THE BIRDS OF LIBERIA 659 
similar act at Gbanga where an adult bird worked its way up and around a large 
dead tree not far from our hut, examining hollow places as it went, and using 
both feet and wings to ascend. Kemp (1905), writing from Sierra Leone, makes 
the interesting observation that one he killed in February was “‘robbing, one 
after another, the nests of Hyphantornis cucullatus [the common Hooded Weaver ] 
inserting its bill into each nest. While acting thus the Hawk is able to hover, 
without using its feet, after the manner of a Humming-bird.”” A female in 
immature dress that we secured at Gbanga, September 22, had the skin of the 
belly much thickened as if it were incubating. On October 24 and on the 27th 
a pair of these hawks was seen in what was no doubt a courtship performance. 
In one instance the pair was circling easily high over the village, one of them at 
frequent intervals taking a short sail on outspread wings then turning abruptly 
upward for a short distance, only to swing off a little to one side, take another 
short sail ending in a vertical sweep, continuing so for a number of minutes at a 
time. At another place a single bird was seen doing the same thing alone though 
its mate may have been in the vicinity but concealed from view. 
GALLIFORMES 
TURNICIDAE Button-quails 
Turnix sylvatica alleni Mearns. Kurrichane Button-quail 
Turnix sylvatica alleni Mearns, Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 56, no. 20, p. 5, 1911: north of Mt. 
Kenya, northern Guaso Nyiro, Kenya Colony. 
Like a small partridge, length 5 inches, no hind toe or stiff tail-feathers; above mottled olive, 
black and brown, the larger feathers barred black and chestnut, with white edges, breast ochraceous, 
belly and throat whitish buff. Africa in more open places. 
Several of these small quails were shot on the Kru coast, Nana Kru, etc., 
by Lowe, in January, 1911, who says they were generally to be found among the 
cassava plantations on sandy soil (Bannerman, 1912). The species had not 
previously been recorded from Liberia. Sclater in his list of African birds refers 
these of the West Coast to the race occurring also in Uganda and Kenya Colony 
instead of to 7. s. lepurana (type locality, western Transvaal) as Bannerman had 
done. Probably they are very locally distributed in Liberia. 
PHASIANIDAE Pheasants 
Francolinus lathami lathami Hartlaub. Latham’s Francolin 
Francolinus lathami Hartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., vol. 2, p. 210, 1854: Sierra Leone. 
Size of a partridge; throat and breast black, the latter with heart-shaped white spots on each 
feather; sides of head gray; back of neck chocolate, broadly streaked with white; back warm 
brown, feet pale yellow, bill black. 
This little Francolin is a bird of the forest region from Senegambia to Loango 
Apparently uncommon and seldom seen, it appears not to be gregarious but is 
occasionally trapped by the natives in snares set at openings in a long fence of 
palm leaves and sticks made to intercept ground-living birds and small mammals. 
