Expeditiuii to the Zambesi River. 95 



128. CORACIAS CAUDATUS (Liuil.). 



One of the first birds to arrest the attention of the traveller 

 as he journeys up the river. Fields where the marpela corn 

 has been grown are a favourite resort^ for there this bird may 

 be observed making raids upon the locusts that infest the 

 stalk-strewn ground, while the sawn-off tree-stumps that 

 stand here and there afford it resting-places. This Roller 

 is cunning and distrustful, and seldom allows of a close 

 approach, while at the sight of gun-barrels the bird is off 

 in double-quick time, flying high in the air till it becomes 

 a mere speck in the sky, and by way of showing displeasure 

 at being disturbed it screeches out a string of hoarse notes 

 just as if it was suffering from a bad sore throat. Moreover, 

 this Roller is quarrelsome, being a constant source of 

 annoyance to the small birds that may happen to come 

 within its reach, especially to the flocks of Weavers, which it 

 takes a mischievous delight in darting at, as they go " swish- 

 ing^' past, obliging them, from their close formation, to form 

 skirmishing order. 



In the pairing-season, the male gives vent to his love- 

 passion in a series of discordant cries as he waltzes in endless 

 twists and turns round his consort in mid-air, sometimes 

 leaving her in order to shoot vertically upward. 



Holes in the baobab-trees are generally chosen for nesting- 

 sites. Though this species is a resident along the Zambesi, 

 its numbers during the winter months are comparatively few ; 

 but towards the end of December, when the rains commence, 

 an influx maybe noticed, and then soon after breeding takes 

 place. Distribution is influenced to some extent by the 

 movement of insect-life; and especially is this the case where 

 big swarms of locusts are present, in whose wake the Roller is 

 sure to follow. 



129. CoRACiAS MosAMBicus (Drcsscr) . 



A rather scarce bird, and only met with at Chicowa. It 

 is less noisy and more retiring in nature than C. caudatus, 

 A specimen at the time of being shot was feeding off the 

 fruit of the jujuba-tree which is called ''masau" by the natives. 



