during a journey to the Matabili Country. 389 



FULICA CRISTATA, Gm. 



Two specimens obtained in the Transvaal, where they are 

 fairly common. 



Balearica regulorum (Licht.). 



Pretty common throughout the open country of the Trans- 

 vaal, and called by the Dutch " Mahem/^ One morning, on 

 the 12th of November last year, seeing some Black Wildebeests 

 on the other side of a valley, I set out after them, but found, 

 to my disgust, that the way was blocked by a channel of water, 

 on either side of which were tall reeds. As I was walking along 

 looking in vain for an opening to get across, I flushed one of 

 these birds from a small open space among the reeds ; going 

 to the place I found a large floating nest composed of dried 

 reeds, in the centre of which were two eggs of a white colour 

 tinged slightly with blue ; these, after some little difficulty in 

 wading to the nest, I obtained. The nest had no lining what- 

 ever. 



Tetrapteryx paradisea (Licht.) . 



Not uncommon in the open country of the Transvaal, where 

 it is generally to be seen in pairs. They are so wary that 

 I never obtained a specimen. 



CiCONIA ALBA, L. 



On our return journey we found immense flocks of these 

 birds frequenting the sandbanks and grassy places along the 

 Limpopo, and procui-ed «ne specimen. 



Scopus umbretta (Gm.). 



a, $ . Transvaal, June 8th, 1873. 



Beak and legs black j iris dark hazel. 



In the summer I found these birds breeding on the banks of 

 the Limpopo, making an immense nest in trees, which, being 

 mostly composed of thorns, is extremely difficult to get into. 

 One of them, which I managed to storm with great difficulty, 

 was neatly lined inside with mud, and contained three yoimg 

 birds covered with white down. In the winter this bird is 

 found wherever there is a pool of water ; and though generally 

 alone, it is not at all shy. 



