302 Mr. Ay res on Birds of 



60. (L. 579.) Ardea purpurea^ Linn. Purple Heron. 

 This Heron chooses for its breeding-place a secluded reedy 



swamp. The nest is placed some few feet above the water (which 

 is frequently out of one^s depth), on reeds bent down by the 

 bird so as to meet from all directions and thus form a sufficient 

 support for the nest, which is a very rough structure composed 

 of dead sticks and pieces of reeds; it is two or three feet in 

 diameter, with a very slight concavity. These Herons lay three 

 or four eggs ; and frequently five or six pairs breed in company, 

 placing their nests within a few yards of each other*. 



61. (L. 601.) Anastomus lamelligerus, Temm. African 

 Anastoraus. 



This is a very scarce bird here. I have procured one, a 

 female, which was shot within a mile of Potchefstroom. 



62. (L. 624.) Gallinago /Equatorialis, Riipp. Black- 

 quilled Snipe. 



Breeds plentifully in the swamps around Potchefstroom, prin- 

 cipally in August. The bird sits exceedingly close, and the 

 nests are not easily found ; they are placed or rather formed in 

 a stool or clump of grass, in the centre of which the bird ti*eads 

 down the finer blades, and thus forms a sufficient cavity, well 

 surrounded and concealed by the outer blades, which curve over 

 and afford both shade from the sun and shelter from the cold 

 winds. 



63. (L. 652.) Mareca capensis (Gmel.). South-African 

 Widgeon. 



The specimen sent is the only one I have yet met with ; three 

 flew past me one evening in August, out of which I bagged this 

 one. 



Female : — Iris cinnamon-brown ; bill black at the base, light 

 pink in the middle, gradually assuming a bluish tint towards 

 the tip; tarsi and feet yellowish-dusky; webs nearly black. 



64. (L. 661.) Erismatura maccoa (A. Smith). Maccoa 

 Duck. 



The specimen sent I shot in December whilst standing uj) to 

 * C'f. supra, p. 238. 



