174 BIRDS 



two species particularly attract attention. The first, 

 Tchitrea emini, is illustrated from a photograph which 

 shows well a very beautiful feature, namely, the long 

 snow white tail plumes assumed by the cock bird in 

 the breeding seasons. The rich chestnut brown, black 

 and white plumage of body and wings is set off by 

 slaty blue black crested head, and it is a delight to 

 watch the vivacious bird, as it is for ever flitting among 

 the branches and chasing another from perch to perch. 

 The insistent call, quite impossible to describe, loud and 

 ringing, was the first bird note to be heard in the early 

 morning from the forest around the camp on Bugalla. 

 As soon as the darkness began to lighten these delightful 

 birds were awake and filled the forest with their call. 

 The native name for this bird is " Kunguvu." When I 

 left Bugalla I went home, but the memory of the call 

 there has persisted clearly, and I am sure that the Bugalla 

 race of the Kunguvu has its own call, i.e. a geographical 

 race is being developed. The bird is plentiful enough on 

 many other islands ; indeed, it is one of the species which 

 is far more abundant on islands than on the mainland, 

 but nowhere has its call quite the same character and 

 finish as on Bugalla. I particularly noticed this during 

 the tours of 1914 and 1918-19, during the letter of which 

 several forests on the mainland coast were visited. 



It is not surprising that the birds on a large island such 

 as Bugalla should be forming a local race — they are 

 confined to the forest and do not take long fiights. 



One was never tired of seeing the cock bird pursuing 

 the hen among the branches, excitedly calling to her, 

 with snow white plumes trailing in the air as he flitted 

 from branch to branch. The nest is a small shallow cup- 

 shaped structure ; I have seen it fastened to the end of a 

 dependent creeper, quite exposed in the open, but in such 

 a position that nothing without wings could reach it. 

 The hen bird was fully exposed as she sat. 



