Coraciidse of the Ethiopian Region. 287 



Messrs. S. Roch and E. Newton write as follows : — 



" We saw this bird from near Tamatave up to the end of the 

 forest-country. It has a peculiar habit of playing in the air 

 above the forest for some time over the same place^ ascending 

 almost perpendicularly, as it were by a jump, to a great height, 

 and descending again in a curve nearly to the top of the trees, 

 by almost closing its wings, at the same time uttering a whistle 

 so like an Eagle's that it was for a long time doubted by us 

 whether the bird that performed this wonderful freak was not 

 a Raptorial. However, after having several times watched it 

 with our glasses, we satisfied ourselves that it was this species. 

 Whilst one bird was thus playing, another would frequently 

 answer its cry from a tree hard by." 



The following habits have been noted by Messrs. Pollen and 

 Van Dam : — 



" The natives of the north-west of Madagascar give this bird 

 the name of Cyrombo. It has the curious habit of hovering in 

 the air and uttering a very loud note, striking its wings against 

 its body as it calls. This cry, resembling the syllables tu-hou, 

 tu-hou, tu-hou, goes on increasing in force. Nowhere have we 

 found this bird in greater numbers than in the forests in the 

 neighbourhood of the bays of Boeny and Jongony in the south- 

 western portion of the island of Mayotte. The racket that they 

 make during the whole journey is truly wearisome. Although 

 very active as criers, these birds are lazy and stupid ; as soon as 

 they are perched on the branch of a tree, they remain, so to 

 speak, immovable and in perpendicular position, so that it is 

 easy to see them and knock them over. When seen in this po- 

 sition they look like birds impaled. We suppose that they live 

 in polygamy, because one always sees three times as many males 

 as females ; often we have seen three males in company with one 

 single female, and all allowed themselves to be killed one after 

 the other. In fact, when one is killed, the others do not fly 

 away, but content themselves with merely moving from one 

 branch to another. These birds live principally on grasshoppers, 

 but they devour also Chameleons and Lizards, which gives to their 

 flesh a disagreeable odour, like that we observe in the common 

 Cuckoo. In preparing these birds we often found them covered 



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