250 



BIRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



THE PLANT CUTTERS. 



Family — Miisophagidic. 



Genus — 



1. Musophaga. 



2. ScJiir.orhis. 

 'S. Corythaix. 



M. violacea. 

 S. africana. 

 C. biiffoni. 

 C. albocristixta. 



C. pcrsis. 

 C. niacrorJiyncha. 

 C. crytJirolopJuis. 

 C. porpJiyreolophus. 



Violet Plantain Eater. 



Variegated Touracou. 



Button's Touracou. 



White-crested Toura- 

 cou. 



Senegal Touracou. 



Great-billed Touracou. 



Red-crested Touracou. 



Purple-crested Toura- 

 cou. 



Violet Plantaix Eater. — These birds arc about the 

 size of the European jay, and their i)lunia<j;e is f^orgeous, 

 with glancing tints of green, purple, and violet. They arc 

 natives of the Gold Coast and adjacent parts, where they 

 live among the trees. 



The beak is large, and the base of the upper mandible 

 spreads broadly back to the crown ; it is yellow below, but 

 the ce))halic part is crimson, which is also the colour of the 

 head feathers next adjoining it. There is a patch of car- 

 mine on the wings, which are tipped with violet. 



The food consists entirely of fruit. 



Variegated Touracou. — This bird is also called the 

 blue plantain eater, its general colour being blue, marked 

 with azure, but the handsome upright crest is black ; the 

 legs and feet are very strong, and suitable for living 

 among the branches of trees, on the fruit of which, as well 

 as on the insects that frcciuent them, it is accustomed to 

 feed. 



