284 Capt. B. Alexander on the 
ments take place in the dry season, when food and water are 
scarce in the open country. 
A glance at the map (p. 279) will shew what a network 
of watercourses there is between Senegambia and the Nile. 
At the beginning of May, 1901, I left Gambaga and 
trekked to Salaga, and thence on to the River Volta at 
Yeji, where I took a canoe down to Pong. From this place 
a two days' trek brought me to Accra, The Volta, which is 
over 300 yards wide in places, is a beautiful river ; its 
course is very erratic, and the banks are clothed with belts 
of trees, while here and there the water is broken by groups 
of rocks, causing rapids, which add to the beauty of the 
scenery. It is doubtful whether this fine river could ever be 
utilized for steam-transport, on account of these rapids. 
The following is a list of the species of birds obtained 
during my expedition, references being added to prior 
observations on the birds of the Gold Coast and Togolaud, 
and usually to the B. M. Catalogue, with field-notes where 
there is anything special to record. 
I have followed the arrangement of Capt. Shelley in the 
first volume of his * Birds of Africa.'' My best thanks are 
due to Mr. W. Ogilvie-Grant for much help in the identi- 
fication of my birds. 
1. Hedydipna platura (Vieill.). 
Hedydipna platura Hartert, Nov. Zool. vi. p. 415 (1899) 
(Gambaga) . 
Nectarinia platura Gadow, Cat. B. ix. p. 10 (1884). 
Observed in pairs at Gambaga. In December the males 
of this species were in full breeding-plumage. 
2. Nectarinia pulchella (Linn.). 
Nectarinia pulchella Gadow, Cat. B. ix. p. 7 (1884) ; 
Hartert, Nov. Zool. vi. p. 415 (1899) (Gambaga) ; Shelley, 
B. Afr. ii. p. 23 (1900). 
Gambaga, many specimens. In April and May adults in 
breeding-plumage were abundant. 
3. CiNNYRis cupREUs (Shaw). 
Cinnyris cupreus Gadow, Cat. B. ix. p. 55 (1884); 
