Birds from the White Nile. 11 



78. Ibis aethiopica (Lath.) On our very first day's south- 

 ward sail from Omdurman we met with single specimens of this 



(splendid bird. It began to be very common as soon as we 

 entered the reedy region of the river. Going back we met 

 with it as far north as the neighbourhood of the 6 th cataract. 



79. Platalea leucorodia L. t. Not uncommon along the 

 White River. About the end of April (25 th — 27 th ) we met with 

 it in small flocks on the sandbanks in and a little north of the 

 sixth cataract. 



80. Platalea alba Scop. *. On our southward journey we 

 observed this beautiful species in several places south of the 

 neighbourhood of Gebel Ahmed Agha (at the end of February 

 and first half of March). And on our journey back I saw a 

 few specimens of it not far north of Kerreri (on the 24 th of April) 

 and also a little south of Shendy (on the 29 th ). We never suc- 

 ceeded in shooting any of them, but with the help of my field- 

 glass I could easily recognize their red legs. 



81. Nycticorax nycticorax (L.) f. Especially south of Kaka 

 this night-heron was. very common. I often observed great flocks 

 bordering the mud islands in the river. 



82. Butorides atricapillus (Afz.). Of this species we only 

 got tw r o young specimens. They occurred together with the 

 Ardeola ralloides among the ambadj which fringed the river. 

 They were shot between Abba Island arid Renk. 



83. Ardeola ralloides (Scop.) f. Common along the White 

 river; south of the northern limit of the reeds bordering the 

 river I very often met with flocks of the Squacco Heron. 



84. Ardea goliath Cretschm. This stately heron, though 

 not abundant, must yet be considered as one of the characteristic 

 birds of the region. Scarcely a day passed that we did not see 

 it single or in pairs. As early as half-way between Omdurman 

 and ed Dueim we observed the first one, but farther south it 

 was less uncommon. I also observed one within the region of 

 the 6 th cataract (25 th of April). 



