OF WESTERN AFRICA. 
the word. Senegal, namely, forms to the north, somewhat abruptly, 
the boundary of the west coast which has been zoologically inves- 
‘tigated; the wide range, from the river to 30° north latitude, 
has-yet, so far as known to us, never been investigated by any 
zoologist. We could not name a single species of bird, the fixed 
habitat of which may be sought for with certainty on this extended 
line of coast. It must be of no small interest to be able to follow 
the transition of the variegated and glittering ornithology of the 
Senegal region, to the unadorned, and according to Drummond's 
and Schousboe’s communications, quite European stamp of that of 
Morocco. On the south, West Africa is bounded not less naturally 
by Benguela; for, as the west coast of Senegambia and Guinea, in 
its whole extent abounding in rivers, marshes, salt and fresh-water 
lakes, in many directions hilly, and in a great proportion covered 
with impenetrable forests, becomes northwards from Senegal, a dry 
Coast, poor in yegetation, with a desert character ; so, on the other 
side, the luxurious wooding of marshy Benguela seems towards the 
south almost suddenly to cease, and the farther stretch of coast 
to the Great Fish River, is arid and unfruitful. The ornitho- 
logy of the West African Coast, thus limited, belongs, as may be 
seen from the above mentioned physical condition, to the brightest 
and most variegated of all zones. With reason Swainson reminds 
us of the corresponding forms of the opposite coast of South 
America — how there, the many coloured species of Tanagra and 
P. ‘pra, Icterus and Ampelis, but above all, the charming Hum- 
Ning-birds, sparkling in the metallic glow of all colours (of which 
about 300 species are already known), help to enliven the rich 
landscape; while here abound the gayest and most wonderfully 
coloured species of the genera Coracias, Merops, Alcedo, Lami- 
“ris, Oriolus, splendid metallic-tinted Lamprotornes, Chaleites, 
ie Nectarinice, the beautiful forms Musophaga and Corythaia, 
ys humerous large and small Fringillide, often of very pretty 
ebay colours, which fill the air and woods with their 
a : ae Whose multiplicity and beauty excites a warm expres- 
Rei admiration in the visitors of this country. The genera 
oe HS, to Western Africa, are one Gypohierax, one Ohelictinia, 
a two Spermospiza, two Nigrita, one Onychog- 
» one Musophaga, one Picathartes. Hitherto the genus 
Odi : : : ; 
Hc has been described as quite exclusively West African; a 
