232 THE BIRDS OF RIVER AND VLEI 



black-barred crest, reddish-buff underparts and coral-red 

 bill and legs. Length, 6 inches. 



It may be seen sitting on a reed or tree, or darting up and 

 down the surface of the water, emitting its shrill cry of " peep 

 peep " ; it frequents almost every stream or dam in the 

 country. 



We have taken its eggs — from four to six rounded ovals 

 of a shiny white (when unblown and fresh, of a pale salmon- 

 pink owing to the yolk shining through the shell) — ^from 

 holes in the bank of a donga or furrow near Grahamstown 

 in September to November and at Modderfontein in 

 November. 



The Natal Kingfisher {Ispidina natalensis) differs from 

 the Malachite Kingfisher in being smaller and in the posses- 

 sion of a rufous-brown collar, and darker under-parts. 

 Length, about 5 inches. 



It ranges from Port St. John in the Eastern Cape Colony 

 through Natal and Zululand to the Zambesi. 



The Brown-hooded Kingfisher {Halcyon albiventris) has 

 the top of the head varying from an ashy to a dark-brown, 

 streaked with darker ; a whitish coUar round the neck ; 

 back and shoulder patch black; rump regions and tail 

 cobalt-blue ; throat white, merging into a pale fulvous on 

 the lower breast, streaked with dark brown. Length, 8J 

 inches. 



This bird ranges from Swellendam eastwards through 

 Gape Colony, and northwards to the Northern Transvaal. 

 It is a noisy, fearless bird, and subsists chiefly on insects 

 of various kinds, millepedes and small fish. The nest hole 

 is usually very foul-smelling. The eggs are generally four 

 or five in number. 



