207 



ffiiit) motes from tbe (Bambia. 



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

 f Continued Jroin page 185 A* 



y^ OIvIyERS {CoraciidcB) are among the most con- 

 \\ spicuous of the commoner Gambian birds, on 

 ^\ account of the brilliant blues and striking 

 contrasts of their plumage, and because the}^ 

 are remarkably free from shyness and usually select 

 very exposed posts, such as the top of a bush or out- 

 lying branch of a tree, from which they will watch 

 for, and whence they are continually flying heavily to 

 the ground beneath to catch, locusts and other large 

 insects, which, together with small lizards etc., form 

 their food. At all times they are noisy birds, con- 

 tinually uttering their harsh croaks and cries, but 

 more especially is this the case at the breeding season, 

 when the two sexes scream against each other as they 

 sport and tumble in their flight, these noisy antics 

 appearing to represent their idea of the song and 

 dance of courtship. 



Two genera {Coracias and Eurystonms), the Typi- 

 cal and the Broad-billed Rollers, are found in the 

 Gambia. Of the first, which are distinctly Jay-like 

 in appearance and size (and are commonly known as 

 "Jays" to the English-speaking residents), we have 

 three or four species, all alike in having blue as the 

 predominating colour, but differing in details of plum- 

 age and in size. The commonest is a light blue and 

 bfack bird, with a deep-cut Swallow-tail, its distinctive 

 characteristic, formed by the prolongation of the 

 outer tail-feathers ; this bird is, I believe, the Senegal 

 Roller (C seiiegalensis). Another species, which is 



* The first portion of this month's instalment of Dr. Hopkinson's 

 article should have followed the account of the Nightjars on page 103, 

 but the original mauuscript was lost in the post, and the author has had 

 to re-write it -consequently it is here inserted out of its proper order.— Ed . 



