372 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



of the hour, I was unable to stop and procure specimens ; but a short 

 time afterwards I received a tern from Tulbagh, a village at the end of 

 the same valley (which is enclosed between high mountains), though 

 distant about sixty miles, which I immediately recognised as belonging 

 to the same species as those at Brandt Vley. It answers in all 

 respects to Swainson's description (loc. cit.) of the short-footed tern, 

 and as such I consider it. 



Genus DROMAS, Paykull. 



Bill longer than the head, and straight, with the culmen 

 gradually sloping to the tip, which is acute ; the lateral 

 margins straight, the sides compressed, and the gonys very 

 long, ascending, and much angulated at the base ; the nostrils 

 placed in a broad, short groove, and covered posteriorly by a 

 membrane, leaving an oval opening exposed ; wings long, with 

 the second quill the longest ; tail moderate and broad ; tarsi 

 very long, compressed, and covered in front with transverse 

 scales ; toes long, with the anterior ones palmated to the end 

 of the toes, but much, indented in the middle ; the hind toe 

 long, free, and partly resting on the ground. 



690. Bromas Ardeola, Paykull, PI. Col, 362; 



Erodia Amphilensis, Salt's Trav. Abyss., IV., p. 60 ; 

 Lath. His. Birds, IX., PL 149. 



GENERAL colour, white, with a black patch between the 

 wings ; wing-feathers black ; head more or less mottled with 

 black ; sometimes a grey tint on the back and shoulders ; bill 

 black, very strong ; legs long, black ; feet semipalmated. 

 Length, 1" 3'"; wing, 8"; tail, 2" 9'". 



This curious bird is said to be allied to the terns. It frequents the 

 whole of the East Coast of Africa as low down as Natal ; but its 

 favourite localities are sand-banks far out to sea. It feeds on small 

 crustaceans, which it collects while walking. I never saw it take its 

 prey on the wing. It runs with considerable swiftness. 



The Second Family,* COLYMBIDJE, or 



Divers, 



have the bill more or less long, much compressed, straight 

 and acute ; the nostrils placed in a longitudinal groove, with 

 the opening basal, linear, or rounded ; the wings moderate, 

 with the first quill longest ; the tail very short ; the tarsi 

 short and much compressed ; the toes long, and the three 

 anterior ones more or less united together by a membrane ; 

 the hind toe short, and margined by a small membrane. 



* Owing to an unfortunate displacement of the MSS., an error in the sequence of 

 the Families occurred, and was not discovered until the preceding sheets were struck 

 off. E. L. L. 



