1.
G.V Inside Zoo. Swans in foreground.


2.
G.V. Inside Zoo, showing aviary.


3.
S.V. Birds in Aviary.


4.
L.V. People looking at birds.


5.
S.V. Rare Bird "PICATHARTHES GYMNOSEPHALUS". sitting on twig in cage.


6.
S.C.U. Of bird.


7.
C.U. Of bird.


8.
Side V. Men looking.


9.
L.V. Bird on ground, - hops away.


10.
S.V. Bird on ground picking away.


11.
C.U. Back of bird.


12.
C.U. Woman watching.


13.
S.V. Bird watching mouse.


14.
C.U. Man watching.


15.
S.V. of other birds in aviary.




Initials JH/VCW



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Some years ago a group of British ornithologists left for the Gold Coast in Africa to try to catch alive a very rare bird, called Picatharthes Gymnosephalus. With the help of native hunters they were successful in meeting two specimens in Sierra Leone, on the Gold Coast.

The birds led an obscure lives in remote areas and had never before been seen by white people. In fact whites have so far never seen these creatures in free nature.

In captivity the bird is quite tame; and he lives on insects, meat and berries.

One of the two birds went to the London Zoo, but died of bird-pest a short time afterwards. The only one now living in captivity has been bought by the zoo in Wassenaar, near the Hague. The price: GBP350.

The Picatharthes has a cream-coloured leathery head, without feathers, and at both sides behind the eyes two brown leathery spots. His nib resembles the crow's.

By a coincidence, while our cameraman was taking these pictures a little mouse entered the cage and quickly fell victim to the sharp nib of the Picatharthes.