240 THE BIRDS OF RIVER AND VLEI 



The White-backed Heron (N. leuconotus) has a white 

 patch on the back and the neck is bright chestnut. Sclater 

 gives only three known records of its occurrence in South 

 Africa : Bathurst by Atherstone, near Durban by Barber 

 and Hex Kiver, Bustenburg by Lucas. To this we can 

 add Port St. John, Pondoland. C. G. Davies, C.M.B., 

 favoured us with the loan of a water-colour painting 

 made by him of a specimen procured at that place. 

 Fitzsimons of the Port Elizabeth Museum has recently 

 informed us of the receipt, in August, of a fine example 

 from Hankey, a village not far from Uitenhage, and we 

 have obtained a pair from the Hennop's Biver, near 

 Pretoria. 



BITTERNS 



The Bitterns (genus Arietta) number three species, of 

 skulking habits, inhabiting thick reed-beds and rushes, 

 which are in consequence but little known, and are seldom 

 seen by the ordinary individual. They are somewhat Heron- 

 like in appearance, but are smaller. 



IBISES 



The Sacred Ibis (Ibis cetkiopica) is pure white excepting 

 the head and neck, which are black and devoid of feathers ; 

 the wings are steel-green and metallic purple. Length, 

 about 3 feet. 



This bird ranges throughout the African Continent, being 

 found on most of the inland waters in South Africa, many 

 resorting to the coast islands to breed in sprjng. 



Its food consists of crabs, mollusca, worms, &c. It 

 constructs a platform of rushes or seaweeds amongst the 

 rocks. Boberts found a colony of these birds breeding on 

 a " pan " near Balmoral Station in the Transvaal on December 

 11,1 904. The nests were built on the rushes about 6 inches 

 above the surface of the water, and contained each from two 



