362 Capt. G. E. Shelley on a Collection of 



On the 14'th of November a nest of these birds was found at 

 Matje Umshlope, in the Matabele. The eggs, two in number, 

 were laid on the ground, and partially hidden by a tuft of 

 grass, and were very much incubated. They were much 

 pointed, resembling in shape Plover^s eggs. In colouring 

 they were greyish creamy white, much spotted and blotched 

 with dark umber; one measured 2"25 inches by 1"5, the other 

 2 by 15. 



185. EUPODOTIS MELANOGASTRA (Hupp.) . 



(85) ^ , Umvuli river, 29th September. Iris light brown, 

 gradually darkening round the inner edge ; bill pale yellowish, 

 with the culmen dark brown; legs and feet yellowish brown. 

 Total length in the flesh 25*5 inches. 



This very scarce and solitary bird is only occasionally met 

 with in the Mashoona country; and we did not see it in Mata- 

 bele proper. I have shot them many years ago on the coast 

 of Natal, but have not seen them since. In fact I saw in this 

 part of Mashoona land many of the Natal coast-birds. 



186. EupoDOTis AFRA (Gmel.) . 



(151) (^ ? , Bommingani Pan, 1st January. Male — iris 

 dusky tawny brown ; bill horny ash at the tip^ yellowish at 

 base; tarsi and feet yellow. Female — iris ligbt hazel; bill 

 brownish horn-colour ; tarsi and feet as in the male. 



We did not meet with any of these birds to the north of 

 Mangwato ; but southward they gradually become more and 

 more numerous, and on the Moloppo and Hart rivers they 

 are very plentiful. 



187. CEdicnemus vermiculatus. Cab. 



(102) c? ? } Quae Quae river, 25th October. Iris tawny 

 yellow ; bill black, with a patch round the nostrils and the 

 base of the lower mandible yellow ; tarsi and feet very pale 

 ashy green. The crop contained beetles. 



We saw them on several occasions in the sandy bed of 

 some parts of the Umvuli. The female is rather smaller than 

 the male, but similar in plumage. They appear to be partial 

 to the dry sandy beds of rivers, but I have never met with 



