192 Mr. L. B. Mouritz on the 



19. Platalea alba. African Spoonbill. 



The Spoonbill must be very rare here, and I have not 

 seen it elsewhere in Matabeleland. On January 30^ 1912, 

 I had a close view of one flying in company with a White 

 Stork and going practically due north — both birds^ judging 

 by their direction, had come straight from the Dam. 



20. t Abdimia abdimi. White-bellied Stork. 



A very common summer visitor, occurring in varying 

 sized flocks. 



This Stork may frequently be seen feeding along with the 

 next species, but this is only a temporary arrangement, the 

 flocks usually separating towards roosting time. However, 

 occasionally I have noticed an outcast here and there, 

 evidently forced to throw in its lot with the White Storks 

 for the sake of companionship. The White-bellied Storks, 

 which spend the northern winter with us, leave rather early 

 in the year, but their place is taken by others which are 

 evidently travelling up from the south by short stages. The 

 following extract from my 1912 diary bears upon this : — 



February 25. — By far the greater number of these Storks left last 



night — they have heen consorting in larger flocks 



than usual during the past few days. 



9fi I 

 " " > Only a stragcrler here and there, 



to March 5. 1 "^ °° 



Mai'ch 6. — A large flock, flying high, going N.E. at sunset. 



„ 7-9. — None. 



„ 10. — A lot on the Rhodes Estate. 



„ 11. — Flock of about a score passed over Lucy dale, flying 



high and due north. 



„ 12-16. — None noticed. 



,, 17. — Flocks on the Rhodes Estate. 



„ 18-20.— None. 



„ 21. — Several individuals and also a pair. 



22 



. None, 

 to May 2. 



May 3. — Two ! It is perhaps interesting to note that a north 



wind has been blowing for the last 36 hours — this 



is probably the cause of the appearance of these 



belated travellers. 



