nally bordered with black, the outer secondaries green at base, red at
tip; tail-feathers metallic green with somewhat of a steel-blue reflexion
;• head, neck and under surface of body rather lighter green,
the abdomen, flanks and under tail-coverts dusky blackish; the
head ornamented with a beautiful crest of white-tipped feathers, all
the plumes of the nape also profusely tipped with white; a loral spot
and a streak under the eye, white; bill yellow, inclining to red on
theculmen; feet blackish. Total length, 15 inches; wing, 7-4;
tail, 8-0 ; tarsus, 1'85.
Fig. Finsch and Hartl. Vog. Ostafr. taf. 1.
131. C o r y t h a i x e r y t h r o l o p h a . Bed-crested Plantain-Eater.
As will be seen in Mr. Monteiro’s observations on the preceding
species, he notices the present bird as having been found near Novo
Bedondo. It is often seen in collections from Angola, but has apparently
not been yet procured by Anchieta south of the Biver Quanza.
Adult.—General colour above grass-green, many of the feathers
with a coppery lustre; back, rump and upper tail coverts deeper
green, slightly shot with steel-blue, the tail also deep green; wings
coloured like the back, the primaries deep crimson, edged and tipped
with black, the outer secondaries green at base, the innermost
entirely green ; head and nape dull crimson, the crest feathers tipped
with white; forehead washed with olive-green; sides of face, neck
and under surface of body bright grass green; the abdomen, thighs
and under tail-coverts ashy-black; under wing-coverts dull ashy-
brown, slightly washed with green; bill yellowish; feet black.
Total length, 12 inches; wing, 6'8 ; tail, 5'0; tarsus, 1'45.
Fig. Schl. and Westerm. Toerak. pi. 6.
132. S c h i z c e r h i s c o n c o l o r . Grey Plantain-Eater.
Sir Andrew Smith gives a good account of the habits of this
species, which was originally described by him. He says :—“ It was
upon reaching 25° 24' south latitude, a point where the rivers began
to flow to the eastward, and the country to acquire a partial clothing of
dwarf trees and brushwood, that this species was first discovered.”
Dr. Exton found it abundantly in Mosilikatze’s country, and Mr.
T. E. Buckley says that it is “ a very common species throughout
the Transvaal and up to the Matabili country. They go about in
small flocks; and their peculiar cry, something like the mewing of
a cat, often betrays their presence. They often raise and lower the
crest, and are not very easy to see by reason of their colour.” In
the Zambesi it is, according to Dr. Kirk, “ rather a common bird in
wooded country at the foot of mountains; named by the natives,
from its cry, ‘ Kwe-kwe/ which it utters while perched on the top of
some of the higher trees.”
Mr. Andersson gives the following account of the species:—“ This
is one of the commonest birds in Damara Land; and it is also found
abundantly in the Lake-regions and at the Biver Okavango. It
is partial to localities abounding in large trees; and when prominently
perched, with crest erect, it is not unlike a gigantic Coly ; it also
climbs and flies like the Colies, which it strongly resembles in its
general habits. It is usually found in small flocks and feeds on berries
and seeds, especially that of a mistletoe and of other parasitical plants,
and also on fruits, young shoots and insects. The Damaras call this
species ‘ Ongoro-oroquena/ from the extraordinary and almost human
cry with which it frequently startles the traveller who is passing near
its perch. It is sometimes very easy to approach these birds, whilst
at other times they are so shy that they will defy the utmost exertions
which may be made to obtain them. On January 5th, 1867, I
obtained three eggs of this species, of a dull bluish-white colour,
at Omapju, from a boy, who told me that the nest which contained
them was composed of sticks roughly put together, and
situated in a tree at some distance from the ground; and, on March
1st, I met with a nest in Ondonga placed in a tree, but at no great
elevation, which also contained three eggs, but much incubated.”
According to Mr. Monteiro, the bird is also very abundant at
Benguela and MoSsamedes, and it has been procured by Anchieta itL
both these districts, particularly on the Bio Chimba and at Huilla in
the latter country : at the last named place it is called ‘ Quele’ from
its cry. I t extends its range into Angola proper, whence specimens
exist in the Lisbon Museum, and whence we have seen examples shot
by Seer Sala at Galungo.
The following letter was addressed to the author by Dr. Exton :—
“ I beg leave to call your attention to a question raised by Mr. P. L.
Sclater, of the Zoological Society of London, relative to the
crest of Schizorhis. In a paper by Mr. Sclater, in No. 1, of the
L