389 
during a journey to the Matabili Country. 
Fulica cristata, Gm. 
Two specimens obtained in the Transvaal, where they are 
fairly common. 
Balearica regulorum (Licht.). 
Pretty common throughout the open country of the Trans¬ 
vaal, and called by the Dutch “Mahem/' One morning, on 
the 12th of November last year, seeing some Black Wildebeests 
on the other side of a valley, I set out after them, but found, 
to my disgust, that the way was blocked by a channel of water, 
on either side of which were tall reeds. As I was walking along 
looking in vain for an opening to get across, I flushed one of 
these birds from a small open space among the reeds ; going 
to the place I found a large floating nest composed of dried 
reeds, in the centre of which were two eggs of a white colour 
tinged slightly with blue ; these, after some little difficulty in 
wading to the nest, I obtained. The nest had no lining what¬ 
ever. 
Tetrapteryx paradisea (Licht.). 
Not uncommon in the open country of the Transvaal, where 
it is generally to be seen in pairs. They are so wary that 
I never obtained a specimen. 
ClCONIA ALBA, L. 
On our return journey we found immense flocks of these 
birds frequenting the sandbanks and grassy places along the 
Limpopo, and procured one specimen. 
Scopus umbretta (Gm.). 
a , $ . Transvaal, June 8th, 1873. 
Beak and legs black; iris dark hazel. 
In the summer I found these birds breeding on the banks of 
the Limpopo, making an immense nest in trees, which, being 
mostly composed of thorns, is extremely difficult to get into. 
One of them, which I managed to storm with great difficulty, 
was neatly lined inside with mud, and contained three young 
birds covered with white down. In the winter this bird is 
found wherever there is a pool of water; and though generally 
alone, it is not at all shy. 
