18(56.] DR. H. DOHRN ON THli BIRDS OF PRINCE'S ISLAND. 



331 



to see this species, and settled for a fortnight in a negro's hut in 

 those desert parts of the island. Whoever has visited those large 

 tropical forests knows the difficulty of proceeding there. I enjoyed 

 the special favour of heaven in arriving there when the rains set in a 

 month before they usually do, and it was very hard work to run after 

 these birds. I saw them daily at great distances, and heard them 

 crowing like a Raven ; but as soon as I entered the forests the mon- 

 keys made so much noise, barking and howling, as to alarm all the 

 animals in the neighbourhood. Thus I was finally very glad when 

 one of my native hunters appeared with a female specimen of the 

 Corvao, which turned out to be Geronticus olivaceus. 



My specimen is not different from those described by Dr. Hart- 

 laub • the naked parts of the head are black ; the feet are dirty yel- 

 lowish ; the long feathers of the head are not metallic ; under the 

 eye is a spot with very light- brown feathers ; the iris is dark brown. 

 The measurements are — Long, circa - 60, rostr. afr. 095, alae - 37, 

 caudse 0-17, tars. 0"07 m. They feed upon snakes, snails, and large 

 worms and insects. 



28. NUMENIUS ARQUATUS, Lillll. ") 



29. ToTANUS GLOTTIS, Lillll. 



30. Actitis hypoleucus, Linn. 



31. TRINGA SUBARO.UATA, Gffl. 



These four species all live in the swamps in the neighbourhood of 

 the town. They are not common ; the last, killed in June or July, 

 exhibits winter plumage. 



32. Sterna melanoptera, Swains. 



Rare. I observed this species in Bahia d'Oeste, and never saw it 

 in any other part of the island. 



33. Phaethon .ethereus, L. 



I saw this bird a few times flying about the coast of the island. 



34. Sula fiber, L. 



Common on the west coast of the island, where some rocks are 

 quite white with their excrement. 



These are the birds which I observed during my stay (from April 

 to September 1865) in the island. A typical collection of all my birds 

 is in the possession of the Museum at Stettin. I have no doubt that 

 there are a few more species, especially Sylviadee, Turdidce, and water 

 birds ; but I am sure that the following birds mentioned by Lopez 

 de Lima and Erman do not occur in Prince's Island. These are — ■ 



Neophron pileatus, Burch. (Lopez de Lima.) 

 Nectarinia splendida, Shaw. (Erman.) 



seneyalensis, Linn. (Erman.) 



Lamprotornis ceneus, Linn. (Erman.) 

 Pogonias vieilloti, Leach. (Erman.) 



