NATURAL HISTORY 313 



a pigmy woodpecker or two (Dendroficus), a wood-warbler 

 (Camaroptera), and a small brown forest-thrush (Turdinus) 

 all are to be seen, while in the upper branches of the trees a 

 paradise fly-catcher in full breeding plumage plays, flying 

 and dropping light as a piece of paper from perch to perch, 

 and uttering at times a squeaky " tizz " to his mate the while 

 both search diligently for food. 



In the hours of heat that have succeeded the cool morning 

 the plantations are all but deserted, for the birds have sought 

 refuge in the forest belts, all save a barbet {Barbatula), 

 a bird no bigger than a wren, that emits at intervals a " cup, 

 cup " cry from the top of a small tree in the full glare of 

 the sun. 



And so the days pass with Httle change, the same old friends 

 among the birds are to be seen from day to day in the 

 same favourite places. Each day the blades of corn expand 

 and grow a little taller, till a day comes when they are laid 

 low. Then men re-till and clean the brown soil, taking the 

 opportunity, perhaps, to add another plot to their farm. 

 This is a feast-day in the calendar of the birds. 



In these notes I have endeavoured to give the reader 

 an idea of the bird-Hfe that is met with in a region of woodland 

 and hill. I have spoken in a former chapter of the birds of 

 the bush and plain ; and now there remain the forest birds to 

 be touched upon. 



The true forest is not so rich in bird-life as the bush 

 country. This would partly be accounted for by the restric- 

 tions which the forest gives to flight. So the birds which 

 have power of wing are not represented, and we find that 

 the birds of the forest are those which do not travel far, 



