160. T rachyphonus ca per. Le Yaillant’s Barbet.
Capito vaillantii, Bayard, B. S. Afr. p. 285.
This singularly coloured bird is chiefly found in the interior of
South-eastern Africa. It was procured at Kurrichaine by the late
Sir Andrew Smith during his expedition into Central Africa, and
was named by him Pollysticte quopopo, this being, as Dr. Bxton
informs us, the Bechuana name for “ Woodpecker.” It has also been
recorded as having been obtained by the Mm. Yerreaux in Mosili-
katze’s country, but Dr. Bxton informs us again that this means the
Marico or Mariqua district, on the borders of the Transvaal, from
which Mosilikatze was formerly ejected by the Boers, and is not the
present Matabili country. It is, however, found in the latter locality,
as Dr. Bxton obtained examples near Kanye. Mr. Ayres shot one
specimen “ amongst the trees on the banks of the river Limpopo,
where it was apparently a solitary bird: the stomach contained
insects and fruits.” Mr. Buckley writes, “ This species is very
common north of Pretoria, all along the Limpopo river; but I did
not observe it beyond Bamangwato. It creeps along the boughs of
the trees like a Woodpecker, for which I often mistook i t ; it is by
no means a shy bird.” Mr. P. A. Barratt procured his specimens in
the bush under the mountains at Rustenberg, and it certainly occurs
in the Zambesi district as Dr. Kirk obtained specimens at Tete
during the Livingstone expedition. It has also been found by Senor
Anchieta at Huilla in Mossamedes.
Dr. Exton writes, “ The note of this bird is a continuous trill,
somewhat resembling the quick ‘ tap, tap, tap, of DendrdbatesW
when at work on a decayed tree. I obtained three specimens by
following the sound from tree to tree. When calling, they usually
perch on the uppermost twig, and their peculiar jerk of the body
whilst producing the sound, can then be visibly distinguished. The
female has the same note as the male. In a fresh specimen the bill
is greenish-yellow, tipped with black : iris, reddish-brown ; gizzard
contained berries, and shreds of leaves; that of the female only
contained shreds of leaves.”
The following good description of the bird is extracted from
Messrs. Marshall’s Monograph.
Entire head brilliant chrome yellow, each feather edged with
crimson at the tip, this latter colour predominating on the cheeks;
back of the head, nape, and a large occipital crest glossy blue-black;
a spot on the ear-ooverts black tipped with white; upper part of the
back, scapulars and wing-coverts glossy blue-black banded with
pure white; lower part of the back and rupip black washed with
rich chrome yellow, this colour alone showing on the rump; upper
tail-coverts rich crimson; quills brownish black, grey at the base of
inner web, the outer web spotted with white; tail black, in some
lights appearing very distinctly barred, all the feathers broadly
tipped and sparsely spotted with white ; chin, white; throat, chrome
tipped with crimson, and shading into beautiful lilac on the breast;
a band of black across the upper part of the breast with a few spots
of lilac; rest of the breast white, passing on the lower part into
chrome streaked with crimson; flanks and abdomen chrome; legs
and feet dull brown: orbital skin blackish.
Fig. Marshall, Monogr. Capit. pi. 56.
161. S tactolsma a n c h ie t .®. Yellow-faced Barbet.
It was only as late as the year 1869, that this species was made
known to naturalists, and as yet no other specimens have been
recorded beyond those originally obtained by Anchieta. By him the
bird was discovered at Oaconda in Benguela, and it therefore must
be regarded as a bird of Southern rather than of Western Africa.
Nothing has as yet been recorded concerning the habits of this
singular bird, and the description given below is taken from the
well known work of the Messrs. Marshall.
General plumage reddish-brown, forehead and sinciput, throat and
<a spot at the base of the lower mandible sulphur-yellow; occiput,
nape, and sides of the neck and breast shining black, the former covered
with numerous- small spots, and the latter with longitudinal streaks
of sulphur-yellow; superciliary eye-stripe, cheeks, and ear-coverts
white; primaries and tail brownish-black, secondaries with the
exterior web edged with greyish-white; under wing-coverts, lower
belly, and under tail-coverts white; tail underneath ashy-grey; irides
reddish-brown; bill, legs and feet black.
Pig,. Marshall, Monogr. Cctpitonidce, pi. 73.