produce of the locality in which it happens to be located. It is
rather a lively bird, and sometimes suspends itself below the fruit
on which it is feeding, and makes its repast whilst hanging in that
position.”
According to our own experience, it is a solitary bird, never more
than one pair being seen together, and that but seldom. Its call
is similar to that of the Indian Xantholcema Ticemaaephala, viz ,
“ poo-poo-poop,” three syllables, constantly repeated. While uttering
this cry, it remains stationary in some tree, but evidently expends
much labour on its monotonous call, its body being jerked up and
down the while. It feeds on fruits and berries, and is said to build
in hollow trees; but we were not fortunate enough to obtain its
nest. Mr. Atmore writes: “ Feeds on seeds and insects. I see
them frequently feeding on the ground. I know of a tame one
which roved about unconfined. It eat meat, bread, sugar, com, in
fact anything—appeared very much attached to its mistress, and
came regularly into the house to be fed. It disappeared at the
pairing season, so I suppose it got married ! They nest in holes of
trees, but don't make the holes. Eggs spotted.” Mrs. Barber also
says the latter are spotted, but Mr. H. Jackson sends us eggs of
three species which are white, elongated and roughish. Axis, 11" ;
diam. 8' ” . We found it common in the Albany division, and one
evening took five out of the stem of an aloe at Talk Farm, whither
they had retired to roost. We were assured by Mr. White, the
owner of the farm, that they had bred there, making the hole
themselves.
From the other African tooth-billed Barbets the present species is
distinguished, according to the Messrs. Marshall, by the following
characters : small size, black bill, crimson forehead, and black
occiput, throat and centre of the breast.
General colour above, black, pencilled with yellow; forehead deep
crimson; a stripe extends from the nostril, over the eye, to the back
of the head; the first part of this is yellow, the last part white; a
broad white line also extends from the corner of the bill down the
side of the throat; chin and gorget black; belly dirty white, mixed
with grey ; wing-secondaries and tail-feathers margined with yellow;
“ bill dark-brownish horn-colour; feet and toes slaty-brown; iris
umber-brown. (Andersson.)” Length, 6" ; wing, 3" 6 '" ; tail, 2".
Fig. Marsh. Monogr. Capit. pi. xii.
1 5 6 . B arbatula Pu sil la . Little Tinker Barbet.
Megalcema, barbaiula, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 234.
The members of the genus Barbatula are distinguished from the
Pogonorhynchi by the absence of the tooth in the bill, which is also
sharp and pointed. They are all birds of small size, and the South
African species can be divided into two sections, viz. those which
have the back black streaked with white or yellow, and those which
have the upper surface entirely black.
The present species belongs to the yellow-streaked section,
and is at once recognisable by its red crown. Mr. Rickard
notes its occurrence at East London: it inhabits the euphorbia
thickets of the eastern province, especially about Eland's Post, where
Mr. T. C. Atmore obtained a nice series of specimens. The note is
often heard, but the bird itself is seldom seen, on account of its
small size and creeping habits; they feed on berries. Mr. Ayres
writes : “ The note of this curious little bird so much resembles the
tapping of a hammer on an anvil (having that peculiar metallic ring)
that it is called in Natal the Tinker Bird. I t is silent during the
winter months, commencing its monotonous cry in the spring, and
continuing it throughout the summer. They are numerous, but not
easily seen, in consequence of their small size, and their habit of
sitting quietly on the tops of thick bushy trees. When in search of
food, they climb and creep about the thick foliage of trees. They
inhabit the coast-bush, being seldom found ten miles inland ,• those
which I have seen at that distance from the coasts were silent. The
stomach of the specimen sent to England contained mulberries.” It
is found in North-eastern Africa, whence the birds run rather smaller.
The following description is copied from Messrs, Marshall's
Monograph :—Sexes alike ; a narrow frontal band black ; top of the
head bright red; upper plumage black, variegated longitudinally
with sulphur-yellow; upper tail-coverts entirely of that colour; wings
aud tail earthy brown; lesser wing-coverts broadly bordered with
golden; greater wing-coverts and quills edged with the same colour,
shading into creamy white on the tertiaries, inner webs at the base
yellow; tail narrowly edged with sulphur-yellow; under surface
greenish-yellow; throat and under tail-coverts lemon-yellow; bill
black; legs and feet dark greenish; irides dark brown. Length,
4" 6 ; wing, 2" 4; tail, 1" 2.
Fig. Marsh. Monogr. Capit. pi. xlviii.