EAST AFRICAN BIRDS. 849 



Caprimulgus eueop^us Linn. 



The European Nightjar was collected at Morogoro (24. ix. 17), 



Caprimulgus fossei mossambicus Hartl. 



A single egg, perfectly fresh, was picked up and brought to me 

 by a native. A good series of birds were collected (Lumbo, 

 28.x. 18). 



CoRACiAs garrulus Linn. 



The European Roller on migration was met with on several 

 occasions. An immature female was shot at Nairobi (29. x. 15). 

 Large numbers of them were seen at Longido West (ii. 16). 

 Specimens wei^e obtained from a flock at Morogoro (lO.xii. 17). 



CoRAciAS caudatus Linn. 



The Lilac-breasted Roller was seen clinging to a blasted tree 

 just below a suitable nesting-hole. On both occasions when I 

 approached the tree I was made the subject of very noisy demon- 

 strations, so I concluded that they were nesting in the hole 

 (Bissel, 20.xii. 15). 



A pair of birds were obtained at Kongwa (23.iv. 17) in very 

 fine plumage, and during that year they were extraordinarily- 

 abundant at Morogoro. In the stomachs of several specimens 

 were found many nauseous and warningly coloured grasshoppers 

 {Zonocerus elegans Thunb.). 



Some three pairs lived in the neighbourhood of the camp at 

 Lumbo. One pair frequented a large baobab-tree, which served 

 as a jumping-off ground for their little excursions to rag the 

 soberly-garbed crows, which they chivvied mercilessly about. 

 After these little excursions, one or both of them would soar 

 higher and higher above their favourite tree, and then come 

 tumbling doAvn in the most extraordinary way, more like a winged 

 bird that is making an efibrt to recover itself than a healthy one. 

 Towards October 1918, 1 saw one of the birds outside a hole near 

 the top of the baobab, but thought climbing out of the ques- 

 tion. At the end of the month a native brought me a Roller, 

 which he told me he had caught on its nest in a hole in a tree ; 

 it was sitting upon two eggs which he had broken. I refused to 

 purchase the bird, but from the information that he gave me 

 I concluded that it was from this baobab that he obtained it, and, 

 if so, this Avould explain their energy in driving off the crows. 

 These birds were extremely shy of approach, whilst those met 

 with at Morogoro were quite the reverse. 



Melittophagus bullockoides Smith. 



A colony of some fifty White-fronted Bee- eaters was found in 

 an artificial pit some 20 cubic feet in size ; the nesting-holes 

 had been excavated in the sides of the pit (Ngari Mtoni, nr. 

 Arusha, 17.iv. 16). 



