850 MB,. A. LOVERIDGE : NOTES ON 



Merops apiaster Linn. 



A single pair, in very worn pluma,ge, of the European Bee- 

 eater were obtained at Morogoro (17.x. 17). 



LOPHOCEROS DECKENI Cab. 



A male and immature female Yon der Decken's Horn bill were 

 shot on l.vi. 17 at Morogoro. The male had two large complete 

 mantids in its stomach, whilst the female had only beetles. The 

 young female was strikingly different from the male. Its bill 

 was black instead of orange-red and yellow ; the wings were also 

 spotted with white. 



LOPHOOEROS MELANOLEUCUS SUAHELICQS ISTeum. 



The Swahili Crowned Hornbill was common at Morogoro, the 

 type-locality for the subspecies. I extract the following note 

 from my diaiy under date 3. xi. 17 : — " The last few days we have 

 had a small flock of these hornbills flying past in the morning and 

 evening ; apparently they return to the big trees along the river 

 to roost. They usually frequent a group of trees quite close to 

 my quarters for a short time before continuing their flight ; one 

 is soon made aware of their arrival by their shrill whistling 

 cries. The birds do not sit together, but on separate branches, 

 from which they make sudden and absurd dives as if they were 

 top-heavy and could maintain their balance no longer. These 

 little excursions are apparently after insects, though their 

 stomachs more often contain the remains of fruit." And on 

 4. ii. 18: — "One of these hornbills, which flew over the camp 

 to-day, apparently had nesting (!) material in its beak." 



Whilst out in the bush one evening, I came upon an open 

 glade, thereby disturbing the most remarkable assemblage of 

 typical Africa,n birds which I have ever met with in so small a 

 compass. Some twenty Hoopoes {U. africanct) rose, and perched 

 for a few moments in the surrounding trees ; a large red-billed 

 Hornbill {L. m. sitahelicios) sailed oflT in its own peculiar dipping 

 flight. Wood-Hoopoes (E. c. schaloioi) raised their noisy outcry. 

 A red-headed Woodpecker [C. scriptoricaudci) paused in its occu- 

 pation of hammering a tree, caught sight of me, and dived off" 

 with a shrill whistle, so that the glade which was so full of life a 

 moment before was left to myself (Morogoro, 14. vii, 17). 



LoPHOCEROS NEUMANNi Reichw. 



A female of Neumann's Hornbill, which was being noisily 

 mobbed by a party of small birds whilst in flight, was found 

 to have a praying mantis in its stomach (Morogoro, 28. xi. 17). 



Alcedo semitorquata Swains. 



Half-collai^ed Kingfisher. A native brought me two beauti- 

 ful nestlings ; their head, back, and wings were turquoise-blue, 

 their breasts fa\Yn -colour (Morogoro, 28. xi. 17). 



