276 HELIOBNITHID.E PODICA 



plumage described above as tbat of tbe female ; while the example 

 not sexed, which was obtained in the district of Bathurst, is in the 

 plumage described above as that of an adult male. I am inclined 

 to think that this is a breeding dress rather than an adult plumage, 

 and that the three males with white lateral neck stripes are not 

 necessarily young birds, but merely adult males in non-breeding 

 plumage. The only dated examples are those obtained by Mr. 

 Shortridge on the St. John's Eiver on December 18th and 26th. 



Dr. Eeichenow has united our South African bird to the West 

 African P. senegalensis ; I think it would be as well to keep the two 

 separate until we know a little more about the changes of plumage, 

 which are very puzzling. 



Distribution. Peters' Fin-foot is found in South-east Africa, 

 from the eastern half of Cape Colony northwards through Natal 

 and the Transvaal, as far as Zanzibar on the east coast and as the 

 lower reaches of the Congo on the west. Should the West African 

 form (P. senegalensis) be proved to be identical, its range will be 

 extended to Senegal. Mr. Layard believes that he saw this bird 

 on two occasions on the Berg Eiver and also on the Zonder Einde 

 Eiver in Caledon, both in the western half of Cape Colony, but 

 hitherto no confirmation of these occurrences has been made. 



The following are recorded South African localities : Cape Colony 

 Kariega river in Albany (Layard), Bathurst division, Buffalo river 

 at East London, St. John's Eiver in Pondoland, December to March 

 (S. A. Mus.); Natal near Maritzburg (Fitzsimmons) ; Transvaal- 

 Elands Eiver at Eustenburg, May (Ayres). 



Habits. The Fin-foot is a retiring bird, seldom met with, both 

 on account of its rarity and shyness ; it frequents rivers, where it 

 may be seen swimming with only the head and neck visible above 

 the water ; when disturbed it will rise with some difficulty from the 

 water and fly along the surface aided by its feet (hence the name 

 "Water treader ") and take refuge under the bank; sometimes 

 it perches on the lower branches of trees overhanging the water. 

 The food consists of fishes and fresh water mollusca, while Ayres 

 found frog bones and quartz pebbles in the stomach of an individual 

 examined by him ; he further states that he caught two of these 

 birds in traps set for otters ; when taken from the traps they made 

 an extraordinary noise like the growling of a wild beast, and were 

 very savage. Nothing is known of this bird's breeding habits. 



