Ornithology of the Gambia River. 487 



resemblance to the soil to escape observation. In the tree- 

 tops overshadowing: the town Pelicans and Marabou-birds 

 build their nests, and at the end of March there were still 

 some unfledged birds in them. 



On April 1st I started in a cutter up the river from 

 McCarthy Island to stay for a short time at the Kunchow 

 Creek. The voyage occupied two days, and as we anchared 

 when the tide was ebbing, I had several opportunities of 

 going ashore to shoot. I found Guinea-hens {Nuinida me- 

 leagris) very plentiful, as were also the Bush-fowl and the 

 Sand-Grouse. Arriving at the mouth of the creek on 

 April 3rd, I rowed up it about a mile to Alimaka's wharf, 

 where I had some huts built overlooking the river. At this 

 time the air was everywhere heavily scented by the blossoms 

 of a beautiful gardenia-like shrub, which teemed with various 

 Sun-birds and Bee-eaters. The commonest Sun-bird met 

 with here was Nectarinia pulchella, though I obtained three 

 others. In the dense belt of forest by the river-side I saw 

 several beautiful species of Flycatchers, and tried, without 

 success, to obtain a specimen o{ Elminia longlcaudata. Paras 

 leucomelas was fairly common. About this time (A.pril 10th) 

 I first noticed the harsh cry of Coccystes glandarius, thence- 

 forward very common. On leaving the Kunchow Creek, 

 on alow mud-bank near its mouth I saw a large flock of 

 (Edicnemus senegalensis, as a rule a solitary species. 



On April 20th I joined company with two Englishmen 

 who were on their way to inspect some gold-workings. We 

 were taken up to Yarbutenda by a small steamboat, and 

 thence we rowed up to Netebulu, in French territory, at the 

 head of the navigable waters of the Gambia. After a stay 

 of a few days, I parted from the Englishmen and made my way 

 back overland towards McCarthy Island. I stayed about a 

 week at Koina, where antelopes and game of all kinds were 

 very abundant, and there I succeeded in obtaining two good 

 specimens of the beautiful blue Flycatcher, Elminia longl- 

 caudata. This bird is extremely active and restless, flitting 

 from tree to tree and continually spreading out its tail like 

 a fan. The male and female seem quite similar. Bucorax 

 abyssinicus was also seen several times. 



