Birds of E/ulen in Kamerun. !)~ 



23. Bleda leucopleura (Ibis, 1901, p. 635). 



The (t Ngomejal " goes in parties of from two or three to 

 halt a dozen, and keeps to the swampy places in the forest, 

 probably because some favourite fruit is found on the trees or 

 vines of the swamp ; for, like the " Ntyetyal" and " Otok," 

 it is a fruit-eater. The Ngomejal is noisy, uttering notes 

 of a peculiar ringing and at the same time guttural tone, 

 and running them rapidly together, so that they sound like 

 excited talking. It is a restless bird, always on the move. 



21. Bleda notata. '' Olo-ejak" (op. cit. p. 635). 



Both this bird and the " Nti-ejak " [Bleda syndactyla) 

 are also called " Xtyoil " and are very similar in their 

 habits. The word "ejak" means a company of little birds 

 of different kinds feeding together in the forest, and " olo- 

 ejak" means "slave of the company," while " nti-ejak" 

 means "freeman of the company." Though often seen in 

 an ejak, they are frequently met with by themselves. They 

 keep near the ground in the thickest of the undergrowth. 

 Their food consists entirely of insects. They are always 

 among the first birds caught in snares set on the ground and 

 baited with white ants. They are strictly forest-dwellers. 



25. EURILLAS EFOLENENSIS (op. cit. p. 636). 



The " Otok " is one of the commonest birds, both in the 

 bush-growth of cleared land and in the forest. Its small 

 size and dull plumage and its skill in hiding itself cause it 

 to be seldom seen unless it be watched for, but it is noisy and 

 may be heard continually. Some of its many notes have 

 a clear ringing tone that is pleasing, but they soon become 

 monotonous. It feeds mainly on small fruits. 



I have not generally been able to distinguish between 

 the different species of Eurillas when seen wild. While I 

 am sure that the remarks given above apply to the species 

 named, they probably apply to E. camerunensis and E. virens 

 as well. 



26. Ixonotus guttatus (op. cit. p. 638). 



Birds of this species, which is called. " Ntyetyal," feed on 

 small fruits in the tops of tall trees in flocks of a dozen or 



SER. VIII. VOL. V. H 



