280 BIRDS OF DAMARA LAND. 



CICONIID^. 



327. Ciconia alba, Linn. WHte Stork. 



Ciconia alba, Gould's Birds of Europe, pi. 283. 



,, „ Layard's Cat. No. 595. 

 Ardea ciconia, Chapman's Trayels in S. Air., App. p. 418. 



This Stork is abundant at Lake Ngami and in many 

 localities of the Lake-regions ; it is also quite common 

 during the wet season in Ondonga and in Northern 

 Damara Land, sometimes occurring in large flocks ; and 

 it is seen occasionally during the same season in Southern 

 Damara Land. 



The iris is brown, the bill yellowish red, and the legs 

 and toes light red. 



328. Sphenorrhynchus Abdimii (Licht.). Abdim's Stork. 



Ciconia Abdimii, Hemprich & Ehrenbeig's Symb. Phys. pi. 2. 

 Sphenorrhynchus Abdimii, ibid., letterpress to plate. 

 Ciconia Abdimii, RUppeU's Atlas, pi. 8. 

 „ Layard's Cat. No. 597. 



,, „ Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 418. 



,, „ Finsch & Hartlaub's Vbgel Ost-Afrika's, p. 721. 



This somewhat coarse but handsome Stork arrives in 

 Damara Land during the rainy season, leaving it again 

 on the approach of the dry. The more plentiful the 

 rain the more abundant the birds, the cause being simply 

 the greater abundance of food. This species feeds 

 largely on locusts, but devours with equal gusto beetles 

 of all kinds, many hundreds of which I have taken from 

 the stomach of a single bird ; it also devours small 



