The Nyangomba 159 



added to my collections is the nyangomba, which 

 exchanges an interminable " Diti, diti, dutou, 

 dutou" with the female. 1 I have watched it with 

 the object of observing its habits, and have seen that 

 it feeds not only on shells but also on tortoises. As 

 these latter are hard to break open, the bird places 

 them under its claws and with its lame beak strikes 



O 



with the regularity of a steam-hammer always on 

 the same spot. By this means it makes a hole in 



CORNER OF OUR CAMP. 



the carapace, and by enlarging it, devours alive the 

 unfortunate tortoise. 



It is the size of a turkey. Black all over, the 

 head ornamented with red in the case of the male, 

 and with gray in the case of the female, it possesses 

 a large brown eye, much resembling a human eye 

 and having the same expression and softness which is 

 given by long eyelashes. It frequents long grass 



1 See Mes Grandes Chasses, p. 176. 



