APPENDIX 
313 
carunculatus) of South Africa. I also put down in my note¬ 
book the Whale-headed Stork, or Shoe-bill ( ’ Balseniceps rex) as 
observed on that lake; but neither of these species has yet been 
proved to occur in this part of British East Africa. 
The true Cranes, it should be added, are not marsh 
birds, frequenting the drier lands, like bustards, and feeding 
on grain and seeds, varied by locusts and the larger insects.] 
Herons 
Common Heron— Ardea cinerea. Scarce. 
Purple Heron— A. purpurea. ] , T . 
-01 i i j j TT a 7 77 rNumerous everywhere. 
Black-headed Heron— A.melanocephala.) J 
Goliath Heron— A. goliath. Lake Nakuru, Elmenteita. In 
South Africa nests in bushes or fallen trees over¬ 
hanging the rivers ; eggs blue. See pp. 37, 138, 141. 
Buff-backed Heron— Bubulcus lucidus. Abundant; feeding on 
ticks, Hies, and parasites, as it does in Europe, is often seen 
in attendance on big game, perching on their backs. There 
is a heronry of these birds in a rocky ravine near “ Lone- 
Tree ” on the Athi River. The nests are on low thorn- 
trees, and the breeding-season from March till July. 
Little Egret— Garzetta garzetta. Near water only, and usually 
Squacco Heron— Ardeola ralloides. Observed on Nakuru. 
Night-Heron— Nyctieorax nycticorax. Observed on Nakuru. 
Common Bittern— Botaurus stellaris. We put up what we took 
to be Bitterns in the reed-beds of Stony Athi; but these 
may have been immature examples of N. nyctieorax , for 
Mr. Jackson tells us he never met with the Bittern. It 
occurs, however, in South Africa. 
Storks 
Hammer-head— Scopus umbretta. Common on all rivers where 
muddy shores and islets afford it scope for wading and 
poking about in shallows. While watching for hippo 
on the Athi, I saw this strange bird catch and eat frogs 
and worm-like things that I took to be leeches. It builds 
an enormous stick-nest on riverside trees, and (in the 
