VARIOUS FAMILIES 205 



among the Hirundinidae which have been identi- 

 fied, together with the South African and the 

 Banded Sand Martins. These, with the Palm and 

 Reichenow's Spine-tail Swifts, are too well known 

 to need description. 



Nightjars are common throughout the country, 

 those occurring being the Capriviulgus fossii, or 

 Mozambique variety. 



It has been, I am aware, the practice to insist 

 upon what some observers have permitted them- 

 selves to describe as the near relationship existing 

 between such assemblages of birds as those included 

 in the orders of the Alcedinidse, Meropidas, and 

 Coraciidee, better known as the kingfishers, bee- 

 eaters, and rollers. Now, although such a state- 

 ment may lay me open to charges of inexcusable 

 ignorance of my subject, I must confess 1 have 

 never been able wholly to follow or accept the 

 motives which have led to the grouping of these 

 varieties. If the three separate families which I 

 have just named be regarded as closely allied from 

 the mere circumstance of the common possession 

 of a foot so formed as to constitute the sole ap- 

 parent link of relationship, why not add to their 

 number the members of the Burcerotidee or horn- 

 bills, which, without question, possess feet of a 

 character which should similarly qualify them for 

 inclusion in the wide family of the Syndactila. 



Woodpeckers, though numerous, are, I believe, 

 the representatives of only two varieties, Hartlaub's 

 Cardinal and the Bearded Woodpecker. Smith's 

 (Campothera smithi) is said to occur in some parts 

 of the more densely forested country, but I have 



