134 Mr. J. H. Gurney on additional species of Birds 
then being the red patch on the wing. They build in the reeds 
and long grass; their food consists entirely of grass seeds, and 
I have heard they do considerable damage to the Boers 5 crops of 
wheat and oats in the interior. 
138. Cursorius chalcopterus (Temm.). Bronze-winged 
Courser. 
Male. Eye dark brown; legs pale. The stomach of this 
specimen was perfectly empty. Of the habits of this bird I 
know nothing, this being the only one I have seen. It is ex¬ 
cessively rare in this part of the country, though I believe plen¬ 
tiful in the interior. 
139. Tringoides hypoleucus (Linn.). British Common 
Sandpiper. 
[Sent to Mr. Stevens by Mr. Hilliard.—J. H. G.] 
140. Gallinago major (Gmelin.). British Great Snipe. 
'sit 
Male . Eye very dark; legs very light slate-colour; bill 
brown. I know but little of the habits of these birds; but they 
are migratory, appearing here in September and October, and 
leaving again in January or February. They are generally 
dispersed over the country, preferring the swamps on the flats 
to the hilly streams. They are usually found singly, but some¬ 
times, when plentiful, may be put up in flights. 
141. Platalea tenuirostris, Temm. Slender-billed Spoon¬ 
bill. 
Male and female. The eye of a light bluish grey ; legs dark 
pink; bill bluish pink; skin round the eye red. The stomachs 
of these birds were crammed with shrimps. Of their habits I 
know but little; they are gregarious, and are frequently to be 
found with the White Ibis and other waders. They are extremely 
shy; I have not had an opportunity of seeing them feed. 
They generally fly in lines, or form the letter V. 
f 142. PCECILONETTA ERYTHRORHYNCHA (Gmel.). 
Marbled Duck. 
^ giX aa ^ f ttS'fi k 1ST! 
Red-billed 
v 6% 
143. Thalassornis leuconotus (Smith). Fasciated Duck. 
