APPENDICES TO CHAPTER XVIII 
383 
bold bird is easily killed. The first pair were met with at Taveita, 
perched on the bough of a mimosa, and others were seen on the 
southern flank of the mountain up to 6000 feet. 
[33.] Dendropicus sp. 
Shot in country of Taita, alt. 3000 feet. Skin lost. 
34. Hapaloderma narina (Vieill.). 
Hapaloderma narina , Fischer, Zeitschr. ges. Orn. (Madaraz), 1884, 
p. 368. 
$, 3000 feet. 
This specimen agrees better with the Natal birds, with which 
we have compared it, than with the equatorial race, H. constant ia, 
Sharpe. 
Only one specimen seen at Taveita, in the forest, and must be scarce, 
as the natives appear to have no name for it. 
35. Eurystomus afer (Lath.). 
Eurystomus afer , Sharpe, Ibis, 1871, p. 274. 
Two $, 4000 feet. 
Often mob birds of prey. 
36. Halcyon orientalis, Peters. 
Halcyon orientalis , Sharpe, Monogr. Alcedinidse, p. 181, pi. 66 ; 
Fischer, Zeitschr. ges. Orn. (Madaraz), 1884, p. 361. 
$, 5000 feet. 
Feeds principally upon the small crabs which inhabit the mountain- 
streams. 
37. Buceros cristatus, Rupp. 
Bycanistes cristatus , Elliot, Monogr. Bucerotidae, pi. 26. 
Buceros cristatus , Fischer, Zeitschr. ges. Orn. (Madaraz), 1884, 
p. 361. 
4000 feet ; 9 , 5000 feet; 9 , 6000 feet. 
Generally distributed over the mountain up to 6000 feet, especially 
near habitations. They show no fear of man, being generally pro¬ 
tected by the natives, who look upon them with superstitious awe, 
arising possibly from their being useful scavengers, as well as from 
their peculiar loud cry, which resembles at times that of the wailing 
of a woman in distress, at others that of the braying of an ass. In 
August and September they were breeding, and occasionally the head 
of the female might be seen peering out from a hole in a tree some 
thirty or forty feet high, where she had been plastered in by her 
affectionate husband. By the chips lying about, it would appear that 
these holes are excavated by the birds to the required size. They 
are monogamous, and show great affection for each other, which is 
fortunate, as the female during incubation has entirely to rely on her 
mate for daily subsistence. 
