THE BIRDS OF AFRICA. 247 



tor of the trogons, is almost as big as a magpie, which it 

 somewhat resembles in form and appearance, except that 

 it displays no white upon its person, but is altogether of a 

 purple and blue colour, except the head, which is deep 

 black, and the tail, which has purple and red and blue 

 metallic reflections. 



The female is precisely similar to the male, and does not 

 differ from him even in size, so that it is impossible to 

 determine the sex of a given specimen, even by comparison. 



The food of this species, in its wild state, consists of fruit 

 and insects. In confinement it will eat anything that is 

 offered to it, and thrive if kept fairly warm and has plenty 

 of room to turn about in. 



THE CROWS. 



The Crow family is not as numerously represented in 

 Africa as it is in India, or even in Europe. The best-known 

 is the following : — 



Family — Corvidcc. 



Genus — Ptilostonuts. P. senegalensis. 



PiAPEC, or Senegal Crow. — When the fact is mentioned 

 that it is a crow pure and simple, there is absolutely 

 nothing left to say about it, so that it ma}'- be summarily 

 dismissed. 



THE LARKS. 



Those popular birds are found in every part of the world, 

 and are not unrepresented in Africa. 



Family — A laudid<£. 

 Genus — 



1. Alauda. A. crassirostj'is. Thick-billed Lark. 



2. PhyrrJiulauda. P. verticalis. White-headed Bull- 



finch Lark. 



