40 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 7a 



POICEPHALUS MEYERl MATSCHIEI Neumann 

 EAST AFRICAN BROWN PARROT 



A single locally purchased bird thrives. It is strange that more are 

 not caught by the natives for they are common up and down the line, 

 though not at Dodoma itself. Offering the munificent sum of 1 shil- 

 ling for a bird has had no results. (Dodoma, vii. 26.) 



AGAPORNIS PERSONATA Reichenow 

 YELLOW-BREASTED LOVE BIRD 



Native name. — Quinzi (Chigogo) . 



When at Nzingi in May (24-26) a few of these birds were sleeping- 

 under the galvanized-iron roof of the station, having pecked out 

 grooves in the supporting beam so as to facilitate their ingress and 

 egress. Nests were observed, though these were probably old ones» 



Hearing that love birds were numerous at Kikombo I sent Salimu 

 down and he returned with half a dozen. Contrary to my previous 

 experience they are very hardy if provided with heads of "mtama," 

 from "which they pick the seeds. They are no trouble to look after 

 as they only need "mtama" and water. A perch in their cage is 

 rather though not altogether superfluous, as at night they huddle into 

 a corner in conformity with their similar habit, when in a wild state, 

 of sleeping in holes in trees. They clamber about on the wire netting 

 front of their cage more than on their perch and manage to keep 

 themselves beautifully clean. The peck of one of these miniature 

 parrots is to be respected, as it will draw blood. 



While they are not rare at Dodoma itself, they are by no means 

 common, for not more than half a dozen will be seen in any one day's 

 walk. The few birds brought in during May and June died, owing 

 to the treatment they had received at the hands of their Wagogo 

 captors. (Kikombo, east of Dodoma, vi. 26.) 



AGAPORNIS FISCHERI Reichenow 



FISCHER'S LOVE BIRD 



Very hardy in captivity, feeding like the last, adepts at escaping, 

 and also in using their beaks to good effect. (Mbulu, near Arusha, 

 V. 26.) 



CORYTHAIXOIDES (CHIZAERHIS) LEUCOGASTER (Riippell) 



WHITE-BELLIED GOAWAY BIRD 



A pair of young birds were brought in to-day; they were just 

 fledged and apparently snared by the leg, for each had a leg broken 

 or dislocated, so I promptly killed them. Two younger birds taken 

 from the nest and brought in a week ago are doing well on papaw and- 

 banana (?) and rice. (Dodoma, 27. vi. 26.) 



Died a month later. 



