Mr. Layard's 'Birds of South Africa: 259 



back of each Stork was a large copper-coloui-ed Flycatcher, 

 which, perched like a rider on his horse, kept a bright look-out 

 for insects, which from its elevated position it could easily dis- 

 cover upon the ground. I watched them for some time : when- 

 ever the Storks perceived a grasshopper or other winged insect, 

 they chased them on foot, but if they missed their game the 

 Flycatchers darted from their backs and flew after the insects 

 like Falcons, catching them in their beaks and then returning 

 to their steeds to look out for another opportunity." 



I also learn from Sir Samuel that a similar scene was sub- 

 sequently witnessed by Dr. von Heuglin ; and he further informs 

 me that the "copper-coloured Flycatcher" mentioned in the 

 above passage is a long-tailed bird, nearly as large as a Magpie 

 — a description which perhaps agrees with Lamprotornis eijtoni 

 (Fraser), the Abyssinian representative, according to Dr. Hart- 

 laub (J. f. 0. 1859, pp. 9-11), of the western L. cenea (Gmel.), 

 no. 336 of Mr. Layard's work. 



599. Leptoptilus CRUMENiFERus (Cuv.). African Marabu. 



Mr. Ayres informs me that he has observed in the Transvaal 

 a bird which, from his account, I believe to be of this species ; 

 but the fact of its being so not having as yet been ascertained 

 with precision, I merely mention the circumstance as indicative 

 of a locality where such a bird exists, and with the view of 

 drawing the attention of South-African naturalists to its more 

 precise identification, 



604. Ibis iETHiopiCA (Lath.). Sacred Ibis. 



I cannot agree with Mr. Layard in referring the Sacred Ibis 

 to the genus Geronticus, from which it appears to me to be very 

 distinct. It surely must have been the intention of the founder 

 of the genus Ibis to retain within it the only species to which the 

 name, as a common name, was properly applicable, the species 

 which was an object of reverence among the old Egyptians. 

 Since Savigny's time there has been no doubt what that species 

 was ; and therefore I should be inclined to consider the guar- 

 dian bird of this Journal the type of the genus Ibis, under the 

 name above given. 



