418 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant on 



143. ^Leptoptilus crumeniferus. 



Leptoptilus crumeniferus (Cuv.) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. 

 Mus. xxvi. p. 319 (1898) ; Witherby, p. 273; N. C. Roths. 

 & Wollast. p. 30. 



[The Adjutant-Bird, or Marabou Stork, was common. It 

 seemed to be able to get its food either on land or from the 

 "water. It followed in the wake of fires to feed on the 

 scorched insects and reptiles. It attended the death of any 

 animal, and I also once saw it standing in a swamp on the 

 look out for fishes and frogs. — R. M. H.] 



144. PSEUDOTANTALUS IBIS. 



Pseudotantalus ibis (Linn.) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 

 xxvi. p. 327 (1898) ; Witherby, p. 273. 



a. cJ. Fa^hoda, 31st March. No. 267. 



Iris greyish ; bill oclireous ; cheeks light red \ legs red at 

 upper end of tibia, shading into pink on the tarsus and 

 feet. 



The male brought home by Mr. Hawker — apparently a 

 fully adult bird — has all the freshly-moulted upper wing- 

 coverts uniform white tinged with rose, while only a few 

 hidden feathers of the greater upper wing-coverts, scapulars, 

 and tail-coverts — all in worn condition — shew the lake bars 

 characteristic of what has generally been recognised as the 

 adult plumage. I am of opinion that further investigation 

 will prove that the African Wood-Ibis has distinct winter and 

 summer phimages. In the former all the upper wing-coverts, 

 &c. are barred with lake ; in the latter these parts are 

 uniform white, tinged with rose, as in the bird from Fashoda, 

 To satisfactorily settle this interesting point (which, so far as 

 I am aware, has never previously been suggested), it would 

 be necessary to examine a few adult birds shot in different 

 months of the year and properly labelled. Mr. Hawker's 

 bird is the only specimen in the British Museum with a label 

 bearing the date and other particulars. 



It is to be hoped that collectors in Africa will look more 

 closely into this matter. 



[I saw the Wood-Ibis in flocks, generally feeding in 

 places which had just been burnt. — R.,M. H.] 



