62 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



white ; wings grey, very delicately pencilled with white ; 

 under side, from vent to breast, brilliant carmine ; from 

 thence to chin green, as on the back ; bill yellow. Length, 

 U"6"'; tail, 7"; wing, 5" 3'". 



Found througliput forests and wooded kloofs in all the eastern por- 

 tions of the colony. About the Knysna it is scarce ; but wherever 

 found it exhibits the same shy, creeping habits. "When apprehensive 

 of discovery, it sits motionless on its branch untd alarmed at some 

 act of the fowler, when it precipitates itself headlong into the bush, 

 and is instantly lost to view. It feeds on fruits and insects, and utters 

 a loud moaning note, or, perhaps, more correctly speaking, a hoot. 

 Le Vaillant states that they nest in holes of trees, and lay four, nearly 

 round, white eggs ; but this requires confirmation. I have never met 

 with any one who had seen their nests, though I made particular 

 enquiries for them when at the Knysna. 



The Fifth Family, ALCEDINIDiE, or 

 Kingfishers, 



have the bill more or less lengthened, generally straight, and 

 broad at the base, with the tips of both mandibles usually 

 acute. The nostrils lateral ; the wings na^ore or less long and 

 rounded ; the tail mostly short and rounded on the sides ; 

 the tarsi short and strong ; the toes long, sometimes three 

 before and one behind, and sometimes two and two, and of 

 various lengths. 



The Sub-Family, HALCYONIN^, or Crab- 

 hunters, 

 have the bill broad at the base, and gradually compressed 

 towards the tip ; the lateral margins straight, or turned 

 upwards towards the end of the upper mandible ; the gonys 

 lengthened and gradually ascending, or curved upwards to 

 the tip of the lower mandible. 



Genus HALCYON, Swainson. 

 Bill long, straight, broad, nearly quadrangular, culmen 

 slightly inclining towards the tip, near which the margin 

 is slightly sinuated ; gape smooth ; wings broad, short, 

 rounded ; tail very short ; feet syndactyle ; scales of tarsus 

 obsolete. 



98. Halcyon Senegalensis. (Linn.) Aicedo 



Senegalensis, Auct. PL Elum., t. 594 ; Swain. Illus. 



of Zool., t. 27. 

 General colour of back, tail, and wings blue, with a black 

 stripe extending from the shoulder down the wing ; some of 



