Ornithology of the Gold Coast. 53 



there, one of which was killed by my friend Dr. Hinde, as 

 mentioned by Mr. Sharpe in 'The Ibis' (/. c. 1870, p.' 485); 

 I shot another at the same place ; but it fell into very thick 

 stuflF, and I was unable to find it. A third example I started 

 early one morning from a tamarind-tree on the slope of the 

 hill ; this bird winged its way in a north-westerly direction 

 and did not return. 



43. CoccYSTEs GAFFER (Licht.) : Sharpe, p. 13. 



I shot a specimen of this bird in March 1872, near Abro- 

 bonko. He was busily flying from bush to bush across the 

 road and was easy of approach. I have observed them not 

 unfrequently near Cape-Coast Castle. 



44. Chrysococcyx claasi (V.) : Sharpe, p. 13. 



This species of Shining Cuckoo is exceedingly common. 

 It cannot fail to be distinguished by its flight, in which all 

 the African Cuckoos resemble each other very much. It is 

 extremely fond of frequenting long grass and the vicinity of 

 reeds, C. cupreus being more common in the neighbourhood 

 of trees. There appears to be no difi'erence in their habits. 



45. Chrysococcyx smaragdineus (Sw.) : Sharpe, p. 13. 

 The gorgeous tints of this shy bird entitle it to the foremost 



place among the many beautiful birds to be found in Eantee 

 and the Gold Coast. Contrary to the habits of C. claasi and 

 C. cupreus, he afiects high trees, and generally keeps amongst 

 the topmost branches, where he may occasionally be observed 

 in the dense forests in company with the more sober-coloured 

 female. I never killed but one ; and he fell from the summit 

 of a high tree into the impenetrable jungle at its base, so that 

 all attempts to recover him were vain. From the compara- 

 tive scarcity and retiring habits of the bird, little can be as- 

 certained as to its mode of life ; and the natives are too igno- 

 rant to be trusted on such subjects. 



4G. Centropus senegalensis (L.) : Sharpe, p. 14. 



The traveller in the Fantee forests or the Accra plains can- 

 not proceed far without coming across this familiar bird. It 

 inhabits the low bushes, whence it is constantly flushed, 



