ALCEDINHXE ISPIDINA 83 



the Colony and frequents not only rivers and streams, but also pools 

 and swamps ; it may often be seen, usually alone, sitting on reeds 

 or on low branches of bushes closely overhanging the water whence 

 it darts at its prey below. It feeds on fresh-water Crustacea, beetles, 

 and other insects as well as fish, and is stated by Buckley to Swim 

 very well. The nest was found on the Berg river in September by 

 Layard ; it was situated in a bank, and consisted of a rounded 

 chamber, at the end of a hole two or three feet deep bored in 

 loose soil and running somewhat upwards so as to obtain a perfect 

 drainage ; the eggs, from four to six in number, are laid on a mass of 

 fish bones and scales, probably castings ; they are rounded, glisten- 

 ing and white, and so delicate and transparent that the yellow 

 yolk shows plainly through when fresh. They measure about 0-75 

 x 0-60. 



Genus IV. ISPIDINA. 



Type. 

 Ispidina, Kaup, Fain. Eisv. p. 11 (1848) I. picta. 



Bill comparatively short and stout, culmen not ridged but some- 

 what rounded and not separated by a groove from the rest of the 

 bill ; no strong crest ; wings and feet as in Corythornis. This is 

 a genus of small Kingfishers containing four species, all of which are 

 confined to Africa and Madagascar. 



416. Ispidina natalensis. Natal Kingfisher. 



Alcedo natalensis, Smith, S. Afr. Quart. Journ. no. 5, p. 14 (1831) ; 

 Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 66 (1867). 



Ispidina picta (nee Bodd.), Gurney, Ibis, 1859, p. 246 [Natal]. 



Halcyon cyanotis (nee Swains.), Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 64 (1867). 



Ispidina natalensis, Sharpe, Ibis, 1869, pp. 281, 283 ; id. Monogr. Alced. 

 p. 145, pi. 52 (1869) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1875, p. 69 [near Durban] ; Sharpe, 

 ed. Laijm-d's B. S. Afr. pp. 113, 807 (1875-84) ; Butler, Feilden, and 

 Reid, Zool. 1882, p. 207 [Colenso] ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xvii, p. 193 

 (1892) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 116 (1896) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 497 

 [Zululand] ; Woodward Bros. Natal B. p. 92 (1899) ; Millar, Zool. 

 1899, p. 148 ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 104 [Zambesi]. 



" Isipigileni" of the Natal Zulus. 



Description. Adult. General colour above, ultramarine, the 

 crown barred black and ultramarine ; frontal band, eyebrow, ear- 



