Andersson's Pern

( Originally Published Early 1900's )

The only other bird of this subfamily that will be mentioned, and this but briefly, is Andersson's Pern (Machoerhamphus anrierssoni) of southwest Africa and Madagascar. It is a crested bird about seventeen inches long, chocolate-brown above, and white somewhat streaked with brown below, there being also a broad white line both above and below the eye. The bill is very thin and weak and the nostrils are half covered by the feathers of the lores. Comparatively little is known of the habits of this bird beyond the fact that it is probably crepuscular and feeds upon bats, which it is often seen in pursuit of at dusk.