95 
Expedition to the Zambesi River . 
128. Coracjas caudatus (Linn.). 
One of the first birds to arrest the attention of the traveller 
as he journeys up the river. Fields where the marpela com 
has been grown are a favourite resort, for there this bird may 
be observed making raids upon the locusts that infest the 
stalk-strewn ground, while the sawn-off tree-stumps that 
stand here and there afford it resting-places. This Roller 
is cunning and distrustful, and seldom allows of a close 
approach, while at the sight of gun-barrels the bird is off 
in double-quick time, flying high in the air till it becomes 
a mere speck in the sky, and by way of showing displeasure 
at being disturbed it screeches out a string of hoarse notes 
just as if it was suffering from a bad sore throat. Moreover, 
this Roller is quarrelsome, being a constant source of 
annoyance to the small birds that may happen to come 
within its reach, especially to the flocks of Weavers, which it 
takes a mischievous delight in darting at, as they go “ swish¬ 
ing ” past, obliging them, from their close formation, to form 
skirmishing order. 
In the pairing-season, the male gives vent to his love- 
passion in a series of discordant cries as he waltzes in endless 
twists and turns round his consort in mid-air, sometimes 
leaving her in order to shoot vertically upward. 
Holes in the baobab-trees are generally chosen for nesting- 
sites. Though this species is a resident along the Zambesi, 
its numbers during the winter months are comparatively few ; 
but towards the end of December, when the rains commence, 
an influx maybe noticed, and then soon after breeding takes 
place. Distribution is influenced to some extent by the 
movement of insect-life; and especially is this the case where 
big swarms of locusts are present, in whose wake the Roller is 
sure to follow. 
129. Coracias mosambicus (Dresser). 
A rather scarce bird, and only met with at Chicowa. It 
is less noisy and more retiring in nature than C. caudatus m 
A specimen at the time of being shot was feeding off the 
fruit of the jujuba-tree which is called <c jnasau” by the natives. 
