296 j\Ir, Ayres 07i Bh'ds of 



40. (L. 452.) ScHiziERHis concolor (A. Smith). Dusky 

 Plantain-eater. 



Common throughout the bush country of the Trans- Vaal ; 

 the specimens sent are from the Limpopo. 



41. (L. 458.) BucoRvus abyssinicus (Gmel.). Abyssinian 

 Hornbill. 



There are two or three kinds of land-tortoise in the district 

 of the river Limpopo which are eaten and much esteemed by 

 the natives, and also fully appreciated by the large Abyssinian 

 Hornbill, which attacks the tortoise and very neatly picks every 

 atom of flesh from the unhappy reptile, eating also the legs and 

 head and leaving the entire shell without damage. 



I could not at first imagine what it could be which thus 

 destroyed the tortoises without injuring their shell; but the 

 Caffres assured me that it was the Abyssinian Hornbill during 

 the summer months, when the tortoises are out in numbers. 



42. (L. 456.) BucEROs erythrorhynchus (Temm.). Red- 

 billed Hornbill. 



Numerous about the river Limpopo. 



[Li the specimen sent, a female, the cheeks were dark bluish 

 grey, not white as described by Mr. Layard (B. S. Afr. p. 227). 

 I believe that both these variations of colour occur in South- 

 African examples of this bird, but whether they are indicative 

 of distinct races I am unable to say. — J. H. G.] 



43. PsiTTACUs MEYERi, Rupp. Meyer's Parrot. 



These Parrots occur near the Limpopo and throughout the 

 bush-veldt of the Trans-Vaal ; they are much kept as pets by 

 the inhabitants, and become perfectly tame. 



[Some specimens of this Parrot have an irregular broad mark 

 of pale yellow across the crown of the head, which in other 

 examples is entirely wanting; the pair sent by Mr. Ayres from 

 the Limpopo, a male and female, both possessed this pecu- 

 liarity.— J. H. G.] 



44. (L. 474?) Chrysoptilus bennetti, A. Smith. Ben- 

 nett's Woodpecker. 



Obtained near the river Limpopo. 



[This species, to which the above specific name is assigned by 



