356 EASTERN ETHIOPIA xxix 



on plate, livery, and stationery of one who has been 

 dubbed a knight. 



All birds with crests can erect the feathery tuft. 

 The most familiar example is the crest of the cockatoo. 

 This movement depends on the action of muscular 

 tissue in the skin connected with the quills of the crest 

 feathers, and a large muscle immediately beneath the 

 skin covering the head and nape. 



The feathers on the heads of many birds are larger 

 than the contour feathers generally, but do not amount 

 to a crest, although the bird can erect them partially 

 when excited, courting, or engaged in combat. 



Many birds in Eastern Ethiopia possess beautiful 

 crests : some of them will be considered. The chief 

 are : The crowned crane, the hammerhead or tufted 

 umbre, the crested lark, some hornbills, the hoopoe, 

 mouse birds or colies, the secretary bird, and the 

 plantain eaters or touracos. 



The hammerhead (Scopus umbretta) is a curious bird. 

 Scopus is the Latin word for broom, and umbre refers to 

 its dark brown colour. All who know the bird will admit 

 the aptness of both names. This bird frequents woody 

 districts near water, wades along the muddy shores of 

 lakes and islets usually in pairs, hunting about for fish, 

 frogs, molluscs, insects, and worms. When this bird 

 erects its crest it looks very weird and justifies the 

 natives in suspecting it of witchcraft. 



The umbre roosts in trees, builds a huge nest of 

 sticks and stones and lines it with clay, with an entrance 

 usually at the side. 



The Secretary bird is interesting in relation with 

 names common or scientific, for it has received many. 

 The name secretary is supposed to be derived from the 

 tuft of long feathers hanging over the back of the head 

 and resembling a secretary with a quill feather " in his 

 ear." A. Newton, who has written a critical account of 

 the names of this remarkable bird, mentions that it was 

 originally called Sagittarius or Archer from its striding 



