270 Mr. J. H, Gurney on additional Species of Birds 



Dr. Hartlaub considers the specimen sent to be a female, and 

 adds, " I think that I have seen the male amongst other novelties 

 sent by Governor Nagtglas from the Gold-Coast to the Leyden 

 Collection."— J. H. G.] 



271. (Ena capensis (Linn.). Long-tailed Cape Dove. 

 Female. Iris dusky brown; bill dusky, nearly black; tarsi 



and feet dark pink. 



This I killed in January 1864 ; it is one of the scarcest birds 

 here, and I have seen but three since ray arrival in Natal some 

 thirteen or fourteen years ago. This is the first I have shot ; 

 it was busily engaged in our garden, picking up, with extra- 

 ordinary swiftness, some small grass seeds from the ground. 

 The flight is even, and the beat of the wings extremely rapid. 

 It is, as far as I know, the smallest of our Doves. The tail 

 seemed to have a decided tendency to divide, or fork. 



272. CEdicnemus senegalensis, Swainson. Senegal 

 Thicknee. 



Male and Female. Iris light yellow; eye very large; bill 

 black, with the exception of a patch over each nostril and the 

 base of the lower mandible, which parts are yellow. 



These birds are gregarious, and found amongst the mangroves 

 at the head of the bay. In June and July they appear to be 

 most plentiful, and are not to be found in the summer ; they 

 are very shy, and run out of sight amongst the low trees with 

 great swiftness, and are on the whole difficult to get ; I believe 

 they feed at night. 



The female is in size similar to, and in plumage rather duller 

 than, the male ; the bill is also darker or brownish at the tip. 

 They are very good eating, if not too old. 



[The bill of this species is longer and more developed than 

 the bill of (E. crepitans and most other species of the genus, 

 showing an affinity to the allied littoral genera of jEsacus and 

 Dromas which corresponds with the habitat of the bird, as in- 

 dicated by Mr. Ayres in the above paragraph. — J. H. G.] 



273. Dromas ardeola, Swainson. Salt's Dromas. 



Male. Iris dusky ; eye small ; bill black ; thighs, tarsi, and 

 feet light bluish ash. 



