84 .1. Wood — Bird yotcs from 



Black Stouk. (Ciconia nhjra.') 



To observe this sjiccies one inust go to our river-nioutlis 

 ^vhen the tide is ebbing, and then he may chance to see a 

 single bird or, now and again, two standing or wading about 

 in the shallows as the water receded from the mud-banks. 

 It is rather a fine-looking Stork, with its shining upper 

 plumage of black, white belly, and bright red bill and logs ; 

 but I have always had to be content with making my obser- 

 vations through afield-glass, because its great wariness gene- 

 rally keeps it beyond the reach of everything save a rifle. 



I would not say positively that the Black Stork pairs in 

 this part of Africa, for though they are represented here all 

 the year round, yet I have never seen the slightest sign of 

 any two consorting as mates. As I remarked above, occa- 

 sionally two may be observed upon the same feeding-ground, 

 but they will not show interest in each other's presence. 

 Two were reported from the Kieskhama Hiver mouth last 

 June, and J have them recorded locally as at Christmas, 

 Easter, Whitsuntide, and at Michaelnuis. 



Marabou Stork. {Leptoptllos crumenifer.) 

 I have never seen it here, but from a description given me 

 by a competent witness I believe it was near the Kei River 

 mouth a few summers ago; and my informant mentioned 

 certain of the Kaffirs told him that tiieir witch-doctor would 

 })ay a few pounds for it to be used as medicine if he shot it 

 for them to hand over. 



Wood Ibis. ( Tantalus ibis.) 



I cannot doubt the accounts given me of this bird being 

 seen every second or third year passing the East London 

 district, but I have always missed coming across it. 



Hammekkot. (Scopus nmhretta.) 



A fairly common bird, and though the coast-belt does not 

 lend itself to the formation of persistent pans and vleys, yet 

 there are many rivers, such as the Buffalo, Nahoon, Gonubie, 

 Kwelegha, Ohalumna, &c., with always more or less of a 

 How, ill which are many pools overshadowed by krantzes 



