256 



SAROTHRURA 



Alecthelia dimidiata, Gumey, in Anderson's B. Damaraland, p. 320 



(1872); Ayres, Ibis, 1877, p. 354. 

 Corethrura rufa, Sliarpe, Cat. B. M. xxiii, p. 121 (1894) ; Shelley, B. 



Afr. i, p. 177 (1896). 

 Sarothrura rufa, Reichenow, Voy. Afr. i, p. 288 (1900). 



Description. Adult Male. Head, nape, neck all round, throat 

 and chest, rich rufous chestnut ; rest of the upper surface black, 

 longitudinally streaked with white, the latter colour being on the 

 tail more in the form of spots ; primaries brownish- black, the first 

 two with a whitish line along the outer web ; lower breast and 

 rest of the lower surface black, streaked or spotted with white. 



Iris dark hazel ; bill and legs greenish black. 



FIG. 80. Head of Sarothrura rufa. x }\ 



Length about 7-0 ; wing 3-0 ; tail 2-10 ; tarsus 1-0 ; culmen -45. 



The female is black above throughout, spotted on the head and 

 back but not on the tail with ochre spots and dashes ; beneath the 

 throat is pure unspotted white ; the breast is ochraceous white, 

 spotted and mottled, especially on the sides, with black ; the under 

 tail-coverts are black, spotted like the back. Iris, bill and feet 

 dusky -brown. 



Distribution. Of the three South African species of this genus 

 the present one seems on the whole to be the most abundant. It 

 has been found in Cape Colony, Natal and the Transvaal and in 

 German territory and extends beyond our limits to South Angola. 



The following are recorded localities : Cape Colony Cape div. 

 December (S. A. Mu?.), The Traka in Willowmore (Atmore), St. 

 John's Eiver (Eeichenow) ; Natal Durban, September (Bt. Mus.) ; 

 Transvaal Potchefstroom, March, July (Ayres) ; German South- 

 west Africa Omanbonde (Andersson). 



Habits. Like the others of the genus, this bird is found in 

 marshy situations, where it skulks in the long grass and thick stuff 

 and is very difficult to flush ; its flight is excessively feeble, extend- 

 ing only three or four yards, and it can easily be caught. It swims 



