IN WESTERN LIBERIA. 235 



and sand-baaks in the St. Paul's River, opposite to our 

 bunting station. They were never seen on the banks of 

 the large river, but very much, especially in the morning 

 and evening , in company with Waldenia nigrita , on the 

 wing above the water , hunting after insects. Except a few 

 beetles , we never found anything in their stomachs. When 

 alarmed, they assumed a very ungraceful, erect attitude. 

 It was hard to get within gun-shot of them and , as we 

 had to shoot at them from a small canoe, they were not 

 easily obtained. 



On ray last visit to the islands, the IS^t of March, I 

 found their nests , if this expression may be used , one of 

 them with two, the others with one egg each. In fact, 

 the nests were nothing but a somewhat cup-like hole , 

 scratched in the hot sand near a piece of rock , without 

 any lining, unfortunately we lost our canoe the evening 

 of the same day, and as the river was rising very rapidly 

 on account of the heavy rains , we could not reach the 

 islands swimming in search of the eggs , as we otherwise 

 should have done. 



The eggs are dull grayish green and thickly covered 

 with irregular earthy brown spots. Length 2,8 cm., width 2,1. 



Some few specimens of this bird were found on an in- 

 accessible rock between two rapids near Soforé Place. 



Vanellus inornatus. 



Vanellus inornatus,. Swains. Birds W. Afr. II, p. 239; — 

 Hartl. Orn. W. Afr., p. 212; — Schl. Mus. P.-B.,Curso- 

 res, p. 63. 



Chettusia inornata, Rchw. Journ. f. Orn. 1874, p. 381 ; — 

 Boc. Orn. d' Angola, p. 425. 



Hab. West Africa , from the Gambia to the Congo. 



Collected at Buluma, where during the months of De- 

 cember and January it regularly visited newly made farms , 

 in small flocks of 5 to 7 specimens. Their habits are exactly 

 like those of Vanellus cristaius ; when disturbed , they fly up 

 Notes from the Leyden IMuseum, "Vol. VII, 



