99 



(insectivorous and seed-eating), with the result that 

 the greenery is allowed to remain in very good con- 

 dition and to be a fairly good covert for insect life. 



One great advantage accruing to the provision of 

 a closed in room is that those birds which retire to it 

 at night are not so liable to be scared by the nocturnal 

 prowling cat. 



(To be continued j. 



Biit) 1Rotc6 from tbe (Bambia. 



By E. HOPKINSON, M.A., M.B., D.S.O. 

 {Continued J rom page 78). 



^Y^ ABBLERS AND BULBULS (^CrateropodidcB). 

 "\(f\ I know at least two species of Babbler, which 

 J^ I have seen in various parts of the Protec- 

 torate, chiefly in the thicker bush, almost 

 jungle, near the river : these two are, I think, Crater- 

 opus platycercus and C. reiitwardti. 



Of the Bulbuls, a plain brown one is by far the 

 commonest, being one of the most frequently seen 

 birds either in Bathurst or the bush. They find their 

 food mainly among the wild fruit of the various trees, 

 moving about in small parties, the members of which 

 keep calling to each other wdth a clear whistling 

 note, as they move erratically from tree to tree in 

 search of one where the fruit is ripe. Whenever I 

 have camped under such a tree, I have generally 

 found a hundred or more of these birds collected on 

 it, many wandering parties having united. Here 

 they stay the whole day, coming back directly if 

 driven away, and squabbling for the luscious morsels 

 among themselves or with the numerous other birds 

 attracted either by the same food, or by the insects 

 which are also allured by tlie ripe fruit. 



