Tiirds of Gambia. 201 



breasi; and bri^^lii, '^nic.w of llic^ upprsi' jtarts 'are very strikinc,'; but 

 tiu'se two cokmrs (as is als;) Uyi: casc! in tlie similarly rriar-ked 

 Greieii .Fruit- l'i^'■(■(ln ), li.;u7Hf)iii.sc so well witli tlie deiid and liviii,i,' 

 leaves, that in a. Ircc tliese birds are ammii,'- tlie ni'ist diHidilt Vi 

 distin;i;uisli. 'I'licy linked fi-orii, al)fnd May \n Scj)teinl>iT, l;iyin,i( Iwo 

 egf,^s ill a li,()l(; in a li'cc. 'I'lieir call nntr; is inuidi nion- of a cfiallei' 

 and less of a S(,'ream than that of tlir; KJii^^neek, while, whi-ii Irinn' 

 they are as f|uiet as any I'ar'rot ever is. 



Our tliird siktIcs is a much larg-er and less conmi'iii Idrd, 

 fbii'Tly cons])icuou,s f(tr its huf,^' beak. A.s T Imvc nolliiii'-:; If) add 

 to the full account of this Parrot which I wrotfe for a recent inniilier 

 of Ihe A.virullural Mufjnzlnr^, 1 ventu)'e to i-f!peat that article, liere. 



'i'liis bii'd is an exiniordinarily u.^ly lookiii.L;' creatuci^ on 

 acroiiii! of ils lni,^'e |io\veri'ul b-ak, and un,c;;ainly liead, ils le'avy liuild 

 and I'alher dull ci)Ioura,tion, and e.Kce])t for its rarity possrisses 

 if-ew -allr-aclions as a caj^'-e-bird, as [ havt; I'onnd most of lliose 

 I h,a.v(- ti.ad very dillicult to kerqi alive for any len.L;ili oi' time, 

 and lliis is es|iecially flie case with youn.^c birds taken from Ihc nest. 

 Even when odd ones do survive, Uicy raixdy or- never assume any 

 sclmblance of tameness or ^,'■(•1 rid oi' tlie awful li.ai)it of scream- 

 ing- wildly when any one goes near them. However', this bii-d 

 has always interested mi; owing to the ])eeuliarity that the young 

 are, aclually more brightly coloured Ihaii llie adults, and Ix.'causc 

 I am slill doubtful as to what species it I'eally belongf. 

 To he Con/imwd. 



A Unique Consignment of Indian Birds. 



IW Wksm;v T. Iwc.i:. F.Z.S., Etc. 

 It is iio(- ))(.'idiaj).s gcnei'ally known, but, I'oi pi-acti''ally 

 tho whole of this youi' Mr. W . Fiost lias lioon in India coliccl- 

 in.q' for our (3sl(',(uii(v| inotnbci- Mr. K. J. Ib'ook, and vvbilo w; 

 rcgi't;t lliaJ, tin; main object of the e.xpodition has not be<'n 

 attained, viz., tlie 8U<'cessl'ul latidiii;^' of Sun birds (lliese siie- 

 cumbed to cold ch, roulc) yet the energy ol tlio, (•olleclor ciil- 

 niinated in the- siieeessfiil landing, on .lune '.')fi\, (jf some 700 

 living sj)eeimens, very many of which are new to l<]ng;lish 

 avieullure, and many oidie s wliich ari; vei'y ynvc on the 

 English mark (.'I wlien J add that tin; bulk of th(.'s(; aia; small 

 soft-bills, the ext(!iit of the task and the result aehi(!ved will be 

 in some measure realised. By Mr. Brook's kind invitation 1 

 rec-ently had the opportunity of looking- over this huge eollee- 

 tion, and T must eongratulate Mr. Brook on sueh a result to 

 his enterprise, and Mr. Frost on the manner in which he has 



