DICRURUS CORACINUS 177 
From Prince's Island Dr. Dohrn writes: “They build their 
nests in September, when the rainy season sets in. Its shape 
is like that of Oriolus galbula. The native name is ‘ Maria 
Palu, feiticeira’ (i.e., Maria Palu, the sorceress). The bird 
is black, with red eyes; seems very indolent in daytime and 
shows a great ability in the imitation of some other birds’ 
voices. Ofcourse there must be some ‘ feiticeira’ in it; there- 
fore, sitting on the. roof of a house and singing in a melancholy 
manner, it prophesies the death of one of the inhabitants ; 
and this, of course, takes place, but often a long time after 
this prophecy.” 
Mr. Keulemans, who was on the island with Dr. Dohrn, 
has kindly sent me the following notes : “ Very common; a 
quiet, somewhat lazy bird, in its habits resembling a Fly- 
catcher. It will sit for hours before making a move, and 
when a big insect is captured on the wing it invariably returns 
to the spot it has just left. It is one of the few birds that will 
eat butterflies. The nest resembles that of a Shrike and is 
constructed of small twigs, roots and grass, lined with fibres 
and feathers. It will often perch on chimney-pots or on the 
little crucifixes which the natives erect on the top of the 
roofs of their huts or houses.” 
Dicrurus coracinus. 
Dicrurus coracinus, J. and E. Verr. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1851, p. 311 
Gaboon ; Reichen. Vog. Afr. ii. p. 650 (1903) ; O. Grant, Ibis, 1908, 
p. 268 Upper Congo. 
Dicrurus modestus (non Hartl.), Sharpe, Cat. B.M. iii. p. 232 (1877 pt.). 
Adults. Like those of D. modestus, but differ in being smaller. ‘“‘ Iris 
dark red ; bill pink, feet dark grey.” Total length 5:0 to 5-4 inches. 
The Lesser Velvet-mantled Drongo ranges from Camaroon 
into Loango, and eastward to the Ituri River. 
This is the continental representative of D. modestus, from 
