CHAPTER XIX 



ox THE BIRD-LIFE IX XORTHERX XIGERIA 



The distribution of birds in Africa has always been a 

 fascinating subject with ornithologists. 



To discover the remaining hnks in the chain of our know- 

 ledge of the affinity of the fauna between the west coast 

 and the Xile was, therefore, one of the objects the Expedition 

 had in view. The result has been that much new and 

 interesting material has been brought back, and we can now 

 form a very good idea of the distribution of the birds across 

 the Continent. 



When the nature of our collection is considered in con- 

 junction with the geographical features, we find that three 

 distinct zoographical areas can be determined. Approxi- 

 mately speaking, the forest region stretches from Liberia to 

 the Quanza river and includes the greater part of equatorial 

 Africa. With the exception of the latter, the width of the 

 forest belt along the west coast varies from 160 to 200 miles. 

 The whole of this vast virgin forest possesses a distinct 

 avifauna, which eventually finds its way across Africa to the 

 neighbourhood of the Victoria Lakes by the great equatorial 

 forests and rivers. It is a rich fauna, as might be expected, 

 including forest -thrushes, fly-catchers, brilliant orioles, wood- 

 peckers, and many forest -weavers, shy denizens that are 

 never found away from the confines of the virgin growth. 



