of Birds from the Colony of Xatal. 463 



tunate fellow at last got into a hole that was blocked up at the 

 end. I also saw some of the same species climbing the face of 

 a large pei-pendicular rock and searching for insects exactly in 

 the same manner as other Woodpeckers examine a tree. 



Their stomachs contained beetles, evidently taken from 

 amongst the stones. 



315. NuMiDA coRONATA, G. R. Gray. Crowned Guinea- 

 fowl*. 



Male. Iris dusky; bill blood-red, except the tip and under 

 mandible, which are pale ash-coloured; tarsi and feet black. 



These birds are abundant in some of the upper districts of 

 Natal ; they are gregarious, and are generally found amongst 

 scrubby bush on the borders of streams and rivers. They run 

 with exceeding swiftness, and in open ground a person on foot 

 would stand but a poor chance of running them up. When in 

 cover they lie very close indeed, and require a good dog to find 

 them ; when found they will frequently fly up into the lower 

 boughs of any convenient bush or tree. They are naturally 

 very tame, and easily domesticated, and may be found thus at 

 many farmsteads. In some instances I am informed that they 

 come regularly to feed with the poultry. In their wild state 

 they feed much upon berries, the roots of various grasses, and 

 so forth. They are excellent eating; and a good cock will 

 weigh from three pounds and a quarter to three pounds and 

 a half. 



The following remarks refer to species which have been 

 already enumerated in my previous lists of the Birds of Natal. 



Gyps fulvus (Gmel.) . Fulvous Gx'iffon Vulture. (No. 5, Ibis, 



1859, p. 236.) 



The only nest of this Vulture which I have met with in the 

 Transvaal was placed on a thorn-tree; and, though but a short 

 distance from the ground, it was, from the denseness of the 

 boughs and the innumerable thorns, not easy to get at. 



Fa LCD BiARMicus, Temm. Latakoo Falcon. (No. 66, Ibis, 



1860, p. 207; 1862, p. 15-k) 



* Vide anted, p. 2-"5.'^, mite. 



