THE IBIS. 



No. VIT. JULY 1860. 



XXY. — On Birds collected in the Colony of Natal, in South- 

 Eastern Africa. By John Henry Gurney, M.P., F.Z.S. 



Having received from Mr. Thomas Ayres, of D'Urbaiij Natal, 

 some additional specimens of birds from that locality, together 

 with some further notes, T beg leave to communicate, for inser- 

 tion in ' The Ibis,' the following list of species, with notices by 

 Mr. Ayres, and with a few comments of my own, the latter 

 being distinguished by brackets and initials. I begin with 

 some additional remarks on species included in my former list 

 {'Ihh; vol. i. p. 234). 



Sagittarius secretarius. Scop. Secretary Bird. 



The stomach of the specimen sent contained lizards, locusts, 

 small snakes, and a full-grown R,ed-breasted Lark. These birds 

 well know how to use their long legs ; they stalk along at a great 

 pace. A terrier- dog which was with me at the time I shot this 

 specimen gave chase to it ; but the bird would run two or three 

 hundred yards before it would trouble itself to rise, when it flew 

 a short distance, and then ran on in front of the dog as before. 

 Up-hill appears to make no difference in the speed of these 

 birds. 



CircaIctus THORACicus, Cuv. Black-brcastcd Harrier-Eagle. 



The stomach of the specimen sent contained the remains of 

 lizards, and of a poisonous snake, which could not have been less 

 than 7 or 8 feet in length. 



This snake is called by the CafFres " Armarmba/i." A favourite 



VOL. II. X Q 



