EAST AFRICAN BIRDS. 859 



Ardea melanocephala Vig. & Child. 



The Black-headed Heron Avas met with at Dar-es-Salaam 

 (26.vi. 18), Morogoro (29.xi. 18), and Tabora (IS.xii. 18). At 

 Tabora they were nesting in a great tree in the midst of culti- 

 vated ground, the birds winging their way home of an evening 

 from their feeding grounds. One of the Morogoro specimens was 

 shot stalking about a stubble field, and its stomach on examination 

 was found to contain the remains of rats, apparently five in 

 number. 



Ardea cinerea Linn. 



The Common Heron of Europe was twice collected at Dar-es- 

 Salaam (5. vii. & 19. xi. 18), the circumstances being as follows : — 



Just 60 feet below the bank on which onr house is built, 

 and perhaps a hundred yards away, lies a one-time estuary of 

 the sea ; the fresh water is noAv shut ofi" from the sea by a 

 causeway, bnt a series of large pipes still allow of cominunication 

 between the two at high tides, after which infusion the water 

 is brackish. Here various wateifowl are wont to feed on the 

 freshwater shrimps and small fish, including the Mud Skipper 

 {Periophthalmus sp.), which is present in large numbers ; while 

 at daybreak each morning a pair of herons are to be seen standing 

 in the shallows. 



Every morning for eight days past I tried to stalk them, 

 but they were too wary, taking to wing whilst one was still a 

 hundred yards off. Once disturbed the birds would circle round 

 in the blue above, and then, heading over the causeway, would fly 

 seawards, doubtless to recommence feeding in one of the quiet 

 bays or lagoons with which the coast abounds. However early 

 I arrived, the birds were there before me, but determined to 

 succeed this moi-ning I started out at 4 o'clock. 



"When I left the house it w^as pitch dark except for a waning 

 moon whose faint beams were reflected on the shimmering sur- 

 face of the dark water. Stumbling around the estuary in the 

 spongy soil where crickets were shrilling away, I reached the far 

 end, and was carefully withdrawing my feet from a particularly 

 boggy piece of ground, when suddenly I became aware of the 

 presence of a bird standing motionless in the shallow water 

 scarcely 30 feet away. 



I hesitated for a moment, lest in the deceptive light the bird 

 might be nearer or farther than it appeared, as I was anxious not 

 to damage the skin ; also the report of the gun echoing across 

 the water might disturb the slumbers of our neighbours 

 occupying the houses along the opposite bank. Ere I had made 

 up my mind the hei'on rose with a hoarse squawk, and, spreading 

 its great wings, disappeared into the dai'kness. A smaller species 

 arose and settled again further out. 



Pursuing my way round the estuary I arrived at an old 

 stranded buoy close to which there was a favourite fishing-ground 



