NOTES ON THE HABITS OF SOME BIRDS, 
“ Petrocincla albicapilla — (2) — Had the stomach filled with 
sand and the remains of fruits.” 
“ Platysteira lobata — (45) — Specimen mutilated ?. but corres- 
ponding with Birds of Western Africa. The wattles in the fresh 
specimen are bright red (scarlet.)” 
bush, in a field of ground nuts, near Cape Coast Castle. This 
shrike is exceedingly uncommon in this vicinity, having only seen 
two or three specimens. They are so shy as to render it almost 
impossible to approach within gunshot. The markings of the bird 
give it a very elegant appearance when flying ; the white on the 
scapulars, and on the proximal half of the primary quills and rump, 
elegantly contrasting with the clear black of the fore-part of the 
back, neck, and head.” 
The nearest description we can find of this species is that of 
Collurio (Lanius) smithii , of Fraser (Proceed. Zool. Soc. for 
1843, p. 16), which agrees with it exactly in characters and size, 
except that no mention is made of the white rump conspicuous in 
our specimen. Mr. Fraser’s bird was also procured at Cape Coast. 
“ Malaconotm barbarus — (31) — Shot at Cape Coast Castle, 
2d July, on a low shrub in a cultivated field. It is one of the 
handsomest birds found in this vicinity. It seldom leaves the dense 
us , and is rarely to be seen for more than an instant as it darts 
aci oss the narrow paths through it. It is very timid, flying into 
e ensest part of the forest on the approach of any person, and 
, G1 , a second time in the same place when once 
fe 
(30) — shot while perched on a tall 
(/5) Shot at Cape Coast Castle, 
is so remarkably wary in this vicinity, 
