27'4 Mr. H. F. Witherhy—Oniitholoffical 



112. Hydrochelidox leucoptera (Schinz). 



This beautiful species was especially numerous near Khar- 

 tum in May. A great number were theu frequenting the 

 river. We often saw them flying over the land in company 

 with Glareola pratincola. While the Pratincoles caught 

 insects in the air^ the Terns were hovering over the beans 

 and grass, or darting down to pick some insect off the 

 ground. 



Adult. Iris dark brown; bill black; legs and feet dark 

 crimson. 



113. "^Hydrochelidon hybrida (Pall.). 



114. *Hydrochelii)on nigra (Linn.). 



Both these Terns were frequently seen flying and hovering 

 about the river. Of the two the Whiskered Tern was the 

 commoner. 



115. Sterna anglica Mont. 



A Gull-billed Tern was one of the first birds observed as 

 we were crossing the river on our arrival at Omdurman. 

 We saw individuals fairly frequently afterwards and shot one 

 during our last day in camp. 



116. *Larus fuscus Linn. 



We saw small flocks of Black-backed Gulls^ which had 

 every appearance of being of this species^ Aji'^o down the 

 river northwards on March 7th and on April 28th. 



117. *Phcenicopterus roseus Pall. 



Only a few seen here and there on sandbanks in the river. 



118. *Chenalopex jEgyptiaca (Briss.). 



Everywhere common. Although generally in flocks of 

 varying numbers^ by the end of April some Avere mated and 

 the males were courting industriously. We several times 

 saw pairs that seemed to be breedings but we never found a 

 nest. Although these Geese are shy, probably because every- 

 one shoots at them, the natives have considerable difficulty 

 in driving them from their beans, of which the birds are 

 very fond. They seem to know the diff'erence between an 

 armed and an unarmed man. 



