146 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
second volume of the ‘Student and Intellectual Observer,’ on 
‘Turacoes and their distribution,’ there occurs the following passage ; 
‘ Although some of these birds—the false Twracoes (Schizorhis)—are 
provided with a crest, I dowbt whether that organ is ever erected and 
depressed after the manner of the true Turacoes.’? With regard 
to S. concolor, I have had frequent opportunity of noticing the 
elevation and depression of the crest as one of the most common 
habits of the bird. In travelling through the Bechuana country 
one often comes upon a party of five or six of these birds, hiding 
from the mid-day heats under the sheltered portions of denser 
foliage near the centre of a large tree. Whilst yet undisturbed, the 
crest’ lies flat on the head, and can only be seen as a tuft projecting 
from the occiput. But their first act on becoming aware of an intruder, 
is to run along the branches, either to the summit of the tree or to the 
extremity of a branch commanding a good look-out, where, with 
crest fully erected and well thrown forward, they keep up a constant 
reiteration of their note. If but little alarmed they move rapidly 
from branch to branch, frequently jerking up the crest,and assuming —__ 
an attitude of attention. Again, after flight from one tree to another, 
on alighting they first rest on a branch, with the body somewhat 
horizontal, and the tail drawn nearly to the perpendicular, as if 
assuring themselves of their equilibrium, and then raising the body, 
elongating their neck and at the same time elevating the crest, they 
seem to take an observation as to the security of their new position. 
So much is this a habit of the bird, that during the conversational 
difficulties of my earlier intercourse with the Bechuanas, when in- 
quiring for the nest of Schizorhis (the native name of which is 
‘ Ma-quaai,’) as soon it dawned upon the mind of a native what bird I _ 
meant, he has imitated its note, accompanied by a sudden jerking up — 
of the hand, with his fingers extended to their utmost, as if at the 
same time to mimic the elevation of the crest. In the same paper © 
Mr. Sclater mentions that ‘ Mr. J. J. Monteiro, speaking of the grey 
False Turaco (S. concolor), as observed in Benguela, expressly states — 
that the crest feathers are always carried erect.’ In my own ex- 
perience, the observation of Schizorhis was an every-day occurrence ; 
and, as I have stated, when undisturbed (also when in flight), very 
little of the crest is to be seen; but it is invariably carried erect on — 
the least alarm. I may here mention a peculiar scream of S. concolor. 
I was one day walking along a low ridge of rocks, from which I 
