724 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant: Boyd Alexander 
this expedition he was accompanied by Jose Lopez his 
Portuguese collector, who had returned with him as a boy 
from the Cape Verde Islands, and who remained his faithful 
adherent during all his subsequent wanderings in Africa. 
As the relief-column advanced on Kumassi, Jose slowly 
followed behind and formed excellent collections of birds at 
each station on the lines of communication. After a three 
hours* fight the Ashantis were driven into the forest and the 
column entered the beleaguered fort. 
An amusing incident shewing how Alexanders passion for 
ornithology dominated all other interests was related to the 
writer by one of the other officers who accompanied the 
column. Shortly after the occupation of Kumassi, Boyd 
being nowhere to be found, General Sir James Willcocks 
instituted a search for him and eventually he and Jose were 
discovered in their tent outside the fort, though the sur¬ 
rounding forest was still swarming with hostile Ashantis. 
On being asked to explain his reason for running such risks, 
he said that if he remained in the fort he was sure to be called 
on for duty, whereas in his present camp he was less likely 
to be disturbed and had excellent opportunities for increasing 
his bird-collection ! On leaving Kumassi he was sent with a 
column of Haussas to Gambaga, the headquarters of the 
northern territories, and there he met with many interesting 
forms of bird-life, including several rare Desert Larks, such 
as Heliocorys modesta and Mirafra erythropygia . 
On leaving Gambaga in May 1901 he trekked to Salaga 
and thence on to the River Volta, finally reaching the 
coast at Accra. An account of the fine collection of birds 
formed during this Expedition, numbering nearly 1100 
specimens, will be found in 4 The Ibis/ 1902, pp. 278-333 
and 355-3 77. Several species proved to be new to science, 
including a Honey-Guide (.Indicator willcocksi) which was 
named in honour of General Sir James Willcocks, while 
many of the other specimens obtained enabled the author 
to add considerably to our knowledge of the geographical 
distribution of the birds in this little-known area. 
On his return to England Alexander was offered and 
