76 ALCEDINID^ CEKYLE 



striking the water with a thud, and often completely disappearing 

 under the surface. It repeats this mancevivre quite rapidly, at 

 intervals of about a minute. It not infrequently misses its mark, 

 but it goes on most persistently until its patience is rewarded. 

 Unlike other Kingfishers these birds are bold and noisy. Their 

 food consists almost entirely of fishes, but shrimps and crabs are 

 also occasionally resorted to. 



The nest-hole is made in the side of a sand bank, and usually 

 runs horizontally inwards for about three or four feet, at the end of 

 which is a smooth, rounded chamber ; no lining is used, but a mass 

 of fish-bones and scales accumulates there, probably from the 

 castings of the birds ; on these are laid five (sometimes six) white, 

 oval, shining eggs, measuring 1-25 x 095. Mr. Layard first found 

 a nesting place at Zoetendals Vley, in the Bredasdorp division, on 

 November 10 ; Buckley found it breeding on the Limpopo, and 

 lately Mr. Griffin had taken a nest on the great Berg river on 

 November 15, containing five fresh eggs. 



413. Ceryle maxima. Giant Kingfisher. 



Alcedo maxima, Pallas, Spic. Zool. fasc. iv, p. 14 (1769). 



Ceryle maxima, Gray, Gen. B. i, p. 82 (1847) ; Grill, K. Vet. Ahacl. 

 Eandl. StockJiolm ii, no. 10, p. 47 (1858) ; Gurney, Ibis, 1859, p. 243 

 [Natal]; Kirh, Ibis, 1864, p. 325 [Zambesi]; Layard, B. S. Afr. 

 p. 66 (1867) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1869, p. 290 [Marico] ; Sharpe, Monogr. 

 Alced. p. 67, pi. 20 (1869) ; Gurney in Andcrsson's B. Damaraland, 

 p. 59 (1872) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. Ill, 807 (1875-84) ; 

 Shelley, Ibis, 1875, p. 69 [near Durban] ; Bucldey. Ibis, 1876, p. 133 

 [Limpopo] ; Ayres, Ibis, 1879, p. 291 [Rustenburg] ; Gates, Matabe- 

 leland, p. 303 (1881) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 244 [Mashonaland] ; 

 Butler, Feilden, and Reid, Zool. 1882, p. 206 [Umgeni Eiver] ; 

 Ayres, Ibis, 1884, p. 223 [Rustenburg], 1885, p. 243 [Potchef- 

 stroom] ; W. Ayres, Ibis, 1887, p. 50 [Zoutspansberg] ; Symonds, 

 ibid. p. 327 [Kroonstad] ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xvii, p. 118 (1892); 

 Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 116; Sharioe, Ibis, 1897, p. 497 [St. Lucia 

 Lake] ; Woodward Bros. Natal B. p. 91 (1899) ; Alexander, Ibis, 

 1900, p. 103 [Zambesi] ; Marshall, ibid. p. 249 [Mashonaland]. 



" Isivuba " of Natal Zulus. 



Description. Male. — General colour above black, darker on the 

 head, rather more slaty on the back and wings, head crested ; above 

 everywhere, including the wings and. tail, covered with round white 

 spots, those of the tail arranged in regular order and almost form- 



