' ALCEDO SEMITORQUATA. 107 
scarce bird: I know of only four specimens haying been seen; one 
in the Zambesi delta, the others at Chibisa, on the Shiré. It seems 
to frequent trees. Native name, ‘ M’voraio.’?” Bianconi procured 
it in South Mozambique. The Trogon seems never to have been 
met with in Damara Land by Andersson, but Mr. Monteiro obtained 
one specimen which he shot in a wood in Benguela, and more re- 
cently Senor Anchieta has procured a pair at Biballa in Mossamedes. 
Mr. Hamilton also shot a pair at Cazengo in the interior of Angola. 
Wherever found it exhibits the same shy, creeping habits. When 
apprehensive of discovery, it sits motionless on its branch until 
alarmed at same act of the fowler, when it precipitates itself head- 
long into the bush, and is instantly lost to view. It feeds on fruits 
and insects, and utters a loud moaning note, or, perhaps, more cor- 
rectly speaking, a hoot, which Mr. Atmore describes as “like the 
bark of a poodle with a bad cold.” Le Vaillant states that they nest 
in holes of trees, and lay four, nearly round, white eggs; but this 
requires confirmation. We have never met with any one who had 
seen their nest, though we made particular enquiries for them when 
at the Knysna. . 
Adult male.—Entire upper surface shining green as well as the 
throat and chest, the rest of the under surface crimson: wing- 
coverts grey, finely pencilled with black lines and slightly shaded 
with green: two centre tail-feathers green like the back, the three 
others more or less white on the outer web: bill yellow: feet black: 
iris red. Total length, 11°6 inches; wing, 5°3; tail, 7:0; tarsus, 
0°65. 
Female.—Duller coloured than the male: the breast greyish 
washed with crimson. 
Fig. Gould, Monogr. Trogon. pl. 
Fam. ALCEDINIDZ. 
103. AtLcEDO SEMITORQUATA. Half-collared Kingfisher. 
This Kingfisher, which is the representative of the Huropean 
species in Africa, and is strictly of the same type, is widely distri- 
buted throughout South Africa and appears at uncertain intervals, 
though it cannot be called migratory. Mr. L. Layard shot several 
on the Liesbeck River near Cape Town, and Mr. John Reid has also 
procured it on the Salt River. We have received it from Swellen- 
