200 BIRDS 



exhibiting singularly beautiful marking, brownish 

 black on back and wings, blue-grey on belly and 

 sides, with bright red beak and legs. Both these 

 birds are strong fliers, and rise boldly when not 

 too much shot at. Guinea-fowl are not found in 

 the higher elevations, so that the quail and the 

 francolins mentioned may be regarded as the only 

 game birds usually met with in the higher portions 

 of this part of Africa. 



There are many song birds, foremost among 

 these perhaps being the buntings. These cheery 

 little creatures, of greyish plumage relieved by 

 generous splashes of bright yellow, have a very 

 sweet song, as also certain finches, of which there 

 are several varieties in Zambezia. But the most 

 entertaining, I think, of all the smaller genera, 

 and one common both to the mountain and the 

 plain, common indeed anywhere, and perfectly 

 happy whilst he can find somebody to amuse with 

 his quaint antics, is the perky Crested Bulbul, justly 

 classified strepitans. He possesses but little in the 

 way of bodily finery, but he has a good, loud, 

 strident voice, and boundless energy. He comes 

 to your window in the early morning, accompanied 

 by his equally voluble spouse, and together they 

 carry on a chattering dialogue, mainly, as it would 

 appear, relative to figures, since his principal re- 

 marks appear to be based upon variations of the 

 Portuguese phrase " Dois mil e quinhent's " (2,500). 

 These are accompanied by brilliant gymnastic feats, 

 and by a constant flirting of the wings and tail, 

 and erecting and depressing of his impudent crest. 

 He is a hustling, inconsiderate, impertinent rascal, 



