COLLECTED ON THE COAST OF WESTERN AFRICA. 
be remarked, however, that this bird had not a prolonged song like 
those of Britain, but it consisted of a few soft apd melodious notes, 
which it keeps repeating over and over, sometimes for a consider- 
able period together. This is the first specimen of the bird that I 
have seen, being very shy ; hut about sunset, its note may be heard 
among the jungle in every direction, as we walk along the narrow 
paths in the vicinity. In the fresh state, the iris was of a bright 
orange colour ; the feet and bill leaden blue — with the exception 
of the upper mandible, along the whole length of which a black 
stripe extended ; the front of the head is chesnut-brown ; between 
the eye and nostril, on each side, is a triangular spot of white, the 
base of which is posteriorly, the apex directed forward ; the auri- 
cular feathers are somewhat bristly — the centre rib being white, 
the rest light rufous ; from the gape, a narrow white (pale) stripe 
extends backwards to behind the ear ; a blackish streak runs along 
the inferior edge of the lower jaw ; the chin white. All these 
various colours become imperceptibly blended posteriorly with the 
greyish-brown, various shades of which pervade the plumage of this 
very modestly coloured bird. The feathers of the rump are pro- 
longed to a remarkable degree, and having been erected to some 
extent when the bird was shot, gave it a very peculiar appearance. 
The gizzard contained remains of insects, and a large spider in a 
tolerably entire state. The Fantee name is “ Apetapru.” 
The bird above described appears to be the Drymoica mentalis , 
Frazer, procured at Accra, and described in the proceedings of the 
Zoological Society for 1843. That description appears to have been 
taken from an imperfect specimen, the dimensions not being fully 
given, so that Dr. Gordon’s account of its habits, and the accom- 
panying figure, in our “ Illustrations,” may not be unacceptable 
to Ornithologists. 
“ Budytes — (71) — Shot at Cape Coast, 6th November. 
The wagtails, which were seen in considerable numbers in this 
vicinity during the dry season, disappeared on the setting in of 
the rains, and did not return until early this month, when after 
some rain had fallen, a few of these birds were observed about the 
roads, and often in pairs.” 
This is either the B. flava or flaveola , but from the immature 
state of the specimens, it is difficult to determine. 
7 
