Sidi/icatiun (/the Striped Kingfisher. 39 



(|ni('t tlu'v were not disturbed ut luy presence within 15 yards 

 of the nest. 



It was not, however, nutil the 29th Sept., 1907, that I 

 secured the eo;tr. On this date I again visited the locality and 

 finding the cock bird feeding I carefully observed it for over 

 an hour. After devouring a few dainty morsels it picked up 

 a large grasshopper and flew across the river in a direct line 

 to a large fig-tree growing on the opposite bank : here it 

 disappeared from view, and I decided to cross the flooded 

 river in a boat and soon arrived at the fig-tree. Here I 

 noticed several dead boughs, in one of wdiicli there was a 

 Barbet's hole about 25 feet from the ground, and after waiting 

 a short time the cock bird appeared and calling for its mate 

 the catch was handed over. This was repeated at intervals 

 whilst I was carefully watching the birds, and the hen flew 

 into the Barbet's hole, remaining inside for some considerable 

 time, after w^iich she appeared at the entrance of the hole 

 with the bill and portion of the head pointing outwards ; this 

 led me to think she had eggs. The tree being of enormous 

 dimensions it would have been hopeless to attempt climbing ; 

 however with the assistance of a hammer and eight-inch nails 

 I soon found myself alongside the nest, but to my disappoint- 

 ment only found one egg contained therein. 



The hole had been excavated about 10 inches down, and 

 although the entrance was small, the nest inside was roomy 

 and sufficiently large to acconnnodate both birds. It con- 

 tained old feathers of the Black-collared Barbet and showed 

 signs of the young Barbets having been reared there, but 

 otherwise the nest was bare. 



Both birds remained in the vicinity and I decided to shoot 

 and preserve them for identification. On opening the hen 

 bird 1 found it contained a complete egg with shell in the 

 oviduct, and in addition three smaller eggs; consequently it 

 would have laid five eggs, including the one found in the nest. 



The eggs are rounded ovals and more elongate than those 

 of its near ally //. alhiventris and measure 1 X J inch; they are 

 white, and when freshly laid the dark yolk gives a salmon tint. 



Durban, Natal, 

 Oct. 10, 19(»7. 



