KINGFISHERS 139 



of the family in South Africa, with a total length of 

 about 17 ins. It is black and white above, the white 

 taking the form of circular spots ; throat and abdomen 

 white marked with black ; lower throat and breast red- 

 dish-chestnut or rnst-colour. The female differs in having 

 the breast white spotted with ashy-grey, the lower breast 

 and abdomen being rufous. 



Like its smaller congener it is found along most of the 

 South African rivers, and on the coast at their mouths, 

 but it is not nearly so common. 



The Half-collared Kingfisher (Alcedo semitorqua-ta) , 

 called the Blaauwe Vischvanger by the Boers, is blue 

 above ; throat white, and under-surface pale tawny- 

 yellow, except a blue patch on either side of the chest. 



It is rather common in the Albany Division, C.C., and 

 at Port Alfred (Kowie River) ; we also met with it on the 

 Hennops and Crocodile Rivers in the Pretoria district. 

 It is a shy, quiet bird, seldom met with far from water. 

 It lives principally on small fish. 



The beautiful little Malachite Kingfisher (Conjthornis 

 cyanostigma) is one of the smallest of our river birds, 

 and is a conspicuous figure with its bright blue upper 

 surface, black-barred crest, reddish-buff under-parts and 

 coral-red bill and legs. 



It may be seen sitting on a reed or tree, or darting up 

 and down the surface of the water, emitting its shrill 

 cry of " peep peep " ; it frequents almost every stream or 

 dam in the country. 



We have taken its eggs from four to six rounded 

 ovals of a shiny white (when unblown and fresh, of a 

 pale salmon-pink owing to the yolk shining through the 

 shell) from holes in the bank of a donga or furrow near 



