174 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
produce of the locality in which it happens to be located. It is 
rather a lively bird, and sometimes suspends itself below the fruit 
on which it is feeding, and makes its repast whilst hanging in that 
position.” 
According to our own experience, it is a solitary bird, never more 
than one pair being seen together, and that but seldom. Its call 
is similar to that of the Indian Xantholema hemacephala, viz. 
“ poo-poo-poop,” three syllables, constantly repeated. While uttering 
this cry, it remains stationary in some tree, but evidently expends 
much labour on its monotonous call, its body being jerked up and 
down the while. It feeds on fruits and berries, and is said to build 
in hollow trees; but we were not fortunate enough to obtain its 
nest. Mr. Atmore writes: ‘ Feeds on seeds and insects. I see 
them frequently feeding on the ground. I know of a tame one 
which roved about unconfined. It eat meat, bread, sugar, corn, in 
fact anything—appeared very much attached to its mistress, and 
came regularly into the house to be fed. It disappeared at the 
pairing season, so I suppose it got married! They nest in holes of 
trees, but don’t make the holes. Eggs spotted.” Mrs. Barber also 
says the latter are spotted, but Mr. H. Jackson sends us eggs of 
three species which are white, elongated and roughish. Axis, 11’’; 
diam. 8’’’. We found it common in the Albany division, and one 
evening took five out of the stem of an aloe at Talk Farm, whither 
they had retired to roost. We were assured by Mr. White, the 
owner of the farm, that they had bred there, making the hole 
themselves. 
From the other African tooth-billed Barbets the present species is 
distinguished, according to the Messrs. Marshall, by the following 
characters: small size, black bill, crimson forehead, and black 
occiput, throat and centre of the breast. 
General colour aboye, black, pencilled with yellow ; forehead deep 
crimson ; a stripe extends from the nostril, over the eye, to the back 
of the head; the first part of this is yellow, the last part white; a 
broad white line also extends from the corner of the bill down the 
side of the throat ; chin and gorget black ; belly dirty white, mixed 
with grey ; wing-secondaries and tail-feathers margined with yellow ; 
** bill dark-brownish horn-colour ; feet and toes slaty-brown; iris 
umber-brown. (Andersson.)” Length, 6'’; wing, 3” 6'’’ ; tail, 2’’. 
Fig. Marsh. Monogr. Capit. pl. xii. 
