404 Messrs. R. B. & J. D. S. Woodward's Journeys 



the Zulus kill them for the sake of their red wing-feathers, 

 which they use for decorating their head-dresses. Flocks 

 of Levaillant's Parrot [Poeocephalus robustus) used often to 

 fly screaming overhead, and sometimes alighted on the tall 

 trees, but would not let us approach near enough for a shot. 

 These Parrots, like the rest of their tribe, are gregarious in 

 their habits^ and congregate in large numbers in the upper 

 districts of Natal, but we have sometimes seen them in the 

 coast-lands. They sit quietly during the day, but as evening 

 draws on they fly out in search of food, making the woods 

 resound with their shrill cries. These birds can be taught 

 to talk well. A farmer having kept a pair of these Parrots 

 for some time confined in a cage, gave them their liberty, on 

 which, instead of leaving, they took possession of an old 

 pigeon-house, where they laid their eggs and reared their 

 young : they remained for two seasons, and used to fly in at 

 the sitting-room window to be fed. The young birds as soon 

 as they were fledged left for the woods. 



Here we were fortunate enough to discover a new Barbet, 

 to which Capt. Shelley has affixed our name *. We heard 

 its peculiar crv of " chop-chop '^ some time before we were 

 able to find out what bird made it, as it keeps in the thicker 

 parts of the woods and feeds on berries. The notes of all 

 the Barbets are peculiar : the little Red-crowned Barbet 

 [Barbatida pnsilla) which is found here breaks the stillness 

 of the woods during the hot hours of mid-day with its 

 monotonous and incessant note, from the metallic sound of 

 which it is well-named the " Little Tinker." This bird, 

 though so common, is not often seen because of its shyness, 

 and perhaps also because it possesses ventriloquous powers. 

 Sometimes the sound seems to come from a bush quite near, 

 and yet no bird is visible, and at other times it is hard to 

 tell from what quarter the sound proceeds. 



We took a long ride one day down to the low country 



and were caught in very heavy rain and had to sleep out ; 



and not having a tent with us, we spent, as may be supposed, 



a disagreeable night. Having shot a Kingfisher (Halcyon 



* Stacfokema looodirardi, of which a figure is given, Plate X. 



