of Birds in Southern Kamerun. 563 



of these Green Pigeons always found breeding, but nearly 

 all individuals that have been examined were breeding. 



The Francolins. — The larger Francolin, the Okwal [Fran- 

 colinus squamatus) which lives among the thickets bordering 

 villages and plantations, seems to breed most often in the 

 drier dry season, from December to March. In those months 

 eggs have been found a number of times, and none, as yet, 

 in other months. The Obem {F. lathami), on the contrary, 

 which lives in the forest, has been found breeding at all 

 times of the year. 



The Cuckoos. — The Common Coucal [Centropus monachus) 

 has been found laying or sitting in both dry seasons^ but 

 not as yet in a rainy season. 



Of the Golden Cuckoos, specimens of Chrysococcyx 

 cupreus were found to be breeding in April, June, July, 

 and December, and a young bird not fully fledged was found 

 in March. Of C. klaasi, individuals in breeding condition 

 are recorded in January, February, March, June, and a young 

 one in December. A breeding male Metallococcyx has been 

 shot in November. The months are here named, in the 

 case of these birds, not only to shew that they breed at all 

 seasons, but also to shew, incidentally, that they are found 

 breeding here in the same months as those in which the 

 same species breed in South Africa. 



The Barhets. — Instances of some species of Gymnobucco 

 and Heliobucco (which are united in one genus by Reichenow) 

 have been found at all seasons, but there seems to be a 

 preference for the dry seasons. Among nine examples of 

 Heliobucco bonapartei shown to me from the holes in one dead 

 tree, on the 1st of April, there were young birds of different 

 ages ; and an egg was found at the same time. Probably 

 in these colonies some individuals are breeding at all times. 



The little Barbets of the genus Barbatula seem to prefer 

 the dry seasons for breeding. 



The Woodpeckers. — The tiny Verreauxia, of which a good 

 many specimens were examined, clearly prefers the dry 

 seasons for breeding. Of ordinary Woodpeckers, breeding- 

 birds have been found at all seasons. These birds are not 



