448 A[r. 1?. Alexander — An Oni}fholo(/}ca/ 



surface, some far a-vay iu the centre, while others, less bold, 

 feed near the confines. Tliey are all peacefnlly takinjf tlioir 

 evening meal^ but the report of a gun will send them hurrying 

 towards the nearest cover, affording one an opportunity of 

 observing the wonderful running-power of these birds. AVith 

 rounded backs, and heads and necks craned to the front, 

 they go sprinting along at a rapid pace, only to slacken off 

 on nearing cover, which may be a good quarter of a mile from 

 their feeding-grounds. 



Adult (Tete, August 8, 1898). Iris black ; bill yellowish 

 horn at tip, base reddish brown ; top of head, red ; neck 

 and sides of face blue, wattles tipped with red ; legs aad 

 feet dark brown. 



An adult female, killed, on Jan. 4-, had a bright blue patch 

 on the centre of the throat. 



'^11. GuTTERA edouardi (Hartl.). 



Of local distribution, and a very difficult bird to obtain. 

 We first became aware of the presence of this species along 

 the river through a captive bird in the possession of a half- 

 caste at Matacania, some 30 miles below Zumbo. He told 

 us that at a certain time of the year, generally after the rains, 

 the birds come down from the hills, with their young ones, 

 to the vicinity of the river, and it is then that the natives 

 are able to capture them ; but at other times it is next to 

 impossible to approach them, since they retire to the in- 

 accessible portions of the high liills and the thick woods that 

 clothe their sides. 



By nature this bird is far more retiring than the Hel meted 

 Guinea-fowd.and possesses even a greater aptitude for running, 

 seldom making use of flight. We were fortunate enough 

 to obtain two specimens of this species near the river, above 

 Zumbo, while on another occasion, when pitching our tent for 

 the night, we heard a flock close to the water, and not far off 

 another one, but of the Helmeted species (Nmnida mitruta), 

 enabling us to observe to a nicety the difference between 

 the cries of the two species. The call of the former, other- 

 wise the same as that of the latterj was varied now and 



