200 EASTERN ETHIOPIA xv 



Sluike.s are mimerous throughout the Ethiopian 

 Region, and there are many species, due probaljly to 

 tlie abundance of dense thorny thickets in which these 

 birds live and wliicli afford admiral^le protection to 

 tlieir nests. A shrike perched on the topmost twig, or 

 at tlic end of a long projecting Itougli, of a leafless thorn 

 tree, keeping a keen look-out, is a characteristic feature 

 of the Nyika. Two particularly interested me. On the 

 morning after our arrival at f^ake Nakuru I was 

 astonished to hear a call exactly like that of the Bell- 

 liird [Gotinga), loud and clear like the sound of a 

 hammer striking a- ringing l)low on an anvil. It was a 

 long time before I could o'et these birds identified. 

 (.)ne is a busli shrike, which Speke called the " Black 

 metal-toned Whistler," and the other is the iEthiopian 

 Bush Shrike [Laiiiarivs (ethiopicus), sometimes called 

 the (.)rgan Shrike. They inhabit the undergrowth, and 

 though plentiful are shy and rarely seen. It is stated 

 tliat organ shrikes pair for life. Many bush shrikes 

 make weird noises, and as they \\&\c the habit of 

 sneaking away in the bush, it is often hard to recognise 

 the author of a particular noise <jr call. 



When these shrikes produce the Ijcll sound, they 

 reph' to each other from distant points with such 

 exactitude and in such (|uick succession that the calls 

 seem to l^e uttered by one Ijird. (Bolim.) This has a 

 peculiar ventrilo(piistic effect when the listener is 

 una-ware that the sounds are produced by two birds. 

 The bell-like note uttered by these slirikes has left a 

 deep and ineffaceable impression on my memory. 



