Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-03-06
THE PLANTAIN EATERS.
Description of Three of the Most Beauti-
full Birds in the World.


Among the many beautiful birds found
in western Africa, none will compare
with those bearing the name of plantair
eaters, being so called ls cause they feed
on plantains and other fruits. The nat
uralists call them Musophagidae, but it i;
not at all likely that our boys and girl;
prefer this to the more easily remem,
bered name appearing at the head of this
article.
They are chiefly found in the forests
of Senegal, and sometimes specimens are
met with on the coast of Guinea. a
somewhat similar species is also seen in
South America.
The beautiful plumage of this variety
of bird fully justifies the statement made
by Bruce, the famous naturalist, that il
is lone Of the princes of the feathered
creation"
The most notable Of its kind Is the vio-
let plantain eater. 1t is large, ele-
gantly proportioned bird, twenty inches
in length, whose general plumags is of a
shining, hlackish purple, set off to great
advantage by the deep lilac and crimson
of its wings, = combination Of colorr
seen in no other bird in the world.
1t has q large bill, the outer half OF
the upper and the whole OF the under
mandible being of q bright crimson,
shaded off at the front or thickest part
into brilliant yellow, and then merg-
ing into crimson again on the crown and
back part Of the head. Around the eyes
is a naked space which enhances the
beautiful cOlors of the bill and crown.
Above its ears is pure white stripe, ex-
tending backward and downward al
most to the upper edge of its neck.
Nearly one-half of the lower part of the
wings is of deep carmine hue, CLOSED
with lilac, the margins being tipped with
the blackest violet color that spreads over
the rest Of it's body. This dark violet be-
comes a very dark green Oh the under
parts, and is particularly rich on the tail.
The legs are black. and its thick, hooked
and very broad claws, of the same shade,
show that it is fitted for living among
trees. This formation is seen in all birds
requiring superior powers of grasping
the middle toe of this particular species
being Of sufficient length to eneircle any
ordinary sized branch.
Another elegant specimen Of this family
is the variegated or crested plantain eater,
80 named on account of it's very peculiar
crest or ''topknot," which Is placed di-
rectly on the nape OF the neck, and not,
as in the majority Of crested birds, on
the top or crown of the head. The gen.
eral color of the upper parts OF this bird
is very Light gray, with narrow, black
ish stripe down each feather. The front
and top Of the head and the whole Of the
chin and throat as far as the breast i.
chestnut brown.
The under plurnage beyond the breast
is white, each feather having dark
stripe down the middle, while the pri-
mary and secondary quills Of the wings
are blackish, with q pure white spot,
varying in size in the middle Of each.
The feathers in the middle Of the tail are
gray, with black tips, those on the end
being entirely gray. Its bill is pure yei-
low throughout, the crimson seen in the
violet plantain eater being absent, and
its legs are gray. Its length is the same
as the first mentioned variety, but its
middle toes and claws are somewhat
smaller.
Still another kind Is called the crowned
piantain eater, or Senegal touraco, and
it rivals in beauty its violet hued COM
panion. Like the bird just described, ite
chief attraction is q magnificent crest.
The whole Of the head, including the
crest, its neck, wing covers and around
the shoulders is grass green without any
gloss, and this color also extends to the
under p1umage as far as the breast, be-
yond which it becomes obscured and
darkened with blackish hue. The bill
is blackish purple in the middle, but
along the edges and within the margin
of the sides it is a bright crimson, the
tips Of both upper and lower mandibles
being blackish.
Around the eyes is a crimson patch,
the upper part of which is shaped some
what like the teeth Of saw Immedi-
ately in front of the eyes is white stripe,
to about one-third of the length
of the upper eyelid, while beneath each
is black stripe running backward to-
ward its ears and terminating in a point
at the lower edge of the crimson patch
already described. This bird Is smaller
than either of the others, its total length
from bill to tail being but sixteen inches.
Taken altogether, these specimens Of
the bird creation stand unequaled in
brilliancy of plumage and shapely pro-
portions, and it is to be regretted that be-
cause of their rarity and extreme shy
ness bat very few specimens can be
obtained. Were it otherwise those living
in the neighborhood of museums Of nat
ural history would have a chance to
feast their eyes on this ratchless array
Of colors, and thus get better idea of
the beauty of the plaintain eaters than
can be conveyed by mere pen picture.
Times.