ON THE BIRD-LIFE IN NORTHERN NIGERIA 35 



orioles, woodpeckers, barbets and shrikes, travelling all 

 together as if they were afraid of being left alone on their 

 way through the vast expanse of bush. 



When the mimosa trees are in flower, crowds of sun- 

 birds visit them. It is a pretty picture and looks like a 

 ghmpse of fairyland itself, the bright light playing upon the 



A BAG BAB OR KUKA TREE 



tender green of the mimosa starred with feathery blossoms, 

 among which the sun-birds revel in the sunlight that catches 

 the metallic peacock-blue of their backs as they dance in 

 flight from one tree to another. 



The tall baobab trees in the thick belts along the banks 

 of streams are often the resort of black and white hornbills 

 {Lophoceros erythorynchus), quaint looking birds that are 

 bound to arrest the travellers' attention. They spend most 

 of the day in the holes of the trees, for they appear to 



