Birds of Southern Cameroon. 
491 
exactly like the young of Tympanistria tympanistria (Nos. 
3114 and 3115) mentioned above, but the outermost primary 
is not narrowed; it is of a lighter brown above, and has less 
white beneath, so I think it belongs to this species. 
This is the commonest Odu and one of the most fearless 
of birds, coming boldly about villages and on paths to pick 
up its food, its dull coloration making it often unnoticed 
as it walks on the ground or perches on a decaying log or 
stick. Its call consists of a succession of notes uttered in a 
very low and feeble tone, begun in a slow and halting manner 
and afterwards more rapid, as if the poor bird was at first 
choked with grief, but became more cheerful as it went on. 
This sound seems to come from far away, though the bird 
may be sitting, unnoticed, on a twig or log only a few yards 
off. While in the act of uttering its notes, it keeps its bill 
pointed downwards and held near its crop. 
In this species the rectrices are twelve in number and the 
wing is eutaxic. 
Guttera plumifera. [Mvem.] 
Sharpe, Ibis, 1901, p. 94; 1907, p. 418. 
Nos. 4462, 4465-6, & 4479, chicks. Bitye, R. Ja, Nov. 
1910. 
These chicks have two parallel white stripes running down 
the sides of the back ; between the stripes the down is black ; 
on the sides of the body outside the stripes it is brown. The 
head has a complicated but symmetrical pattern of light 
yellowish-brown and black stripes. These stripes on the 
head shew very plainly on the inside of the skin when it is 
turned back; and especially the black stripe running back 
from the forehead, where the crest of the adult would be, is 
seen to be composed of dense down-feathers different from 
the rest. Small yellow lappets of skin hang from the gape 
on either side. 
These chicks were kept alive along with some ducklings 
(see above) for a few days, but died one by one. Their most 
interesting characteristic was the way in which the feeding 
instinct was excited by imitation. The ducklings paid no 
