THE BIRDS OF LIBERIA 677 
port and Stampfli secured two on the Du River. It is apparently nowhere 
common, but occasional pairs are seen in bushy growth. 
MUSOPHAGIDAE Plantain-eaters 
Turacus persa buffoni (Vieillot). Senegal Touraco 
Opoethus buffoni Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., vol. 24, p. 304, 1819: no locality. 
Length about 17 inches; head, neck, breast, and upper back green, the crest sometimes tipped 
with reddish; a broad black band below the eye, bordered by white; wing coverts, shoulders, 
tail and rump violet red; lower back black with violet sheen; below slaty, washed with green; 
primaries and anterior secondaries vinaceous. Senegal to Sierra Leone. 
This species was included among the birds of Liberia by Biittikofer on the 
authority of Hartlaub (Birds W. Africa, 1857) and is copied without comment 
by Chubb. While it may occur as a casual visitor, its presence has not been 
confirmed by later investigations, and it is likely that its inclusion is a mistake. 
According to Kemp it is found in Sierra Leone, so that its occurrence in north- 
western Liberia may be looked for. 
Turacus macrorhynchus macrorhynchus (Fraser). Black-tip Crested 
Plantain-eater; “Redwing”’ 
Corythaix macrorhyncha Fraser, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1839, p. 34. 
Size of a large cuckoo, 17 inches; head crested, green, the crest tipped with white then black; 
throat and breast green, belly blackish; back, wings, and tail steely blue, the primaries and secon- 
daries mostly crimson; bill yellow with red base. Sierra Leone to Gold Coast. 
This is a common and characteristic bird of the forest, keeping to large 
trees and often heard in early forenoon giving its deep sonorous calls. They 
have a way of running along on branches that is quite characteristic, and as 
the group passes from one tree to another, one by one will scale down from an 
upper branch, showing the beautiful crimson wing-patch which is not visible 
when the wing is folded. Bittikofer records that the immature lacks the black 
and white edging of the crest. 
Corythaeola cristata cristata (Vieillot). Blue Plantain-eater; ‘‘Peacock”’ 
Musophaga cristata Vieillot, Analyse, p. 68, 1816: Africa. 
Size of a pheasant, length 29 inches; throat, wings, back, and tail above, peacock blue; a 
short black crest on head; breast greenish yellow, belly and thighs chestnut; tail below greenish 
yellow with broad black tip above and below; bill bright yellow with red tip. Senegal to Angola. 
On account of its size and bright colors this is a conspicuous bird, univer- 
sally known as ‘‘Peacock.” It is characteristic of the high forest, and often 
may be seen in little troops numbering up to as many as ten, passing in lei- 
surely manner from tree to tree, running along the outer branches to search 
for berries on which they feed. A female shot on the Du River, August 5, had 
the ovaries as large as peas. 
