232 THE BIRDS OF RIVER AND VLEI 



black-barred chest, reddish-buff underparts and coral-red 

 bill and legs. Length, 6 inches. 



It may be seen sitting on a reed or tree, or darting up and 

 down the surface of the water, emitting its shrill cry of 

 " peep peep " ; it frequents almost every stream or dam 

 in the country. 



We have taken its eggs — from four to six rounded ovals 

 of a shiny white (when unblown and fresh, of a pale salmon- 

 pink owing to the yolk shining through the shell) — from 

 holes in the bank of a donga or furrow near Grahamstown 

 in September to November and at Modderfontein in 

 November. 



The Natal Kingfisher (Ispidina natalensis) differs from 

 the Malachite Kingfisher in being smaller and in the posses- 

 sion of a rufous-brown collar, and darker underparts. Length, 

 about 5 inches. 



It ranges from Port St. John through Natal and Zulu- 

 land to the Zambesi. 



The Brown-hooded Kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris) has 

 tin' top of the head varying from an ashy to a dark brown, 

 streaked with darker ; a whitish collar round the neck ; 

 back and shoulder patch black ; rump regions and tail 

 cobalt-blue: throat white, merging into a pale fulvous on 

 the lower breast, streaked with dark brown. Length, 8| 

 inches. 



This bud ranges from Swcllendam eastwards through the 

 Cape Province, mid northwards to the Northern Transvaal. 

 It is a noisy, fearless bird, and subsists chiefly on insects 

 of various kinds, millepedes and small fish. The nest-hole 

 is usually very foul-smelling. The eggs are generally four 

 or five in number. 



