12 Dr. Smith's Contributions to the 



long, sharp pointed, slightly curved, and of a jet black color ; 

 eyes vermillion ; legs and toes reddish brown ; claws light horn 

 colored. Length from base of bill to root of tail, three inches 

 and three quarters ; length of tail two inches and a half. In- 

 habits the eastern parts of the colony, particularly about the 

 banks of the Keiskamma river, and upon the trees and bushes 

 which skirt the edges of that beautiful stream, it builds its pen- 

 dulous nest. 



VIDTTA. 

 V. nigra, apicibus humerorum scarlatinis, intus castaneis. 



Above and below black ; tips of shoulders scarlet, which is 

 edged behind by a broad band of dull chesnut; inside of 

 shoulders chesnut; secondary wing-coverts, scapulars and 

 secondary quill feathers, edged with faint chesnut or reddish 

 white ; armillse buff colored or pale reddish white ; upper man- 

 dible pure black, lower flesh-colored inclined to red. 



The only specimen I have yet seen of this bird was injured, 

 and therefore the description is not so complete as could be 

 wished. The tail feathers were of different lengths, so that 

 there can be no doubt but that a part of them were progressing 

 towards that state which characterises the birds of this genus 

 during the summer months. It was shot in Cafferland, near 

 the Kei river. 



Fam. STUKNID.E. 

 Genus, BUPHAGA. 

 BUPHAGA Afncanoides. 



B. supra sub-brunnea ; mento et gutters sub brunneis ; pec- 

 tore et parte anteriore abdominis viridi brunneis; parte poste- 

 riore abdominis flavo alba ; rostro cocdneo. 



Above dirty brown ; primary and secondary wing coverts as 

 well as primary and secondary quill feathers, brownish black ; 

 tail graduated and composed of twelve feathers of a dusky 

 brown color ; chin and throat dirty brown ; breast and anterior 

 part of belly greenish brown ; posterior part of belly yellowish 

 white variegated with brown ; vent brownish. Bill between a 

 crimson and a scarlet ; legs, toes, and claws, black ; round each 

 eye a narrow circle, devoid of feathers, and of a yellow color. 

 Length eight inches. Inhabits the country about Natal, and is 

 commonly seen picking insects from the backs of cattle. 



It differs from the Buphaga Africana in the colors of the 

 legs, tail, belly, back, and rump, and also in the size of the 

 legs. 



[60] 



