Ornithohyy of the Egyptian Soudan. 353 



are fond of settling on the top of any large tree which rises 

 high above the surrounding bush, such as the gigantic " Bao- 

 babs " in Kordofan, and parties generally follow the same 

 line from one to another of these big trees day after day. 



152. Scoptelus notatus Salvin. 



a. <J. Duem, White Nile, Sept. 30, 1902. 



The Straight-billed Wood-Hoopoe is to be found from the 

 cast to the west of the Soudan south of about the 15th decree 

 of N. latitude. Though not rare, it is nowhere an abun- 

 dant species. Unlike the Irrisor, it is almost always met 

 with in pairs, and never in parties. It frequents lower bush 

 and more open country than its larger relative, and searches 

 for its food nearer the ground, to which it frequently 

 descends. 



153. Bucouvus abyssinicus (Bodd.). 



I have occasionally met with the Abyssinian Ground- 

 Hornbill on the Upper Blue Nile, the Rahad, the Dinder, 

 and the Setit. Once in the rains I saw a party of four on 

 the great open plain west of Gedaref. These birds were 

 feeding on locusts, and it was most interesting to watch 

 them walking round a bush and peering up at the branches 

 until they detected one, when they would spring up to a 

 height of three or four feet, expanding their white wings, 

 and capture it with au unerring snap. 



This bird becomes very tame in captivity, and evinces 

 considerable attachment to its owner, whom it will follow 

 about closely. Its movements can be wonderfully quick 

 for so clumsy-looking a bird. I have seen one which looked 

 half asleep make a sudden rush, and seize a mouse that it 

 had caught sight of, in a manner that surprised me. The 

 same bird when it missed a mouse would most patiently 

 and intelligently watch the hole. Its patience usually 

 outlasted mine, and I never saw it catch one in this manner, 

 but no doubt it often did. 



Mr. L. Gorringe tells me that he took a single egg of 

 this bird from a hole in a baobab tree at Roseires on 

 June 3rd, 1903. 



