214 
77/1? Birds of Gambia. 
yards, or on what is cast up by the sea, Imt in the Protectorate they are 
usually seen in atteiidauce on the flocks of sheep and goats, to wliich they 
are almost as much attached as the Oxpeckers are to the cattle. They hop 
about among them, ride on their backs, while searching their coats for 
ticks, and generally act as friends and attendants on their four-footed com- 
panions. If disturbed they fly to the nearest tree witli shrill squeaks 
(almost the word "creek") which are distinctly shriller in the female than 
the male; from this post of vantage they scold at tlie intruder, whether 
man, dog, or otlier animal until the coast is clear or they have satisfied 
tlieniselves that he is not dangerous, when thej' flop down again to their 
original occupation. When wild they are very tame and, in fact, almost 
impudent, and evident!}^ appreciate the society of man and beast. I have 
had one or two in captivity, where they took to a diet of raw meat readily, 
but something has always occurred to prevent my getting one home. I 
should have mentioned above that besides off"al and what insects they find 
among the herds, they feed largely on the bigger insects, such as locusts 
and beetles, and are always to be found with other birds hunting the insects 
driven up by bush-fires. 
Native names: Chacha fino ( = black chatterer) and Sairo, or Sainma- 
sairo, (Mandingo) ; Khalakhal, (Joloff"). 
DICRURID^. 
Dicrurus afer. FORK-TAILED DRONGO. 
Range. Nearly the whole of Africa. 
The Drongoes are black birds about nine inches long with definitely 
but not deeply forked tails, which are plentiful everywhere and at all seasons 
in the Gambia. They are commonly seen in pairs and are very lively, active 
and noticeable birds with a lonii whistling note and a scolding chatter when 
excited. A pair generally haunts a certain tree or clump on the outskirts of 
wliich they sit or flit about, taking short flights into the air or to the ground 
after insects. They are very plucky little fellows and are always ready to 
attack Rollers, Hawks or other large birds which trespass on what they may 
happen to consider their domain. The only nest I have seen contained 
young; it was placed about nine feet from the ground in one of the clefts 
formed by the bases of the branches which sheath the trunk of one of the 
smaller palms. 
The plumage is entirely glossy black, though the under surface in 
many individuals (probably the younger ones) has a hoary appearance, due 
to many of the feathers having white tips. The iris is bright red, the bill 
and feet black. 
Mandingo names are Seoro-seo, which is also applied to other small 
black birds, such as the Black Flycatcher, and Sonka-sonka ( =quarreller), a 
name also given to the Babblers. 
D. ludwigii. THE SQUARE TAILED DRONGO is, I believe, also 
recorded from Gambia, but I do not know it. 
