Birds of SuntJtern Cameroon. 597 



Criniger calurus. (Plate XI. fig. 3, egii.) 



Sharpe, Ibis, 1901, p. G32 ; 1907, p. 458; Bates, Ibis, 

 1905, p. 96. 



This is one of the few strictly forest-birds of ^aIucIi the 

 iiest has been found. A sitting female (No. 3916) was 

 brought alive, having been caught "■ on the nest " (birds 

 of this species are never caught in snares). The nest 

 was bi'ouglit along with the branch of a forest- shrub on 

 w'hich it had been placed, among the long close-growing 

 leaf-petioles. It was composed of small dry twigs, with 

 a quantity of damp moss laid on them and a cup of fine 

 blackish fibres inside. The interior of the nest was almost 

 black, and there was an evident correspondence in colour 

 between it and the dark eggs. The eggs (Nos. 343, 344) 

 measure 23 x 16 and 22*5 x 16 mm. 



[They are [jyriform in shape and distinctly glossy. They 

 ground-colour appears to be pinkish, but is almost entirely 

 obscured by the dense chocolate brown markings forming a 

 nearly uniform surface. — \V, 11, O.-G.] 



Bleda notata. [Olo-ejak.] 



Sharpe, Ibis, 190A, p. 635 ; 1907, p. 461 ; Bates, Ibis, 

 1905, p. 97. 



The colour of the iris varies in different specimens, corre- 

 sponding only partially to difference of sex. All females 

 seem to have the iris brown, but some males have it brown 

 and some yellow, and those with brown irides include adult 

 birds, with large breeding-organs, though perhaps they are 

 rather young. In all specimens the bill is black above and 

 light bluish-grey beneath, and the feet are light bluish- 

 grey. 



Bleda syndactyla. [Nti-ejak.] 



Sharpe, Ibis, 1904, p. 633; 1907, p. 459, 



Iris brown ; bill black above, pale grey beneath ; bare 

 skin about the eye pale bluish-grey; feet pale grey, 



A young bird (No. 3728), with the plumage nearly grown, 

 had the under part of the bill, the skin about the eye, and 



SER. IX. VOL. V. 2 s 



