40.2 Messrs. R. B. & J. D. S. Woodward's Jourrwys 



tliis bird, unlike the rest of its tribe, has the hawk-like habit 

 of hovering over the water before pouncing down on its prey. 

 The scarlet blossoms of the aloe and the Kafir-boom {Ery- 

 thrina) attracted numbers of the Nectariniidfe, one species of 

 which ( Cinnyris verreauxi) we had not met with before. As it 

 flits about it displays to advantage its scarlet side-tufts, which 

 set off its otherwise sombre plnmage. Another little bird that 

 was new to us was the Yellow-and-Black Barbet [Barbatula 

 biHneata), also a small Crab-eater {Halcyon orientalis), very 

 similar in plumage to the common Halcyon albiventris, but 

 \vith notes altogether different. The chattering Yellow- 

 breasted Bulbul {Criniger flaviventris) was also very common 

 here, as was the Black-and-White Barbet [Smilorhis leacotis), 

 which seems to confine itself to the coast-lands, as we have 

 jiot yet met with it up country. 



Afier remaining here for two weeks we returned to the 

 main road, arid leaving the flat country, and passing over a 

 number of low hills with good grass for cattle, reached a 

 large store situated at the nearest accessible point to the 

 Ungoye forest, which we were anxious to visit. Mr. Green 

 deals almost entirely in Kafir goods ; but all the store- 

 keepers have to keep accommodation for travellers, and we 

 found them most useful in our journeys. We left our cart 

 here and rode on to the forest about four miles off, Kafir 

 bearers carrying our things. It was a rough native path 

 mostly uphill, till we reached a pretty spot on a high grassy 

 terrace surrounded by dense bush which covered the hills 

 .and valleys on three sides. In front of this site was an 

 extensive view of the lower country bounded by the Indian 

 Ocean. A quick-flowing mountain stream supplied us 

 with excellent water, and altogether this seemed such an 

 interesting locality for a naturalist that we decided to build 

 a hut here and remain for some little time. 



This forest is the largest in Zululand, being 15 miles long 

 and about 5 broad, and covers a large portion of a range of 

 hills which bounds the coast-lands. Beyond the bush are 

 some rocky heights, to which we made an excursion, and 

 climbing to the top could trace the windings of the Umhla- 



