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



Halcyon albiventris (Scop.) . Brown-liooded Kingfisher. 



This is a common species in the Rustenburg district, where 

 its loud note often attracts the attention of the hunter ; it is 

 mostly solitary. Two of the specimens sent contained locusts 

 in the stomach ; they were both shot on the 12th of June. 



[Mr. SharpCj in his monograph of the Kingfishers, and also 

 in his edition of Layard, alludes to the differences in plumage 

 which exists between specimens of this Kingfisher. The fol- 

 lowing are particulars of the five specimens sent to me by 

 Mr. Ayres, by whom the notes of the colour of the bill and 

 soft parts were made from the birds in the flesh. They were 

 all obtained at or near Rustenburg. 



No. 1, c?, June 12th. Wing 4'3 inches, bill from fore- 

 head 1*7. Bill blood-red, but dusky towards the tip, ridge, 

 and gonys ; tarsi and feet dull blood-red, but rather dusky on 

 the upper surface. This specimen agrees with Mr. Sharpens 

 description*, except that the lesser and median coverts are 

 narrowly edged with brown^ and that a decided tinge of green 

 is perceptible on all the blue portions of the plumage. 



No. 2, S, July 19th. Wing 4-4 inches, bill 1-8. Irides 

 dark umber; bill dull red; tarsi and feet dusky brick-red. 



The plumage of this specimen closely resembles that of 

 No. 1, except that the blue is not tinged with green, and the 

 upper surface of the head is decidedly darker. 



No. 3, ^ , July 22nd. Wing 4-4 inches, bill 1-8. Irides 

 as No. 2 ; bill dull rose-red ; tarsi and feet red, with the upper 

 surface dusky. 



This resembles No. 2, except as regards the head, which is 

 as in No. 1 ; the pectoral strise are also less strongly marked 

 than in Nos. 1 and 2. 



No. 4, S, July 27th. Wing 43 inches, bill 1-6. Irides, 

 bill, tarsi, and feet as in No. 2. 



In this specimen the blue on the wings (but not elsewhere) 

 is much duller than in the preceding examples, and is deci- 



* Mr. Sharpe's figiiro of tliis species in Lis Monograph represents it 

 with a pure white eyebrow, which is probably a mistake of the colorist, 

 as, according to his description, and also in the specimens sent by Mr. 

 Ayi'es, this portion of the plum.ago is "pale yellowish brown." 



