596 Mr. A. B. Percival on Birds 



83. Ardetta PusiLLA Shelley, Ibis, 1894, p. 476. 

 Ardetta podiceps (Bp.) ; Sharpe_, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvi. 



p. 225 (1898). 



Common in the marshes near the river. The males seemed 

 to he much more common than the females. They kept to 

 thick cover, as a rule, and perched on the reeds. 



84. Erythrocnus rufiventris (Snndev.) ; Sharpe, Cat. 

 B. Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 200 (1898). 



I obtained only one specimen of this pretty little Heron, 

 hut saw one or two others ; they are very wild. They settle 

 high up on reeds, and so are able to see anyone approaching. 

 Iris yellow ; bare skin round eye greenish yellow ; l^ill — 

 upper mandible black, lower yellow with black tip ; legs 

 yellow. 



85. Leptoptilus crumenifer (Cuv.) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1894, 

 p. 477. 



Numerous in the Elephant-marsh. 



86. Phyllopezus africanus (Gra.). 

 Par7'a africcma Shelley, Ibis, 1894, p. 25. 



These graceful birds were to be seen wherever thei*e was 

 any floating weed or marshy bank. They were particularly 

 common on the Portuguese side of Kuo, opposite Chiromo, 

 and in a narrow stream which joined the Shire above Chiromo, 

 after coming through the Elephant-marsh. They were always 

 in pairs or parties ; it was a most unusual thing to see a 

 solitary bird. They looked very pretty running about 

 over the floating stuff or flying round. If two parties meet 

 they will at once start to fight, following each other on the 

 wing until one party or the other is driven ofi". If wounded 

 they dive well, often taking hold of weeds under water and 

 staying there. 



87. HiMANTOPUs CANDiDUs Bouu,; Sliellcy, Ibis, 1894, 

 p. 475. 



Ptare ; I saw only two pairs during all my trips, and those 

 escaped me. I watched them for some time feeding. They 

 are good swimmers ; one which I saw took quite a long swim 

 across a channel. 



