1899.] EXPEDITION TO THE GAMBIA. 933 



Island district, I am greatly indebted for allowing me the use of a 

 portion of the Government House at M'Carthy's Island, and also 

 for the use of his huts in the main towns of his district. Very 

 soon after my arrival at my headquarters, I made a tour through 

 the district with the Commissioner to get some idea of the kind 

 of country that surrounded me. 



We started from Nianimaru, M'hich was subsequently made my 

 second headquarters, and where I spent even mox*e time than at 

 M'Carthy's. The chief interest in this tour lay in the people 

 themselves, the country we travelled through not being of great 

 interest from the poiut of view of its scenery. 



Travelling was not difficult, as porters were plentiful, and were 

 employed from one village to the next at the rate of 'Sd. a man, if 

 the distance was not more than 5 miles. At the important towns 

 a court was held, and a stay was made of two days. The courts 

 were held in the open, the chief, the head-man of the town, 

 and the people all sitting round the Commissioner's chair. 



There was plenty of time for shooting and no need to carry much 

 in the way of provisions. The bag usually consisted of Bush-fowl 

 and the Barbary Quail, Pterodes qvxidricincta, Guinea-hen, (Edicne- 

 miis, various Spur-wdnged Plovers, especially Lohivanellus senegcdus 

 and Hoplopterns sjjinosus, also Doves and Pigeons as many as were 

 required. The finest of these, as game, was the Green Pigeon 

 (Treron calva), which is never seen to approach the ground, being 

 especially fond of the fruit of the filg-tree. 



The commonest birds around us, which were not shot for the 

 pot, were numbers of four species of Coracias, a Gentropus known 

 as the " foolish bird " from its fearless habits and its call, which re- 

 sembles a soft laugh, several species of Bucerotidce, generally seen 

 flying clumsily from tree to tree in small flocks ; while overhead 

 hovered large flocks of Bee-eaters (Merops nubicus), swallow-like 

 in flight and song. 



Other common birds everywhere seen in large flocks were the 

 Metallic Starlings (Lamj^rocolius auratus and L, caudatus) ; Wood- 

 Hoopoes (Irrisor setiegalensis) seen in smaller flocks ; while the 

 commonest solitary birds were the Long-tailed Shrike (CorvineUa 

 corvina) and a species of Drongo (Dicrurus assimilis). The bushes 

 of course swarmed with Ploceidce and Nectainniidce. 



It being the beginning of the dry season, the grass was every- 

 where yet high, and it was out of the question to do any mammal- 

 shooting ; the only mammals visible were Climbing Squirrels and 

 Monkeys. Burrows of Orycteropus were seen, though the animal 

 does not appear to be very common in this region. 



The towns visited during this tour were mostly far from the 

 river and were taken in the order ]N"ianimaru, Sukuta, Kaihai, 

 Demfai, Tabanani, Sami, Koreantab, and back to M'Carthy's 

 Island. 



Near Kaihai there were news of a Giraffe having been seen, but 

 they appear to be extremely rare in these parts. I heard indirectly 

 that there were two in captivity at Kaies on the Senegal river. 



