COLIID^ 93 



(1851) ; STiarpe, Cat. B. M. xvii, p. 242 (1892) ; Woodward Bros. 

 Natal B. p. 94 (1899). 



Description. — Similar to H. cyanoleucus, but of a duller and 

 darker shade of blue on the back and at once distinguished by its 

 entirely red bill. 



Iris dark brown ; bill deep red ; legs and feet dark reddish- 

 yellow. 



Length 9-0; wing 3-9 ; tail 2-4: ; culmen 2-05 ; tarsus '55. 



In the female the bill is somewhat dusky towards the tip, and 

 the plumage is duller ; the under wing-coverts are distinctly tinged 

 with ochreous and the breast is more strongly freckled. 



Distribution. — The type of this species was obtained by Sir A. 

 Smith near Durban, and the bird is stated by Ay res and Quekett to 

 be fairly common about Durban harbour among the mangrooves 

 during the cold weather only. It has also been noticed by Eickard 

 on the Buffalo river at East London. No other South African 

 localities have been recorded. The South African Museum is 

 indebted to Mr. A. D. Millar for an example shot on June 28 at 

 Umbilo on Durban harbour. Beyond our limits the Mangroove 

 Kingfisher extends through German and British east Africa as 

 far as Mombasa. 



Habits. — Mr. Millar sends me the following note : — " These 

 birds are sparingly found in the mangroves skirting the head of 

 the bay at Durban, generally singly or in pairs, and they might 

 readily be mistaken for H. albiventris unless one happened to be 

 very near, which seldom occurs, as they are very wary, and even 

 when cautiously approached dive into the mangroves at the 

 slightest alarm. I have hunted along the creeks and river banks 

 in the hope of discovering their nests, but so far without success ; 

 it may be that they migrate when nesting, as they disappear during 

 the summer months which is probably the breeding season." 



Mr. Ayres gives a similar account, and further states that they 

 feed principally on small crabs, though sometimes fishes are taken. 



Family IV. COLIID^. 



Bill short, stout, and finch-like, with nostrils at the base; tail 

 of ten feathers, long and graduated ; toes pamprodactylous, i.e., all 

 four including the hallux are normally turned forward, but both 

 hallux and fourth toe can at will be turned backward. Flexor 



