Mr. T. Ayres on the Ornithology of Transvaal, 285 
also in the circumstance of the conspicuous black spots on 
the interscapular feathers being almost entirely free from 
the intermixture of white^ with which these spots are usually 
varied both in S, assimilis and in S. flammea. 
I may add that this last peculiarity is wanting in an other¬ 
wise very similar Transvaal specimen preserved in the British 
Museum,, and described by Mr. Sharpe in his interesting 
paper on the Geographical Distribution of the Barn-Owls 
{vide ‘ Ornithological Miscellany/ vol. i. p. 289). 
In the same paper Mr. Sharpe remarks that the Barn-Owl 
does not seem to have been procured in Natal by Mr. Ayres 
or by any other collector.^^ This,, however,, is not entirely 
accurate,, as the Norwich Museum possesses an adult male 
obtained in Natal by Mr. Gueinzius. It is a bird of the 
ordinary South-African type,, and does not present any 
remarkable peculiarities.—J. H. G.] 
285. Merops superciliosus^ Linn. Blue-cheeked Bee- 
eater. 
Male^ shot 12th April. Irides crimson; bill black; tarsi 
and feet pale dusky. 
286. Dicrocercus hirundinaceus (VieilL). Swallow¬ 
tailed Bee-eater. 
Male and female,, shot 2nd June. Irides bright crimson; 
bill black ; tarsi and feet greyish dusky. 
This pair I shot in my garden amongst the fruit-trees; 
they appeared to sit stationary on a bough, and every now 
and then to dart upon any insect flying past that took their 
fancy. Their stomachs were well-filled with bluebottles. 
These are the first birds of the kind I have seen in this 
part of the country. 
287. Hirundo dimidiata, Sundev. Pearly-breasted Swal¬ 
low. 
Male, shot in August in the Marico district, the first of 
these Swallows that I have met with in Transvaal. 
Hirundo albigula. Bp. White-throated Swallow. 
Irides very dark umber-brown; bill black; tarsi and feet 
dusky black. This is the first of the migratory Swallows to 
