271 
1921,] Birds of Tasso and adjoining Islands. 
periodically for farming purposes. The trees of any size are 
scanty : a few very fine cotton-woods are found around the 
village, the remainder seem to have been all used for making 
dug-out canoes. There are, however, some oil-palm trees at 
the southern end of the island, the favourite resort of bats 
and parrots. 
Tasso may be said to differ in one respect from the other 
islands by having two very large ponds, one of which was 
dry when I arrived and the other nearly so. These seem to 
be the only natural supply of fresh water, and during the 
autumn they are frequented by large quantities of water- 
fowl. It is therefore more than probable that Tasso will be 
found to have a far greater variety of birds than any of the 
other islands. The chief interest to the ornithologist 
•respecting these islands lies in the fact that so many birds 
found on the high mainland are conspicuous by their absence. 
Take, for instance, only two very noticeable one#—the 
Plantain-eater (Turacus macrorhynclms ), whose noisy habits 
and brilliant plumage is at once missed, or again the lovely 
little Blue Flycatcher (.Platgstdra cyanea ), so well known 
and loved by all white people who visit the Colony. 
I am here giving a complete list of the birds obtained on 
this and other islands, as well as those seen and whose 
identification is beyond doubt. 
I am greatly indebted to Mr. David A. Banner man for 
having named the collection, and for compiling a complete 
list of Sierra Leone birds, which will not only be useful to 
compare with the island lists here given, but will also be 
of great service to those who will continue the interesting 
study of Sierra Leone birds. I have also to thank Lieut. M. 
J, Mansergh, R.N., of H.M.S. ‘ Dwarf, 5 for preparing this 
the first correct map of,the little-known Rokelle River and its 
islands. There are still, doubtless, many birds in Sierra Leone 
which have not yet been recorded, but Mr. Bannerman’s list 
will at least bring our knowledge of Sierra Leone birds up to 
date. 
An asterisk denotes that the bird was seen beyond doubt, 
but no skins were preserved. 
