Mr. E. L. Layard on South-African Ornithology. 377 



624. Gallinago .equatorialis. This Great Snipe breeds 

 in many places in the colony. It is extremely abundant in the 

 vleys formed by the sluggish waters of the river Zonder-end. 

 Its eggs are of a darkish olive-green ground, much blotched and 

 spotted with darker brown. Their shape is very broad at the 

 obtuse end, and tapering to an abrupt point at the other ; in- 

 deed they exactly resemble those of the Solitary Snipe of Europe; 

 axis 1" 9'", diam. 1" 3'". 



632. Ortygometra crex. Dr. Edwin Atherstone writes 

 from Graham's Town, April 19, 1869 : — " This species has been 

 very plentiful this season near the coast." 



636. Corethrura ruficollis. I lately shot a male of this 

 rare Water-hen at French Hoek, and my son sent the eggs and 

 a female captured on the nest from Grootevadersbosch. The 

 primaries are pure white, and rather sharply pointed at the small 

 end; axis 1" 1'", diam. 9|"'. 



648. Chenalopex iEGYPTiACus. Mr. Atmore writes : — "At 

 Gauritz River they breed on ledges of rocks, 200 feet above the 

 level of the water, in company with Gyps fulvus, and appear 

 quite friendly with them.'' 



649. Nettapus madagascariensis. A fine pair, male and 

 female, of this lovely little Goose were killed by Mr. J. Nightin- 

 gale in a small vley near Alexandria last year (1868) ; and one 

 or two other specimens obtained in the colony have fallen under 

 my notice. 



658. Ehynchaspis capensis. This species, called " Slop " 

 by the colonists, is abundant on the Knysna lakes, Vogel Vley, 

 near Wellington, and at the Berg River, whence Mr. Cotze sends 

 eggs of a delicate cream-colour tinged with green ; axis 2" 2"', 

 diam. 1" 6'". 



677. DiOMEDEA CHLORORHYNCHA. Called the "Pretty bird" 

 by the sealers. Breeds on the Crozette Islands. The eggs 

 exactly resemble those of D. melanophrys (No. 676) . 



700. Graculus africanus. Seems widely distributed over 

 the whole of South Africa. It is common on the Berg River, 

 N. S. VOL. V. 2d 



