BEYOND THE SUDD 
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ringed plovers (Xdg. curonica ), stone-curlews (CE. senegalensis ), 
ruffs, little stints, common and curlew-sandpipers, greenshanks 
in both sizes, stilts, and once, on March 8th, 1919 (as 
mentioned later), a single spotted redshank. At Rejaf I col¬ 
lected a crested hawk-eagle, pallid harrier, red-headed barbets 
(.Lybius abyssinicus ), sunbirds ( Cinnyris erythrocereus ), red- 
throated pipit ( Anthus cervinus ), serin-finches, golden oriole, 
and a desert-wheatear ( Saxicola deserti ), apparently far beyond 
his bearings, besides observing a dark-coloured mirafra which 
“ drummed.” Among the many forms of brilliantly-hued bee- 
eaters with which Nature has adorned the Sudan, there is one 
which appears to be confined to these regions—“ beyond the 
Sudd.” That is, the white-throated bee-eater ( Merops albicollis ), 
a bird of lovely sea-green, characteristic of these rocky regions, 
but never observed north of the Sudd. Shrikes in Africa are 
legion; but at Mongalla (and there only) we met with the 
rather striking white-crowned shrike ( Eurocephalus rueppelli). 
Its curious flickering flight — though essentially shrike-like— 
attracted my attention; the crop of one I shot was crammed 
with ants, and about half of them walked away so soon as 
released! The abounding waterfowl on the river remained 
practically the same as farther north, including the terns (big 
and small) already specified, and the small unidentified marsh- 
gulls. Seagulls proper one would scarcely expect to find here 
in the heart of Africa ; yet two species do penetrate even 2500 
miles up Nile. Both are British, the lesser blackback and the 
black-headed gulls; though Sir Frederick Jackson suggests 
that the latter may include the Ethiopian grey-headed Larus 
cirrhocephalus. 
To the above Mr A. L. Butler appends the following note:— 
There is also found here, though rare,- that species of spur¬ 
winged plover in which the wing-armature attains its highest 
development—the white-headed Xiphidiopterus albiceps , carry¬ 
ing black needle-sharp spurs an inch in length. The white- 
throated bee-eater (. Merops albicollis ), while certainly character¬ 
istic of rocky regions, is by no means confined to the “south 
of the Sudd—as above.” I have met with it at Jebelein, and on 
the Upper Blue Nile, Settite, and Atbara; also at Gedaref, 
and on rocky jebels between the latter and Blue Nile.] 
