958 CAPT. STANLEY 8. FLOWER ON THE [DeC. 18, 



Merops nubicus Gm. 



This beautiful dark-headed red Bee-eater was fairly numerous 

 along the White Nile from Abu Zeit to Lake No, and some were 

 also seen on the Zeraf, Jebel, and Grhazal rivers. It was inter- 

 esting to see these birds profiting by a bush fire : as the fire crept 

 in a crackling line along the river-bank the Bee-eaters flew in front 

 of it, catching and eating the insects which came out of the grass 

 before the advancing heat. In the sunlight the brilliant colours 

 of the living birds are wonderful ; within an hour after death the 

 brilliancy leaves the plumage. 



Iris crimson, bill black, legs and feet horn-colour, claws black. 



Family AloediniDjE. 



Ceryle rums (L.). 



The Pied Kingfisher seems rare on the White Nile ; it was only 

 noted on the 19th of March near Renk, on the 27th near Lake No, 

 and on the 22nd of April near Jebel Ain ; but is fairly common 

 on the Bahr-el-Grhazal, Bahr-el-Arab, and Lake Ambadi, and is 

 numerous on the Bahr-el-Jebel from its mouth to as far south as 

 we went. 



Family Colild^e. 

 Colius sp. inc. 



These busy little birds were seen in small parties in woods 

 between Jebel Ain and Jebel Ahmed Agar in March and April. 



Family BucerotidjE. 



LoPHOCEROS ERYTHRORHYNCHUS (Temm.). 



This Horn bill was seen near Abu Zeit on the 14th of March, 

 and near Rink on the 18th . 



Lophoceros nasuxus (Linn.). 



Capt. H. N. Dunn, R.A.M.C, shot a Hornbill of this species, 

 and one I saw near G-abt-el-Meghahid on the 15th of April 

 probably belonged to it. 



Family Cuculid^e. 

 Centropus senegalensis (L.). 



A Cuckoo which I saw from time to time on the White Nile, 

 Zeraf, Jebel, and Grhazal rivers, probably belongs to this species ; 

 specimens were shot but unfortunately lost. 



Family Psittacidje. 

 Pal^ornis docilis (Vieill.). 



These Parroquets were seen at Abu Zeit, where nestlings were 

 obtained alive from natives, on the 14th of March, and near Renk 

 on the 18th. 



