Mashonaland Birds. 
263 
195. Turn ix lepurana. (Ivurrichaine Hemipode.) 
Only a few solitary examples of this pretty little bird have 
been met with in open swampy ground. 
196. Crecopsis egregia. (Greater African Crake.) 
This species was first brought to my notice by Mr. Swyn- 
nerton, who shot one on the Makabusi river, quite close to 
Salisbury. Since then I have seen two more examples, and 
they are probably not uncommon, as on one wet day I heard 
them calling in some numbers in a dense and impenetrable 
reed-bed lower down the Makabusi. The stomach of 
Mr. Swynnerton's specimen contained ants and some vege¬ 
table matter. 
197. Ljmnocorax niger. (Black Crake.) 
Not uncommon along reedy pools &c., but difficult to 
procure, owing to their lurking habits, though their presence 
may often be detected by their sharp call of “ check, check,” 
repeated at short intervals. Their green bills and bright red 
legs form a pleasing contrast to their black plumage, and 
they look very pretty running about with ease on the water- 
lilies in search of their food. 
198. Bugeranus carunculatus. (Wattled Crane.) 
199. Tetrapteryx paradisea. (Stanley Crane.) 
200. Balearica regulorum. (Southern Crowned Crane.) 
All the three South-African Cranes occur in Mashonaland, 
the Wattled Crane being the least common, and I have only 
occasionally seen it singly or in pairs. The other two 
species are sometimes to be seen in flocks of 20 or 30 
individuals. 
201. Lophotis ruficrista. (Red-crested Bustard.) 
I have never seen this handsome Bustard, though Mr. Ayres 
appears to have met with it in several parts of the country. 
202. Lissotis melanogaster. (Black-bellied Bustard.) 
This is the ordinary “ Koorhaan ” of this country, though 
it is nowhere common, being generally a solitary bird and 
frequenting open grassy vleis. 
