294. Mr. C. F. M. Swynnerton on the 
bananas, but when fruit was scarce it would eat mealie- 
meal porridge fairly readily and appeared to thrive on it. 
Though taking no notice of other birds placed in the same 
cage while it was still young, I have little doubt that 
later it would have proved aggressive, for on my shewing it 
a pair of young Purple-crested Touracos, not long before 
its death, it puffed up its velvety back-feathers, spread its 
wings and tail, and, leaning forward, crowed loudly several 
times and attempted to attack them through the bars. It was 
very fond of water, bathing in hot weather several times a 
day—merely, however, splashing the water over itself a few 
times and then at once making for a sunny perch, where it 
drooped its wings and spread out its tail- and rump-feathers 
to dry. According to the natives, the eggs of this species are 
always two in number and pure white. In my tame bird, 
and in all others which I have examined, the bill and eye- 
lids have been carmine. The length of this bird in the 
flesh is from 17 to 18 inches. The stomachs examined 
contained wild figs and other fruits, whole or nearly so ; 
I found three-fourths of a wild fig 1°25 inch in diameter in 
one of them. 
131. GALLIREX PORPHYREOLOPHUs. Purple-crested Tou- 
raco, 
This is the Touraco of the open woods, and is particu- 
larly fond of the large trees and clumps of dense bush 
growing on ant-heaps; it may often be seen flying from 
clump to clump, and traversing each with three or four long 
hops before proceeding to the next. I have never found it 
in the forest. It is a bold and strikingly-coloured bird, but 
quite lacks the grace and soft beauty of the preceding species. 
Two young birds were brought to me by a native in February 
1905; he stated that the nest was placed in a bush, ten or 
twelve feet from the ground, and resembled that of a Dove, 
and that two was the usual number of the clutch. One of these 
fledglings has survived, having been kept till recently in a 
large aviary with a number of other birds, towards which, 
however, it has become very aggressive. It is extremely 
