36 CICONIID^ DISSURA 



the back in colour, very deeply graduated and forked, and not to be 

 confused with the long and strong white under tail- coverts, some of 

 which exceed the rectrices proper in length ; bejow, including the 

 axillaries and under wing-coverts, black, with metallic gloss ; 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts white ; leg feathering white mixed 

 with black. 



Iris dark red ; bill black, reddish along the culmen and at the 

 tip ; legs dull reddish-black. 



Dimensions (of a female) ; length (in flesh) 34-25 ; wing 18 ; 

 tail 7-0 ; culmen 5-5 ; tarsus 6'25 ; middle toe and claw 3-5. A 

 male is similar in plumage but a little larger ; wing 20 ; culmen 6'5. 



FIG. 10. Head of Dissura microscelis. x | 



Young birds have less gloss and a basal line of white feathers on 

 the forehead, which gradually disappears. 



Distribution. The Woolly-necked Stork is found throughout 

 Africa from the Gambia and Abyssinia southwards. It is repre- 

 sented in Southern Asia by a closely allied species, hitherto con- 

 sidered identical with it but recently separated by Keichenow on 

 account of its somewhat larger size and different markings. In 

 South Africa this Stork appears to be a very rare bird. It was 

 recorded many years ago from the coast of Natal, by Ayres, and 

 there are two examples of it in the British Museum labelled Cape 

 Colony, while recently the South African Museum has acquired a 

 specimen from the St. Johns' Eiver in Pondoland, where it is stated 

 to be not infrequent. 



Habits. Mr. Ayres states that this Stork frequents the bays and 

 swamps along the coast of Natal, where it wades in the receding 



