THE PICARIAN BIRDS 



Crimson 

 Winged 

 Plantain 



These birds are often called louris in South Africa, where they fre- 

 quent the forest districts, building an open nest of sticks in a bush, 

 an( j resembling that of a pigeon, the egg being also white like that of 

 the last-named birds. Of Fraser's plantain eater (Turacus macro- 

 rhynchus) Mr. Bti ttikofer gives some notes in his account of the birds collected by 

 himself in Liberia, stating that it is a splendid and very lively bird in a wild state, 

 always keeping to the densest crowns of the trees in the virgin forest, where it 



GIANT PLANTAIN EATER. 

 (One-fifth natural size.) 



lives in pairs or in families after the breeding season. It is so shy that it would not 

 be easily found by the hunter if it were not for its crow-like voice, interrupted now 

 and then by a mewing exactly like that of a cat. When not disturbed, these birds 

 can be very noisy, flapping their beautiful red wings, and running after each other 

 like squirrels among the branches. As their bright wings would render them too 

 obvious to their enemies, they seldom fly very far at once, but advance by running 



