46 Mr. E. Gibson on the Ornithology of [Ibis, 



inches across the base, and ten to fourteen at the top; the dia- 

 meter of the cavity seven to ten inclies. Two of these nests 

 contained eggs (two each) of the Rosy-billed Duck {Meto- 

 piana peposaca Vieill.) ; one was also infested with a colony 

 of the pugnacious red ant. The clutch is most irregular; 

 one of five was much incubated; another of ten slightly so ; 

 whilst a third of nine had a mixed assortment, some being- 

 much incubated and others nearly fresh. 



The eggs are of a greyish-brown ground-colour, spotted 

 with violaceous (sub-surfacej and dark red-brown marks, the 

 latter rarely of a large size. They present much variation 

 in shape and measurements^ even in an individual clutch. 

 The average of some fifty specimens gives us 55 x 38 mm. 



380. Fulica leucopyga Hartl. Red-fronted Coot. 



Male. Bill bright yellow Avith scarlet spot at base and 

 scarlet frontal shield ; feet olivaceous. 



Female. Bill and frontal shield scarlet, tip yellow ; feet 

 olivaceous. 



In both sexes the scarlet occasionally becomes deeper red 

 or dark crimson. 



My general remarks on the Red-gartered Coot apply 

 equally to this species. The Red-fronted Coot also, as com- 

 pared with the ubiquitous Yellow-billed Coot, is a minor 

 quantity. It is of similar habits to the first-named bird, a 

 frequenter of the shelter afforded by thick belts of rushes in 

 the deep water. During the first part of our last great flood, 

 from the middle of September to the end of March, 1913-14, 

 I only chronicled a few individuals. In September of the 

 following spring (1914), under similar conditions, I occasion- 

 ally detected one amongst the Yellow-billed flocks, " perhaps 

 one in thousands." Later on, at the beginning of November, 

 having occasion to leave the Yngleses, and land travelling 

 being impossible, I went down by boat to the neighbouring 

 town of Ajo (sailing in ])laces over my wire-fences !), and there 

 hired an available nafta-launch for the purpose of proceeding 

 up one of the large drainage-canals to the nearest railhead. 

 The said canal (of great width) had its capacity increased 



