432 Mr. C. F. M. Swynnerton on the 



248. Alopochen ^orPTiAcus. Egyptian Goose. 



Rh., P. I had in my aviary, for a short time during April 

 of 1905, a gander of this species, which with two geese had 

 been obtained by Mr. J. Ballantyne from the Sabi. It is 

 said to be quite common on that river, and I noted three on 

 the Mwangezi at the end of November. The male exaaiiued 

 by myself measured about 29 inches in length in the flesh. 



249. Anas sparsa. Black Duck. 

 Singuni : " Isekwi.''^ 



Rh., P. This undoubtedly is the commonest Duck in the 

 higher portions of the country. I have come across it on 

 several occasions of late and have had examples brought to 

 me alive by natives, who are in the habit of snaring them. 

 The Jihu, the upper Buzi, and the Umswirizwi headwaters 

 near Chirinda are amongst the localities specially noted. 

 The length of one of my specimens, measured in the flesh, 

 was 22*25 inches, and of another, a female, 20 inches. 

 These Ducks thrive fairly well in captivity. 



250. ViNAGo DELALANDii. Dclalandc's Green Pigeon. 

 Chindao : " Ihuriti." 



Rh., P. These birds were present in some numbers in the 

 small forest-patches of the Chikamboge Valley during Sep- 

 tember 1906. They are usually very shy, but when a common 

 round-leafed fig-tree ripens its fruits they do not hesitate 

 to settle in the branches and to commence feeding, even 

 while a person is moving about underneath. The birds in 

 my aviary converse with one another in low grunting notes. 

 Their sidelong awkward shufiie along the branches contrasts 

 with the neat and confident forward march with out-turned 

 toes of Haplopelia larvata. Two of these birds in my 

 collection measured ll'l and 12*5 inches respectively in 

 the flesh. 



On the 20th of November Odendaal found a nest high in 

 a tree in the open woods near Chirinda, trapping the bird 

 on it. There were two white elliptical eggs, measuring 

 32 by 25 mm. 



