14 PHALACBOCOEACID^ PLOTUS 



black band ; lower portion of the neck and rest of the under parts 

 black. Tail of twelve feathers. 



Iris golden-yellow ; bill greenish-silver at the base, yellowish 

 at the tip ; bare skin of throat creamy ; legs brown. 



Length (in flesh) 31-5; wing 13-5 ; tail 9-0; culmen 3-0; tarsus 1-5. 



The female has the head and neck much paler than in the male, 

 both above and below, the throat being nearly white, the black 

 foreneck and chest are bordered on either side by a rufous band, 

 which runs on to the shoulder ; the skin of the throat is black and 

 the legs and feet are of a light mud colour, much lighter than in the 

 male. The dimensions are about the same. 



Distribution. — This species is found in Syria, near Anfcioch, 

 where it was discovered nesting by Canon Tristram, throughout 

 the greater pari; of Africa from Senegal and Suakim southwards, 

 and in Madagascar ; but it has not hitherto been met with in Egypt 

 or in Northern Africa along the Mediterranean. 



In South Africa the Snake Bird is to be found along the larger 

 rivers, but does not, as a rule at any rate, penetrate on to the high 

 veld. Where suitable conditions prevail it is not uncommon. It 

 appears to be a resident. 



The following are recorded localities : Cape Colony — Berg Eiver, 

 nesting September (Layard and Stark), Zonder Einde Eiver in 

 Caledon, Zoetendals Vlei in Bredasdorp (Layard), Zwartkops, 

 Buffalo and Nahoon Eivers (Eickard), Chalumna near East London 

 (Barratt), King Williams Town (Bt. Mus.) ; Natal — Umgeni Eiver 

 (Eeid), Ifafa (Woodward) ; Orange Eiver Colony — Modder Eiver 

 (Barratt), Valsch Eiver at Kroonstad (Symonds) ; Transvaal — 

 Marico Eiver (Gates), Potchefstroom, Lydenburg and Pretoria 

 (Barratt) ; Bechuanaland — Lake Ngami (Andersson), Nocana (Fleck) ; 

 Ehodesia — Quaequae Eiver (Ayres), Zambesi, about the Victoria 

 Falls very common (W. L. Sclater), Lower Zambesi (Kirk). 



Habits. — The Snake Bird is usually found along the banks of 

 the larger South African rivers, generally solitary and seated in an 

 upright position on a dead stump or branch of a tree, overhanging 

 some still, deep reach ; from here it makes excursions into the 

 water to obtain its food, which consists almost entirely of fishes. 

 When swimming, its back and body are so low in the water 

 that only its long neck can be seen waving to and fro, thus 

 reminding the observer of a snake swimming, rather than a bird. 

 It dives with very great ease and dexterity, swimming under water 

 with wings partially expanded and with a peculiar jerky motion of 



