Birds of MaduQascar. 113 



from this conspicuous nest, as well as from the grave and 

 sedate way in which the Takatra marches about seeking for 

 its food, many native superstitious have gathered about the 

 bird, one of which is that those who destroy its nest will 

 become lepers. And while the Hova and central tribes were 

 still idolaters it was believed that it was very unlucky should 

 a Takatra fly across the path along which the idols were 

 being carried ; in such case they were immediately taken 

 back to their dwelling-house. Another native superstition 

 isj that if the Takatra takes the hair of any person from 

 whose head it has just been cut, and uses it as material in 

 building its nest, such person becomes at once bald; 



A considerable number of native proverbs refei* to the 

 Takatra, some of which may be here translated. Thus, the 

 plume or crest at the back of its head is mentioned in these: 

 " Stooping down and showing the crest, like a Takatra 

 stalking after a frog;^' ''Hair in a large knot, like the 

 Takatra's plume.^^ Its habits are noticed in the following : 

 "Going along the stream, like the Takatra;" and, ''A 

 Takatra by the waterside : not sleeping, but in deep thought; " 

 and its nest in these : " The Takatra finished a nest, so the 

 Owl gave himself airs;" and, ''A Takatra's nest entered by 

 ian Owl ; the stingy one is injured by the evil one." There 

 is a pun, or at least a play of words, in these two : " Izay 

 iakatry ny aina, hoy Hay namahan-Takatra,'^ i.e. "Doing 

 one's utmost [takatra), said the one who was entertained by 

 a Takatra j" and, '^Toy ny alahelon-Takatra : raha faly, 

 msflra-MiTOKAKA ; raha ory, miara-MiToKiKY," i. e, " Like 

 the Takatra's sympathy : when you are glad, he laughs with 

 you; when you are sorrowful, he shrinks back with youj" 

 that is, I suppose, that it is all the same to him whatever 

 befalls you, for his note never alters. 



Besides the Takatra, there is the Open-billed Stork 

 (Anastomus madayascariens is) , which, according to M. Pollen, 

 is almost always found together with some of the Ibises and 

 other shore-birds. They live in companies of from six to 

 twelve individuals, at river-mouths, feeding on Crustacea and 

 moUusks, from which habit comes their name of Famakiakura, 



SER. VI. VOL, IV. i 



