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We do not transcribe the notes published in Mr. Layard's ' Birds of South Africa,' as 

 that gentleman has very kindly sent us an original communication for the present work, as 

 follows : — 



" In my ' Birds of South Africa ' I stated my suspicions that this Heron was more common 

 than is generally supposed ; and these have been abundantly verified by a more extended acquaint- 

 ance with the species ; indeed in some places their numbers exceed those of the Common Heron 

 (Ardea cinerea), with which they are almost always found mingled. 



"The huge reed-beds of Verloren Vley and the Berg River literally teem with Herons, 

 Anhingas, and the smallest Cape-Cormorant (Graculus africanus), conspicuous amongst them 

 being A. melanocephala. It breeds indiscriminately on the dense reed-beds, or on the more 

 exposed sides of the river-banks, and selects equally the summit of a small scraggy bush 

 surrounded by reeds, or the reeds themselves. When using the latter as the platform of the 

 nest, the old birds first precipitate themselves with expanded wings upon the chosen site so as 

 to beat down enough of the upright reed to afford them standing room. The requisite stems 

 are then bent inwards and interlaced till a firm foundation is laid; and the nest, composed of 

 flags and rushes and other soft water-plants, is constructed upon it. It is often a huge mass of 

 material — sometimes a good cart-load — and is generally, when on the river-bank, placed con- 

 spicuously, but always towards the water, as if the birds feared no attack from that side, and 

 were ignorant of boats. We found A. cinerea adopting precisely similar habits ; indeed we often 

 could not tell which nest we had found, if the owner did not happen to be at home, and so had 

 to leave it till our return journey down the river, having made a note of the place, which we 

 carefully scanned, on reapproaching it, with our trusty binoculars (what a blessing these are to 

 the collecting naturalist !). The parent birds, generally one on the nest and the other ' sitting 

 about,' would almost always be seen, and usually suffered us to approach within gunshot. 



" I found the average size of the eggs at the Berg River rather larger than that given in the 

 ' Birds of South Africa ' (p. 306), which I suspect must have been taken from those of A. cinerea ; 

 the farmers generally do not discriminate between the two species. Our eggs from the Berg 

 River averaged, axis 2" 5'", diam. 1" 4'". In colour they exactly resemble those of A. cinerea. 



" In general habits the two species do not differ ; their attitudes and manners are identical, 

 and when on the wing, at a little distance, they are not distinguishable. When close, A. melano- 

 cephala appears darker; and if the neck should be exserted the black shows, not otherwise. 

 Both utter the same rattling croak on the wing, and feed on the same substances. 



" It does not appear to have been met with near Graham's Town, perhaps because the vleys 

 and reed-beds are few, and the rivers in that neighbourhood run between precipitous banks, and 

 are not fringed with reeds as are the more sluggish waters of the western side." 



Our good friend M. Jules Verreaux, the well-known African explorer and ornithologist, 

 has given us the following note on this Heron, as observed by him in South Africa many 

 years ago : — 



" I may tell you that, without being common in any one part of the Cape of Good Hope, 

 this bird is very generally distributed all through the colony. In the southern part, near the 

 Swart Kop, as far as Buffalo River, it is found not uncommonly either at the edge of the water or 

 amongst the rushes. It will stand for hours on one leg without moving, watching for small fish 



Q 



