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Show 1870.] MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE BIRDS OF ANGOLA. 147 the only nest to be seen in St. Vincent. It is enormously large and high, something like nine feet in diameter, and is composed of dead branches. An old pair of birds breed here every year ; and, according to the inhabitants, three young ones are duly hatched and fly in March or April. A remarkable fact is, that, of the great number of these Eagles which inhabit these islands, only one pair is found breeding, while the other ones still remain flying about as usual, and do not seem to pair or go elsewhere to breed. "I once found another nest high up in the mountains,but could only observe it from a distance, as it was placed in an inaccessible position and there was no way of getting near it. The chief food of this species consists of rats, mice, lizards, sometimes big grasshoppers, but seldom fish, though they often skim over the water. " The native name on St. Vincent for this bird is ' Gaivotta,' on St. Iago ' Falcao.'" TRERON CALVA. Treron calva, Temm.; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 570. Two males. December 25th, 1868. Eye pale blue; beak red, with the point white ; feet yellow. COTURNIX HISTRIONICA. Coturnix histrionica, Hartl.; Bocage, Jorn. Acad. Lisb. ii. p. 46 ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 564. a. Male. November 29th, 1868. b. Male. December 2nd, 1868. Eye brown ; beak black; feet light yellow. ORTYGOMETRA ANGOLENSIS. Ortygometra angolensis, Hartl. Ibis, 1862, p. 335 ; Bocage, Jorn. Acad. Lisb. i. p. 148. Male. December 12th, 1868. Eye red; beak pale green; feet pale lilac-colour. HIMANTOPUS MELANOPTERUS. Himantopus melanopterus, Meyer; Bocage, Jorn. Acad. Lisb. i. p. 329. Male and female. November 5th, 1868. Eye red ; beak black ; feet red. fPoDlCEPS NIGRICOLLIS. Female. November 15th, 1868. Eye red; beak and feet black. Apparently new to the avifauna of Western Africa, as I cannot find any record of the Eared Grebe having occurred there. The specimen is in winter plumage. HYDROCHELIDON FISSIPES. Hydrochelidon fissipes (Linn.) ; Gray, List of Br. B. p. 243 (1863). Female. November 5th, 1868. Eye black ; feet red ; beak black. |
