256 Mr. J. H. Gumey on additional Species 



to the trees, and a good dog will bark until his master manages 

 with much trouble to get to the spot through brambles, thorny 

 bushes, and nettles innumerable ; and then, if due care is taken 

 to approach without noise, the birds may be potted from the 

 tree, a flying shot being totally out of the question. 



" These Guinea-fowls are to be found from the Bay of Natal 

 northwards ; but, so far as I can learn, not a single bird is to 

 be found to the south, although the bush-range is precisely 

 similar. The male bird measures from 23 to 25 inches in 

 total length, the bill 1^, the tarsus 3|, the wing 10^, and the 

 tail 5^. 



" The bare skin of the sides of the head, chin, throat, and 

 upper neck is black, but whitish on the occiput ; the iris is 

 dusky ; tarsi and feet ashy. In the female the crest is rather 

 smaller than in the male, as are also the spots on the plumage ; 

 with these exceptions there is but little difference in the ap- 

 pearance of the sexes." 



331. Tantalus ibis, Linn. African Roseate Ibis. 



Sent by Mr. Ayres with the following note : — 



(C This specimen was shot by my brother at Port Natal, 

 amongst the mangroves at low water on the edge of the inner 

 harbour ; there were two of them ; and others have been seen 

 at the same spot subsequently. This bird was wounded by 

 my brother's shot ; and as he approached it made a curious 

 snapping noise with its bill, but did not attempt to defend 

 itself." 



I may take this opportunity of recording a note respecting 

 a species which has been already included in my lists of birds 

 from Natal, Buphaga erythrorhyncha {vide Ibis, 1863, p. 328) . 

 I am not aware that this species has been hitherto observed 

 to consort with its congener Buphaga africana; but Mr. E. C. 

 Buxton has been so good as to give me an adult specimen of 

 each, which he shot in company on 28th August, 1872, near 

 the Asuto river in Suari Land, a little to the north of the 

 colony of Natal. Mr. Buxton writes to me, " The two Bu- 

 phagas I shot at the same time on some oxen, one of each 

 species off the same cow ; and I could not distinguish them on 

 the wing. There were several others shot at the same time, 



