RAVENS. 231 



sound, and so pugnacious and quarrelsome as to be an object of dread to all its feathered companions, 

 who suffered severely from its beak and claws. This species breeds in holes of trees, but its eggs 

 have not as yet been identified. 



The OX-BITERS (Btiphaga) are very remarkable birds, differing from other Starlings in the con- 

 struction of their beak and feet, but resembling them in their mode of life and general habits. Their 

 bodies are slender and their wings long ; the tail, which is composed of twelve feathers, is of moderate 

 size ; the feet are provided with short toes, armed with strong hooked claws ; the very peculiar beak is 

 round at its base, and towards its tip compressed at the sides ; the upper mandible is vaulted, and the 

 lower portion bent forward at an obtuse angle ; the plumage is lax, and of a brownish-grey colour. We 

 are only acquainted with two species : they inhabit Central and Southern Africa, and bear a strong 

 family likeness to each other both in their appearance and demeanour. 



THE AFRICAN OX-BITER. 

 The African Ox-eiter (Bufihaga Africanus) is about nine inches long and thirteen and three- 

 quarters broad, the tail measures three and a half inches. The whole of the upper part of the body, 

 including the throat and a portion of the breast, are of a unifonn reddish brown, the belly and rump 

 being of a light reddish yellow ; the wings and tail are deep brown, the beak is of a reddish tint at its 

 extremity and yellow towards its base ; the feet are brownish grey, and the eyes bright reddish brown. 



THE RED-BEAKED OX-BITER. 

 The Red-beaked Ox-eiter {Bufihaga erythrorhyncha) is about the same size as the species last 

 described. Upon the back this bird is of a greyish brown, the lower parts of the body are pale 

 yellow ; the beak is light red, the feet greyish brown, and the eyes and eyelids of a golden colour. Both 

 the species alluded to above are found spread over a large extent of country — the former inhabiting 

 South Africa, whilst the home of the latter is confined to the central regions of that continent ; occa- 

 sionally both are found inhabiting the same district, but under no circumstances do the two species — 

 though their mode of life has so much in common — ever join company. They are usually seen flying 

 in little flocks of from six to eight, following herds of cattle, camels, elephants, or rhinoceroses about 

 the country, the whole party frequently settling upon the backs of these animals in search of the flies 

 or bots by which they are much infested. These birds are much disliked by the natives, owing to an 

 idea very prevalent in Abyssinia, that the Ox-biter prevents the sores upon the cattle from healing; but 

 this is far from being the case, as the beasts themselves seem to be fully aware, for they will stand with 

 the greatest patience and allow the birds to extract the maggots from their skin or clear away the flies 

 that have been attracted to any wounded part, never so much as attempting to frighten away their little 

 friends, whose sharp probing beaks are rendering them efficient relief at the expense of a few moments 

 of pain. Only such beasts as are unacquainted with the happy results attendant on this operation 

 ever resent it, but these will occasionally testify excitement almost approaching to frenzy when they find 

 themselves taken possession of by such unbidden guests. Ehrenberg tells us that the manner in which 

 the Ox-biters carry on their work is most amusing, and describes their movements over the bodies of 

 the huge beasts they favour as resembling those of the Woodpecker when climbing about the trunk 

 and branches of a tree ; no portion of the animal escapes scrutiny, and in prosecuting their search 

 they will even hang head downwards from the ears or limbs, in order more perfectly to carry out their 

 minute investigations. It is a strange sight to see the perfect confidence with which both quadrupeds 

 and birds seem to regard each other, though the latter are so afraid of man that on the first sight of a 

 stranger they scramble together upon the veiy top of the back of the ox or camel whose skin they are 



