90 Dr. R. B. Sharpc on Birds 



have been cleared oflf the land around the native villages. The 

 birds of the forest are largely distinct from those found in 

 the gardens and the low i)ushes in the abandoned gardens in 

 the clearings. 



" All the Weavers and Weaver- Finches that I have sent 

 are confined to the clearings, unless it be the black red- 

 breasted ' Edumvin ' [Spermospiza guttata], which I have 

 seen building in high trees in the forest. The 'Nyas' 

 [Hyphantornis cucuUatus] is the bird that builds the best- 

 woven nests, with long tube-like entrances opening down- 

 wards. The different kinds of conical-billed birds fly about 

 grassy places in twittering flocks ; they build in tall grass 

 or bushes, and form large gourd-shaped nests of fine grass- 

 tops, with very narrow entrances opening upwards. 



" There are a number of birds which I take to be Thrushes. 

 They include the ' Etyityo ' [Turdus saturatus], which was 

 found in the village-clearing, the different kinds of ' Ntyon ' 

 [Alethe castanea, A. alexandri] and 'Akalat' [Turdinus 

 albipectus, Callene C2/orm/^oj»5z.9], the Akwalat [Neucossyphus 

 poensis], and the Otok \_Eurillas cameronensis] , d\\ the small 

 birds being procured on June 20th and 21st and on July 

 11th, and being caught by boys with snares on the ground 

 in the forest, though some of them may be seen in the 

 clearings too. The ^ Otok ' has a respectable little song. 



" The Sun-birds are confined to the village clearings. 

 They are not only pretty and lively, but utter sweet notes, 

 very fine and soft. 



" There are two Flycatchers of different styles : one is called 

 * Ngwen ' [Diaphophyia castanea'] , and another ' Kuletyan,' 

 in imitation of its note, besides which there are two or three 

 similar to those sent from Benito and Bata. They are usually 

 seen sitting on bushes or trees, leaving their perch at intervals 

 for a short circuit in the air to catch a flying insect. In the 

 forest I have sometimes heard a sharp noise in the tree-tops 

 like the snapping of a small whip often repeated, and I think 

 it is made by birds of this sort, probably with their wings. 



" Tlie Woodpeckers and Barbets are very characteristic of 

 the forest-country, full of decaying trees and branches in 



