The WHITE-CHEEKED HELMET BIRD (_Corythaix leucotis_) is an inhabitant of
Abyssinia; the colour of this species is for the most part green: the
beak and wings are deep greenish violet, the tail is blackish violet,
marked with dark coloured undulating lines; the belly and legs are deep
grey. The helmet is dark green; a spot in front of the light brown eyes,
and a streak which passes from the ear to the fore part of the throat are
pure white; the wings are of a magnificent bright red, and bordered with
yellowish green. The eye is surrounded by a ring of small reddish brown
warts; the upper mandible is green, as far as the nostrils, and blood-red
at its tip; the feet are brownish grey. The length of this species is
about seventeen inches, its breadth twenty-one inches and a half; its
wing measures six inches and three-quarters, and the tail eight inches
and a quarter; the female is somewhat smaller than her mate, but does not
differ from him in other respects. The Helmet Bird is found either at a
considerable altitude in the mountains, or frequenting well-watered and
thickly-wooded valleys, where it passes the greatest part of its life
in flying from one tree to another in small flocks, only coming to the
ground for a few moments at a time when in want of food, and immediately
returning to seek shelter in the branches. When occupied in this manner
the movements of this species resemble those of the Jackdaw, for the
whole party does not alight at the same time, but steal down one by
one, preserving the strictest silence, and after following exactly in
the steps of their leader, return to the sycamore or tamarind tree that
has been selected as a general rendezvous; here they assemble regularly
both at night and during the mid-day heat, and when thus congregated
at the summits of the branches, present a spectacle of such brilliancy
and beauty as cannot fail to excite the admiration of all who see them.
They hop and fly with the greatest liveliness and activity from bough to
bough, and, apparently, are by no means desirous of eluding observation.
Their flight is undulating, and effected by a series of violent strokes
until the desired height is attained; the bird then spreads its wings
as though to display itself to the utmost advantage, and sinks slowly
towards the ground before again rising and continuing its course. During
these evolutions the neck is outstretched, the head elevated, and the
tail alternately opened and closed. The voice of the Helmet Bird is very
peculiar, and has somewhat the effect of ventriloquism, often misleading
the listener as to the position of the owner. We found both berries and
seeds in the crops of some specimens that we killed, and observed that
they were always most numerous in localities where the former abounded;
we also procured a pure white egg from the ovary of the female Helmet
Bird, which was not unlike the egg of a domestic pigeon, both in size and
shape, but distinguishable from it by the superior delicacy and polish of
the shell; the nest we could never discover, but believe it to be built
in the trunk of a tree. These birds are so extremely shy and restless,
as to render their capture a work of great difficulty, if the sportsman
should not succeed in taking them unawares whilst disporting themselves
in the crowns of their favourite trees. Verreaux mentions a very curious
fact connected with this species, namely, that the magnificent purple of
the tail-feathers entirely loses its beauty when exposed to moisture,
and that the colour may be rubbed off with the fingers when wet; but
as soon as the plumage is dry it recovers its full brilliancy of tint.
A strange illustration of this peculiarity was afforded in the case of
a Helmet Bird in the Amsterdam Zoological Gardens, which, having been
seized with cramp, was drenched with cold water; some hours afterwards
the creature died, and it was then discovered that the wing upon which
it lay was still wet, and had changed from red to blue, while the upper
wing had dried before death ensued, and had therefore regained its full
gorgeousness of hue.