352 
Mr. J. H. Gurney on Birds from Natal. 
Eaglets grasp—he, on the ground, staring about with apparently 
the utmost astonishment at his failure. I got a long shot at 
the Eagle, and wounded him; but he succeeded in making his 
escape, 
Plotus levaillantii (Temm.). Le VaillanPs Darter. 
Males. Iris red. Eye small; bill dark yellowish green; 
nostrils entirely wanting, or, if they are there, I cannot find them; 
tarsi and feet blackish yellow. A small pouch at the chin. 
These curious birds swim so low in the water that scarcely a 
bit of their back is to be seen, and indeed hardly anything but 
their long snake-like neck and head, which, as they swim, are 
moved gracefully backwards and forwards. 
When in this position, the bird might easily be taken, by those 
unacquainted with it, for a water-snake. This species lives entirely 
on fish, and is a most expert diver. It is particularly fond, on 
hot days, of sunning itself, with wings outstretched, on some 
bunch of rushes or log of wood. Its flight is rather laboured, 
yet the bird is able to sustain it for a length of time. On being 
disturbed, it frequently circles round and round the waters which 
it inhabits, rising higher and higher at each turn, when, having 
attained a very considerable height, far out of gun-shot, it will 
go straight away to some other distant pool. 
[The two specimens of this bird sent to me by Mr. Ayres 
(both of which appear to be fully adult) exhibit the following 
remarkable discrepancies in size and measurement:— 
Total length 
Wing from 
Bill from 
Tarsus. 
Tail. 
in inches. 
carpal joint. 
the gape. 
Specimen A.. 
37| 
m 
41 
if 
Specimen B. . 
29 
ii| 
3| 
1 * 
9i 
With reference to the sex of these two examples, Mr. Ayres 
writes to me as follows :— 
“ The larger bird was preserved by an experienced hand, and 
was marked male; the smaller one I shot and skinned myself, 
and am certain was a male.”—J. II. G.] 
