204 BIRDS 



jewel-like sheen of their exquisite rainbow-hued 

 colouring as to resemble large humming birds. Of 

 these probably the most amazingly vivid is the 

 Coppery Sunbird {Cinnyris cupreus), to which, as 

 to the malachite {Nectarina), the scarlet-chested 

 (C gutturalis), and Bradshaw's, no description in 

 words could possibly do justice. 



Of Oreoles there are, I beheve, three: Anderson's 

 {Oriolus notatus), the black-headed (O. larvatus), 

 and the African Golden Galbula. 



Among the Laniidae, about ten different families 

 of shrikes inhabit the region of Zambezia, of which 

 the Zambezi green variety {Nicator gularis) and 

 the Helmet Shrike {Sigmodus retzii) are the best 

 known. These birds frequent the forest country, 

 and are, so far as I am aware, but sparsely repre- 

 sented in the high, mountainous uplands. 



Of the many varieties of warblers and chats, it 

 would be impossible to give a detailed description, 

 whUst of thrushes, that known as Peters' Thrush 

 is probably the best represented. A nightingale 

 {Erithacus philomela), but little, if in any respect, 

 differing from the European variety, is heard by 

 night, and brings back to me as I write many 

 recollections of tranquil evenings spent either on 

 the shade-deck of a Zambezi steamer, or on the 

 verandahs of houses of hospitable friends, whilst 

 the night turned from after-dinner darkness to later 

 moonlight, and the shrilling of the crickets was 

 heard in the grass. 



The European Swallow, the White-throated, 

 Pearl-breasted, Wire-tailed, Larger Stripe-breasted, 

 Monteiro's, and the Eastern Rough-winged, are 



