from the colony of Natal in South-eastern Africa. 239 



previously wounded, and are often seen inland many miles from 

 the coast, where they feed with the Vultures on the carcases of 

 cattle, carrying away large lumps of flesh, and eating them on 

 some adjacent tree. They soar to a tremendous height, utter- 

 ing a very shrill piercing cry, which may be heard at a great 

 distance ; and will sit for hours on the dead branch of a tree near 

 the water, waiting for the tide to recede far enough to enable 

 them to take their prey ; they also frequently alight on the 

 water like gulls, and remain for a length of time on it ; but I 

 cannot say whether they are expert swimmers or not. 



[The immature birds of Halia'etiis vocifer differ considerably 

 in the colouring of their plumage and in the disposition of its 

 markings. I believe that it is a young male of this species 

 which is figured and described in Le Vaillant's ' Oiseaux 

 d'Afrique,' No. 5, under the title of " Le Blar/re," and that it 

 is an error to quote " Le Blagre of Le Vaillant " as a synonym 

 of Haliaetus leucogaster, to which it is by some authors referred. 

 —J. H. G.] 



13. Pandion haliaetus (Linn.). Osprey. 



These birds frequent the salt-water lakes along the coast ; they 

 alight on trees near the water, and will also frequently settle on 

 the sands when the tide is down, and remain in the same spot 

 for an hour or two. They generally hover two or three seconds 

 over a fish before they plunge into the water after it, and very 

 frequently miss their aim. When they have caught a fish, they fly 

 to a tree to eat it at leisure. They are very shy birds, and difiicult 

 to obtain. Iris light yellow ; legs bluish slate-colour. 



14. MiLVUs PARASiTus (Daud.). White-billed Kite. 

 Common and bold. They take our chickens, feed also on 



rats or any carrion ; and I have sometimes found insects in their 

 stomachs. 



These Kites seem to have a very acute sense of smell ; for they 

 invariably appear with or before the Vultures, to feed on any ox 

 that may have died, and will (when afraid to settle, in con- 

 sequence of the ravens or other birds) dart down and tear off" 

 pieces of flesh with their talons, and devour them whilst flying, 

 after which they will return and take more in a similar manner. 



