Birds from Sierra Leone. 213 



in life. Tt frequents gardens and low scrubby bush and 

 flits about in a jerky manner from branch to branch, in 

 pursuit of insects, spreading the tail out fun-wise. 



It breeds in April and May. The nest is usually placed 

 in a low branch of a Mango tree. One nest which I 

 observed, was commenced on the 26th of April, and on the 

 29th contained two eggs. It was composed of fine grass 

 fibres with silk cotton, spiders' web, some small feathers and 

 pieces of lichen outside. The lining was of fine grass fibres. 

 Outside measurements 3^ by 2^ in. • inside 2 by If by 

 Ij in. deep. 



Irides dark brown ; bill, legs, and feet black. 



Family Hirundinidje. 

 Hirundo rustica. 

 First seen on the 7th of September. 



Hirundo gordoni. 



Mendi name (for Swallow), "bandevi '^ = -^ fly plenty." 

 Migratory. First noticed near Freetown at the end of 

 March, it is fairly plentiful throughout the rainy season. 



Psalidoprocne obscura. 



Resident and plentiful, especially in the neighbourhood 

 of streams. The female appears to have a green gloss 

 instead of the blue gloss of the males, but I am uncertain if 

 this is a constant characteristic. 



Family Picid^. 

 Mesopicus poicephalus. 

 Not very common. Partial to palm trees. 



Mesopicus pyrrliogaster. 



Seldom seen except in heavy forest. The tapping sound 

 made by this bird on dead trees when in search of insects 

 can be heard at a long distance, and it is difficult to under- 

 stand how the bird can attain the rapidity of movement of 

 the head necessary to produce the castanet-like sound. 



