from the colony of Natal in South-eastern Africa. 243 



they feed during the night, they settle on the ground and watch 

 for insects as they pass. The stomach of one specimen sent was 

 tilled with winged ants. The eye is large ; the iris dark brown. 



30. Caprimulgus natalensis (Smith). Natal Goatsucker. 

 This species does not roost in trees, but always on the 



ground amongst the grass, and when disturbed alights again in 

 the grass. They feed principally on beetles, which they swallow 

 whole. Iris dark brown. 



31. Halcyon fuscicapilla (Lafr.). Brown-hooded King- 

 fisher. 



[Sent from Natal, but not by Mr. Ayres.— J. H. G.] 



33. Ceryle maxima (Pallas). Great African Kingfisher. 



Eye nearly black ; bill black. These birds frequent the 

 rivers and lakes, and are not found far from the coast. They 

 feed entirely on fish, which they dart on from their perch on a 

 bough above. When flying, they make a loud chattering noise, 

 audible at a great distance. They generally roost at night at 

 the same pool and on the same pond for a length of time, wan- 

 dering away in the day-time and returning at night. I find in 

 some of them intestinal worms (somewhat similar to the Wire- 

 worm of England), which eat into their flesh and entrails, but do 

 not seem to injure the health of the bird. 



[Dr. Hartlaub, in his admirable work on the birds of West 

 Africa, treats Ceryle maxima of Pallas and Ceryle gigantea of 

 Swainson as distinct species, but states that " it is not without 

 some consideration" that he has adopted that opinion. Although 

 I feel much diffidence in expressing a dissent from Dr. Hart- 

 laub^s conclusion, I must state that such evidence as I have been 

 able to obtain appears to me to be adverse to the opinion of 

 these two supposed species being really distinct. And I am the 

 more disposed to think they are the same, because their alleged 

 distinctness rests much upon differences of measurement, which, 

 it appears to me, must not be relied on too minutely. As an 

 example, I may mention that six specimens from Natal in the 

 present collection do not entirely agree in measurement cither 

 with the dimensions assigned by Dr. Hartlaub to Ceryle maxima 

 or with those assigned to C. gigantea. 



