BARBATULA PUSILLA. 175 
156. BarpatuLa PUSILLA. Little Tinker Barbet. 
Megalema barbatula, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 234. 
The members of the genus Barbatula are distinguished from the 
Pogonorhynchi by the absence of the tooth in the bill, which is also 
sharp and pointed. They are all birds of small size, and the South 
African species can be divided into two sections, viz. those which 
have the back black streaked with white or yellow, and those which 
have the upper surface entirely black. 
The present species belongs to the yellow-streaked section, 
and is at once recognisable by its red crown. Mr. Rickard 
notes its occurrence at Hast London: it inhabits the euphorbia 
thickets of the eastern province, especially about Eland’s Post, where 
Mr. T. C. Atmore obtained a nice series of specimens. The note is 
often heard, but the bird itself is seldom seen, on account of its 
small size and creeping habits: they feed on berries. Mr. Ayres 
writes: ‘“‘ The note of this curious little bird so much resembles the 
tapping of a hammer on an anvil (having that peculiar metallic ring) 
that it is called in Natalthe Tinker Bird. It is silent during the 
winter months, commencing its monotonous cry in the spring, and 
continuing it throughout the summer. They are numerous, but not 
easily seen, in consequence of their small size, and their habit of 
sitting quietly on the tops of thick bushy trees. When in search of 
food, they climb and creep about the thick foliage of trees. They 
inhabit the coast-bush, being seldom found ten miles inland ; those 
which I have seen at that distance from the coasts were silent. The 
stomach of the specimen sent to England contained mulberries.” | It 
is found in North-eastern Africa, whence the birds run rather smaller. 
The following description is copied from Messrs. Marshall’s 
Monograph :—Sexes alike ; a narrow frontal band black ; top of the 
head bright red; upper plumage black, variegated longitudinally 
with sulphur-yellow ; upper tail-coverts entirely of that colour ; wings 
and tail earthy brown; lesser wing-coverts broadly bordered with 
golden ; greater wing-coverts and quills edged with the same colour, 
shading into creamy white on the tertiaries, inner webs at the base 
yellow; tail narrowly edged with sulphur-yellow; under surface 
greenish-yellow ; throat and under tail-coverts lemon-yellow; bill 
black ; legs and feet dark greenish; irides dark brown. Length, 
4” 6; wing, 2’ 4; tail, 1’’ 2. 
~ Fig. Marsh. Monogr. Capit. pl. xlviii. 
