Mr. T. Ayres on the Ornithology of Transvaal. 293 



excellent eating ; the Boers call it the '' Mountain-Par- 

 tridge/' 



Francolinus subtorquatuSj Smith. Coqui Francoliu. 

 This is also a decidedly scarce species on the river 

 Limpopo. 



EupoDOTis RTJFiCRisTA (Smith). Red-crested Bustard. 



Male and female, river Limpopo, 20th July, 1885. 



This Bustard is somewhat scarce about the Limpopo 

 river, and is not always easily found, though two or three 

 are generally together. Besides its monotonous cry of goo, 

 goo, it also whistles a short song, which any one unacquainted 

 with this habit would take for the notes of some small bush- 

 bird, such as a Shrike or Thrush. 



Crex egregia (Peters). Greater African Crake. 



Potchefstroom, 25 th February, 1885. 



This Crake continues to be a scarce species. 



ToTANUS GLAREOLA, Liuu. Wood Sandpiper. 

 Male, Potchefstroom, 8th December, 1883. 



Gallinago MAJOR (Gmcl.). Solitary Snipe. 



Male, Potchefstroom, 6th April, 1885. Weight 8 oz. 



380. Ardea melanocephala, Vig. & Childr. Black- 

 necked Heron. 



Male, Potchefstroom, 20th June, 1884. Field-rats and 

 locusts in the stomach. 



Male, adult, Potchefstroom, 22nd July, 1884. Total 

 length in the flesh 36^ inches. Iris tawny yellow, with an 

 outer ring of dark umber ; bill dusky brown, but pale on the 

 under mandible ; bare skin about the base of the bill and the 

 eye fulvescent whitish ; bare portions of the tibiae, tarsi, and 

 feet black. 



The Black-necked Heron is by no means uncommon about 

 Potchefstroom during our winter months, and is generally to 

 be found feeding on the ploughed lauds, where it is not 

 unusual to see three or four together. 



