 foot 1 inch. 



I have found these birds very scarce; but in ISS^ I met 

 with one down the Limpopo, near the Mallabas ; and just 

 after the Bo&r war a few visited Pretoria, and fed on the 

 dead mules and cattle which were lying about the camp. 



The two specimens sent came about our camp, and I killed 



