by Mr. Claude Grant in South Africa. 51 



paler at base of lower mandible ; legs and toes fleshy 

 brown.] 



680. LiMNOCORAX NIGER. 



Z. Umfolosi Station, July (1 ? ). 



[" Sosobusi " of the Zulus. 



A fairly common Kail in many localities, I have observed 

 it on the lagoons at Umfolosi, Zululand, in the low veld of 

 the Transvaal, the Inharabane district, and the country inland 

 from Beira and Gorongoza. Essentially a bird of the marshes, 

 it is difficult to obtain, and even when shot cannot always 

 be recovered owing to the soft ground it inhabits. It is 

 often seen in pairs, the actions being similar to those of the 

 European Moor-hen. The cry is a single note, '^krak," 

 frequently heard when the bird itself is invisible. 



The soft parts of an adult are : — Irides rich brown ; eye- 

 lid pale tomato-red ; bill bright greenish yellow ; legs and 

 toes pale tomato-red, nails raw umber.] 



685. FULICA CRISTATA. 



CC. Durban Road, Sept. (2) ; Tv. Wakkerstroom, 

 Apl. (2). 



[" Bles hunner '' of the Colonists. 



This Coot has been observed in every locality visited 

 where suitable ground occurs, from the Cape northwards. 

 In many places where there are extensive vleis filled with 

 dense vegetation, they are very common, but so cunningly do 

 they slip away, often diving and hiding in the vegetation 

 under water, that it is impossible to shoot them. In these 

 situations they breed, but I have never succeeded in finding 

 a nest.] 



686. PODICA PETERSI. 



CC. Keurboom River, Plettenberg Bay, Mch. (1 ? ) ; 

 Z. Umzinele River, Aug. (1 ? ) ; Ngoye Forest, Sept. 



(I?)- 



As all the specimens taken are females, they afford no 

 assistance towards elucidating the curious variation in the 

 plumage of these birds, discussed by me in in the ' Birds of 



e2 



