260 Mr. J. H. Gurney's Notes on 



This species occurs in Natal as a winter visitor, as recorded in 

 'The Ibis' (1865, p. 275) ; and Mr. Ayres informs me that he 

 has also met with it in the Transvaal. 



According to the accounts given by Vierthaler, who met with 

 it on the White Nile, it there builds on mimosa trees, nesting in 

 great companies during the months of August, September, and 

 October (Naumannia, 1853, p. 22). On the Blue Nile it was 

 also numerous, building on trees standing in the middle of the 

 water {op. cit. 1857, p. 107). 



605. Geronticus hagedash (Lath.). Hagedash Ibis. 



The observations of Mr. Ayi*es on the nidification and other 

 habits of this species in Natal are recorded in ' The Ibis ' (1865, 

 p. 274). It was also met with in Sennaar by Dr. A. Brehm, 

 who gives (Journ. fiir Orn. 1858, p. 330) the following lively 

 accounts of its habits of roosting as observed in that country : — 

 " Towards evening he [this species] begins to think of his night 

 quarters, single trees standing close to the river or on islands. 

 Here he meets his Sacred cousin, the 'Insatiable' [Tantalus 

 ibis 11, the Marabu, the Spoonbill, one or other of the Pelicans, 

 and similar company ; frequently also a flock of monkeys, with 

 whom he then vies in roaring till a late hour of the night. A 

 monkey will sometimes amuse himself by trying to catch the 

 Ibis by his tuft or by otherwise annoying him ; then, indeed, he 

 can be heard roar ! He rises, shrieks as if he were spitted, 

 circles round the tree several times, and again sweeps back to 

 his place, when the monkey is perhaps mischievous enough once 

 more to disturb his bedfellow, and the old row begins afresh, 

 although the patriarch of the monkey-horde has several times, 

 with his deep gurgling tones, admonished the offenders to keep 

 the peace." 



620. Tringa canutus, Linn. Knot. 



The most southerly examples of this bird which have come 

 under my notice were two which were obtained in Walvisch Bay 

 by my late lamented friend Mr. C. J. Andersson, on 20th Oc- 

 tober and 4th November, 1863. The first of these specimens 

 retained some remains of the breeding-plumage, the second 

 scarcely any. 



