C. S. Webb—A Collector in French Cameroon



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no regular feeding places, and so it requires a good deal of patience and

hard work before any success attends one’s efforts at trapping. I

thought I was very fortunate to get three. It is well known to the natives

on account of its striking beauty, and in the Eseka district is known as

Njok Etong.


I have often thought what a wonderful display the larger African

Sunbirds would make in an aviary. This species, together with the

Malachite ( Nectarinia famosa), the Tacazze (IV. tacazze), the Golden¬

winged ( Drepanorhynchus reichenowi), and the Scarlet-tufted Malachite

Sunbird {Nectarinia johnstoni), would make a delightful collection which

I think would surpass any collection of Humming-birds which we have

so far seen, that is when displayed in a tropical house. In contrast to

the Superb Sunbird the Olive-bellied {Cinnyris chloropygius) is very

common, but only in the second-growth and native gardens. Although

small, their beauty is very striking and in the brilliant tropical sunlight

they shine like jewels. The native children snare them when they

come to feed oh the lantana flowers. Dozens were brought to me, but I

liberated nearly , all of them after examination. The idea of looking

closely at them was to discover if any might belong to another very

similar species which is very rare. This is the Tiny Sunbird ( Cinnyris

minullus ), which is only slightly smaller than the Olive-bellied and

the red on the breast is lightly infused with blue. Only one was

obtained.


Another species which I found to be very scarce at Eseka was the

Green-throated Sunbird [Chalcomitra angolensis). It is a very sleek

bird with velvety-brown plumage, with the forehead and throat

metallic green, bordered by violet and blue respectively. I was

fortunate to get the only one that I saw of this very handsome species.

Several other kinds of Sunbirds were obtained belonging to the genera

Anthreptes and Cyanomitra, but were not so beautiful as those

previously mentioned.


Of the larger forest-dwelling birds the most conspicuous were the

Touracous and Hornbills. The Giant or Blue Touracou was often seen

singly or in small parties feeding on berries. In the Cameroon forest

the trees are so high that it is almost impossible to get near these arboreal

birds by ordinary means. Hardly any trees have branches within



