14 Dr. Smith's Contributions to the 



Fara. HALCYONID^E. 

 Genus, ALCEDO. 



ALCEDO Natalensis. 



A. fronte, v&rtice, nuchaque coeruleis, lineiis transversis viola- 

 ceis variegatis ; lateribus capitis subcinnamomeis ; dorso coeruleo ; 

 pectore et venire subcastaneis. 



Bill and legs bright scarlet ; front, top of head and nape, 

 deep indigo blue, variegated by pale blue or violet transverse 

 bands ; sides of head and neck light reddish brown with tints 

 of purple ; back fine bright blue ; shoulders blackish with a 

 shade of blue in addition to numerous spots of clear light blue. 

 Primary and secondary quill feathers dusky black, with the 

 inner vanes nearly all brownish red ; chin and throat white ; 

 breast, belly, and vent, pale chesnut ; tail dusky blue. Length 

 from bill to tip of tail four inches ; length of bill one inch. In- 

 habits the banks of rivers, &c. to the eastward of Cafferland. 



Fam. OTIDJS. 

 Genus, OTIS. 

 OTIS Afroides. 



O. fronte, superciliis, lateribus capitis, collo, gutture, pectore 

 et venire nigris ; vertice et parte nuchce nigris albo variegatis, 

 dorso nigro lineis transversis albis aut subrubris variegato ; 

 remigibus albo et nigro notatis. 



Front, eyebrows, sides of head and neck, throat, breast, 

 belly, vent, and thighs, pure black ; crown and part of nape, 

 black, variegated with irregular waved transverse white lines ; 

 between the black eyebrows and variegated crown a moderately 

 distinct white line, which extends backwards and meets on the 

 nape the corresponding one of the opposite side, where they 

 form an irregular white mark. Behind each eye and covering 

 the openings of the ears, a large somewhat circular white 

 blotch ; between interscapulars and base of neck an irregular 

 transverse white band. Interscapulars, scapulars, and anterior 

 part of shoulders, black, variegated by narrow reddish white 

 angular transverse bands ; back and rump black, with narrow 

 transverse waved white lines ; posterior part of shoulders white, 

 inside white blotched with black. Primary wing coverts black, 

 more or less broadly tipt with white ; secondary similarly 

 colored, only the quantity of white is much greater. Primary 

 quill feathers black, with a great portion of the inner vanes 

 white ; secondaries black, several of them blotched or striped 



white ' Tail rounded and finely 



