CICONIID^ 



ABDIMIA 



33 



Sphenorhynohus abdimii., Ourney in Andersaon's B. Damaral. p. 280 

 (1872) ; Oaies, Matabeleland, p. 327 (1881) ; Fleck, Journ. Ornith 

 1894, p. 386. 



Abdimia abdimii, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxvi, p. 292 (1898) ; Beichenow, 

 Vog. Afr. i, p. 343 (1901). 



Description. Adult Male. — General colour above black, slightly 

 glossed with steel green and purple, more distinctly on the hind 

 neck ; back, rump and upper tail-coverts white ; wing-coverts 

 blackish, glossed with steel green and purple, lesser coverts almost 

 coppery ; wings and tail like the coverts ; head, neck and fore-neck 

 metallic green and purple ; rest of the under surface from the fore- 

 neck downwards, including the axillaries and under tail-coverts, 

 white ; under wing-coverts blackish with a metalhc green gloss. 



'■irr'' 



Fig. 8. — Head of Abdimia abdimii. 



Iris greyish-brown ; bill horny-green with crimson tip ; cheeks 

 bright lead colour ; skin round the ears, in front of the eyes, nostrils 

 and throat crimson ; legs dull olive ; feet and knees crimson ; claws 

 black. 



Length about 30; wing 17-5 ; tail 7-2 ; culmen 4-4 ; tarsus 4-8. 



The sexes are alike ; the young differs from the adult in wanting 

 the metallic lustre, the head and neck being brown without gloss ; 

 iris light tawny-brown ; bill reddish towards the tip, greenish towards 

 the base ; bare skin round the eye and chin red, in front of the 

 ear bluish ; legs and feet dingy brick -red. 



3 VOL. IV. 



