Ornithology of the Egyptian Soudan. 385 



276. Fuligula CRiSTATA (Leach). 



I have occasionally observed the Tufted Duck on the 

 White Nile in the winter, but have never shot it, or seen 

 one shot. 



277. Podicipes capensis Licht. 



Mr. G. B. Middleton shewed me the skin of a Dabchick 

 which he had shot on the Bahr-el-Ghazal. I have seen it 

 myself once or twice on the lagoons of the same river. 



278. Fulica atra Linn. 



I was shown a Coot which had been shot on the White 

 Nile just south of Khartoum in December 1903. This is 

 the only time that I have been able to note its occurrence 

 here. 



279. Gallinula chloropus (Linn.). 



An exhausted Waterhen, caught alive at Khartoum in 

 October 1904, is the only one that I have seen here. 



280. Crex pratensis Bechst. 



The Land-Rail arrives at Khartoum at considerable 

 numbers in a weak and emaciated condition during the 

 latter half of September, and is then often caught trying to 

 obtain shelter in gardens, outbuildings, &c. The flights, 

 however, soon pass on further south. 



281. Porzana maruetta Linn. 



I had four specimens of the Spotted Crake, caught alive 

 by natives, brought to me at Khartoum in September 1904 

 and one in March 1905. 



282. Limnocorax NIGER (Gm.). 



I have seen the Black Rail from Kaka southwards on 

 the White Nile, and on the Bahr-el-Ghazal and Jur Rivers. 

 Sometimes, when I have been waiting for a shot at hippo- 

 potamuses, two or three of these Rails have come and chased 

 each other about within a few feet of me. In the cover of 

 the reeds they are rather noisy, constantly uttering a shrill 

 cry. Mr. Middleton tells me that he once took one of these 

 birds from the stomach of a Heron shot on the Bahr-el- 

 Jebel. 



