148 
Birds of Gambia. 
mcnts will be left, open no that the liirds can have the run 
of all. 
All my bii'ds have to w' liter dut of doors, and as I 
only lost two birds, out of about sixty this past winter, it 
would thus appear that the conditions must suit them fairly 
well as they are very lit and are full of life and vivacity 
the " live-long- " day. To me, a bird in a cage is an eye- 
sore,* while in a large aviary I really think they are per- 
fectly happy. On two occasions I turned out the Keed 
Buntings and each time they did nothing but search for a way 
in again, and this once achieved, judging from their demean- 
our, were overjoyed to lind themselves safely at home once 
more. 
Birds of Gambia. 
By E. HoPKiNSON, D.S.O., M.A., M.B. 
Coniimied from pag\e 134.) 
SCOPIDAE. 
Scoims iimhrelta. HAMMERHEAD. Jola King {Bilhnrsl 
name). SEYHA-JATA in Mandingo. 
Fumge. Troi^ical Africa. Arabia. Madagascar. (HJ..) 
This pecuHar looking 'bird, a brown short-legged heavy- 
headed Heron is a well-known and common Gam'bian bird. One 
sees them in pairs or small parties all along the river and on every 
swamp, walking or standing at the edge of tlie water or wading 
in it. When disturbed they nse after a shoi't run and fly of! with a 
harsh, cry, hut usually do not go far. Their flig'ht is by no means 
fast OT' graceful, as their rather square wings are flapped heavily 
and with apparent effort, while the big head with its down-pointed 
beak always suggests their being in imminent danger of a bad 
fall from too much weight in front. Occasionally at the beginning 
o" the rains one may come across a party holding a sort of cor- 
ro'boree' at some shallow pool, evidently a kind of love or con.rtship 
afl'air. They dance round and bow like pig'eons to each other, 
or occasionally jump into the air over one another's backs, stopping 
in unison altog'ether at intervals for rest and to preen their own 
or their neighbours' feathers. The nest of the Hammerhead is a most 
conspicuous object, a mass of dead reeds, water-weeds and sticks 
* While it is the aviary side of aviculture that appeals to me, neverthe- 
less, there are those to whom an open air aviary is impossible, and there are 
several that I could name where the occupants of the cages in the resi)ective 
birdrooms are as fit, and apparently as happy as aviary birds, but it is oidy 
achieved at an expenditure of care and labour that the aviarist is never 
called upon to expend,— Ed. 
