Birds of Albany Division, Cape Colony. 101 



151. *Merops persicus, Pallas. Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. 

 Rare. 



152. Ceryle rudis (Linn.). Pied Kingfisher. 

 Common at times. It is an exceedingly common bird at 



Port Alfred. 



153. Ceryle maxima (Pallas). Giant Kingfisher. 

 Not uncommon. Feeds largely on land-crabs. 



154. Alcedo semitorquata, Swains. Half - collared 

 Kingfisher. 



Not uncommon towards Blue Krantz, where it breeds freely. 



155. CoRYTHORNis CYANOSTiGMA (Rupp.). Malachite 

 Kingfisher. 



Very uncommon of late years. Ten years ago it was fairly 

 common, nesting near Grahamstown. 



156. *IsPiDiNA natalensis (Smith). Natal Kingfisher. 

 Rare visitor. 



157. Halcyon albiventris (Scop.). Brown - hooded 

 Is^ingfisher. 



Common. The young birds have black bills, but assume 

 the red colour with the first moult. The red begins with a 

 faint tinge on the gape, which gradually spreads towards the 

 tip. The young are also darker on the throat and more 

 striped than the adult. 



158. CoLius STRIATUS, Gmel. Speckled Mouse-Bird. 

 Very common. This species nests all the year round, 



laying four or five white eggs. Winter nests are, of course, 

 few and far between. In Albany the nest is usually 

 constructed of fine wild asparagus twigs and everlastings. 



159. CoLius ERYTHROMELON, Vieill. Red-faccd Mouse- 

 Bird. 



Not so common as the preceding species. 



IGO. *BucoRAX CAFER, Bocage. Brom-vogel. 

 Rare. Nests near Beaufort occasionally. Eggs very 

 strong with small granulations, wliite and deeply glazed. 



