The Breeding of (Ireen Cavdinnls. 77 
variety : lie was !)i'cil tVoin x lilack-licadcil pari'iits. The 
eliaiiH'es in llie cocks appear to lie iniicli slowei' than llie Ihmis, ami 
took fully one year : llie violet oT the breast heiiiii a mere change 
oi" colour, hut the I'cii of the head ami face lieiim atlaiue 1 by tlic 
growth ol' n umei'ons (luills. These bii'ds were all in peri'eel health 
the whole summer, but did not attemi)t to build as newly iiui)orted 
birds so readily ilo. Finally inSejit eud)er 1 1 ransl'eri'cd them to an 
indoor l)ird-room, where Iliad the misfortune to lose all three hens 
from b^K binding in one week ; just as I was hopiuy to breed some 
more youny. Aly oi)iniou of these birds is that hens are rather 
sluggish and liable to ^et too fat, unless «iven a larye aviary 30 — 
40 feet louH. 
The cocks are of the same disposition, ])ut, as they have not 
the same ti'oubles to contend with as the hens, are (piite easy to 
keep in health. 
I have bought some of ]\Ir. Wallace's recent importation and 
hope this yeai-, with more flyin« room, to have better luck. 
Eton, F('l)rii((ry 22, 1910. 
The Birds of Gambia. 
By E. HopKiNSON, D.S.O., M.A., M.B. 
(_Ci)/it ill lied from p. 52.) 
HIRUNDINIDAE. 
Swallows arc common here all the year rouiul, thou<,'li tluar luuiihi i s 
mxist he coiisidei'ahly aii<imeuted in the winter by the arrival of the Conunoii 
Swallows and other Eurojiean species. Their native names, which they 
share with the Swifts, are NANA (Mandingo) and MBELAR (Joloff ). 
CheJiilnii iirhin,. HOUSE MARTIN. 
Hiiiii/f. Euro})e and Asia : Africa in winter ( ILL.) 
I had often seen these birds, but had never recognised them as House 
Martins till I picked u]) one dead in the Upper River District in January 
b.H)7 luid then was able to identify it by its feathered tai-si and toes. 
Cotlh' nparki. SAND MARTIN. 
Htiiii/e. Europe. Asia, America ; Africa in winter f ILL.) 
C.rhicta. RANDEI) SAND MARTIN. 
Rdiir/e. Tropical Africa (ILL.) 
Sand Martins are not UTicommon in the (rambia all the year round, but 
I think that ('. rlnrtu is the commoner of the two here even in the winter. 
They are distinguished by the presence or ab.sence of a small tuft of feathers 
