438 Mr. B. Alexander — An Ornithological 



near the river. Tlie fliglit of this elejijaut little Flavvk is full 

 of swoops and curves. Locusts are preyed upon to a great 

 extent. 



Adult S (Chicowa, Oct. 9, 1898). Total length (measured 

 in the flesh) 9 inches, wing 5 '4. Iris orange-red ; e^'^e-ring 

 and base of upper mandible lemon-yellow; legs and feet 

 yellow. 



Adult ? (Chicowa, Oct. 9, 1898). Total length (measured 

 in the flesh) 106 inches, wing 6'2. ColoratioTi of soft parts 

 as in male. 



201. Circus macrurus (Gm.). 



An immature male at Chicowa, Oct. 14, 1898, and a female 

 at Zumbo, Nov. 15. 



Found on the low waste lands bordering the river, where 

 it seeks its prey in early morning and again at dusk, remaining 

 inert during the day on a shady branch of a thick tree, not 

 far, if possible, from its hunting-grounds. 



202. PoLYBOROiDEs TYPicus Smith. 



An immature female near Chishomba, Oct. 25, 1898. Iris 

 brown ; cere bluish flesh-colour ; legs and feet yellow. 



203. Serpentarius reptilivorus (Daud.). 



We made our acquaintance with one in confinement at the 

 Stores of the Zambesi Company, Zumbo. 



204. Neophron percnopterus (Linn.). 



Observed once on migration, Sept. 1. ''A large flock, 

 quite 100 in number, suddenly appeared at a great altitude 

 this morning — white specks in the sky, as they circled in 

 the sunlight.^' 



205. Neophron pileatus (Burchell). 



The scarcity of Vultures along the river struck us as 

 remarkable, since we expected to find every native village 

 watched over by one or more of these birds; but no, the 

 scavenger of the bird-world was conspicuous by its absence. 

 The numerous pigs in che precincts of the native villages 

 devour with avidity all the oftal, and this is quite enough to 

 account iov the absence of tlie feathered scavenger. Our 

 first sight of this species was at Matacania, just below Zumbo, 



