NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Another genus of stork, viz., Jnastomus, frequents the 

 marshes and watercourses in the upper parts of South Africa, 

 and preys on fish and other aquatic and semi-aquatic creatures. 



The saddle-bill or African jabiru has similar feeding habits, 

 but they are usually found in the bays at the mouths of rivers. 



The Marabou. 



{^Leptoptilus crumen'iferus.) 



Diet. — Carrion, fish, small reptiles, crabs, and insects. The 

 marabou is rare in South Africa. 



Wood Ibis. 



{Pseudotantalus ibis.) 



Diet. — Insects and small aquatic forms of life which it finds 

 along the muddy and sandy banks of rivers. It is rare in South 

 Africa. 



Hammerkop. 

 Paddevanger, Mud-Lark. 



{^Scopus wnhretta.) 



Diet. — The hammerkop is a well-known bird. It frequents 

 the banks of rivers, spruits, ponds, marshes, and lakes, and preys 

 on small fishes, frogs, tadpoles, etc. It also feeds on grasshoppers 

 and other insects. 



The Heron. 



(Genera — Ardea^ Melanophoyx.^ Ardeola.^ Erythrocnus., Butorides., 

 and Nycticorax.) 



Diet. — All the species of herons are usually found seeking 

 their food in lagoons, marshes, and at the edges of rivers and 

 ponds. They feed on frogs, Crustacea, fish, water insects, 

 etc. When food is insui^cient in these resorts, and during times 

 of drought, herons may be seen out on the veld and on farm 

 lands far from water, seeking grasshoppers, beetles, and other 

 insect pests. They destroy great numbers of mice and 

 veld rats. 



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