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U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 153, PART 2 PLATE 1 





FRICK'S WEAVER, PLOCEUS FRICKI (MEARNS), MALE AND FEMALE 


SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Butuetin 153 


BIRDS COLLECTED BY THE CHILDS 
FRICK EXPEDITION TO ETHIOPIA 
AND KENYA COLONY 


Part 2.—PASSERES 


By 


HERBERT FRIEDMANN 


Curator, Division of Brtds 
United States National Museum 





UNITED STATES 
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 
WASHINGTON : 1937 








For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D.C. - - - - - - - = - = Price 70 cents 


“Wk ua 1a kb 





ee aie 


CONTENTS 


Imbroductione esse = mee ane ewes mks NAL Re eee eee eae a 
PMN ARyTOROVCOUCMIMONS. ee See sek tLe ME DU SABE VED See enee cece 
Boorcorrapnical considerations. 62 = <2. 2.22 Se OS Es 
Din LABSHRIFOR MES = ose S .-ewk ye Lee EE See ee 
RaPLTITI VaR ACe eae eee he Se ee ea ene ee ee LEE ee tt eso ten ene 
Miratrarcantillanssmargina tas: 868 224) 2s eee ee eee eee ee 
Namur AT aee re = ee Le ee ae Wn A ee eRe OS ce eae ae 
Ninairavalbicaud tates ee = Kenney oe kre ee ele SS oe Se 
Mina TEAOO DE Eee Saree = ae ie ko a Ba ety MY eee 
Mirstrashyorermetra calaram oe oyo- oe 2 eee 2225 Lk eee ES LL 
Mirafravatricanayasthit = see 22s me at eee eee Be eee seen a - 
Miratra-tischert fischeries) ew ses see Se ee cee ee See ee eee 
Miuratrarnischer degent= 22 ves Shs hehe ee eS SU Eee So Re ETT Se 
Miratra atricanoides imtercedens:- 222. <secl sls eS ake eet se 
Miraira poecilosterna poeccilosterna= 22 222) = POL Sa as a eee 
Alsemonalaudipes/ desertorum™== ===>) = Sees vh ere see ae ee 
Galerida eristata somatiensis= ©. 42 228224 - sous lS eS eee ie 
Galeria thekiae practermissa: ==) 8s) oe. Leek leet = MACUL Sst loLe 
Eremoptery= leucotis leucotise 2-222. eB SEP eS LSS eee Sle l ee 
iremopteryx nigriceps melanauchen = ===== =: =25l00/ 2 2=b ee = ee 
Premoplery< cigmatau. see Set wees ee ROO R Oe eis eee 
theplrocorys eimeres erlanger: = e+e. sh iee)e es Sees lee 2S =e 
Perales binnndimidae ss) s4 G4 els se ee eee be suet bee ae ESEe Eee 
Hirundorrustien TUstiCas 26 - 02s <22 cose ke Ri ie ee e 
Harindo-lacigs rothechildss =k a. wes». esas IOUS Soe Oe EE ee 
Harundorapino pied ee au abe ek is bs os 2 UG: NEUE eae a 
Hirtindo smith smith sie eas a pts Eee 
Hirundo rutula-melanocrissas>= =) .a~ == eV ORNS Min Se tey_ eset 
Hirdnde Tuttle eniuny eee eee Ory Pee oy ee RIO Seo ee 
Hirundo senegalensis senegalensis -_----_----_---------------------- 
Hirundo abyssinica abyssinica-----_--- AMV, BETAS WELOD EYS BRST 
Riparia ripatia riparia 2-2 o2 5). foe alee A Pee SUSe eee 
Riparia patudicola minor’ £522)... .. ea WED 8 ee Be Se 
Ptyonoprogne rufigula rufigula_ --=--==2------+----+-++--+------- 
Psalidoprocne holomelaena massaica-------~---------------------- 
Psalidoprocne antinorii___==.=+-.2.=--.4-2-U+. -2-22 4222 S422--=--- 
Pumity: Campephapidac»==2=2=22. S2-22s- 22254 sbuess2essessPSleet + 
Campephaga Hava ilavas-s-22.2s oss. ss eA ee ee eee 
Campephaga phoeniceas 221!) = ae sesss cb EPSP elles 
Graucalus esesia pura.) 22 bse 2s 2 eee eee Se BLS E SUT See ee 
Benily- Dicrundaes: © =222 2222 22-2ne2sse% uit eid en Bee eee 
Dicrurus adsimilis divaricatus_-_----~----- MIA /TIL SRL) TIN bP HL Se ODER 
III 


EV; BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Page 

sere by ORION IG Res eee ka SANs ee Lie eee ee See 65 
Oriqhusaquratus NOtALUS =o. Se Oe oa 65 
WriolisInoEnAchh permistus. 225.) 25 een Ae ee ee ee 66 
Orioluspmonacharolletion =) eee oe nN ee ee al 
Oriolus monacha kikuyuwensis 4.08 0 54 oy Cee ee Se 72 
Petre yO Gra Re ee te a Bae SS ee ee ae Le ee ee 72 
anvils ales hoot es a Lee PD ys ee ee ee 72 
CORUUISSCaDETISIS CODENAIBE S22 ok Ak ull e al he ee eee 75 
\UOEVMS COPAX CUIGhAG se ose 2 es Po oot ee 76 
Corvaltur albicollis..7 55-9. aS oe. So se = ee Ae 78 
Cornvultur Crassirostris... 22-0 > ee ee 78 
Bhmocorax rhipidurts= 2. = 22262-22224 52542-2322 55seee eee ee 80 
Rati ysPaniOae oes 2S 2 yes 2 ee ea ee ee ee 82 
Parus aterfricki:<0. 2.8 toe 2 A a ee 82 
iRarus;afer\barakaes..- 225202 2 2 Se ee eo ee ee 84 
Parus niger lacudm =< = 8 22-52 ee ee ee ee 84 
Parus albiventris albiventris= == = --- —- = 422 a ee 87 
Parus lewconotus=c2 2232-22042 2 eee ee ee Ee ee 88 
Anthoscopus carolitrothschildi= ===) = eee 89 
Anthoseopus: musculuss.— 3 +. 22023 ot be eh et 90 
amily suimelidaes <= 2 So <n Se i ee ee ee ee ee 91 
(urdoides leucopy gia smithii_.._.- . 2 = ea ee eee 91 
Turdoides leucopygia lacuwum. = — 22.355. tte te ge 93 
Turdoides:leucopy giaomoensis= — - 25-2 ek. a ee 94 
Wurdoides hy polewcea.. <2 2.2 U2 2 = ee ee 94 
urdoides hinders 22-222 Se UE oe ee ee, ae 95 
Argya: rubiginoss TubigiMoss == 2-22 2. ean ps ee pe 96 
Arpya aylmeri aylmerie oo 22 22 =. pn ett ee et 100 
Pseudoalecippe abyssinicus abyssinicus.._. —.. _ = 2. Beeb ee 101 
Lioptilornis galimiert= 2.4.2. Jie. 2S.) Dee, chee ge ee eee 103 
Ramily-Pycnonotidae 2322 ee eee =) ee ee 105 
Pycnonotus dodsoni dodsont: =. 2... 222 _ os) ae ee 105 
Pycnonotis dodsoni. spurilis.. =. ee ee eee 109 
Pyenonotus dodsont peasei: 2. 2. Yo 2 oe eee 110 
Pycnonotus tricolor fayi_02 3 3A sae ee 111 
Pyenonotus: barbatus schoanus._ 2... <2. 254 oe eee 112 
Phyllastrephus/strepitans2_< | 28 ee ee 115 
Phyllastrephus asehert placids.-i— 2 22.52 .afheie) ogee ee ee Haley 
Phyllastrephus cerviniventris lénnbergi____________---_---=.---=-= 118 
Arizelocichla tephrolaema kikuyuensis__________=-=-22<-S2252-c$226 119 
Chlioreciehla flaviventris centralis..2_.. 2.2 3452 ee 120 
Andropadus insularis fritkis 222 2. = so idee ee a eee 121 
Andropadiis insularis kituncensis® = 24) 4.44 soe ae ee 122 
stelgidocichla latirostris eugenia_..... __ -. {pe ee 122 
BaIBily  MUECIGHO: 5 oF es ol 124 
‘Lordus dibenyanus centralis. 2. 2.2 8 ee 124 
Turdus-olivacetus elgonensis. =~ 52 .. 5-0 2). en een 126 
Lurdus olivaceus Abyssinicus._ 2. 2... --c 92 = ee ee 126 
Hurdus-teporonotus=. © 22 oe = JE be 128 
Geokichla Jitsipsirups ‘simensis.. _ = hee he Se ee 130 
Moniipola aaxatilis. 2 2222 oe 3 ae le 131 
Petrophila rufocinerea rufocinerea____________ ne ede Sr en yee 132 


Ocenanthe oenantiie oonanthe. 2... 2 2 eee 134 


CONTENTS ¥ 


Family Turdidae—Continued. Page 
Venantne leacomela leucomela._ _ ._ sUias-ianiel ay elenstiy elope 134 
Qenvnihe tamubriss "= 23 3 eet Aw ie! oly 2 a oueigy. elves .cpoy 135 
Gemanine iwanelmnn= ©) 2 =< 2+ aibeneedls ptatn ue leaot seebead pes: 136 
Qenanthe Dboriae irenata <2. el aeheice fab eo vant pinks per 136 
Cercomeln melanura ly puracs =o 220-2 222 eine prey: ose) gees 137 
@Gercomels neobocercs Lurkansd: 2 =) 2 22 Aber etiry alfa) pl eapte 138 
Wercouicin Guuit= 992" =o = 5> otis) os aeplytperyat pln bive. =f ales 140 
Pinarochnroa sordids sGhoana=..- a8. _. == wei ee aedat ple bles 322442 140 
Pentholzea-melaenas <= 22-2 222. 5 ee ee eet Senmioes! atanite 142 
Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris subrufipennis_____________________ 143 
Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris albiscapulata____________________- 144 
Thamnolaesiseminiias = 222222 2.2 ts oak eel etl gl lla ghee 144 
Saxicols torquataaxdlanis: en 52 oo 2 oo a iniog: Petre lanes 146 
SHR IcoLitoruiaia albarasciniat. o= 2) |) so me eeeh wear ee brite ow plancto 147 
Saxicols corguaws iar Sos OFS 222! SS se Rey oe hype elanits 147 
Saxicolaruperra: rubetraas = {e522 2225225 sso eieibhey wharves Sines 149 
Cossy pus veugling heuglni«: =< - «052. se ateokeanh ss epee pleats 149 
Cessy pln semiriia saturation — =. 252. eieestiewet «a nqyletew slants 150 
Cossy pla semirnis intercedens= — <2 = —< =_ se sehee Avetce dewul minnie 152 
Cossy pis Canra aoinenin- | =o) 28 222 ee be cs SS a e- e  ee 152 
Ciehiscusa suite eubtata os) = 5+ 22 ehgetanin alpen ln ioe 153 
Erythropygia leucoptera leucoptera-_--_-._.-_-_------------------ 155 
Pogonocichla margaritata. keniensis _ ---._2 lees 6 ssh eee 156 
Cercutrichas pouobe podobes. 2 2205/2. = er eiiios seities alters 158 
Phoenicurus phoenicurus phoenicurus--_-____-__--__--------------- 158 
Phoenicurus phoenicurus samamisicus.- _ =. __ 222222 4 22222-52222 158 
Hritnacrs Tupecwta rupecdla Ss = So se BS! emesis gamit “geil 159 
Eusemisa, meparhynehs siricans, S92. > 2 = 2 > ss pee alan phil nye Se oe 159 

PONG NS VINAIAE Se Oe eee ee oa ES 2 rose zes = Sehhspeon ae 2 159 
Sylvia CuLuend, CUITNCA 202 ec U st a eleds aot eee 159 
Sylvia, COMMIS COMmMUnIS. 22 2. oo. siete ete niath «gayi. waa 160 
Sylvia atricapula atricapila 2 =~. .= -+ eee Seti aber 160 
Hippolsis pallida elacicea... 2... + ~. situdacek: cue hw apes 161 
Phytlostopus-trochilus trochiusslittely yi ou Soy ieee tes se etl oe 162 
Phyloscopus-collybita. collybita_._. suns secon essiwse alaeebe 163 
Seicercus umbrovirens omoensis-_ --_-_-----_-__------------------- 163 
Seicercus umbrovirens mackenziana_-__.-____---___-------------- 165 
Bradypterus brachypterus abyssinicus_______-_-___-_------------- 166 
Bradypterus cianampmeus._s_ -- su uel oaods antago sieee 167 
Bradypterus aliredi fraterculus.—. 21 2.2 seeded sabiviebe Aeneas 170 
Calamonastes simplex simplex. >. ==. scusicert lebanese Menseues 171 
Apslis cineres emerea..- 022. ose l = 2 eiiiinie siral stew gionmiek 173 
Apalis, ayia diavocinets. oe 8. = 2 22 2225 ee ei et 175 
Apale faves malensiss 225224 =: = 8522 252-2. 2 eee aoe Be 177 
Phylipiimpuleneliag 2. 2-62 Seo rs Doe os ss eee eee see 178 
Syivicsta Urachylra hileertis?: 52522 0> 25: 998 22 Se2 5s 2 see ae 179 
Sylvietta brachyura. leucepris 2. 222-2. biwelise eeders wae 180 
Sylwetta whyth yacksomi- so." 2252225552. > wesinal -eeetion wiki 180 
Sylvietta whytit abayenkis: .. 2.22. 52552... liege: sive see est 184 
Syiwetiaswsnbellana.... 92 on. 52222 0282 ete ae 35 SS Se ose 185 
Sylvietta leucophrys leucophrys=- =-=22..2-.-2.+- 8018 us _Aeaess 185 
Eremomela griseoflava griseoflava____.-------------------------- 186 


Eremomela griseoflava karamojensis- ---------------------------- 188 


VE BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Family Sylviidae—Continued. Page 
Eremomela griseoflava flavicrissalis_.- __ 22x tess sce olek ee 189 
Eremomela griseoflava abdominalis--_-_-.-..--.--------+-----+-- 190 
Camaroptera brevicaudata abessinica-...._..-_=.-22-4202 -4-_ Yee 191 
Camaroptera brevicaudata griseigula_________._..----+--+-------- 195 
Cisticola: juncidisjirapypialiss) 222-2 Lees esi sien 196 
Cisticola:jumeidis.perennia...-..2 -.-- Lanes) eee alee 196 
Cisticolavaridulajavendulaes 22222-4232 255) 22) oe ee eee 197 
Cisticola-aridulatanganyika. = 22.22... 22eesse si beas mee aes 197 
Cisticolaibrunnescens brunnescens: 2 -—- — == = ee ee 198 
(isticola;chimans humilis si sew ee iia wih oe hey Be atiee Sry en pe 198 
Cisticola.chinians ukambatceh em hit wise shay a eetee eeoabiy pee 199 
Cisticola chimiina bodessa... <2 4.2 22-2. asa Reais 200 
Cisticola hunter. prmioides..2 _ .._=2__~ =]. 2 stesso binge 202 
@isticola galactotes lugubris....- =- =... eens pies Bee 202 
Cisticola, palactotesinyansae- 2... <= 4-2. eee eet lee 203 
Cisticolajrobustasrobustane 222-2 2 a = eek ee nade 204 
Cisticola natalensis inexpectata....-...2-..422eee) feist 2h oe 204 
Gisticola natalensis kapitensis... 2... . 2 sales pee oleae pA nee 205 
Cistieola brachyptera:katonae:: .. 2. =. 22 8o see eur ne es eee 206 
Cishi¢ola nana (2 22 9 a i ee a ee pee 207 
Cisticola cinereols cinereola =. —--.4 22 22. 2 = See ee eee 208 
Cisticols, cinereola: schillingsi2 =... 22 =2).e So) ee ced wee eee 209 
Melocichla mentalisiorientalis= == = == Ses. hse ee ees 209 
Spiloptils rufifrons rufifrons == _-.2.=- 2. .e tees ey is Bae 209 
Splloptila. rustronssmithil. 2-2 --s22sbe ete eas eee ete Sena iea 211 
Prinia.mistaceaimistaceau. = 2-H ee Beal eae eee 212 
Prinia mistaces immutabilis...--. 22. sfhee ts stead pte eee 215 
Prinia;somalica erlangeria 22.2322 2S Cee oe epg eee Spee 216 

PamilyeMuscicapidae. 5.28 ooo. ts ace ee 217 
Muscicapa striata. striata. 2.6.02 2225. 22 l= iy ates Seon ge ein: grbigal 217 
Alseonax minimus. djamdjamensis._-.... .-242e4-ue~ ahs eg) 217 
Hypodes cinereus kikuymensis--..........-etsiiivio alin snieha gia 220 
Parisoma plumbeum plumbeum: ...... ~~. =-.s}ss%) 3h aw pain 221 
Bradornis microrhynchus microrhynchus-_-_--_______-___________- ~ 225 
Bradornis. microrhynchus.erlangerk: _._ . #2) i4tae ele as een Fee 226 
Bradornis,microrhynchusspumilus_ = =. 2S es eho tee Breen 228 
Bradornis. pallidus:suahelicus 22 2pd8 egal See ats Breen 228 
Dioptrornis fischeri fischeri.“ = . . 23:64 he ae ye rep aeons 229 
Dioptrornis chocolatinus chocolatinus_-_____-- + .22225h2 2224222 229 
Melaenornis edolioides lugubris....+.2 _- 22be44!a¢) Heyl epanber he 231 
Melaenornis pammelaina tropicalis___.__-- -.22) 2 “2c i. eee eee 233 
Chioropeta natalensis similis. _._.._........- 1 -_easeetpaegeis ae 234 
Batis: moelitor puellase.: 5222 oo ee ee a 236 
Batis minor erlangenis 40.208 alata eee a 237 
batisjorientalis bella— 2. 2 8 eye ls, 239 
Batis perkeoec.. 8 3.428505 2 el al ee ee ee 240 
Platysteira;cyanea aethiopica_.... =... Sheeig eh pee ine Bees 242 
Platysteira peliata jacksoni:. .) 02.25... teaideas he St 242 
Perpsiphone:-viridis ferreti—< —. 2. 2 en Se ae 243 

amily Motacillidag.. 2 22-86 2 ce 2  n ee 246 
Motacilla alba alba 22 0 22k Geos bee ancl hee 246 
Motacillaaguimp Vidua_i2) 222.2 eg Be ey ee Ae ee 247 


Motacilla ‘clara: 22 26 ee, glen yenn nf sane aie pe 247 


CONTENTS 


Family Motacillidae—Continued. 


Motacilla cinerea cinerea___________ 


Budytes flavus flavus_____________- 


Budytes flavus cinereocapilla________ 


Budytes feldegg feldegg____________ 


Anthus campestris campestris_______ 
Anthus nicholsoni hararensis________ 


Anthus gouldii turneri__________-_- 


Anthus gouldii omoensis-_-_-_-________- 
Anthus'rufogularis: = 222% 22222-2252 - 
Tmetothylacus tenellus_____________ 


Macronyx croceus croceuS________-_~_ 


Macronyx aurantiigula_____._______ 
Macronyx flavicollis._.._.....____- 
Pamily-Lanlidae? iO. 2222sss2sessese2 <2 


Banius exeubitor pallidirostris: += == 22+ 22222=s secu [ee _ LO 


Lanius collaris humeralis___________ 


Lanius cristatus phoenicuroides_-___ 


Ihanarius-tunebris funebris=2 42 a es SEI BO BO 
Lantariusfunebris:degeners ii. 222 2. SPOS SS! Bie eaey ee 


Laniarius ferrugineus aethiopicus_-___ 


Dryoscopus cubla hamatus-_-_--_-_---~ 
Dryoscopus gambensis erythreae____ 


Pomatorhynchus australis littoralis__ 


Dry oseopus pringliie:s 22225... 


Pomatorhynchus senegalus erythropterus________________________- 


Pomatorhynchus senegalus erlangeri-_ 


Fomatorhynchus.jamesi jamesie.. <2 22.2... eae oy Mela! 
Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus fricki__...._....2.._.--_---_22-2L-- 


Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus suaheli 


CUSS = S e e 


REG BRGT US AOMCEUY Iss IN PS Oe oo a SE A aS Bete 
Malaconotus poliocephalus approximans_______---------_--------- 


Malaconotus poliocephalus schoanus_ 
Rhodophoneus cruentus cruentus____ 


Rhodophoneus cruentus hilgerti____ - 


Nieator chloris gularis.......-..=2=- 
family, hrionopidae: sao. ticeotge 


Prionops poliocephalus poliocephalus_____________--_------------- 


Prionops cristata cristata__________- 
Prionops cristata melanoptera__-_--___ 
Sigmodus retzii graculinus__________ 


Hurseephalus rippellirippelli i. 2 he SR ee 
Hurevephalus-rippelli-erlangert 22294221... a ok Aeon eS 


Nilaus: brubruvminor eeu see eee. 
Mami yuSturmMdaesess 22200222 cece eee 
Creatophora cinerea________-__--_-_- 
Cinnyricinclus leucogaster friedmanni 


VII 


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VIII BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Family Sturnidae—Continued. Page 
Cinnyricinclus leucogaster lauragrayae.-—_—.. — sep - Soe Ese 331 
Pholisssharpilo. =. S2oe2 s e- ee ee te ae See tee 332 
Speculipastor: bicolor... 2 =. 12 ete ee ake aoe eee 332 
Lamprocolius chalybeus chalybeus.=-_.---—--- -saf2=t =22t se eee 333 
Lamprocolius splendidus splendidus=-—_ —-2-2-2-2. 55-0 -ee See 334 
Lamprotornis purpuropterus purpuropterus_~-_--.---------------- 334 
Cosmopsaris. rerius mapniics. = -- 2-2 pete he ee 336 
Onychognathus walleri walleri_o-.- =~ oo 22-2. ete shen See eet 338 
Onychoenathusimorio nuppelliie 2a. 2 = 22a ae ee eee 340 
Ony.chornathus!tenuirostris= == —ee ao — ae ee ee ee 340 
Galeopsanr salvadorile2 22.222 oe oe eae 342 
Spreo.snellevis 2222 oa SL = eee eee ee 343 
SpreoiUpeEbUsss— oon eee LL Sal a so epee ieee aia a Sate pees 344 
Buphagus erythrorynchus erythrorynchus- -----.2+-+---+--.-+----+-- 345 
Buphagus erythrorynchus caffer:..-...1-__-.- 5 eee 346 

BeMibyeNGCLASINUCRe 23 = oe bee eee eee a eee eS ae eee ae 346 
Nectarinia tacazze....--.--- 2222-22. caldera eee wee 346 
Nectarinia kilimensis kilimensis_..—. -...- =~ - st/ssese4 sie efee Sate 347 
Nectarinia; pulchella, lucidipectuss2 == — = 2 eae ee See eee 348 
Nectarinia melanogastra nectarinoides_~------__----_-= a =se  oaee 350 
Nectarinia reichenowi_-~. -.-.[5 2.2222 .5--. 252 peleplee aoe 351 
Cinnyris habessinicus habessinicus. —. - < fesse) ae ete See 352 
Cinnyris mariquensis sushelicus. ... 24. _ 2) sunt eee ee ee 354 
Cinnyris mariquensis osiris=_._- = . 22-4 SS ee i eae ake 355 
Cinnyris venustus blicki_ 2.2222 2~_ - etae oie ee eeente 356 
Cinnyris venustus fazoglensis... =... ..___.. seems ste be acess 360 
Cinnyris venustus falkensteini_- —__ .. .-2eetenpites 4a ee ee Oe eet 360 
Cinnyris|medioeris medioeris. 22. _ | 320-1 eel ee pena 361 
Cinnyris reichenowi reichenowi_. — 7 _ — sj) sffyee oo te ee 362 
Chalcomitra senegalensis lamperti-._.__...2_.-_._ 9% ee ee eeee 363 
Chalcomitra Ihumtert. 1.5 atthe ad ey ae eee ee 364 
Chalcomitra cruentata. <2 Sept b ope ht eges py fa byl sah ce eyes 365 
Cyanomitra olivaces ragazzil. . <del ol eee ee bey eee ey 366 
Anthreptes collaris ugandae._....__ =... -a5ee Seat Geel ae 367 
Anthreptes orientalis orientalis. _ __ i602) 2s) fore el bee a ee 367 

Maimily Zosteropidaes =o.) 22. Ae tg eves cu dann ns Sle see ere 369 
Zosterops senegalensis frickt.. (2. = rege suet 369 
Zosterops senegalensis jubaensis..< 2-2 2+ 224 wed etesse lose basses 370 
Zosterops virens' kikuyuensis._- _ ~~ ss as44e oredr tines bebe nen pts 371 
Zosterops abyssinicus abyssinicus____ sen tennes sosgeuee sy54ocee 374 
Zosterops. peliogaster= 222 oo ke Beet ed eee a esl eis 374 

Bamily, Ploceidaesses42.20 oe ee el 5 eli wen ila eee 376 
Bubaloruis albirostris intermeditig. 2! 23-2 a ae 376 
Dinemellia dinemelli dinemelli_____2/eeesotbes eo Ue deeme as gees 377 
Plocepasser mahali melanorhynehus____..__ __ setae: stebdes geeed 379 
Plocepasser donaldsoni-.-. 5... - . een eeine bp daien moet 381 
Pseudonigrita arnaudi kapitensis__.\__ =... -4uateeaen feds eeecer 383 
Pseudonigrita cabanisi. 5... je tees Sede tala 385 
Passer iagoensis rufocinetus__.___.. enw otia Miah selene 386 
Passer castanopterus fuleens_...-- 22. aes poe eee 387 
IPASSEr -OTISCUS. SWINSON. {2500222 389 
Passer gonponensis.. =. 2. 2 ee eee 390 


porella eminibey_........_..-... geeneeeitl salohernrie! pide 392 


CONTENTS IX 


Family Ploceidae—Continued. Page 
Gymnoris pyrgita (Ey ieibenes aes eee ee Oe ne 393 
Gymnoris pyrgita massaica------------------------------>7-77>- 394 
Sporopipes frontalis cinerascens-- -- ~~ -- -----------=--------7=-"7- 395 
Ploceus reichenowi reichenowi-.-- -------------------------------- 397 
RIO ce AMICK 22 ee ee ee a 397 
Ploceus baglafecht baglafecht -- - -------------------------------- 399 
Ploceus emini-eminis eee eee ee ee ee 400 
Ploceus Iuteolus luteoluss-2= == += S22 - ~~ 401 
Ploceus intermedius intermedius- -------------------------------- 402 
Ploceus -vitellinus; uwluensis====- 22_22---= === -- ----- --- ane 403 
Ploceus cucullatus abyssinicus----------------------------------- 406 
Ploceus rubiginosus rubiginosus- - - - --- -------------------7777-7- 407 
Ploceus ocularius abayensis------------------------------7-77-77 408 
Ploceus nigricollis melanoxanthus-------------------------------- 409 
Pl aceusnae vinnie ee ee ee ee a 410 
Pivcenssedlbularas cw ee Se Sao ay ee 411 
Amblyospiza albifrons montana- - ----------------------7777757>> 412 
Woaplectesimelanotis=.-=---2 === — 2 <- —= = e 414 
Quelea quelea aethiopica - - - --=---------=---=- === 52595 415 
Quelea cardinalis pallida_-------------------------------777777-> 418 
Euplectes hordeacea craspedoptera--------------------->77>> 75777" 420 
Euplectes franciscana pusilla_-------------------------7777500777 422 
Euplectes capensis xanthomelas- - - ----------------------77777--~ 423 
Euplectes capensis kilimensis----------------------------77777777 427 
Urobrachya axillaris traversii-_- ------------------------7777777> 428 
Coliuspasser albonotatus eques-------------------- nae cee cuueee, i428 
Coliuspasser ardens suahelica_._-------------------------777 70777 430 
Drepanoplectes jacksonio. 2.2222 =-— = ——- 9 =a Pe a5 a) ay 432 
Spermestes cucullatus scutatus-------------------=----70 7775 432 
Wuodice cantans meridionalis__«_ 2. — == == + <== = 5 434 
Quanhospiza Gamicepa. 222.2024 s2- 9-22 22 oe oo ae 436 
Aqnadina fasciata,alexanderl..-~.------- = - === === 555-5 437 
Pryparpostiveopuitaiis 22222 ———- = --3--- =) eas oo 438 
ferritin athena ge ene pers hee a eS Se a ee 439 
Pytilia melba soudanensis._.-----------------------7--7 77-0700 440 
Lagonosticta rubricata Thodoparcla.s.-4--=—-<===—=-—=-=Ssayeus ae 443 
Lagonosticta senegala brunneiceps- --------------------= == >>> 77> 445 
Lagonosticta senegala abayensis-----------------=----->7->> 7-77" 447 
Lagonosticta senegala kikuyuensis---------------------->7 >>> 777> 447 
Coccopygia melanotis quartinia_-----------------------777-57-077 448 
Ratnida astrild minOR ss soe = ee See ean Bip 449 
Hetnide asimid peacels 2b) oa Sao hae oo ee pees 451 
Estrilda rhodopyga rhodopyga------------------------7>7 7777777 451 
Estrilda rhodopyga centralis.__-----------=-------=--7--777 00-77 452 
Estrilda paludicola ochrogaster-----------------------777775770777 452 
Estrilda charmosyna charmosyna-----------------------777777777 453 
Uraeginthus bengalus schoanus----------------------7 775007" 455 
Uraeginthus bengalus brunneigularis--.---- --------==-------7=7-- 457 
Granatina ianthinogaster ianthinogaster------------------------~~ 457 
Granatina ianthinogaster ugandae- ----------------------77--7777 458 
Ore In CrOUEN Ss ee aoe ea ena on Bee 460 

463 


Winter ny RechennAe = Se se aoe ero 


x BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Family Ploceidae—Continued. Page 
Wide ipCWerian <tc nile) Sue crease ete 2 2 ee ee Sa Leas ee 464 
DTC AMUER MOAFAGICRCR eS). 055 2 ok) ek a ec ae 464 
amily hrinpilli dae i cbse Sais 2 ae Se ea Rear a ee Ray fie ae 465 
SELINUSKC OLSOSLLIAUUS HAA CULICO) ITS ae = seer see yee age ek ee ee ee 465 
DOLiNnUsefisvivienve kell awl Vier te Xie es epee yee a ee 467 
IROMOSPIZApULISUTIALA ULISCLIAtA see se oe le 1S ge eRe ee 468 
Ponospiza.atrogularis FeICheMOW!= <2 68 2 es 469 
IRONOSPIZABETIOAtATBUTIOLS UA ae a he ee 471 
ianurecus kilrmensis: kiimensis.. 2 2 de i ee 473 
Spinusicitrinelloides citrinelloidese a= = oe ee ee ee 474 
DIOL BIMIETICO DAM eons Seba oir 3 ok ee ee a BL pe 475 
IMD CRIZ Ap OO DI CURA es sis eer eo ee, ie le Rl eee pee ac 475 
Pani Derize ynOruulane oe ols oe Te eek 477 
ENN UNL RTT te GEE IST GN SR NS Bice ne ce ey 477 
Bri gil Ari systrlole tals Sa LUE U1 Te ee eee ee 478 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


TEXT FIGURES 


Figure Page 
1. Vegetation map of northeastern Africa_._._.______________________- 10 
2. Annual rainfall map of northeastern Africa.______________________-_ 11 
oo puna aread Of NOrimeasterm Airica. ou. 2 bo be ek ee 13 
A Digiripucion of Mrrajra poectlosterna... .. --._.. =. 2 2 es 26 
bo Distripwiion.et Hremopterys leucottsy + -. 22 ek 33 
SapMistitouiion of Ortoles monacha. 265205 2 ee 67 
7. Outermost rectrices of five specimens of Oriolus monacha permistus to 

show variation, with a figure of the same feathers of O. m. monacha for 

COMPATISO Mss ear se pe ee, Ss he eh a de a Nee a seo Bat cue ge 68 
See Misi i tOnsotemarseni Gen saan oe eee a a 86 
Distribution ot Turdoides leucopygia..... 2. 2 2 2 Le 91 

ie Distribution of Fyenonorus dodsont. = 22520 ee 107 

ie Distribution Ofelycnonoeius Oarvatuss 2 = ee eee 113 

ha Distribution of, Lurduslbonyanus 2.403. ee jak kk a ee es 125 

Teas ributioniOL SO yiietia anyttt. fo Ne ke oe 9 oe eS 182 

14, ‘Distribution of Hremomela griseoflava...-._.._-.-..-2.---2-se_-- 187 

15. Distribution of Camaropiera brevicaudata._.___.+.._-.--------------- 192 

16. Right outermost rectrix of Lanius excubitorius intercedens to show varia- 

iLO TAS tee sae: Ws APES No LESS ate STEM he Sei TR bs Le AR 272 

17. Distribution of Pomatorhynchus senegalus________--_--------------- 295 

LS. eistribution Of Domatorhynchus jamest. 202. 22k seen ates 300 

'9:) Distribuion-or,Onychognathue wallert 2... 0). 2... 4-22-2224 2-2 339 

BOs isimousienion Cmmyres VEnUstUs.. 2 8 oa ee ee 358 

Zia Distribution, or Zosteropes virens 0-8 S22 bt eek 372 

@25 Distribution Of seuaontprite arnaudi. 20 56 Ped 384 

250 DistEipUuLioM OLS porepipes frontalis_.. = 22 2-06 pee da eeu eget 396 

24. Heads of males of Ploceus luteolus luteolus to show variation in extent of 

PIG TOR eke lenis Oe tet) eee Ne tae es Lo a ee ee ee 402 

25. Distribution of Amblyospiza albtfrons— = =. 5-2 sees 413 

26. sDistributioniol @welea cardinalise= 22-2 22 es ee ee 419 

Jie Distribution et ru plectes capensis 2 5. 2251 2s 0uol ee ee Sake 424 

28. Relative dimensions of the tail of Euplectes capensis canthomelas and E. 

TL ENEEGIRES ae Pe a ey A SM eek Dh oe et 426 

20: Distribution Of Lagonosticta: senegala.... 2. = 3 se es 446 

Bue WIStributionuol Psi uaG Bstria. 2-2 wa bo Ss eS eee 450 

PLATES 

Plate 

fhenmck a weaver (Plecéus jrickt) 22222528 2st ens) Shoe be Frontispiece 
Following Page 

2. Thick-billed raven (Corvultur crassirostris) and pied crow (Corvus albus) 

3. Ravens and vultures; colony of weaverbirds’ nests - ----_-_---------- 479 

fe two wews in tie Arussi Highlands. -.-—.2...2.-2--.+.=.=-=---=-- 479 


XII BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Plate Following Page 
Sel wo VIEWA IM OO AMOu se =a eae ee eel wee Se Re ok ee ane 479 
GaNear sagon iver, (uower boOran.=- 2 --.5.! ee es ay eee 479 
fee WOMVIC WH AN DORAN 222 5 ee ee Oe en Se oe ee ee ee 479 
Sten WwomMieCwsull OLN o 2s uta. ok te See oe Ue Du ee ee 479 
9. East of Mount Chilalo; Mount Kaka region_-_-_..-.-------------- 479 
10. Waterfall near Hawash Station; acacia grove near Hawash Station_--__ 479 
itmVetlevaolawebiionebelli. 2. 2. a Sere SP a ee eee 479 
i2eHastishorevof lake WRudolt 22s. ges Jyoe hee OS ee ee aes 479 
LjmeNoruhern: Guaso INyiro Rivers.= 2222 so 5 522 ols oes eo 479 


14. View looking south from Northern Guaso Nyiro River________--_-_- 479 


BIRDS COLLECTED BY THE CHILDS FRICK EXPE- 
DITION TO ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 


Part 2.—PASSERES 


By Hersert FrmpMann 


Curator, Division of Birds, United States National Museum 


INTRODUCTION 


THE Two VOLUMES comprising this report on the ornithological 
work of the Childs Frick expedition may be looked upon as a memo- 
rial to the late Dr. Edgar Alexander Mearns, to whose untiring energy 
and unflagging zeal is due the great bulk of the material collected. 
Dr. Mearns was in rather poor health when he joined the Frick 
expedition, and he was urged on by the desire to add to the collections 
he had amassed the previous year when with Colonel Roosevelt in 
Kenya Colony, Uganda, and the Sudan, thereby to enable him to make 
a more thorough contribution to African ornithology. The vast 
number of specimens he gathered together during the course of the 
Frick expedition would have been greatly to the credit of a collector 
in the prime of health to say nothing of one in Mearns’s physical 
condition. Probably no more indefatigable collector ever roamed on 
African soil. When one realizes that the actual time the Frick 
expedition was in Africa was less than 10 months and that the party 
was almost constantly on the move, the fact that Mearns collected 
approximately 5,200 birds besides a number of nests and eggs, and 
filled a number of notebooks with observational data, reveals in an 
unmistakable way his great ardor, diligence, and industry. 

For the photographs reproduced in this volume I am greatly in- 
debted to Dr. W. H. Osgood, of the Field Museum of Natural His- 
tory, who has kindly allowed me to use pictures taken by him and his 
associates, Alfred M. Bailey and J. C. Albrecht, during the Field 
Museum’s Daily News expedition to Ethiopia. To A. B. Fuller, of 
the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, I am indebted for the 
north Kenyan photographs (pls. 12-14). 

For loan of material for comparative studies I am indebted to the 
authorities of the American Museum of Natural History, the Museum 
of Comparative Zoology, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phila- 
delphia, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Cleveland 


Museum of Natural History. 
1 


a BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The manuscript of the present volume was completed in January 
1932. In October 1936 it was revised as far as more recent literature 
required, but it was found necessary to hold such revisions to the 
minimum, for it was not possible to restudy the whole collection, and 
furthermore a number of important papers were not available at the 
time. 

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS 


Results —Because of the unfortunately premature death of Doctor 
Mearns, the materials he collected were left unworked for a consid- 
erable number of years, during which time many birds present in his 
collection were described elsewhere. In tabulating the results of the 
expedition, I have included as forms new to science only those species 
and subspecies described from this collection by Mearns or others 
that are considered valid at the time of the present writing. 


FORMS NEW TO SCIENCE 


Francolinus africanus friedmanni. Sylvietta whytii abayensis. 
Stephanibyx coronatus suspicax. Cisticola chiniana bodessa. 
Rhinoptilus africanus raffertyi. Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus fricki. 
Otus senegalensis caecus. Cinnyricinclus leucogaster friedmanni. 
Mirafra pulpa. Cinnyris venustus blicki. 

Mirafra candida. Zosterops senegalensis fricki. 

Parus afer fricki. Passer castanopterus fulgens. 
Phyllastrephus cerviniventris lénnbergi. | Ploceus fricki. 

Andropadus insularis fricki. Quelea cardinalis pallida. 
Bradypterus alfredi fraterculus. Euodice cantans meridionalis. 


Besides these a good number of other birds were described from 
other sources in connection with the study of the Frick expedition 
material, and a larger number were named by Mearns from the collec- 
tions made by the Smithsonian African expedition under the late 


Colonel Roosevelt. A report upon this important expedition is now 
in manuscript. 


BIRDS RECORDED FOR THE FIRST TIME FROM ETHIOPIA 


Melierax metabates neumanni. Indicator minor erlangeri. 
Stephanibyx coronatus suspicax. Mirafra pulpa. 

Rhinoptilus africanus raffertyi. Mirafra albicauda. 

Pterocles senegalensis somalicus. Parus afer fricki. we 
Streptopelia capicola somalica. Luscinia megarhyncha africana. 
Streptopelia roseogrisea arabica. Sylvietta whytii abayensis. 
Clamator jacobinus hypopinarus. Cisticola chiniana bodessa. 

Clamator serratus serratus. Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus fricki. 
Otus senegalensis caecus. Cinnyris venustus blicki. 

Carine noctua somaliensis. Passer castanopterus fulgens. 
Oypsiurus paryus myochrous. Gymnoris pyrgita massaica. 


Trachyphonus erythrocephalus jack-| Ploceus fricki. 
soni. Odontospiza caniceps. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 3 


BIRDS RECORDED FOR THE FIRST TIME FROM KENYA COLONY 


Aquila verreauxi. 

Clamator jacobinus hypopinarus. 
Otus senegalensis caecus. 

Indicator variegatus jubaensis. 
Indicator minor erlangeri. 

Mirafra candida. 

Hirundo rufula melanocrissa. 
Phyllastrephus cerviniventris lénnbergi. 


Andropadus insularis fricki. 
Bradypterus alfredi fraterculus. 
Prionops cristata melanoptera. 
Cinnyris venustus blicki. 
Zosterops senegalensis fricki. 
Passer castanopterus fulgens. 
Quelea cardinalis pallida. 


BIRDS RECORDED FOR THE FIRST TIME FROM FRENCH SOMALILAND 


Pisobia minuta. 
Glottis nebularia. 


Haleyon leucocephala hyacinthina (specimen recorded in this report, but not 


collected by the Frick expedition). 


EXTENSIONS OF RANGH, NOT INVOLVING ADDITIONS TO THH FAUNA OF ANY OF THE 


THREE COUNTRIES DEALT WITH ABOVE. 


(THE EXTENSIONS OF RANGE VARY FROM 


SMALL TO GREAT ONES, BUT ALL ARE DEFINITELY NEW LIMITS FOR THE FORMS IN 


QUESTION) 


Ardeola ralloides. 

Torgos tracheliotus nubicus. 
Acryllium vulturinum, 

Rougetius rougetii. 

Choriotis arabs arabs. 

Choriotis. kori struthiunculus. 
Stephanibyx lugubris. 
Hremialector lichtensteinii hyperythrus. 
Tympanistria tympanistria fraseri. 
Gymnoschizorhis personata. 
Caprimulgus stellatus simplex. 
Halcyon pallidiventris. 
Melittophagus revoilii. 
Phoeniculus purpureus marwitzi. 
Phoeniculus purpureus niloticus. 
Prodotiscus regulus peasei. 
Parus afer barakae. 

Parus niger lacuum. 
Anthoscopus caroli rothschildi. 
Turdoides leucopygia omoensis. 
Argya aylmeri aylmeri. 
Phyllastrephus strepitans. 


Turdus tephronotus. 

Cercomela dubia. 

Pogonocichla margaritata keniensis. 
Cercotrichas podobe podobe. 
Bradypterus brachypterus abyssinicus. 
Eremomela griseoflava abdominalis. 
Cisticola aridula lavendulae. 
Hypodes cinereus kikuyuensis. 
Macronyx aurantiigula. 

Dryoscopus pringlii. 
Pomatorhynchus australis littoralis. 
Speculipastor bicolor. 
Onychognathus walleri walleri. 
Nectarinia reichenowi. 

Chalecomitra cruentata. 

Sorella eminibey. 

Ploceus bojeri. 

Euplectes capensis kilimensis. 
Pytilia afra. 

Estrilda paludicola ochrogaster. 
Linurgus kilimensis kilimensis. 
Fringillaria striolata saturatior. 


ZOOGEOGRAPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 


Lénnberg! has amassed a considerable array of evidence indi- 
cating that in the past, probably during the Miocene, the African 
Continent was covered with a great unbroken forest, which extended 
over practically the whole continent with the probable exception 
of South Africa. The present lowland wooded areas are taken to 


1 Arkiv fér Zool., vol. 21A, no. 4, pp. 1-338, 1929. 


4° BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


be surviving pieces of this former forest, and the vast expanse of 
steppe and savannah country that now occupies so much of eastern 
Africa, to say nothing of the true deserts in the Kalahari and 
Sahara, are considered as much more recent in origin than the low- 
land forests. In other words, vast stretches of wooded land became 
drier and the trees gave way to the more arid vegetation of the 
savannahs. With this tremendous ecological change in the flora came 
an equally marked change in the fauna. As Lénnberg (pp. 18, 14) 
remarks— 

* * * 9 certain number of forest animals were able to survive and more 
or less accommodate themselves to a life on the steppe, since the forests had 
been destroyed. The steppe fauna would, however, have been very poor in- 
deed, if an invasion from abroad had not taken place. Recent discoveries 
have also revealed that such an invasion began already in Pliocene. * * #* 
Thus quite a new fauna including many members typically adapted to lead a 
life on a steppe had made its appearance on the African soil. 

The question then arises from where did it come? Certainly from the north- 
east and north, because through upheaval Africa now had become broadly con- 
nected with Asia and secondarily also with Europe. At Pikermi in Greece, 
on Samos and in the Siwalik Hills in Northern India and other places have 
been found great quantities of fossils, * * * among them many mammals, 
which stand in close relationship to the African steppe fauna, as giraffes, 
antelopes, horses, ete. The new African fauna has thus without doubt come 
about this way. 

In other words, the fauna that flourished in the steppes of central 
and south-central Asia during the Pliocene is very similar to the 
present-day life of the east African plains. When the connection be- 
tween Africa and Asia by means of Asia Minor and Arabia was es- 
tablished, a fully developed savannah and steppe fauna was ready to 
spread over the open country of Africa at once. The exodus from 
the Asiatic steppes to the African grasslands was probably a very 
rapid one and one of a magnitude without a parallel in other regions 
of the world. 


Thus arrived the ancestors of all those mammals, that we regard as typi- 
cal for the African steppe, as antelopes, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, rhinocer- 


oses (of modern type), * * * hyenas and a lot of other carnivorous 
mammals. 


This new fauna consisted, however, not only of mammals but also of birds 
and reptiles ete., which, although they now * * * are regarded as typical 
Africans, in reality originated from Asia. 

Thus, we have fossil evidence of ostriches in Mongolia (Struthio- 
lithus) and a living form in the Arabian—Syrian desert, linking up 
with the well-known ostriches of the African plains. There could 
have been no ostriches in Africa before the forest gave way to the 
grasslands, and the Mongolian fossil form is of the same age as the 
transcontinental African forest. Therefore, it is clear that the os- 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 5 


trich must be regarded as originally Asiatic and only secondarily 
African. As the large mammals of the steppes poured into Africa 
with the attendant swarms of carnivores preying on them, the vul- 
tures probably followed them from Asia. The marabou stork (Lep- 
toptilus) probably did likewise. In fact, many families of birds, 
such as larks, pipits, and many of the finches, must have come into 
Africa after the drying up had eliminated much of the forest that 
originally covered the continent. This same reasoning could simi- 
larly be applied to the cranes, bustards, sandgrouse, and other groups. 

The presence of a number of essentially Oriental types of birds 
(such as Smithornis, Pseudocalypiomena, Pitta, and Pseudochelidon) 
in the forests of west Africa, and likewise of a number of mammals 
of Indian or Malayan affinities, suggests that there must have been a 
connection between the primitive African continental forest and the 
woods of southern Asia. The drying up of eastern Africa with the 
resulting disappearance of the forest there accounts for the fact that 
these forms are now so widely isolated. The evidence, briefly touched 
on in the preceding paragraphs, indicates that once the African Con- 
tinent started drying up (fossil trees in present desert regions are 
good evidence of drying) and began to be a land of limitless plains, 
the path by which much of the ies now flourishing there came to 
enter it was by way of northeastern Africa, that is, the Somali- 
Ethiopian region. 

The general region of immediate interest to us is then one that 
must be looked upon in two ways—as the original home of a num- 
ber of birds, and as the area through which passed a far greater 
number of forms now found to the southward. Some of these latter 
birds remained, others went on; some probably were changed, others 
not, during their sojourn in Ethiopia. 

A very striking point that can not be satisfactorily explained in 
the light of present knowledge is the number of genera of birds 
found in northeastern Africa and in South Africa and not in be- 
tween. All are lowland, or semilowland, forms, chiefly larks of the 
genera Heteromirafra, Certhilauda, and Spizocorys, although one 
is a ralline genus, Coturnicops, and one is a group of bustards, Heter- 
otetrax. Yn addition to these, three other genera are found in Medi- 
terranean Africa, or Eurasia, as well as in northeast and southern 
Africa—Geronticus (including Comatibis), Gyps, and Ammomanes. 
Of these, Geronticus and Gyps are denizens of the higher parts of 
the mountains; Ammomanes occurs lower down. These cases are not 
comparable to the larger number of species or genera that range 
trom Eritrea to South Africa, including the intermediate areas of 
eastern Africa, they are all cases involving an enormous geographical 
break or gap. Their sheer number, especially in a single family like 

106220—372 


6 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


the larks, indicates that they are not mere coincidences, but must be 
the results of similar distributional complexes. What their true 
significance may be is unknown as yet. 

Bannerman ? writes that there are some rather striking similarities 
in the bird fauna of the Cameroon—Nigerian mountains and those 
of Shoa, more than 1,700 miles distant. Here, however, we find no 
genera restricted only to these two areas, and hence we may con- 
clude that the faunal relationships may be less ancient and profound 
than those existing between northeastern Africa and South Africa. 

If we may consider the number of forms found in northeastern 
Africa and extending southward through eastern Africa as opposed 
to those ranging westward to the Upper Guinean savannahs as a 
criterion of the trend of the dispersal of the savannah and steppe 
birds, we find that the great majority went southward and not west- 
ward. The birds of the Upper Guinean savannahs seem to have been 
derived as much from Mediterranean Africa as from the northeastern 
part of the continent. Some forms occur in both the Sudanese and 
the eastern African grasslands, but this is probably due to subse- 
quent dispersal after their arrival in Africa. Among forms the 
ancestors of which went westward and not southward from north- 
eastern Africa may be mentioned the ground hornbill (Buceros 
abyssinicus), the parakeet (Psittacula krameri), the roller (Coracias 
abyssinicus), and the chat (Oenanthe bottae). Among the many 
forms that spread southward and not westward were the ancestors 
of such birds as Francolinus sephaena, Francolinus africanus, Strep- 
topelia capicola, Lophoceros melanoleucos, Mirafra africanoides, An- 
thus nicholsoni, and Turdus olivaceus. 

Our knowledge of the topographic history of northeastern Africa 
is still too fragmentary and uncertain to enable us to attempt a 
space-time analysis of the dispersal of the birds found there and in 
adjacent areas, and we must therefore limit ourselves to a descriptive 
account of the present distributional facts. We may begin by stating 
that the faunal areas laid down by Chapin * have been found to hold, 
and no reasons have been unearthed for making any serious altera- 
tions in his map. The collections gathered by the Frick expedition 
were made principally in two faunal areas—the Somali Arid and 
the Abyssinian Highland. Each of these is further subdivided, as 
will be seen later. For the sake of completeness, however, we may in- 
clude in our discussion the eastern extension of the Sudanese Arid belt 
(the North Somali region of Neumann, Erlanger, and others) as well. 
Inasmuch as only a small number of specimens (and species) were 
obtained in the East African Highland region, we need not concern 


? The birds of Tropical West Africa, etc., vol. 1, p. xli, 1930. 
* Amer. Nat., vol. 57, pp. 106-125, 1923. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 7 


ourselves with it, especially as it has been the subject of much study 
by van Someren and others. 

1. The eastern extension of the Sudanese Arid region covers all but 
the highlands of Eritrea and adjacent parts of northeastern Ethiopia 
and of northern French Somaliland. Faunally, it is differentiated 
by the presence of several palearctic forms, especially among the larks 
(Galerida, Alaemon, etc.), and the rufous warbler (Agrobates galac- 
totes). Although generally arid and consequently poor in vegetation 
the region is not uniformly so, as more luxuriant growths of euphor- 
bias occur along the banks of the periodic streams. (Pl. 11.) Accord- 
ing to Zedlitz,* the coastal belt of Eritrea and the Danakil lowlands 
have their rains in winter, while the highlands get their precipitation 
during summer. Zedlitz considers the coastal lowland belt a distinct 
faunal zone, which may be looked upon as a subdivision of the Su- 
danese Arid. 

2. The Somali Arid. This region takes in practically all of French, 
British, and Italian Somililand (except the extreme northern tip 
of French Somaliland and the highlands of British Somaliland), the 
eastern part of the Hawash Valley (pl. 10), Gallaland and southern 
Boran (pls. 5-8), the northern half or so of Kenya Colony, and most 
of northeastern Uganda. On the whole, it may be characterized as a 
dry acacia and mimosa country, with considerable barren stretches re- 
lieved by more luxuriant growths of such plants as euphorbias along 
the banks of the seasonal rivers. It is described by Erlanger ® as a 
series of terraces. As one goes successivly higher and away from the 
sea, especially in the northern part of this region (castern Hawash, 
French Somaliland, etc.), one finds more and more of a truly African 
fauna and less of a palearctic tinge. 

Roughly the Somali Arid may be divided into two subregions— 
a Northern Somali and a Southern Somali. The former may be 
limited in a southward direction at approximately the southern bor- 
der of British Somaliland. The latter subregion is relatively flatter, 
less a series of sharp, abrupt terraces than the former, but both are 
varied ecologically, as may be seen from the vegetation map. Along 
the coast both are covered with desert scrub and desert grass, while 
in the interior they are largely acacia-desert grass savannahs, in- 
terrupted by strips of thorn forest along the stream banks. The 
annual rainfall increases from less than 10 inches on the coast to 
nearly 20 inches in the interior. 

Some of the birds characteristic of the Northern Somali region 
are as follows: 


Buteo rufofuscus archeri. Neotis heuglini. 
Heterotetrax humilis. Cursorius cursor somaliensis. 


‘ Journ. fiir Orn., 1910, p. 292. 
5 Ber. Senck. Naturf. Ges,, 1902, pp. 15%-170. 


8 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Eremialector lichtensteinii abessinicus. ; Apalis flavida viridiceps. 


Streptopelia decipiens griseiventris. Eremomela griseoflava archeri. 
Streptopelia capicola hilgerti. Prinia somalica somalica. 
Carine noctua somaliensis. EKurocephalus ruppelli erlangeri. 
Mirafra sharpei. Lanius antinorii antinorii. 
Parisoma leucomelaena somaliensis. Rhodophoneus cruentus cruentus. 
Cercomela melanura lypura. Onychognathus blythii. 


A few comparable forms typical of the Southern Somali area are: 


Francolinus sephaena jubaensis. EHremomela griseoflava flavicrissalis. 
Hupodotis canicollis somaliensis. Prinia somalica erlangeri. 
Cursorius cursor littoralis. Hurocephalus rueppelli deckeni. 
Eremialector lichtensteinii hyperythrus. | Nilaus brubru minor. 
Streptopelia decipiens elegans. Lanius dorsalis. 

Streptopelia capicola somalica. Lanius somalicus mauritii. 
Streptopelia reichenowi. Laniarius ruficeps. 

Mirafra collaris. Pomatorhynchus jamesi. 
Anthus nicholsoni nivescens. Rhodophoneus cruentus hilgerti. 
Bradornis bafirawari. Cosmopsaris regius. 
Erythropygia hamertoni. Galeopsar salvadorii. 


Apalis flavida malensis. 


3. The Abyssinian Highland Area. This comprises the largest 
highland area in Africa, and, as far as the very meager geological 
data indicate, the oldest mountainous area in the continent. It may 
be described roughly as a high plateau fringed and spotted with 
mountain ranges and broken into two parts by the faulting of the 
Rift Valley. Because of the abruptness of the escarpment on the 
north, west, and east, the highland region is unusually well defined 
geographically. The southern escarpment is less precipitous, but yet, 
readily mapped. The greatest altitudes are attained in the north 
where the Simien Mountains tower over 15,000 feet; the lowest alti- 
tudes are in the south where the hills of Sidamo and southern Shoa 
come to only a little over 4,000 feet. (PI. 4.) 

The mountainous masses in this area appear to be largely older than 
the Rift Valley, whereas in Kenya Colony and Tanganyika Terri- 
tory the high, more or less isolated peaks are younger than the Rift 
Valley, the faulting of which is, indeed, looked upon as one of the 
precipitating causes of their formation. The parts of the Rift Val- 
ley studied in the field by Gregory, Willis, and other investigators 
have been farther to the south—in Kenya Colony, Tanganyika Ter- 
ritory, and along the eastern border of the Belgian Congo, but the 
relatively few geologists who have made observations in Ethiopia 
seem convinced that the Rift cut the previously elevated highlands of 
Mesozoic age, and that the subsidence and inundation by lava of the 
Red Sea border land were contemporaneous with it. The valley of 
the Hawash River, which forms part of the Rift Valley, may serve 


°See J. W. Gregory’s excellent book, “The Great Rift Valley’, 1896. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 9 


as a typical section of it. It forms a troughlike valley about 3,000 
feet deep, a sheer cut in the elevated plateau of eastern Ethiopia. The 
eastern escarpment of the highlands in that region averages about 
7,500 feet in height. Just south of the Hawash a range of mountains, 
the Harrar highlands, extends eastward and was probably originally 
connected with the mountains of Yemen in southwestern Arabia. 

In the northern portion of the highlands is an extensive basin of 
lesser altitude. This depression contains Lake Tsana. The northern 
escarpment is deeply cut by narrow chasms of great depth and has, 
generally speaking, more abrupt, rugged peaks than the southern 
highlands, which are more lke tableland savannahs broken only here 
and there by deep gorges. 

The drainage systems of the highland region are as follows: By 
far the greatest portion of the territory drains into the Nile system, 
chiefly by means of three tributary rivers—the Taccazé in the north, 
the Sobat in the south, and the Blue Nile, or Abbai, in the middle. 
This takes care of the great northern mountains and plateau. Drain- 
age to the east is conducted by the Hawash River; to the southeast 
(into Gallaland) by the Webi Shebelli (pl. 11) and the Juba; while 
the waters of the southwestern corner of the highlands are carried by 
the Omo to Lake Rudolf (pl. 12). 

As far as vegetational features are concerned, a glance at the floral 
map (fig. 1) will show that the highlands north and west of the Rift 
Valley are largely mountain grasslands with intertwining strips of 
temperate rain forest, the actual escarpments being covered with 
thorn forest. The highlands to the south and east of the Rift Valley 
are covered with mountain grass only in their western parts, the 
eastern areas being largely acacia-tall grass savannahs; both broken 
by thorn forest and, in Arussi Gallaland (pl. 4), by temperate rain 
forest. The Rift Valley itself is largely covered with the acacia-tall 
grass association, although at its northern end it acquires a more arid, 
desert grass vegetation. 

On the whole, the climate is temperate, ranging from decidedly 
subtropical in the lower, southern areas to alpine in the very high 
localities. Some of the highest peaks of the Simien Range are said 
to retain some snow the year through. The rainfall is heavier than 
in the more arid lowlands of Somaliland and northern Kenya Colony, 
varying, according to region, from 20-30 to 60-70 inches a year. It 
is a rather remarkable fact, but the rainfall is consistently very 
definitely less in the Rift Valley than in the highlands on either 
side (fig. 2). 

The rainy season, roughly, may be said to last from the middle of 
June to the end of September, the rest of the year being fairly 
dry. There is, however, a period of lesser rains during March. The 
actual time of the start and finish of the rains varies somewhat in 


On the whole, the rains commence 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
and finish earlier in the north than in the south. 


different parts of the highlands. 


10 


THORN FOREST 
PAPYRUS SWAMP 





Gy DESERT SHRUB 











ACACIA - DESERT GRASS SAVANNAHS 


MOUNTAIN GRASSLANDS 
SAVANNAH WITH 
GALLERY FOREST 











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TROPICAL RAIN FOREST 


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FIGURE 1.—Vegetation map of northeastern Africa. 


In a general way the Abyssinian highlands may be divided into 
two main zoogeographic areas—that extending from the Hawash 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 11 


north to Bogosland and west to the Blue Nile, and south to the west 
of the Rift Valley to southern Shoa (pl.5) and the Omo basin; and that 
to the south of the Hawash and to the east of the Rift Valley extend- 
ing southeastward to the highlands of Arussi-Gallaland. The two re- 








o 100 200 = 3 00 SOOMILES 
- SCALE - 

FIGURE 2.—Annual rainfall map of northeastern Africa. 
1, O-10 inches. 5. 40-50 inches, 
2. 10-20 inches. 6. 50-60 inches. 
#, 20-80 inches. 7. 60-70 inches. 
4. 30-40 inches. 8. T0—80 inches. 


gions have most of their species in common, but the northern area has 
a number of birds not found to the south of the Hawash. Thus, such 
birds as Geronticus eremita, Bostrychia carunculata, Tylibyx% melano- 
cephala, Agapornis taranta, Lybius tsanae, and Pyrrhocorax pyr- 
rhocorax occur in the northern and not in the southern highlands. 


12 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


In the southern part of the northern highlands a large number of 
birds represented in the mountains of tropical Africa occur, making 
the avifauna there distinctive from that of northern Ethiopia, par- 
ticularly in the forested areas. Even as far south as Shoa, however, 
the forest fauna is poor in many avian elements, common farther to 
the south. ‘Thus, there are no pittas or broadbills. Among the bul- 
buls alone, so numerous in tropical Africa, we may note the absence of 
such genera as Arizelocichla, Stelgidillas, Atimastillas, Bleda, Char- 
itillas, Andropadus, Stelgidocichla, and Furillas. We may recall the 
absence of such typical mountain forest birds as Heterotrogon, Illa- 
dopsis, and Alethe, the lack of forest weavers of the subgenera Sym- 
plectes and Phormoplectes, of Nigrita and Spermophaga, of Linurgus 
among the finches; the paucity of caterpillar shrikes and of species 
of Apaliss (Pl. 25) 

Just as the northern and western highland area tends to become 
faunally different in different regions, so too we may note local 
changes in the southern and eastern Ethiopian highlands. Thus, the 
plateau and mountains of British Somaliland contain a number of 
birds not found in the Arussi-Galla highlands. As examples may be 
cited Francolinus castaneicollis ogoensis, Columba olivae, Turdus 
ludoviciae, Oenanthe phillipsi, Pycnonotus somaliensis, and Rhyn- 
chostruthus socotranus louisae. The last named is not so strictly a 
highland bird as the others, but it appears to occur at considerable 
elevations. Some birds characteristic of the Arussi-Galla highlands 
are Francolinus castaneicollis bottegi, Cercomela scotocerca enigma, 
Cercomela dubia, Pinarochroa sordida erlangeri, and Cossypha semi- 
vufa donaldsoni. In general, the Arussi-Galla highlands have rela- 
tively few endemic birds, as most of the forms found there also occur 
in Shoa and even farther west and north. The endemic forms range 
down to fairly low altitudes also. 

One feature of the altitudinal distribution of bird life in Ethiopia 
that stands out clearly is that far more lowland birds range high up 
the mountain slopes, up to 7,000 or 8,000 feet, than extend up to 4,500 
feet in more equatorial portions of the continent. Birds that reach 
their altitudinal limit at 4,000 feet in the mountains of Kenya Colony 
may occur as high as 7,000 feet in Arussi-Gallaland. The reason 
seems to be that in the Ethiopian highlands there is no dense band 
of tropical mountain forest encircling the higher mountains, and, 
consequently, there is no impassable ecological barrier to prevent the 
birds of the surrounding savannah lowlands from extending their 
ranges to relatively great heights. A direct consequence of this con- 
dition is the lack of any clear demarcation of life zones in the north- 
east African highlands. Thus, there are no bamboo zones or tropi- 
cal rain forest belts, but merely rather indefinite zones characterized 
as follows (fig. 3): 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 13 


1. An alpine-temperate zone, comparable to the paramo of Chap- 
man’s Andean terminology; a barren area above timber line and ex- 
tending to the snow level where such exists. This zone may roughly 
be placed at from 10,000 feet up to the snow line, but it must be re- 


LD 





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\ 


SV 


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— 


= 


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y/ 2 f i 


WSS eS TIEN R : 


RAK 
) 


RY 
\ ( Era 
\\ | 


Q___l00__200 300 _400 $00 mes 
- SCALE- 


Figure 3.—Faunal areas of northeastern Africa. 


1. Abyssinian Highland. 6. Sudanese Savannah. 
2. Somali Arid. 7. Ubangi Savannah. 

&. East African Arid. 8. Sudanese Arid. 

4. East African Highland. 9. Lewer Guinea Forest. 


5. Uganda-Unyoro. 


membered that there are some places, as in Arussi-Gallaland, where 
juniper forests extend beyond 10,000 feet, and which would not be 
included in the alpine zone. This zone is local and is fragmented 
over the map, as it involves only isolated areas here and there. It 
exists chiefly in northern Ethiopia, where perhaps its most character- 


14 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


istic birds are Gypaetus barbatus meridionalis, Pinarochroa sordida 
(several races), and Pyrrhocoraxy pyrrhocorax. 

2. A subtropical to almost semitemperate zone, which may be di- 
vided into two—a temperate-forest zone and a plateau-savannah 
zone. The forest zone is very local and, on a map, resembles a rather 
narrow circuitous line. It coincides with the temperate rain forest 
on the vegetation map. It exists chiefly in the northern-western high- 
lands and reappears in the Arussi country. The plateau savannah 
occurs on both sides of the Rift Valley but is much more extensive 
on, the western side, whence it reaches to the Eritrean border on the 
north and nearly to the Sudanese boundary on the east. 

Some birds characteristic of the temperate forest zone are: 


Aquila verreauxi. Turdus olivaceus abyssinicus. 
Kurystomus afer aethiopicus. Geokichla litsipsirupa simensis. 
Poicephalus flavifrons. Seicercus umbrovirens, 3 races in dif- 
Agapornis taranta (also in savannahs). ferent parts of Ethiopia (umbrovir- 


Pseudoalcippe abyssinicus abyssinicus. ens, erythreae, and omoensis). 


As already stated, the zonal forest birds are rather few in number. 
Birds typical of the plateau savannahs include the following: 


Bostrychia carunculata. Macronyx flavicollis. 
Cyanochen cyanopterus. Dioptrornis chocolatinus. 
Francolinus castaneicollis. Oenanthe lugubris. 
Francolinus africanus, several races. Corvultur crassirostris. 
Rougetius rougetii. Onycognathus morio riippellii. 
Lybius undatus. Ploceus baglafecht baglafecht. 
Lybius tsanae. Urobrachya axillaris traversii. 
Dendropicos abyssinicus. Spinus nigriceps. 


In the eastern part of the eastern highland district the altitudes 
are generally lower and the mountain grasses are largely replaced by 
tall grass savannahs. Here another group of birds is added to many 
of the above-mentioned species. Among these are: 


Turacus leucotis donaldsoni. Trachyphonus' erythrocephalus _ gal- 
Gymnoschizorhis personata. larum. 
Corythaixoides leucogaster. Galeopsar salvadorii. 


These forms also extend down into the lowlands of the southern 
Somali Arid zone. In other words, the eastern border of the Arussi- 
Galla highlands presents a mixture of highland and lowland species. 

Similarly in the southwestern portion of the Ethiopian highlands, 
in the Omo region, we find a strong mixture of west African birds 
together with typically Ethiopian ones. Zamprocolius glaucovirens 
and Agapornis pullaria may suffice to exemplify the western element 
present there. 

In the southern part of the Ethiopian portion of the Rift Valley 
is a chain of lakes, which attract great numbers of water birds, 
thereby changing the local aspect of the avifauna. Also a noticeable 
Somali element extends into the valley from Boran and northern 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 15 


Kenya Colony (pls. 13, 14), creating together with the highlands 
birds what is probably the richest fauna of any portion of Ethiopia. 

There is no well-defined lower limit to the subtropical zone, as the 
lowland fauna (tropical-arid) extends well up the mountainsides. 
The Shoan lake region and the tall grass savannahs of the eastern 
Galla highlands might be termed almost tropical, but they are ob- 
viously mixtures in their avifauna and not true zonal areas. 


Order PASSERIFORMES 
Family ALAUDIDAH, Larks 


MIRAFRA CANTILLANS MARGINATA Hawker 
Mirafra marginata Hawker, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 7, p. 55, 1898: Ugiagi, 
i. e., Ujawagi, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
8 adult females, 1 adult unsexed, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 4-12, 
1912. 
1 immature male, Mount Jebring, southeast of Lake Stefanie, Kenya 
Colony, May 14, 1912. 
1 immature male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 8, 1912. 
2 immature males, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 16, 1912. 
1 adult male, south end Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, Juiy 10, 1912. 
8 adult, 2 immature, males, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 
14-16, 1912. 

This species of bush lark is distributed from India west through 
northeastern Africa to Asben in the French Sahara. In the Ethio- 
pian region it breaks up into three races, as follows: 

1. M. c. simplex: Western and southwestern Arabia. 

2. M. c. marginata: The eastern Hawash Valley and eastern Galla- 
land south through Kenya Colony to the Serengeti Plains east of 
Mount Kilimanjaro and to Lake Magadi. 

3. M. c. chadensis: The Kassala Province of the Anglo-Egyptian 
Sudan west through Kordofan and Darfur to Lake Chad and to 
Asben. 

Of these three, the status of marginata is the least satisfactory. I 
am not at all convinced that it is different enough from the Arabian 
simplex to justify its recognition, but I have not sufficient material 
from Arabia to decide the point. On the whole, marginata has the 
pectoral streaks darker than simple. 

Zedlitz * has examined Hawker’s type and finds it to be a young 
bird. This, then, may account for its generally brownish tone. The 
present specimens from the Hawash River are distinctly grayish 
birds, not at all like the illustration ® of the type. They are all in 
worn plumage. 


TJourn. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 58. 
8 Ibis, 1899, p. 64, pl. 2, fig. 2. 


16 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Zedlitz considers cheniana, cantillans, and albicauda all conspecific, 
but this view can not be maintained. Jf. cheniana and its races have 
shorter, more bluntly conical bills than either M/. cantillans or M. 
albicauda. The last two can not be anything but distinct species, 
as they occur together throughout the range of the latter. J/. candida 
is a fourth species closely allied to these three. It is hard to under- 
stand how four species of the same subsection of a genus might evolve 
in the same general region, but we know so little of the habits of 
any of them that it is impossible even to begin to speculate. 

Erlanger ® found this lark very common in the steppes of the 
Danakil region and also in suitable places in southern Somaliland. 
It is more a bird of the bush country, less one of the open grasslands, 
than W/. fischeri. Erlanger found the species breeding in May and 
June. Thus, on May 3, at Karo-Lola in the Garre-Lewin country, 
southern Gallaland, he found a nest containing four eggs, partly 
incubated. On ane 20 he found a nest with two eggs at Filoa. 
He describes the eggs as being quite glossy and pale greenish white 
in ground color, speckled oe olive and olive-brown fiecks, eeeny 
around the large pole, and averaging 19 by 15 mm in size. 

Inasmuch as larks have but one complete annual molt a year (the 
postnuptial one), the fact that the present series, collected in Feb- 
ruary, are all in worn plumage shows that they were certainly not 
long through breeding, and may not have even started. 

The four birds from the Hawash River are so much grayer, less 
brown, above than the adults from Kenya Colony that at first I took 
them to represent another form, but I have seen similarly grayish 
birds from the Northern Guaso Nyiro River and from Lake Magadi, 
in the American Museum of Natural History, and am therefore forced 
to the conclusion that the difference, startling as it is, is wholly due to 
wear, the gray birds being much abraded, the brown ones freshly 
feathered. 

Jn this connection it may be noted that van Someren? records 
birds from Lake Magadi as a possible undescribed race, differing 
from marginata in being generally darker, especially on the crown, 
and in having the dorsal marks less streaky. As mentioned above, I 
have seen a typical example of marginata from Lake Magadi, and 
may add that one of the adults from the Indunumara Mountains 
is so unusually dark above that it looks more like a specimen of 
M. albicauda than of M. cantillans marginata. It differs from the 
former, however, in having brownish edges to the feathers of the 
dorsum and in having the white on the outer rectrices more restricted, 


® Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 43-44. 
10 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 178, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 1y¥ 


as in marginata. Zedlitz and others have commented on the great 
variability of the color characters of marginata. 

Young birds vary as well as adults. Thus, in the series of six 
immature specimens listed above, the crown feathers vary from 
black to dull rufous-brown, in both cases bordered terminally with 
tawny-buff; the upper back and back are predominantly grayish 
earth brown in one bird, tawny buffy brown in another; the pectoral 
streaks are very dark in some specimens and much paler in others. 

Van Someren 1° has recently recorded this lark from the Marsabit 
area where it was nesting in June and July. Other locality records 
given by him are Nyondo Crater, Chanlers Falls, Taveta, and 
Nakuru. 


MIRAFRA PULPA Friedmann 


Mirafra pulpa FRIEDMANN, Occ. Papers Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 5, p. 257, 
1930: Sagon River, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, May 19, 1912. 


This specimen is the type and only known example of this dis- 
tinct species discovered by the Frick expedition. As mentioned in 
the original description, this lark appears to be most closely related 
to the South African Mirafra passerina Gyldenstolpe, from which it 
differs in being much darker in color, in having a shorter, more 
deeply curved claw on the hind toe, and in having a relatively stouter, 
heavier bill. The specimen is in worn plumage. 

According to Mearns’s notes, this bird has the habit of rattling 
its wings in flight like the flappet lark (I/. fischeri). The single 
specimen obtained “sang sweetly from a bush” when first seen, and it 
was shot as it flew off. 

It is of more than passing interest to find this bird, so similar to 
M. passerina, in southern Ethiopia, as not a few larks of South 
Africa find their nearest relatives in the northeastern part of the 
continent. The genera Spizocorys, Heteromirafra, and Certhilauda, 
for example, occur only in those two regions and not in the interven- 
ing thousands of miles. 


MIRAFRA ALBICAUDA Reichenow 


Mirafra albicauda REICHENOW, Journ. fiir Orn., 1891, p. 228: Gonda, Tabora 
district, Tanganyika Territory. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Lake Abaya, SE., Ethiopia, March 21, 1912. 
2 males, Lake Abaya, S., Ethiopia, March 22, 1912. 
1 male, Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 24, 1912. 
1 male, Athi Station, Uganda Railway, Kenya Colony, September 1, 1912. 
The East African white-tailed bush lark does not appear to have 
been previously recorded from Ethiopia although known from the 


102 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 336, 1932. 


18 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Upper White Nile and the Kassala districts of the Sudan. It is 
barely possible that the Shoan birds may form a distinct race, as 
they are more brownish, less ashy gray on the upper back than a 
small series from southern Kenya Colony. However, the difference is 
slight and the series small, so the matter can not be decided at 
present. All in all, I have examined only seven birds. There is 
considerable individual variation in the white on the outer rectrices. 
Some specimens have the two outermost pairs entirely white and 
the outer web of the third pair also white, while others have only 
the outermost pair wholly white, the second white with a fuscous- 
brown smear on the inner web, the third without any white. This 
agrees with the observations of Ogilvie-Grant “ that in Sudanese 
specimens “the amount of white in the outer tail-feathers 
varies. * * * in some examples, as in the type, the two outer 
pairs are mostly white; in others only the outer pairs are white and 
the fifth pair have the outer web mostly white, while in the fourth 
it is only margined with white.” 

The size variations of this bird are not unusual in range. The 
present five males have the following dimensions: Wing, 77-84 (aver- 
age, 80.3); tail, 43.5-48.5 (average, 45.5) ; culmen, 12.5-14 (average, 
18.2); tarsus, 22-23 (average, 22.5 mm). 

This lark occurs from the Tabora, Unyamwesi, and Unyamyembe 
districts of Tanganyika Territory north through the Sotik and 
Ukamba districts of Kenya Colony to southern Shoa and to the 
Sudan (Upper White Nile and Kassala areas) west to the Shari- 
Chad region. I have not learned of any records, however, from the 
area between Thika, Kenya Colony, and the Sudan and southern 
Shoa, but the absence of records is perhaps due to the ease with 
which larks are apt to be overlooked by collectors. It probably oc- 
curs in suitable localities all through the intervening country. It 
appears to be a bird of lowland plains and would therefore be absent 
from the highlands of western and west-central Kenya Colony, and 
from the papyrus areas and forests of Uganda. However, its alti- 
tudinal range may be greater than we know. Van Someren?? re- 
cords a bird from Nakuru as “Mirafra sp., near albicauda”, but, as 
the specimen was badly damaged by the shot and in the absence of 
comparative material, he refrains from definitely identifying it as 
albicauda. 'Thika is 4,500 feet above the sea; Nakuru is 6,070 feet. 

But little is known of the habits of this lark. In the Sudan But- 
ler** never saw it away from regions of black cotton-soil. He 
found that in its general habits it was quite similar to Mirafra 

1 Ibis, 1902, pp. 409-410. 


2 Ibis, 1916, p. 434. 
3 ]Tbis, 1905, p. 309. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 19 


cantillans and makes a purring or drumming noise with its wings 
when in flight, like that produced by the flappet lark (M1. fischeri). 
A specimen shot at Gedaref on May 18 was in breeding condition. 
Van Someren found this bird breeding in May and July on the 
Kapiti Plains. 

MIRAFRA CANDIDA Friedmann 


Mirafra candida FRIEDMANN, Auk, vol. 47, p. 418, 1980: Northern Guaso Nyiro 
River, Kenya Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 adult male, 1 immature male, 1 immature female, 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 2-3, 1912. 

The adult is the type of this species. 

This richly colored lark is closely alhed to Mirafra cantillans 
marginata, but inasmuch as the two occur and appear to breed in the 
same places, the present form must be considered specifically distinct 
from the latter. The color of the dorsal surface of the adult 
candida is a deep, somewhat brownish-purple shade of rufous, and 
is not earth brown and grayish black like marginata. 'The present 
species has no grayish or true blackish marks on it, the dark centers 
of the crown feathers being fuscous-brown, those of the black 
feathers deep chocolate-brown with lighter borders, 

The young birds resemble the corresponding plumage stage of 
M. cantillans marginata, but are much more rufescent on the wings, 
nape, and upper back. 

Nothing is known of the habits of this lark. The adult is molt- 
ing the remiges, a sure sign that it was past the breeding season 
when it was collected. 

M. candida is known so far only from the type locality. 

Lest it be thought that this species or I/. pulpa is really the same 
as M. meruensis Sjostedt,” it may be said that the description of 
the latter form (considered by Sclater a synonym of sehillings?) 
does not fit either pulpa or candida. 


MIRAFRA HYPERMETRA GALLARUM Hartert 


Mirafra hypermetra gallarum Hartert, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 19, p. 84, 
1907: Bouta, Hawash Valley. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Gada Bourea, Ethiopia, December 24, 1911. 
4 males, Iron Bridge, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 4-6, 1912. 
2 males, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 8, 1912. 


This, the largest of all the species of its genus, is found in eastern 
Africa from the Hawash Valley and Shoa in Ethiopia, south to the 


4 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 336, 1932. 
18 Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der schwedischen zoologischen Expedition nach dem 
Kilimandjaro . . . Deutsch-Ostafrika, 1905-6, etc., vol. 3, Végel, p. 137, 1910. 


20 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Moroto district of northeastern Uganda, and through Kenya Col- 
ony (north and east of the highlands) to northeastern Tanganyika 
Territory (to the Pangani River, Usaramo, and Sigerari). It has 
been differentiated into two races, as follows: 

1.M. h. hypermetra: Northern Tanganyika Territory north 
through Kenya Colony to southern Somaliland, the semiarid savan- 
nahs north of the Northern Guaso Nyiro River (exactly how far 
north not yet known), and to the Moroto country of Uganda 
(probably Turkanaland also). 

2. M. h. gallarum: Ethiopia (Hawash Valley and Shoa). This 
race differs from the typical one in being much grayer, less brownish 
and less rufous above (especially on the crown and interscapulars), 
and in having the lesser upper primary coverts more rufous, less 
grayish, than in hypermetra. I have seen but one specimen of the 
latter race and the present seven of gallarum, but they illustrate 
the subspecific differences very well. The hypermetra examined has 
smaller black pectoral spots than any of the gallarum, but this may 
be purely an individual matter. 

The seven birds collected by the Frick expedition are all in fairly 
worn plumage. One of them (the bird taken at Gada Bourca on 
December 24) is slightly browner above than the others, but not 
nearly so brown as Aypermetra. The dimensions of the series are as 
given in table 1. 


TABLE 1.—WMVeasurements of seven specimens (all males) of Mirafra hypermetra 
gallarum from Hihiopia 


Locality Wing Tail Culmen | Tarsus 





Erlanger ** found this lark to inhabit grassy plains thinly dotted 
with trees and shrubs, but definitely records it as absent in the grassy 
steppes of Arussi-Gallaland, a fact that, in keeping with what is 
known of the distribution of the nominate form, indicates that gal- 
larum is also a bird of relatively low altitudes. Erlanger first en- 
countered it in the Danakil region north of the Hawash Valley and 


16 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 46-47. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 21 


found it to be very common there. As far as I have been able to 
learn, it is usually considered uncommon in most parts of its range, 
although Lovat found it to be numerous, but wary, in the Hawash 
region. Mearns noted in his diary that this lark was seen in the bushy 
and grassy plains from near Bilan to the high plain above Gada 
Bourca. 

Erlanger found a nest on June 22 near Umfudu, southern Somali- 
land. It contained one egg. He also obtained juvenal birds at the 
same locality on the same date. 

Recently van Someren ?* has intimated that the nominate form has 
a dark, a gray, and a rufous phase. If this be substantiated by fur- 
ther material, it may tend to upset the characters of gallarum. 


MIRAFRA AFRICANA ATHI Hartert 


Mirafra africana athi Hartert, Nov. Zool., vol. 7, p. 46, 1900: Athi Plains, Kenya 
Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 adult male, Athi River Station, Uganda Railway, Kenya 
Colony, September 1, 1912. 

The rufous-naped lark does not occur in the northern half of Kenya 
Colony or in Ethiopia, where its place is taken by MW. hypermetra, and 
consequently it was not until the very last days of the expedition that 
Mearns found this bird. Only one specimen was procured, but sev- 
eral others were seen at the Athi River, and a few (of another race, 
dohertyi) were noted at Escarpment, September 4-12. 

A good deal of material has been published on the races of this lark, 
and I have not sufficient series to enable me to contribute much. The 
one point I wish to make is that harterti may possibly be a synonym 
of athi, and that athi may be inclined to be dichromatic. 

Sclater 1” lists harterti as a doubtful form. Van Someren,'* on the 
other hand, suggests that it is a distinct species. He says: 

If harterti is a form of africana, which I very much doubt, how is it that we 
get the very palest race next to the most rufous? It may be suggested that the 
character of the soil, ete. is the determining factor; but this rufous bird is 
not found only on red soil, nor yet the pale athi on “black cotton” soil. So far 
I have no proof of the presence of the two forms in the same locality, except 
in South-west Ukamba. 

Hartert records a specimen of tropicalis from Koboko River, 
Ukamba. Is this a specimen of harterti also? Loénnberg *° records a 
“rufous phase of athi from Punda Melia near Fort Hall. It appears, 


16a Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 335, 1932. 

17 Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 312, 1930. 

148 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 175-176, 1922. 

7? Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 19, p. 93, 1907. 

20 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., vol. 47, no. 5, p. 118, 1911. 


106220—37. 3 





22 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


therefore, that reddish birds occur sporadically throughout Kenya 
Colony, and it may be that they are nothing but a color phase. It is 
not surprising to find a species as geographically variable as this 
lark producing erythrisms. 

Recently, however, van Someren ! has reaffirmed the specific dis- 
tinctness of harterti in both adult and young plumages. I have seen 
no material and so can not decide this point. 

The breeding season is in April and May; the birds molt in July 
and August. The present specimen is in fine fresh plumage. 


MIRAFRA FISCHERI FISCHERI (Reichenow) 


Megalophoneus fischeri REICHENOW, Journ. fiir Orn., 1878, p. 266: Rabai, near 
Mombasa. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 
2 males, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 18, 1912. 
1 female, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 23, 
1912. 


The geographic races of the flappet lark are very puzzling be- 
cause of the fact that apparently melanistic forms occur in several 
areas, and in many places two color phases are found together. The 
racial characters are slight at best and require series for their illustra- 
tion. I have not enough material to decide on the validity of some of 
them and merely follow Sclater’s conclusions ?? in this paper. Only 
two subspecies occur in the areas collected in by the Frick expedition. 
They are as follows: 

1. MW. f. fischeri: Kenya Colony from Mombasa (and also the coastal 
districts of Tanganyika Territory) to southern Somaliland, and to 
northeastern Uganda and the Upper White Nile district of the Sudan. 

2. M. f. degeni: Central and southern Ethiopia. This form is 
very slightly larger than fischeri but blacker on the interscapular 
region and redder on the sides of the breast. The material I have 
examined is not sufficient to prove definitely that this race can not 
be distinguished from the typical one, but it certainly suggests it. 
Sclater claims that omoensis is a synonym of degeni. One bird from 
Lake Stefanie (which I assume may be omoensis) is equally well 
matched by examples of fischer? and of degené. 

The present four birds are remarkably uniform in coloration for 
so variable a species. The female, however, is noticeably paler below 
than any of the three males, 

Van Someren ** found this lark to be plentiful in the scrub and 
grass country in southern Kenya Colony. He says: 


21 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 335, 1932. 
Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 313-314, 1930. 
23 This, 1916, p. 483. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 2 


They were nesting in June, the nest being constructed in a shallow depres- 
sion under a tuft of grass. Very little nesting material is used. 

The eggs, three to four in number, are a dirty-buff ground-colour, speckled 
with dark brown, the surface semi-glossy. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns observed 20 of these larks 
at the junction of the Tana and Thika Rivers, August 23-26; and 
along the Thika River for 30 miles or more, August 26-29, he noted 
20 more. Finally, on the Athi River, August 30, he saw a single 
specimen. 

MIRAFRA FISCHERI DEGENI Ogilvie-Grant 
Mirafra degeni OcILvIE-GRANT, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 13, p. 28, 1902: Hiressa, 
Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, Lake Abaya, SE., Ethiopia, March 21, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 immature female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 23-25, 1912. 
1 adult male, east Lake Stefanie, Ethiopia, May 9, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris pale brown; bill brownish black above, below flesh- 
color at base shading to pale plumbeous terminally; feet and claws 
brownish flesh-color. (Sexes alike.) 

The young bird is in an advanced stage of the postjuvenal molt 
and is quite similar to the adults but has heavier and larger pectoral 
spots than do older birds. As already mentioned, if the birds of 
exterme southern Shoa are true degeni, the race is only doubtfully 
distinct from fischeri. The blackness of the interscapulars is not 
well shown by the present series and is found in the blackish phase 
of fischeri and of kavirondensis. Similarly I can not find much 
support for degend in its dimensional characters. I append the meas- 
urements (males only) of both forms here as the evidence for this 
statement: 

1. UM. f. fischeri: Wing, 73.5, 76, 79; tail, 58.5, 58.5, 56.5; culmen, 
13.5, 14, 14.5; tarsus, 28, 24, 24.5 mm. 

2. M. f. degeni: Wing, 78, 78, 81.5; tail, 58, 55, 55; culmen, 13.5, 
14, 14.5; tarsus, 24, 24, 24.5 mm. 

The present specimens agree quite well with the colored figure in 
Ogilvie-Grant’s paper.?+ 

Mearns observed this bird on many occasions during his travels 
through southern Shoa. I find the following entries in his notebooks: 
Abaya Lakes, March 18-26, 170 birds seen; Bodessa, May 19-June 3, 
500; Sagon River, June 3-6, 35 noted; Tertale, June 7-12, 300; El 
Ade, June 12-18, 25 birds; Mar Mora, June 14-15, 100; Turturo, 
June 15-17, 100; Biderou, June 15, 100; Anole, June 17, 50 birds; 
Wobok, June 18, 20 seen; Saru, June 19, 50 noted; Yebo, June 20, 
20; Karsa Barecha, June 21, 50; Malata, June 22, 20 birds; Chaffa 
villages, June 23-25, 40 seen. 


* Ibis, 1904, pl. 5, facing p. 261. 


24 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
MIRAFRA AFRICANOIDES INTERCEDENS Reichenow 


Mirafra intercedens ReEICHENOW, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 8, p. 96, 1895: Loeru, 
Kondoa—Irangi distr., Tanganyika Territory. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 unsexed, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 7, 1912. 
2 adult males, 3 adult females, Bodessa, Hthiopia, May 21-80, 1912. 
1 adult male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 10, 1912. 
1 unsexed, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 20, 1912. 
2 adult males, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 3, 1912. 
1 adult male, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 7, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris brown; bill brownish black, flesh-color at base on 
sides and below; graying on middle of mandible; feet and claws flesh- 
color. 

The present series, supplemented by a number of other specimens, 
reveals such diversity in color that I feel that Kenyan examples of 
“M. alopex” and M. a. intercedens may be one and the same thing. 
Not only do there seem to be two phases, a rufous one and a grayish- 
brown one, but freshly plumaged birds are noticeably more rufescent 
than abraded ones. The majority of recent authors have attempted 
to separate these phases and call the rufous ones alopea and the less 
rufous, more grayish birds intercedens, but their action is largely 
arbitrary. The name alopex has five years’ priority over inter- 
cedens and is the name to be used if the two are really identical. The 
reason I have retained the latter for the present is that in spite of 
the numerous records of alopex in literature from various Kenyan 
localities, Sclater 7° writes that it is apparently confined to British 
Somaliland. I interpret this as meaning that he considers the 
rufescent birds of Kenya Colony the same as intercedens and that 
they are different from topotypical alopex. Not having seen any 
material from British Somaliland, I can not decide the point, and use 
Reichenow’s name for the present birds. 

The tendency to produce rufous individuals is a fairly common 
one among larks of the genus Mirafra. Thus, we find M. fischeri 
frequently producing extremely reddish birds (called torrvida by 
some authors, but not really worth naming) ; M. cantillans marginata 
is likewise somewhat dichromatic; and in M. africana the so-called 
form harterti seems to be merely a rufous phase of athz. 

Van Someren *° writes that the reddish “alopex” (which he con- 
siders specifically distinct from intercedens) occurs below 3,000 feet, 
while éntercedens lives between 8,000 and 5,000 feet. He also notes 
that in northeastern Uganda, the country around the south end of 
Lake Rudolf, and the Suk Hills, a paler, “desert” form is found. 
I may say that the birds from the Endoto Mountains, the Northern 


2> Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 315, 1930. 
26 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 177-178, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 25 


Guaso Nyiro River, and the Lekiundu River, are rather paler than 
the rest, but the difference is slight, and, in so variable a form, 
not sufficient to warrant subspecific splitting. 

An argument against the validity of Kenyan “alopex” is the fact 
that rufous birds have been taken practically throughout the range 
of intercedens. If the reddish phase were geographically restricted, 
it would have more significance. The dark, blackish race fongono- 
tensis is a valid form, but even there a tendency toward dichroma- 
tism exists. 

A good argument in favor of the Kenyan “alopex” being a distinct 
species is advanced by van Someren,”’ who states that they “are 
certainly not intercedens. ‘Their song or call note is totally differ- 
ent.” This seems to be another case where life-history studies are 
needed to clear up the systematics of the birds. 

The size variations of the present series are as follows: Males— 
wing, 86.5-92; tail, 52.5-56; culmen, 18-15.5; tarsus, 21.5-24 mm. 
Females—wing, 78.5-84; tail, 50-51; culmen, 11; tarsus, 20-22 mm. 

The bird taken on February 7 on the Hawash River is in worn 
plumage; the rest of the specimens are freshly feathered. 

This lark is a denizen of the semiarid grasslands, thinly dotted 
with thornbushes and trees. 


MIRAFRA POECILOSTERNA POECILOSTERNA (Reichenow) 
FIGURE 4 


Alauda poecilosterna REICHENOW, Orn. Centralb., 1879, p. 155: Kibaradja, Tana 

River, Kenya Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 male, near Saru, Ethiopia, June 19, 1912. 

1 immature male, Nyero Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 13, 1912. 

2 males (1 adult, 1 immature), Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, 

July 14-17, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 immature female, camp near Endoto Mountains, Kenya 
Colony, July 19, 1912. 

1 male, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 20, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 

1 male, 2 females, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27-28, 

1912. 

1 male, river 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 
immature male, 35 miles north of the Northern Guaso Nyiro River, 
Kenya Colony, July 30, 1912. 

1 male, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, 10 miles east of Archers Camp, 
Kenya Colony, July 31, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 
1-2, 1912. 


pq 





27 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 335, 1932. 


26 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


This lark is found in eastern Africa from northern Tanganyika 
Territory through Kenya Colony to eastern Uganda, southern Shoa, 
southern Gallaland, and Italian Somaliland. Throughout its range, 
it divides into two races, the typical one being the more northern 
of the two. 


EQUATOR 


TANGANYIKA 
TERRITORY 





Q__00 _200 300 400 S00 mines, 
- SCALE- 


FIGURE 4.—Distribution of Mirafra poecilosterna. 


1. M.p. massaica. 
2. M. p. poecilosterna. 


1. M. p. poecilosterna: Southern Shoa, Gallaland, and Italian 
Somaliland south in the arid districts of northern Kenya Colony to 
the Tana River. 

2. M. p. massaica: From the Pangani River and the Kilimanjaro 
region of Tanganyika Territory north through the Ukamba and 
Kikuyu regions of Kenya Colony, north to the west of the Rift 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY yt 


Valley to the Moroto district of northeastern Uganda. This race 
is darker above and below than poecilosterna. This difference in 
color cannot be interpreted as correlated in any way with environ- 
mental differences in humidity, as the dark massaica lives in the 
Taru desert, which is certainly as arid as the scrubby wilderness 
of Tanaland where the paler poecilosterna is found. 

The young birds, quite different from the adults, have the upper- 
parts much more mottled and spotted, lack the gray on the crown, 
and have the feathers dark fuscous-brown medially, laterally broadly 
edged with rufous-tawny, and tipped with paler tawny. Among 
themselves they show great variation, some birds being generally 
pale yellowish tawny, while others are chiefly dark brownish. 

Zedlitz ** has briefly described the immature plumage of this lark 
but writes that the underparts are as in the adults, except for the 
fact that there are round black specks on the throat and that the 
rufous-brown cheeks are bordered by a line of indistinct blackish 
dots. In the birds examined the blackish-brown spots are present 
on the upper breast and lower throat but not on the auriculars ex- 
cept in one case. Zedlitz writes, however, that the young of poecilo- 
sterna bear a great general resemblance to the adults of fischeri, a 
statement with which I cannot agree, as the latter is so very much 
darker, more rufous above and below, and so obviously barred above 
as to be distinguished at a glance. 

The size variations of the pink-breasted singing lark are consid- 
erable, as may be seen from the measurements given in table 2. 


TABLE 2.—Measurements of 19 specimens of Mirafra poecilosterna poecilosterna 


Locality Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 


EtHIoPpia: Near Saru 
KENYA COLONY: 
Nyero Mountains 
Indunumara Mountains 


24 miles south of Malele 

35 miles north of Northern Guaso 
Nyiro River. 

Northern Guaso Nyiro River 





8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 55-56. 


28 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
ALAEMON ALAUDIPES DESERTORUM (Stanley) 


Alauda desertorum STANLEY, in Salt’s Voyage en Abyssinie, Appendix, p. Ix, 
1814: Amphila Island, Red Sea (see p. xlix). 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 3 males, 1 female, Djibouti, French Somaliland, Novem- 
ber 22, 1911. 

The hoopoe lark has been divided into four races, all of which seem 
to be valid (A. alaudipes omdurmanensis being a synonym of merid- 
ionalis). In the regions traversed by the Frick expedition only one 
race occurs, the pale, sandy form of the desert country bordering 
the Red Sea. This subspecies appears to be restricted to the low, 
maritime plain from Suez south along both sides of the Red Sea 
to as far as Aden, Arabia, and Djibouti, in French Somaliland. 
Zedlitz does not mention this lark in his account of the avifauna 
of southern Somaliland. In the regions where it occurs it is a 
common bird. Thus, Pease found it to be plentiful in the vicin- 
ity of Zeila and Aroharlaise, northern Somaliland, and Perci- 
val,?° working in southern Arabia, met with it in “the low deserts 
near the sea, commonest along the coast to the west of Shaik Othman 
and eastwards towards Dar Mansur. None were seen beyond the 
belt of Mimosa trees to the south of Lahej, and only one or two 
were met with in the Abian Country.” 

The present specimens are in somewhat worn plumage. The males 
are much larger than the female, as the measurements given in table 
3 show. 


TABLE 3.—Measurements of four specimens of Alaemon alaudipes desertorum 
from Djibouti, French Somaliland 





Sex Wing Tail Culmen | Tarsus | 


IMialee 8222: i ee hs ee 1b ba iosece cca 32.0 36. 0 
ID) USS Ree e Uae eee ee ey See 125 91.5 30. 5 34.0 
DD Of es es a Ai ee See 123 86.0 33.0 34.5 
Female 222 een cA eae aes 114 84.5 29.0 33. 0 


Another female from Aden, Arabia, is even smaller than the present 
one. 

In coloration, the most variable feature is the distinctness (size 
and intensity) of the pectoral spots. All are distinctly spotted on 
the breast (much more so than in typical alaudipes from lower 
Egypt), but in one bird the spots are less veiled, more blackish, than 
in the others. Blanford *° noted similar variation in his series. 


2 In Ogilvie-Grant, Noy. Zool., vol. 7, p. 247, 1900. 
80 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, made during the progress of the 
British expedition to that country in 1867, pp. 386-387, 1870. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 29 
GALERIDA CRISTATA SOMALIENSIS Reichenow 


Galerida cristata somaliensis RricHEeNow, Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 49: Zeila, 
Somaliland. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

9 adult males, 5 immature males, 7 adult females, 5 immature females, Hor, 
Kenya Colony, June 26-28, 1912. 

2 adult males, 1 immature male, 1 immature female, 18 miles southwest of 
Hor, Kenya Colony, July 1-2, 1912. 

10 adult males, 6 immature males, 7 adult females, 2 immature females, 
Dussia, Kenya Colony, July 3-4, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 immature male, 1 immature female, Lake Rudolf, east and 
south end, Kenya Colony, July 5-11, 1912. 

Soft parts: Sexes alike; iris brown; bill grayish olive; feet and 
claws pale gray. 

The geographic variations of the crested lark have been studied by 
a number of workers, all of whom had access to material representing 
a larger number of races than were accessible to me. Hartert, 
Bianchi, Zedlitz, Meinertzhagen, Lynes, and others have contributed 
to this subject, and as my total comparative material comprises only 
three Ethiopian races, I can do no better than to follow the arrange- 
ment given by Sclater.* 

According to this authority, the Somali crested lark occurs from 
the maritime plain of British Somaliland from Berbera to Zeila 
and inland to the Lake Rudolf region. Van Someren * records it 
from as far west as Kobua River, west of Lake Rudolf, the western- 
most locality known to me. (Van Someren had previously ** iden- 
tified these birds as eritreae Zedlitz. However, this is now said to be 
a synonym of aliirostris, but the Kobua River birds certainly can 
not be considered as of this Dongola race.) 

G. c. somaliensis is characterized by its short, stout bill and gen- 
erally pale coloration (not so pale as izsabellina, however). Van 
Someren writes that his birds from Kobua River have wings 102 to 
105 mm in length. The present series are smaller, as may be seen 
from the measurements of the adults collected given in table 4. 

All the adults (386) are in molt, the remiges and rectrices being 
noticeably affected, but I doubt whether the wing lengths are thereby 
rendered smaller than otherwise in the majority of cases. The molt 
is, however, obviously the annual, complete one, i. e., the postnuptial 
one. This indicates that the breeding season must have ended some 
time in May, an implication that is corroborated by the fact that the 
juvenal birds are all in fresh plumage. The latter differ from the 
adults in having the forehead and crown transversely barred, not 
streaked longitudinally, in having the upper back likewise barred, 


31 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 325-326, 1930. 
Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 179, 1922. 
88 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 16, p. 13, Feb., 1921. 


30 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


but less regularly than on the head, in having the remiges and their 

upper coverts broadly edged with whitish (purer white, less buffy 

than in adults), and in having the dark pectoral spots smaller. 
Van Someren * found young in nestling plumage in July. 


TABLE 4—Measurements of 36 adult specimens of Galerida cristata somaliensis 
from Kenya Colony 














Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen|} Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

OR a ee eee Male__------=- 98.5 54.0 16.5 25.0 

Ne ese See ee eee eee dos 93.0 51.0 15.0 25.0 

Oo oo ase ee ee es dose2s-s 102.0 52.5 16.0 24.0 

YO a a ees cesar ces do: 101.0 53.0 17.0 25.5 

DO A Ne eee ee os eee doce 90.0 54.5 17.5 24.5 

WO ao. oS eh ee eo eee dos a= 101.0 53. 5 b7.5 25.5 

WG2 ssa ao ene eo eae eae a nen =e Ose aoe 92.0 52. 5 17.0 24.0 

ee ae 8 ee ee Gosietkee 97.0 53.0 16.5 23.0 

PO se ae he ee ee do=2 == 99.0 55. 5 16.5 25.5 

1S;smiles southwest of: Hor-—------ --=-—-|----- dox==-=—* 101.5 55.0 16.5 25.0 

Dole). 4 eek oe tS aa dee 282222 98.0 55.0 15.5 23.0 

MP TISSIS 9 = 8 oo a ee G0:22--=- 97.0 52.0 15.0 26.0 

Ose ee a ee eee dose 99.5 53.0 16.5 25.0 

Oe Ia ek ee es Sees doxzt- 225s" 99.0 53.0 17.0 24.0 

ID Ont ie oe eee ee es ae do-== = 100.0 55.5 16.0 25. 5 

DO os aoe ee ee a ee dots 22-3 104. 0 57.5 16.0 26.0 

D082 8 3 a eee aa ee do3s3 = 100.0 56.0 17.0 25.0 

DOE eee eee ee en ea ee do==--*==- 98.0 51.0 18.0 25.0 

Oma. ee Se ee eee oe eae dot 2s. 98.0 54.5 17.0 25.0 

IDO. 22S ee es hee doses 95. 5 47.0 16.5 23. 5 

DO! see ee Oe ae ee Secs dois sc 96.5 61.5 17.0 24.5 
Wake RNG Ol: * sas 2o=—- ose ns eee eee doses ee 98.5 53.0 E76 | Seaean see 

OP soe os sae eee Se ek ee ease Female-_-_-._--- 93.0 55.0 16.5 25.0 

DY a ee eee ie ee Gozcs— 8 92.0 45.0 17.0 24.5 

DOSS eo en eee et Se ee eee dost = oer 94.0 51.0 15.5 24.0 

POSS R se AE ae ee oe ee ee eee dott .2=: 94.0 51.0 16. 0 24.0 

Oe oe Gest 2 ee ae oes dots 90.0 54.0 16.0 24.0 

WO sss anes ho Ae eS ee ee do 95.5 54.0 16.0 24.0 

Doss te 2b it eS ee eS ee does 335 91.0 49.0 15.5 23:5 

PD SSigS se. ee oe ee so ee dol= -a 94.0 54.5 15.5 24.5 

WO ssac coe aaa eee sen ee eee eee doen 96.0 OLD gl socnee ae 25. 0 

DOett s 22 02 oath Se fee eee te ey do==- 5:2 93:'6)> [22223425 16.0 24.5 

EO er ere Se ee ee ee dot 222s 9520 51.5 16.0 25.0 

EDN Be ee ee ee oe nee Go: ee=- 98.0 55.0 15.5 23.0 

DOLE Sl ee ee Ne dos2sS35) 94.0 50.0 16.0 25. 5 

1B SS Se eee ee ee a | do=t=2 aes 101.5 59.0 17.0 24.5 


GALERIDA THEKLAE PRAETERMISSA (Blanford) 


Alauda praetermissa BLANFoRD, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, vol. 4, p. 330, 1869: 
Senafe—Tigré, 8,000 feet. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 unsexed, Gada Bourea, Ethiopia, December 26, 1911. 
3 adult males, 1 immature male, 1 adult female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, 
December 31, 1911—January 13, 1912. 
1 adult female, Hakaki, Ethiopia, January 14, 1912. 
2 adult males, 2 adult females, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 15-28, 
1912. 


* Noy. Zool., vol. 37, p. 333, 1932. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 3l 


Two subspecies of the theckla lark occur in northeastern Africa— 
the present one, found in the higher country of Ethiopia from the 
Eritrean escarpment south to Shoa and the Arussi Plateau, and a 
paler, more sandy-colored race (e/lioti) of the interior of British 
Somaliland, and of northern Kenya Colony (Koroli and Marsabit!). 

The first pennaceous plumage of this lark does not appear to have 
been recorded, so the following description may be of value: Generally 
similar to that of the adult, but the top of the head not streaked, the 
feathers dark fuscous-brown terminally narrowly edged with white 
or buffy white, giving an effect of fine light crossbars on the crown 
and occiput; feathers of the nape much paler and laterally margined 
with sandy tawny; the interscapulars dark fuscous-brown tipped 
with whitish, and only narrowly laterally margined with tawny (in 
adults the lateral edges are wider than the median dark areas) ; the 
upper wing coverts and the inner secondaries edged with white 
(tawny in adults). 

The adults vary considerably; some are more rufous on the nape 
and interscapulars, while others are more sandy tawny. The birds 
from the Arussi Plateau are blacker on the back and on the head 
than are the specimens from Gada Bourca, Adis Abeba, and Hakaki, 
and may represent an undescribed form. From the material avail- 
able, the Arussi birds seem clearly separable from the others, which 
agree with Blanford’s figure ** of praetermissa, but I do not care to 
{ake any action because of the very dark bird Blanford ** obtained 
far to the north at Ashangi, in the country inhabited by praetermissa, 
and named by him “A. (@.) arenicola? Tristram, var. fusca.” This 
specimen may mean that praetermissa is very variable individually, 
or it may mean that the dark Arussi form occasionally occurs as far 
north as the country 200 miles to the east of Lake Tsana. Under 
the circumstances, the best thing to do is merely to record the differ- 
ences and not attempt to involve the nomenclature. 

Aside from color, the birds vary in size. Here there is no correla- 
tion between variation and geography, as may be seen from the meas- 
urements given in table 5 of the adults collected by the Frick 
expedition. 

Erlanger *’ collected a series at Adis Abeba in July and found 
them to be molting and deduced therefrom that the breeding season 
had been over for some time. The gonads of the adults were small. 
The present birds, taken in January and February, are not in very 
fresh plumage and may or may not have been breeding. Unfortu- 
nately, Mearns failed to note the condition of the gonads, but the 
young bird taken on January 12 must have left the nest not later 


35 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, etc., pl. 6, facing p. 388, 1870. 
% Ibid., p. 387. 
7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 48. 


a2 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


TABLE 5.—Measurements of 10 specimens of Galerida theklae praetermissa 
from Hthiopia 


Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

Gada iBourcd=2 so52 o-oo ee es eee ne Bees See 100. 5 53.0 15.0 25:5 
ING Ns) 1 ee ee ee Malefs2-= 222. 106. 5 55. 5 14.0 27.0 
WD Oe eae a eee ss aed dors s335 94.5 53. 0 15.0 23.0 
DO ee a 8 Se Pe ase e dort. = 98.5 56.0 15.0 24.0 
IATUSSI PIStOAU = = ose o a= eae orale Soe G0szs eee 104. 5 55.0 15.5 25.0 
Ouse = to ee eee Eee ee doze 101.0 56.5 15.5 23. 5 
INGISGA ODS. 2s=2 <2 2222s 282 a2 52 sashes S Female_-____- 94.0 54.0 15.0 26.0 
(Ea Ralls ee ee ew ne ce ee ee ae doves eas. 93.0 50.0 15.0 24.0 
ATUSSISPAteates 2.22. 33252 SS ES eer assets dos 95.0 52.0 1555 25.0 
DD) 28 ee So ae ee Gone | 11050 58. 0 14.5 26.0 





than the middle of December. Zedlitz,** collecting at Asmara, found 
these larks in full song in February and early in March and collected 
young as early as May 19. 

On the Arussi Plateau, Mearns found this lark up to as high as 
11,500 feet above the sea. Zedlitz writes that this bird is a moun- 
tain species and does not occur even on the lower slopes. He found’ 
it between altitudes of from 2,300 meters (7,550 feet) to 3,500 meters 
(11,500 feet). 

Van Someren * records ed/ioti from Koroli and Marsabit, in north- 
ern Kenya Colony, and writes that he suspects the north Kenyan 
birds will have to be considered as a new form, as they are “darker 
above than elliot, but not so dark below as practermissa, nor so 


large.” 
EREMOPTERYX LEUCOTIS LEUCOTIS (Stanley) 


FIGURE 5 


Loxia leucotis STANLEY, in Salt’s Travels in Abyssinia, Appendix, p. Ix, 1814: 
Abyssinia. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 adult fer-ale, Chaffa, upper village, Ethiopia, June 24, 1912. 
1 adult male, Dussia, Kenya Colony, July 3, 1912. 

The chestnut-backed finch lark is the most widely distributed 
species of its genus, ranging from Senegal, Nubia, Eritrea, and 
Ethiopia south through the drier parts of eastern Africa to the 
Transvaal, Bechuanaland, and Damaraland. As far as the material 
available for study goes, the conclusions reached by Sclater*° are 
substantiated, but the statements of ranges given by him are not 
wholly correct: 


1. EZ. 1. leucotis: To the range as given by Sclater should be added 
southern Eritrea and Bogosland. 


* Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, pp. 51-52. 
% Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 333, 1932. 
#9 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 329, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 33 


2. E. 1. melanocephala: Correct as given by Sclater. 

3. EB. 1. madaraszi: Sclater writes that this form inhabits Kenya 
Colony (coastal region and Loita Plains), merging with typical 
Jeucotis in Gallaland. This form is known to occur south through 


ARABIA 








O 100 200 300 400 S00 MILES 
————— EE 


- SCALE- 


Figure 5.—Distribution of Hremopteryz leucotis in northeastern Africa. 


1. EZ. l. melanocephala. 
2. H. l. leucotis. 
3. BE. l. madaras2i. 


Tanganyika Territory to the region north of Lake Nyasa, and north 
to the northeastern part of Uganda (Mount Kamalinga, Moroto), 
to Obbia, in Italian Somaliland, and to southern Gallaland. Har- 
tert +t records it from the last-named region. 


41 Noy. Zool., vol. 28, p. 131, 1921. 


34 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


4. EF’. l. smithis Damaraland, Bechuanaland, and the Transvaal, 
north to the Zambesi Valley, to the north of which it intergrades with 
madaraszZt. 

The present specimens are in worn plumage and may well have been 
in breeding condition when collected. The race inhabiting the Nile 
Valley (melanocephala) has been found nesting in January, March, 
and May, and as all larks have but one annual molt, which comes after 
the end of the nesting season, it seems not improbable that the birds of 
southern Shoa and the adjacent part of Kenya Colony breed in June 
and July. 

The three males are uniformly similar in color and in size. Their 
measurements are: Wing, 76, 78, 78.5; tail, 41, 41.5, 42; culmen, 11, 
11, 11; tarsus, 15.5, 16, 16.5 mm, while those of the female are: Wing, 
76.5; tail, 39.5; culmen, 11.5; tarsus, 16.5 mm. 

Von Heuglin found this finch lark numerous in the highlands be- 
tween Tigre and Simien, up to 8,000 feet. On the other hand, Er- 
langer obtained it at sea level at Kismayu on the coast, so that the 
altitudinal range of the species is considerable. The Kismayu records 
refer to madaraszi and not to typical leucotis. In general, however, 
the nominate form is more of a highland bird than either melano- 
cephala or madaraszt. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns noted this bird in large 
numbers every day during his journey from Chaffa to the Endoto 
Mountains, June 23 to July 20. From 20 to 500 birds were seen daily. 
It may be that the more southern of these records refer to madaraszi, 
but no specimens were taken south of Dussia. 


EREMOPTERYX NIGRICEPS MELANAUCHEN (Cabanis) 


Coraphites melanauchen CABANIS, Museum Heineanum, vol. 1, p. 124, 1851: 
No locality; Dahlak Island, Red Sea, apud Heuglin. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 3 adult males, 1 adult female, 1 immature female, Djibouti, 
French Somaliland, November 23, 1911. 

Owing to lack of comparative material, I follow Sclater *? in refer- 
ring these birds to melanauchen and in restricting the range of the 
race to the African side of the Red Sea. I have seen no birds from 
the Yemen Province of Arabia and can not say whether sincipitalis 
is valid. 

If the ranges of the subspecies as given by Sclater are correct, it 
would appear that typical nigriceps of the Cape Verde Islands might 
be one species and albifrons, melanauchen, and sincipitalis another, 
as the two groups are widely separated and nigriceps has no dark 
subnuchal band and has the white on the forehead much wider than 


“Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 329-330, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 35 


in any of the others. If the species were thus divided into two 
specific entities, the forms would be as follows: 

1. EL. nigriceps: Cape Verde Islands. 

2. LF’. albifrons albifrons: Darfur and Kordofan to the Nile Valley. 

3. L. a. melanauchen: Jubaland, Somaliland, Gallaland, Eritrea, 
Socotra, and the Red Sea Province of the Sudan. 

4. Ff. a. sincipitalis; Aden Protectorate, southwestern Arabia. 

The three adult males vary considerably with regard to the light 
band across the nape. In one specimen this band is much wider than 
in the other two and is conterminous with the white auriculars. In 
the other two the white auriculars are completely surrounded by 
fuscous-black. 

The immature female resembles the adult but has the throat slightly 
more buffy. 

The measurements of the series are as follows: Males—wing, 74, 
78, 79.5; tail, 47, 48, 50.5; culmen, 10.5, 11, 11; tarsus, 15.5, 16.5, 17 
mm. Female—wing, 71.5; tail, 42; culmen, 11; tarsus, 17 mm. 

The birds are all in fairly worn plumage. According to Pease,** 
the breeding season in the vicinity of Zeila, Somaliland, is in March. 
He collected a juvenal bird on April 3 and an immature one in 
November. 

EREMOPTERYX SIGNATA (Oustalet) 


Pyrrhulauda signata OvustTa.et, Bibl. Ecole Hautes Etudes, vol. 31, art. 10, p. 6, 
1886: Somaliland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, February 8, 1912. 
2 adult females, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 8, 1912. 
1 immature male, Malata, Ethiopia, June 22, 1912. 
3 adult males, 1 immature male, 1 immature female, Chaffa, upper village, 
Ethiopia, June 24-25, 1912. 
7 adult males, 5 adult females, Hor, Kenya Colony, June 26—28, 1912. 
3 adult males, 1 immature male, 1 adult female, 18 miles southwest of Hor, 
Kenya Colony, July 1-2, 1912. 
4 adult males, 3 immature males, 6 adult females, 2 immature females, 
Dussia, Kenya Colony, July 3-4, 1912. 
3 immature males, east shore Lake Rudolf, July 5, 1912. 
1 adult female, south end Lake Rudolf, July 8, 1912. 
1 unsexed (= male), north end Lake Rudolf, May 23, 1912. 


The chestnut-headed finch lark is a member of the Somali avifauna 
and ranges from British Somaliland through the eastern parts of the 
Hawash Valley, west to Sadi Malka, south through Somaliland and 
Gallaland to extreme southern Shoa and Lake Rudolf and to Kenya 
Colony, south as far as the Lorian Swamp and the Lekiundu River 
to the northern foothills of Mount Kenya. Along the coast it does 
not seem to have been recorded from south of Kismayu. 


48 Quoted by Ogilvie-Grant and Reid, Ibis, 1901, p. 630. 


36 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The present series of 47 specimens illustrates the plumages of this 
finch lark and reveals some hitherto unrecorded facts. The plumage 
stages may be briefly outlined at this point. 

The juvenal plumage is alike in both sexes but averages paler in 
the males, darker in the females. The feathers of the forehead, 
crown, and occiput are tawny-brownish subterminally banded with 
dark sepia, giving the head a dark appearance; lores and super- 
ciliaries pure cinnamon-buff; a narrow band across the nape also 
cinnamon-buff; scapulars, interscapulars, back, rump, and upper tail 
coverts varying from tawny-olive to Saccardo’s umber, tipped with 
pale buffy, the tips being very narrow on the interscapulars and up- 
per back; central pair of rectrices fuscous-brown broadly edged all 
around with buffy white; the outermost pair pale ashy brownish gray 
with a pale fuscous smudge on the inner web; the rest of the tail 
feathers dark fuscous narrowly tipped with whitish; upper wing 
coverts Saccardo’s umber, broadly edged with buffy white; remiges 
fuscous-brown, narrowly margined with pale buff; underparts whit- 
ish, the breast, sides, and flanks heavily marked and washed with 
dull tawny-brown; under wing coverts blackish gray. 

This plumage is worn for about a year and is then replaced by a 
complete molt which brings on the subadult plumage. This differs 
from the preceding plumage in that it is more uniformly tawny- 
brown above and lacks the scalloped appearance characteristic of 
the upperparts of juvenal birds, and has the breast and sides more 
definitely streaked with dull brownish gray. This plumage appears 
to be worn for about a year, when it is replaced by the adult plumage. 
This molt is also a complete one, and is unusual in that it appears 
to begin with the feathers of the upper abdomen (a region that is 
usually among the last to be affected by ecdysis). The molt. then 
spreads to the nape, occiput, and middle of the throat and then to 
the under tail coverts. The new remiges and rectrices do not begin to 
appear until the body molt is practically completed. The new wing 
quills are much darker than those of the juvenal plumage, so that 
it is easy to tell them apart even in a skin. 

Adult males vary considerably in coloration. The white crown 
patch is only one and a half times as long as the eye in one bird, 
while in another it is more than three times as long. The dark 
nuchal band just posterior to the white one is wholly lacking in 
one specimen, is deep black in another, and reddish brown lke the 
top of the head in most individuals. The brown of the head, chin, 
and throat varies from liver brown, dark bay, and auburn to dark 
blackish brown. In some birds the chin and throat are lighter and 
brighter than the forehead and crown, while in others the opposite 
is true. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY on 


Ef. s. harrisont is considered a synonym. It has been stated that 
birds from the west of Lake Rudolf differ from specimens from the 
south end of the lake and from Northern Guaso Nyiro River in 
having the chestnut of the throat separated from the black of the 
abdomen by a broad white band, but this character appears to be 
inconstant. Birds of both types were collected near Hor. It may 
be that east of Lake Rudolf the two forms meet and blend and that 
the variation in the present series is so explained. 

The size variations of this species are not particularly extensive, 
but inasmuch as this lark is scarce in collections I am giving the 
measurements in table 6 of all the adult and subadult birds (not 
immature ones). 


TABLE 6.—Measurements of 35 adult and subadult specimens of Eremopteryx 





signata 
Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen |} Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Sagi Malkac ge ee See eee Female....__..| 80.0 45.0 11.5 17.5 
Ia WwaShvRivien- asaseseca— see ae nee (0 {ee 74.0 39.5 11.0 16.5 
DO) Se ee a ee dose 7950) 45.0 11.0 15.5 
KENYA COLONY: 
EL One e rn se eee ace a eee na eee dO ea 73.5 41.0 11.5 18.0 
ID) 0. Fo PSee eee eee eek e288 Gola sra 76.0 41.5 12.0 17.0 
D Ob a ee ee ee SE Goze ss = 1050) 42.0 11.5 16.5 
TD} (eee ee ae eaters |e ee Giga ee TBO) 38.5 11.5 7.5 
DD Ocoee en 4 See eee Bo eee CE bea eee 3 Onis 75s Oba ee P25 16.5 
18 miles southwest of Hor_-________]----_ dot ss 66.5 42.0 11.6 17.0 
CTD) ULSS55 ree ae a eee ee Ae dose pecan) 45.5 12.0 16.5 
DO eee rete Sah 8 ee 8 dor. 75.5 45.0 11.0 17.0 
SQ See = Re Ss Ee | Se (0) es 76. 4 44.5 11.0 16.5 
BD a} Re ee ees te a ee ly) pages) Gove 2s 74.0 40.0 11.0 16.5 
1) OE ne ee ee ee SE See! he. ee (6 (oe PA) 41.5 11.5 17.5 
1) Oe soos WRC Sone re ee en Po ea GOse ses We O50 43.5 11.5 18.0 
South end of Lake Rudolf_.________}_____ Gor see ane 73.5 38.5 11.5 18.0 
ETHIOPIA: 
Saas Deh kc Siee 2 eerste te eae See Males 76.5 44.0 Otek ee 
@hafiasve 2s eee. ee es Goes 76.0 43.0 11.0 17.0 
DOs ak eed ee et ee es Gonsss ee. 79.5 43.0 11.0 18.5 
TD) 0 Sa a eS a do22ea 72.0 41.0 12.0 17.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
LOT Sa eee ea ae es Bee ee cel os cag | ee dos ees 74.0 40.0 12.0 17.0 
1D) aes See ee ee eee CO ee es 42.0 12.0 16.5 
AD Yo eS hee eS pe ERAS ae ety GOuaees eal) a7ON0 43.5 11.5 16.5 
DD Osesen ote eet es Sate SS Gozeses te 75.0 41.0 11.5 17.0 
i) OL See ah eRe NL Jes By DS |e doen 74.5 45.5 12.5 18.0 
DOM o es 5 ee Se RIA EOE dor sse5 75.0 42.5 11.0 16.0 
HID) (a tec sO. Ly ie ts Ge eee en GAO 41.0 11.0 17.0 
18 miles southwest of Hor__________]_-_-_ does 80.5 43.5 11.5 18.0 
1B Yo) ee ee ee ee ee ee ee Bee Ose eae Ono: 42.0 12.0 16.0 
Nt) Oa ee, Pa a hg) la nl Goa ae 7on5 42.0 11.0 18.5 
AD USS Aree eran cece ue ee ese | Ps doe 79.0 45.0 11.5 18.0 
RID) ea ee Aas Fe ees es dors -=2 27382) |Seeeoce= 11.0 17.5 
FD) Qn eee Aa ers ee eee Gores 326790. 44.0 11.0 16.5 
SD) OREN Se SS Oe i Peal ane dose 77.0 43.0 12.0 17.0 
INorthiend of ake Rud olfess 2-222 | aoe eee 77.0 44.0 12.0 18.0 





106220—37——-4 


38 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Zedlitz ** considers this bird as only subspecifically distinct from 
Eremopteryx verticalis of South Africa, There can be no question 
that the two are more closely related to each other than to any mem- 
bers of the genus, and the tendency for males of s¢gnata to replace 
the chocolate-brown by blackish on the head and throat suggests a 
close phylogenetic relationship between them. It seems more natural, 
however, to consider them as species, inasmuch as the two groups 
are easily identified at a glance and are separated geographically by 
thousands of miles. 

Van Someren has recently ** recorded paler specimens from West 
Rudolf and darker ones from Marsabit and the Northern Guaso 
Nyiro. 

TEPHROCORYS CINEREA ERLANGERI Neumann 


Tephrocorys cinerea erlangeri NEUMANN, Journ. ftir Orn., 1906, p. 239: Sheikh 
Mahamed on the Webi River. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
7 adult males, 5 adult females, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 31, 1911-— 
January 138, 1912. 
1 adult female, near Ankober, Ethiopia, January 21, 1912. 
1 adult female, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 14, 1912. 

The use of the name erlangert for these birds is not necessarily to 
be taken to mean that I recognize two races—ruficeps and erlangeri— 
in Ethiopia, but merely that the former name can not be used. 
Alauda ruficeps was described by Riippell in 1840 *° and is therefore 
preoccupied by Alauda arvensis ruficeps Bechstein, 1795.*° 

Neumann’s name is the next oldest that has been applied to the 
Abyssinian red-capped larks and must therefore be used in place 
of ruficeps Riippell. Sherborn does not list Bechstein’s name in his 
“Index Animalium,” but Hartert ‘7 lists it as a synonym of Alauda 
arvensis arvensis with the comment that while Bechstein’s name has 
been considered a synonym of Melanocorypha sibirica, it appears 
more probable that the bird Bechstein had before him was an Alauda 
arvensis. However, this is beside the point; both Bechstein and 
Riippell described their birds as in the genus Alauda. 

I have seen several birds from the Simien—Gojam district and find 
them to be definitely darker above and below than more southern 
birds. The northern birds I have named fuertesz.** 


4 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 64. 

44a Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 332, 1932. 

45 Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna yon Abyssinien gehérig, Vogel, p. 102, pl. 38, fig. 1: 
Hntschetzab, Simien Province. 

46 Gemeinniitzige Naturgeschichte Deutschlands nach allen drey Reichen, vol. 4, p. 120. 

47 Die Voégel der paliiarktischen Fauna, 1905, p. 244. 

48 Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 45, p. 163, 1932. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 39 


Sclater considers anderssoné as distinct from cinerea, but in this I 
can not agree, as the material studied shows these two forms to be 
identical (i. e., if the range given for anderssoni by Sclater is cor- 
rect, for I have seen no topotypical material). Roberts *® writes that 
“whether anderssonz will stand or not remains to be seen, but I may 
state that there are five specimens in the Transvaal Museum from 
Damaraland * * * which I cannot separate from _ typical 
cinerea.” Roberts recognizes spleniata as a distinct species, although 
most authors have considered it a synonym of cinerea. I have not 
seen any material of this form, but can not repress a suspicion that 
spleniata may be a good form with an even wider range than Roberts 
gives it. I have seen some small pale birds from the southern Kavi- 
rondo and Sotik districts of southwestern Kenya Colony that seemed 
more like the description of spleniata than like that of cinerea (or 
saturatior). This has led to an idle wonder whether dlanfordi might 
not be closer to spleniata than to cinerea, but in the absence of ma- 
terial no conclusions are possible. 

Sclater also recognizes saturatior as a valid form. I consider it 
the same as the typical race. I have examined birds from South 
Africa, Tanganyika Territory, Kenya Colony, and Uganda and can 
not see any constant geographic variations. Neumann °° questioned 
the validity of satwratior. Granvik™ notes that “it seems * * * 
as if Neumann’s doubt as to the genuineness of this form is well- 
founded. For among the 7 adults lying before me, there are two 
which have the outer web of the outermost rectrices white, the others 
have a more or less greyish white or greyish brown outer-web. Be- 
sides, all of them have a broader or narrower white edge to the 2nd 
rectrix.” Gyldenstolpe® recognizes saturatior but admits that “an 
examination of a large material collected at different times of the 
year will perhaps show, that no tangible differences exist between 
these two forms (cinerea and saturatior) and that * * * satura- 
tior was only based on seasonal variation. There are no differences 
with regard to size between South African specimens and those from 
East and Central Africa.” Van Someren,*® on the other hand, thinks 
saturatior should be recognized and says “it is generally darker 
than typical cinerea, the rufous patches on the side of the chest and 
the crown darker. In Uganda is found an even darker bird, which 
cannot be placed under any named race.” 


49 Ann, Transvaal Mus., vol. 11, p. 224, 1926. 

50 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 239. 

81 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 204. 

52 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 77. 
53 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 178-179, 1922. 


40 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Leaving the question of spleniata and blanfordi out of considera- 
tion (they are not races of cinerea anyway), 1 recognize three forms 
of the red-capped lark, as follows: 

1. 7. c. cinerea: South Africa north to Angola, the Katanga, east- 
ern Belgian Congo, southern Uganda, and southwestern Kenya 
Colony (Kikuyu country to Eldoret and Kavirondo). This race has 
the sides of the breast bright rufous and has the forehead bright 
rufous as well as the crown. 

2. 7’. ¢. erlangeri: South-central Ethiopia, south to the Hawash 
Valley and to Gallaland. Differs from cinerea in having the fore- 
head tinged with blackish, in being much blacker on the back, 
and in having a prominent black patch on the sides of the breast 
(surrounded by a rufous wash). Shelley ** states that the Abys- 
sinian red-capped lark inhabits Somaliland as well as Ethiopia, 
but the only “Somah” record he gives is that of two specimens taken 
by Donaldson Smith at Sheikh Mahamed. However, this locality is 
not in Somaliland, but in the Ginir country of Ethiopia, latitude 
7°30’ N., longitude 40°40’ E. (approximately). Lovat’s birds also 
came from Ethiopia, not Somaliland (Jeffi Dunsa and Balti). 

3. 7’. c. fuertesi: Northern Ethiopia, the Simien—Tigré district. 

The present series exhibits but little variation either in size or in 
color. Females are smaller than males. One bird from Adis Abeba 
sexed by the collector as a female is the largest specimen of the whole 
series, and is very probably a male. ‘Exclusive of this one, the 
measurements are as follows: Males—wing, 86-93 (average, 91) ; tail, 
55-63 (average, 57.9); culmen, 11-12 (average, 11.5); tarsus, 19-21 
(average, 20.3 mm). Females—wing, 84.5-89 (average, 86.2); tail, 
50-57 (average, 58); culmen, 11-12 (average, 11.6); tarsus, 20-22 
(average, 21 mm). 

Erlanger ** collected some of these birds at Adis Abeba in July, 
September, and October, but found none in breeding condition. It 
is all the more unfortunate, therefore, that Mearns failed to note the 
condition of the gonads in his specimens. 


Family HIRUNDINIDABE, Swallows 
HIRUNDO RUSTICA RUSTICA Linnaeus 
Hirundo rustica LInnNAEus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, p. 191, 1758: Europe; 


restricted type locality, Sweden. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Loco, Ethiopia, March 15, 1912. 
1 female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 2, 1912. 


Both specimens are in fairly fresh plumage, but the female was so 
badly damaged by the shot that it hardly looks it at first sight. 


' The birds of Africa, etc., vol. 3, p. 127, 1902. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 49. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 41 


Besides these two, the species was noted as follows: Hawash River, 
January 26-February 23, not very numerous but noted everywhere; 
Aletta, March 7-13, 50 seen; Loco, March 13-15, 50 birds; Gidabo 
River, March 15-17, 50; Abaya Lakes, March 18-26, 250 seen; be- 
tween Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 10 birds; Gato River 
near Gardula, March 29—May 17, 500 noted; Lekiundu River, August 
4-8, 22 seen; Meru, August 10, 50 birds; 20 miles east of Meru on the 
trail to the Tana River, August 11, 50 seen; Tharaka district, August 
12, 200 birds; Tana River, August 23, 1 seen. 

It will be noted from the above dates that the last migrants to 
leave in the spring were noted between the end of March and the 
middle of May. Unfortunately, no exact dates are given in Mearns’s 
diary for the last birds seen. The first southbound migrants were 
met with at the Lekiundu River, August 4-8. In his account of the 
migration of this swallow in East Africa, Meinertzhagen ** writes 
that birds— 

* * * commence arriving in Abyssinia from early September and large 
flocks were seen crossing the Red Sea just north of Port Sudan on 2.x. A few 
winter in Abyssinia. Both adults and birds of the year arrive in Somaliland 
towards the end of September. * * #* 

In tropical eastern Africa my first autumn record is on 30.ix., and they 
became numerous by 3.x. 

Judged by Mearns’s observations of these birds in north-central 
Kenya Colony early in August (unfortunately not supported by 
specimens), it appears that the dates given by Meinertzhagen are 
slightly inaccurate. 

Von Heuglin *’ records Hirwndo rustica as a summer bird along 
the Red Sea and states that the autumn migration along that coast 
and in the Nile Valley takes place between August and September. 
Koenig ** states that the summer birds are nonbreeding “left-overs” 
and are not normal birds. 

Heuglin’s birds may be transztiva. 

This swallow appears to migrate to a large extent down the Nile 
Valley, from which it then wanders to the east and west. Thus, 
Lynes *° writes that in Darfur it is a common migrant from east to 
west, September 12 to November 8. None winters there. 

Grote © states that in Ethiopia the migrants begin to arrive in 
September, but that relatively few remain there for the winter. His 
account of the African wanderings of this swallow is very detailed 
and should be referred to by all interested in this matter. 


56 This, 1922, pp. 30-32. 

57 Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, der Nilquellen- und Kiistengebiete des Rothen Meeres 
und des Nérdlichen Somal-Landes, vol. 1, p. 151, 1869. 

58 Journ. fiir Orn., 1919, pp. 456-458. 

589 Tbis, 1925, p. 127. 

60 Mitteil. Zool. Mus, Berlin, vol. 16, pp. 49-51, 1930. 


42 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
HIRUNDO LUCIDA ROTHSCHILDI Neumann 


Hirundo rothschildi NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 12, p. 148, 1904: Schubba, 
west Kaffa, Hthiopia. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 3 males, 1 female, Hakaki River, Ethiopia, January 14, 
1912. 

I refer these specimens to rothschildi with a certain degree of 
mental reservation as to the validity of this race. Hartert ** writes 
that “this form requires confirmation. The rufous colour on the 
forehead and throat is, in my opinion, not different from that of 
some lucida, collected by Ansorge at Cachen and Gunnal in Portu- 
guese Guinea, and the more purple colour of the upperside appears 
to be the only difference.” I have seen one Senegambian /uctda and 
find it difficult to place much confidence in rothschildi, but prefer not 
to reject the latter without seeing more abundant material. Assum- 
ing, then, that this race may hold, we should use the following ar- 
rangement: 

1. H. 1. lucida: Senegal and Gambia to Portuguese Guinea. 

2. H. Ul. subalaris: Central and eastern portions of the Belgian 
Congo. This race differs from the typical form in that it has the 
under wing coverts pale grayish brown, not white as in lucida, and 
has the sides of the body heavily tinged with grayish brown; the 
outermost rectrices are said to be longer and the bill larger than in 
lucida, but three specimens of swbalaris examined do not show this. 

Sclater © considers subalaris a synonym of lucida, but I find it to 
be quite distinct. 

3. H.1. rothschildi: Known from err and southwestern Ethiopia 
(Adis Abeba, Hakaki River, and Schubba). 

Gyldenstolpe * considers angolensis a race of lucida. In this he is 
mistaken as far as the evidence available indicates. The two forms 
are very clearly defined and no intermediates are known, so while it is 
true that the two have some characters in common, the gap between 
them is sufficient to separate them specifically. Furthermore, since 
subalaris and angolensis appear to be geographically coincident in 
the eastern Congo, the two groups can not be considered conspecific. 

Hirundo lucida remained unrecorded from northeastern Africa 
until Erlanger “ collected an adult female and two young males at 
Adis Abeba in August and September, 1900. Neumann ® procured 
one at Schubba in April of the following year, and the bird was not 
met with again until Mearns collected the present four birds. 


61 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 377, 1922. 

62 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 575, 1930. 
63 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 226. 

6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 676. 

%& Thid., p. 200. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 43 


The female is molting into adult plumage and reveals certain 
features of the immature feathering. The top of the head is dark, 
dull fuscous-brown with a few new, glossy, bluish-black feathers 
appearing on the occiput. The old (immature) remiges and rectrices 
are fuscous, the latter with white marks just as in adult birds; the 
under tail coverts are white with small, subterminal brown spots, 
while these feathers are pure white in the adults. 

Because of the rarity of this bird in collections, I give the measure- 
ments of the present series: 

Males—wings, 120-124 (121.3); tail, 58-63 (60.6) 3 culmen, 7.5-8.5 
(Smm.). Female—wing, 114; tail, 51; culmen, 7 mm. 


HIRUNDO AETHIOPICA Blanford 


Hirundo aethiopica BLANForD, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, vol. 4, p. 329, 1869: 
Barakit, North Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 7, 1912 


The single specimen procured by the Frick expedition is an im- 
mature bird molting into adult plumage. 

This swallow is one of the relatively few birds of the Upper 
Guinean savannahs that occur east through the Sudan to Ethiopia 
and Eritrea, and south through Kenya Colony to the northern half 
of ‘Tanganyika Territory, without invading even the northern and 
eastern parts of Uganda. At least, I have been unable to find any 
definite records for it in Uganda. 

According to Sharpe and Wyatt,°° on information derived from 
von Heuglin, Blanford, Jesse, and others, this swallow occurs up 
to 10,000 feet above the sea in Ethiopia, and is less common on the 
coastal plains of the Red Sea than in the high plateau of the in- 
terior. In Bogosland it is migratory to some extent, although accu- 
rate data are not available. Antinori states that in that region it 
arrives in May and leaves in August, but it has been said to remain 
until December. Its relative scarcity in Ethiopian collections is 
difficult to account for on the basis of migration. Mearns was in 
Ethiopia for a long enough period to have met with it, and so was 
Neumann, to mention but one other collector who failed to find it. 

Zedlitz *™ procured a specimen at 8,000 feet at Asmara, and ap- 
parently unaware of Heuglin’s comments on the altitudinal range 
of this species, expresses considerable surprise at finding it so high 
up in the mountains. 

Von Heuglin writes that the breeding season is from July to 
October. However, as the female obtained by Zedlitz at Asmara 


6 A monograph of the Hirundinidae or family of swallows, p. 308, 1885. 
® Journ. fiir Orn., 1910, p. 786. 


44 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


on May 15 was in full breeding condition, it appears that the season 
is longer than was previously thought. 

Lynes °° found it to be a summer visitor (breeding) in Darfur 
and Kordofan, although farther to the east, at Khartoum, and the 
valley of the White Nile generally, it appears to be a resident all 


the year round. 
HIRUNDO SMITHII SMITHII Leach 


Hirundo smithii Lracu, in Tuckey, Expedition to explore the river Zaire, etce., 
Appendix 4, p. 407, 1818: Chisalla Island, lower Congo. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya 
Colony, August 23, 1912. 


The present species contains two races—the typical one, found in 
northwest, northeast, east, and southwest Africa, and the slightly 
larger form with longer attenuated outer rectrices, filifera, of India. 
The two forms, while recognizable, are not very well marked, as they 
overlap in size, but as average differences the characters stand out. 

The present specimen is an adult in fine, fresh plumage. 

Several investigators have considered the variations of the African 
wire-tailed swallow from a geographic standpoint, but the net result 
of the discussions of Neumann,” of Erlanger,” and of Zedlitz™ 
seems to be that while the metallic sheen is more violaceous in birds 
from northeastern Africa and from Angola, and more bluish in speci- 
mens from southern Ethiopia, Somaliland, Kenya Colony, ete., to 
the Zambesi, yet it is so variable in any one locality that it is not of 
taxonomic significance. Likewise, the color of the rufous crown 
patch has been said by various authors 7 to vary geographically, but 
this seems to be a matter of wear, new feathers being darker than old 
abraded ones. 

Throughout its range, this bird seems to be rather local, although 
by no means uncommon. Brehm noted it along the Red Sea coasts; 
von Heuglin found it in Ethiopia at altitudes of from 2,500 to 6,000 
feet. In Uganda it is relatively uncommon, while farther to the east 
it is one of the most numerous of the swallows. 

Von Heuglin assumed that the birds were breeding in Ethiopia 
from September to January, although he actually found nests with 
eggs only in September. He did find a nest with half-fledged nest- 
lings in November, and, judging by the fact that the males continued 
singing until January, concluded that the species was more than 
single-brooded. This is borne out by Erlanger’s discovery of two 


6 This, 1925, pp. 127-128. 

6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 201. 

70 Tbid., p. 676. 

71 Journ. fiir Orn., 1910, p. 787. 

72 Wor example, van Someren, Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 91, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 45 


nests with eggs on April 22 and another on May 16 near Wante in 
the Garre-Lewin country. 

In Kenya Colony nests have been found in June, August, October, 
and December. 


HIRUNDO RUFULA MELANOCRISSA (Riippell) 


Ceropsis melanocrissus Ritippell, Systematische Uebersicht der Végel Nordost- 
Afrika’s, p. 17, pl. 5, 1845: Temben, Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, 1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 13, 1912. 
1 male, 2 females, Hakaki River, Ethiopia, January 15, 1912. 

The two birds collected at Adis Abeba were a mated pair, accord- 
ing to Mearns’s notes. They are lighter, more whitish, less rufescent 
on the breast and belly than the other three and have the dusky 
shaft streaks better developed than the Hakaki specimens. In fact, 
of the latter three, one has no indication of these streaks, one has 
them very faintly indicated, and the other somewhat more so. 

A perusal of the literature is apt to mislead one into thinking that 
this bird and H. 7. emini must be considered specifically distinct, as 
Erlanger ** records the latter as breeding north to the Hakaki River. 
If his identification be correct, the fact that Mearns collected melan- 
ecrissa on that river would lead one to feel a necessity for keeping 
them as species. Sclater ™* states the range of emini to be Uganda 
and Kenya Colony, west to the eastern Congo and south to Nyasa- 
land, and says nothing about its occurrence in Ethiopia. However, 
it occurs in the southern part of Shoa and in the Omo region, and 
possibly extends farther north in the lower country of eastern Ethi- 
opia. In response to an inquiry of mine about the distribution of 
melanocrissa and emini in Ethiopia (on which basis rests their 
specific or subspecific status), Professor Neumann has kindly written 
me as follows (under date of October 5, 1929) : 


* %* * in spite of the occurrence of both very near to each other in 
southern Ethiopia (Omo region) I can not but consider them races. As to 
H. domicella, it does not oceur in Abyssinia. The specimen, collected by 
Schimper in Tigre, no. 1689 of the Stuttgart Museum, recorded by v. Heuglin 
as H. domicella is a female of H. dauwrica nipalensis, which is probably a 
(rare ? ?) winter visitor to Abyssinia. 


It follows, then, that eminz is only racially distinct from melan- 
ocrissa aS Sclater has correctly called it. 

Hartert 7 has suggested that several African Hirundos such as 
senegalensis and cucullata might be looked upon as representative 
forms of daurica, but certainly no student of African birds would 


73 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 678-679. 
™ Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 578, 1930. 
7% Die Vogel der paliiarktischen Fauna, p. 807, 1910. 


46 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


agree that senegalensis and melanocrissa were only racially distinct. 
The truth of the matter is that specific characters in swallows are 
generally finer and smaller than in many other birds, and there is 
nothing to be gained by attempting to reduce species to races merely 
to conform with other groups. 

A study of the characters by which melanocrissa differs from emini 
supports the disposition of these two made above. The former is 
said to be noticeably lighter below and has dusky shaft streaks on 
the feathers of the throat, breast, and upper abdomen. As already 
noted, however, the shaft streaks are not always present in melano- 
crissa, and I have seen some dark-bellied eméné with faint dusky 
shaft streaks. Van Someren’® writes that a female eminz from 
Kenya Colony has the throat and breast streaked, so apparently the 
birds I have seen are not unusual. 

The only difference that appears to be constant is the color of the 
underparts. Neumann” records that the color of the upperparts is 
steel blue in eméni and purplish blue in melanocrissa. This does not 
hold true in the series I have examined (20 birds in all), and Gylden- 
stolpe likewise was unable to corroborate Neumann’s observation. 

The range of melanocrissa is as follows: Northern and central 
Ethiopia. As far as I know there are no definite records from 
Eritrea, but Brehm observed a swallow that he considered to be 
melanocrissa at Mensa, Bogosland. Von Heuglin, however, cast 
doubt on this identification and suggested that the species observed 
might have been Hirundo senegalensis.. Besides the numerous rec- 
ords from Ethiopia, I have seen one bird from Juja Farm, Athi 
River, Kenya Colony, that is typical melanocrissa. This is not only 
the southernmost record for the species and the first one for Kenya 
Colony, but is probably to be interpreted as an accidental one, 1. e., 
the species is certainly not usually found so far south. This bird 
was collected by Mearns while he was with the Smithsonian African 
expedition under Colonel Roosevelt, on May 13, 1909. 

Typical rufula occurs in the Egyptian Sudan, Eritrea, and the 
Yemen Province of Arabia, and domicella is found in the southern 
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (Mongalla, White Nile, Bahr el Ghazal, 
etc.) west through Darfur to the savannahs of Upper Guinea. The 
range of eminz will be dealt with under that form. 

The published notes on the ecological habitat and habits of this 
swallow are not sufficiently harmonious to enable us to get a very 
clear picture. Riippell found the species on the high plateau of 
Temben and in the Simien district. Von Heuglin found it in cen- 
tral Ethiopia throughout the rainy season until February, both in the 
mountains and plains, and noted that it seemed to depart between 


7% Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 92, 1922. 
7 Journ, fiir Orn., 1905, p. 202. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 47 


March and June. Blanford found it at Undel Wells in April, but 
observed it only at low or moderate elevations, not on the high 
plateau country. 

The breeding season is from June to August. Riippell states that 
the nests are built on rocks much like those of Hirundo rustica. 
Antinori found it nesting during June, July, and August, near 
Mahal-Uonz, in Shoa. 

It is a rather sad commentary on our knowledge of the habits of 
this bird that practically nothing has been added in all the years 
since Sharpe and Wyatt’s monograph appeared. Their account (pp. 
379-880) is still a summation of what is known of the life history of 
the mosque swallow in Ethiopia. 


HIRUNDO RUFULA EMINI Reichenow 


Hirundo emini REICHENOW, Jour. ftir Orn., 1892, p. 215: Bussisi, west shoree of 
Lake Victoria. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 males, 20 miles abovee mouth of Thika River, Kenka 
Colony, August 27, 1912. 

These two specimens are the darkest examples of emzni I have seen 
(19 examined) and have shghtly narrower bills than any of the others 
studied. Both birds are molting the remiges and rectrices. 

As mentioned under the discussion of melanocrissa, the present 
form is very closely related to it, and, as their respective ranges do 
not overlap, I keep them as races of a single species. 

The range of emzni is as follows: The Mlanje Plateau, of Nyasa- 
land, north through Tanganyika Territory and the eastern Belgian 
Congo, Ruanda, and Urundi through western Uganda and Kenya 
Colony to the Turkana and Rendile districts to the west and east, 
respectively, of Lake Rudolf, north to the lake region of Shoa. 
Lonnberg ™* recorded Punda Melia (near Fort Hall) as “on the north- 
eastern frontier of its known distribution.” However, six years 
earlier Neumann” definitely recorded emini as breeding in Malo, 
southern Shoa, and Erlanger *° recorded it even farther north—at 
Adis Abeba and the Hakaki River—but Erlanger’s birds are prob- 
ably all really melanocrissa. In the southern part of its range it 
appears to be more of a highland bird than farther north, and con- 
sequently its distribution in Tanganyika Territory is somewhat 
patchy and discontinuous. 

It has been recorded from altitudes as great as 8,500 feet on 
Ruwenzori *! and 7,000 feet on Mount Elgon.** 


78 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 79. 

7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 202. 

80[bid., pp. 678-679. 

81 Cf. Ogilvie-Grant, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 19, p. 409, 1910. 
82 Granvik, Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 120. 


48 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Immature birds have relatively shorter and broader outer rectrices; 
duller, less bluish black on the upperparts; very pale rumps and 
underparts (as pale as in some specimens of melanocrissa); and a 
medially interrupted pectoral band of dusky spots. 

The breeding season in the northern part of its range is in July. 
Erlanger found it nesting on July 7 at the Hakaki River, near Adis 
Abeba, and obtained an egg on that date. The nests are mud struc- 
tures with a half-tubular entrance. 


HIRUNDO SENEGALENSIS SENEGALENSIS Linnaeus 


Hirundo senegalensis LinNAnUS, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, p. 845, 1766: Senegal. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 males, 3 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 1-8, 1912. 
1 male, 20 miles above mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 27, 
1912. 

The geographic variations of this swallow are somewhat obscured 
by the extent of individual variation throughout its range. Four 
races have been currently recognized, as follows: 

1. H. s. senegalensis: Senegal eastward across the Upper Guinean 
savannahs through Darfur, Kordofan, the northeastern Belgian 
Congo, Uganda, and the “Lado Enclave” to Shoa; southward in the 
western part of its range to Loango. 

2. H. s. saturatior: Said by Bannerman ** to differ from the typical 
form in being much deeper chestnut on the entire underparts. The 
range is given as the coastal regions of the Gold Coast. Gylden- 
stolpe ** has questioned the validity of saturatior, because in Uganda, 
Kenya Colony, and Ethiopia the birds (typical senegalensis) are 
variable in color, although averaging darker than Senegambian speci- 
mens. He asks, since there is so much individual variation in these 
birds “why should we not regard the different shade of chestnut 
found in birds from Senegal and from the Gold Coast merely as an 
individual variation? ‘To me it seems highly possible that the coastal 
districts of the Gold Coast * * * are inhabited by the same race 
as that found in Senegal. The latter country, has, however, a drier 
climate than the Gold Coast, a fact which * * * must be taken 
into consideration.” It should be noted that when describing satur- 
atior, Bannerman stated that East African (Ugandan, Kenya Colony, 
and Ethiopian) birds are “certainly rather darker than typical ex- 
amples, but are not nearly so dark as H. s. saturatior.” I have seen 
no specimens of saturatior, but recognize it tentatively as valid. 

3. H. s. monteivi: Differs from the typical race in having well- 
developed white spots on the three outer rectrices. This is the 


88 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 48, p. 85, 19238. 
§&% Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 228-229. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 49 


southernmost form, occurring from Damaraland, the Okavango 
River, and Elephants Vlei, northern Southwest African Protectorate, 
through Angola, to the mouth of the Congo River, in the west, and 
from Inhambane, Mozambique, north through Nyasaland, Rhodesia, 
the Katanga, and Tanganyika Territory to the Kilimanjaro region. 
According to Reichenow,** this form and the typical one occur to- 
gether in the Loango coast, but it seems quite likely that the birds 
either intergrade there or come together by migratory movements 
only. 

4. H. s. hybrida: Said to be paler below than monteiri but with 
the white tail spots present in varying degrees, sometimes obsolete 
or indicated only. Van Someren * records this form from Mombasa, 
Changamwe, Tsavo, Mbuyuni, Samburu, and Nairobi. I have seen 
two pale-bellied birds from the Athi River, Kenya Colony, which fit 
the present race, but while one of them has well-developed white 
tail spots, the other completely lacks them. However, I recognize 
the race because of the pale ventral coloration, not because of the 
character of the tail spots. The variability of the latter character 
in southern Kenya Colony suggests that in the Loango district in 
West Africa the same sort of variation may occur, which, if true, 
would explain the apparent overlapping of montetiri and senegalensis. 
In the United States National Museum there are three specimens of 
monteirt from Kahe, Tanganyika Territory, which are dark-bellied 
birds (typical monteiri). Kahe is only a short distance (about 40 
miles) south of Mbuyuni, whence van Someren lists hybrida, but the 
former locality is much more humid than the latter. In fact, at 
Kahe there is a sizeable palm forest, a sure indication of humidity, 
while elsewhere from Taveta through Mbuyuni to Voi the country 
is a semiarid acacia savannah. If the intensity of coloration has 
anything to do with the humidity of the environment, Mombasa 
birds should be darker, like those from Kahe, but apparently they 
are not. Yet the distribution of hybrida as given by van Someren, is, 
in general, coincident with that of the south Kenyan arid region. I 
have not seen enough material to reject definitely Aybrida but 
strongly suspect that further specimens will show its supposed char- 
acters to be wholly individual. The two birds from the Athi River 
are a case in point. 

All six birds collected are adults. The specimen from the Thika 
River was just completing the tail molt when shot, the replacement of 
the rectrices being centrifugal. In very fresh plumage the glossy 
blue-black upper tail coverts are terminally edged with chestnut, but 
this quickly wears off. The under tail coverts are quite variable in 


8 Die Végel Afrikas, vol. 2, p. 417, 1903. 
8° Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, p. 104, 1921. 


50 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


color. Some have blackish subterminal spots 7 mm wide, while others 
have merely a speck of black on either web. 

Neumann *’ writes that Ethiopian birds are somewhat smaller than 
West African ones. His specimens from the former region had wings 
of 149-155 mm (males) and 142-148 mm (females). The present 
series agree fairly well with these figures—150-157.5 mm (males), 
144-154 mm (females). 

Sharpe and Wyatt,’* quoting von Heuglin’s notes, write that this 
swallow is migratory in northeastern Africa. Von Heuglin found it 
from May to January in Kordofan and central Ethiopia, at altitudes 
of from 5,000 to 9,000 feet. Neumann likewise found it in the high- 
lands from 6,500 to 8,300 feet. Brehm, however, states that it is found 
even on the Red Sea, but I know of no specimens from there. 

The breeding season in Ethiopia appears to be from April to July. 
Erlanger *® found a nest with two young about 10 days old near 
Harrar on April 28, while on July 7 near Akaki, near Adis Abeba, he 
found a nest with three eggs, one of which was smaller than the other 
two and may have been of another species. In Kenya Colony and 
Uganda van Someren °*? found nests from May to July and October 
to January. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns recorded this swallow as 
follows: July 25, Er-re-re, 2 seen; July 26, Le-se-dun, 2 birds; August 
27, Thika River, 200 observed. 


HIRUNDO ABYSSINICA ABYSSINICA Guérin 


Hirundo abyssinica GuéRiIn, Rey. Zool., 1848, p. 322: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Tharaka dstrict, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 


The material available for study is insufficient to enable me to 
delve very far into the systematics of this swallow. There are four 
races currently recognized in literature, as follows: 

1. H. a. puella: Gold Coast, etc., east through the Upper Guinean 
savannahs to Darfur. 

2. H. a. mawima: A large, very heavily streaked form from the 
highlands of northern Nigeria. 

3. H. a. abyssinica: Larger than the nominate form, the ventral 
streaking somewhat heavier and broader: Eritrea, Ethiopia, East 
Uganda, Kenya Colony, and Tanganyika Territory, intergrading 
over a fairly large area with the next form. Smaller than maxima. 

4. H. a. unitatis: Similar to maxima but smaller (wing, 107 as 
against 116 mm in the latter), the ventral black streaks less prominent 


8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 201. 

88 A monograph of the Hirundinidae or family of swallows, vol. 2, p. 400, 1885. 
89 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 677-678. 

 Tbis, 1916, p. 374. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 51 


(although heavier than in puella or abyssinica), the chestnut crown 
patch lighter and less extensive caudally than in maxima. South 
Africa north through the Congo and Tanganyika Territory, over- 
lapping and intergrading with abyssinica in the northern half of 
Tanganyika Territory. Reichenow ™ has investigated the status of 
unitatis and has found that throughout northeastern, eastern, south- 
ern, and western Africa one finds birds with heavy, broad streaks 
and others with finer marks, and suggests that the difference is not 
correlated with geography but with age, the younger birds having 
relatively narrower streaks than the older individuals. I am unable 
to find any evidence in support of this suggestion, as many of the 
birds with narrow streaks examined are fully adult. Very young 
birds have the streaks less distinct, more dusky, than in adults, but 
the characters of wnitatis seem to be those of mature specimens. 
However, if wnitatis does occur in Kenya Colony, as Sclater and 
Mackworth-Praed claim, then it is not a valid form, as I have com- 
pared birds from Kenya and from northern Tanganyika with 
Guérin’s type of abyssinica and find no differences. I assume that 
southern birds (north to southern Tanganyika, and thence north 
through western Tanganyika Territory to Ruanda, Urundi, and west- 
ern Uganda) are uniformly more heavily streaked below than abys- 
sinica and are separable as unitatis Sclater and Mackworth-Praed. 

The single example collected is in molt and badly damaged by the 
shot, so its measurements are of no significance. 

In Ethiopia the small stripe-breasted swallow is widely distributed 
from Bogosland and the Eritrean border south through Shoa and 
Arussi-Gallaland. Sharpe and Wyatt,? quoting von Heughin, state 
that its altitudinal range is between 3,500 and 10,000 feet. Brehm 
never found it along the Red Sea coastal plain, but only in the 
mountains of Bogosland where it breeds in cliffs and under over- 
hanging rocks. 

In Kenya Colony it appears to breed throughout the year. 

Besides the specimen collected, Mearns noted this swallow at the 
following places: On the Upper Hawash River colonies were found 
early in February; then the species was not seen again (or at least 
not recorded) until August 9, when 20 were noted near Meru, and 
50 more were seen the following day at the same place; 20 miles 
east of Meru, August 11, 100 birds; Tharaka district, August 12, 200 
seen; Tana River, August 23-26, 10 birds; east of Ithanga Hills, 
August 26, 2 seen; 20 miles above the mouth of the Thika River, 
August 27, 4 observed; west of Ithanga Hills, August 28, 4 birds; 
Athi River, August 31, 4 noted. 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1921, pp. 265-266. 
®2 A monograph of the Hirundinidae or family of swallows, p. 344, 1889. 


52 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


RIPARIA RIPARIA RIPARIA (Linnaeus) 


Hirundo riparia Linnarus, Systema naturae, ed. 10, p. 192, 1758: Europe, re- 
stricted type locality, Sweden. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED + 
1 unsexed, Loco, Ethiopia, March 14, 1912. 
1 unsexed, Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 24, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris brown; pill black (inside of mouth yellow) ; feet 
purplish flesh-color; claws black. 

These two specimens are rather darker than any of the series of 
some 20 birds from Europe and Africa and may possibly be nearer 
to fuscocollaris than to typical riparia. Van Someren ** records 12 
specimens from various localities in Kenya Colony (Kisumu, Kibi- 
gori, Nakuru, Naivasha, and Nairobi) as fuscocollaris. Unfortu- 
nately, I have seen no authentic fuscocollaris material, and, inasmuch 
as the difference between the present two birds and typical European 
sand martins is not great, I prefer to consider them as extreme 
specimens of riparia. 

Tschusi zu Schmidhoffen described fuscocollaris from migrant 
birds collected at Castelnuovo, southern Dalmatia ®* and admitted 
that he did not know where the breeding range might be. Van 
Someren found that his fuscocollaris agreed with birds from Turke- 
stan and concluded that they were probably migrants from that 
country. It does not seem highly probable that birds would migrate 
from Turkestan to eastern Africa, and I feel that van Someren’s 
identification must be taken with some mental reservation. 

This sand martin appears to be uncommon in central and southern 
Ethiopia. Antinori did not meet with it in Shoa; neither did Neu- 
mann; and von Erlanger found it but once. In Kenya Colony 
records are very numerous, but the bird seems not to have been found 
anywhere in Somaliland, Jubaland, or southeastern Gallaland. 

The bird from Black Lake Abaya is in molt in the wings and tail; 
the other is through molting and is in fresh plumage. According 
to Witherby,®* the earliest date for a specimen with molting wings 
is in December, which indicates that the birds do not begin their 
ecdysis until some time after arriving in their winter home. 

The Egyptian form, shelleyi, characterized by its small size (wings, 
90-97 mm) is almost nonmigratory but has also been taken in our 
region. Sclater and Mackworth-Praed * record it from Khartoum 
and from near Renk in the Sudan. It is known also from Eritrea 
and Ethiopia. 





93 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 89, 1922. 

24 Orn. Jahrb., vol. 23, PD. 216, 1912. 

95 A practical handbook of British birds, vol. 1, p. 514, 1920. 
9 Tpis, 1918, pp. 713-714. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY ren 


Besides the actual specimens collected, Mearns recorded this swal- 
low as follows: Aletta, March 13-15, 500; Gidabo River, March 15-17, 
200 birds; Abaya Lakes, March 19-26, 1,000 seen; spring between 
Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 100; Gato River near Gar- 
dula, March 29-May 17, 10 birds noted. The absence of observational 
records after leaving southern Shoa suggests that the species is rel- 
atively scarce in northern Kenya Colony. When we recall the gen- 
eral aridity of the Rendile country, this becomes more understand- 
able, but these swallows probably occur along Lake Rudolf. 


RIPARIA PALUDICOLA MINOR (Cabanis) 


Cotyle minor CABANIS, Museum Heineanum, vol. 1, p. 49, 1850: ‘‘Northeastern 
Africa”, i. e., Dongola (cf. Reichenow, Journ. fiir Orn., 1920, p. 88). 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 female, 1 unsexed, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911-January 1, 
1912. 
1 male, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 29, 1912. 
3 unsexed, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 10, 1912. 

In the absence of adequate material from southern Africa and the 
Sudan, I follow the arrangement suggested by Sclater and 
Mackworth-Praed.*” According to these authors, there are four races 
of this swallow, as follows: 

1. R. p. paludicola: South Africa north to Benguella in Angola 
and the Zambesi River in Rhodesia and Mozambique. Wings, 
102-110 mm. 

2. &. p. ducis: Central and eastern Africa, north at least to Mount 
Kenya in Kenya Colony. Wings, 95-102 (average, 98 mm) ; upper- 
parts, especially of the head, darker brown than in the typical form. 

3. 2. p. minor: Ethiopia, Sennar, Upper Blue Nile. Wings as in 
ducis or slightly larger; paler than ducts, more like paludicola but 
with the throat and breast paler. 

4. RB. p. sudanensis: Lake Chad to the Bahr el Ghazal and the 
White Nile. The palest and smallest of all the races, wings 90-98 
(average, 95 mm). 

There is some doubt as to the validity of swdanensis. Lynes 
states that his Darfur birds agree with others from Lake Chad, 
Bahr el Ghazal, the White Nile, and also with specimens from the 
Blue Nile (referred to minor by Sclater and Mackworth-Praed). 

The male collected has the following dimensions: Wing, 100; tail, 
47; culmen, 6; tarsus, 9.5 mm. The female: Wing, 99; tail, 43; 
culmen, 7; tarsus, 10.5 mm. The unsexed birds: Wing, 99-102; tail, 
41-47; culmen, 7; tarsus, 10-10.5 mm. 


7 Tbis, 1918, pp. 714-715. 
Ibis, 1925, p. 125. 
106220—37——5 


o4 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Erlanger °° found this bank swallow nesting in July and August 
near Adis Abeba. In Darfur Lynes records sudanensis as breeding 
late in autumn. Both von Heuglin and Blanford record seeing vast 
swarms in April and June and September and it has been suggested 
from this that the species is migratory. 

Riparia minor schoensis Reichenow 1 is a synonym, as far as I can 
see. 

Sclater? recognizes schoensis, but I fail to find any distinctive 
characters to separate it from minor. If additional material should 
show schoensis to be valid, the present specimens would have to be 
referred to that race. 


PTYONOPROGNE RUFIGULA RUFIGULA (Fischer and Reichenow) 


Cotyle rufigula Fiscumr and REICHENOW, Journ. ftir Orn., 1884, p. 53: Lake 
Naivasha, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 22, 1912. 


The African rock martin is closely related to the large pale South 
African species P. fuligula and has, indeed, been considered con- 
specific with it by many writers. I have not sufficient specimens to 
delve very deeply into the systematics of this species and so follow 
Lynes,* who has examined a great deal of material. 

According to this investigator, the range of rufigula is from north- 
ern Angola and the Shire Highlands of Nyasaland north to northern 
Nigeria, French Equatorial Africa (Ubangi-Shari district) , Uganda, 
and Kenya Colony. To this should be added the Maneguba district 
of Cameroon‘ and Kajo Kaji, southern Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.° 

Mackworth-Praed * noted that the birds of Ethiopia and Bogos- 
land, Eritrea, were slightly larger and paler than those of Kenya 
Colony (rufigula) and referred to them as “R. rufigula subsp. ?” 
He guessed, but seemed not too sure of his guess, that Zedlitz’s form 
Riparia rupestris pusilla was probably conspecific with rufigula and 
that pusilla was the name of the Ethiopian and Eritrean specimens. 
Lynes not only corroborated this, but showed that puszl/a occurred 
westward across the Sudan to Darfur. 

Sclater’ considers rufigula specifically distinct from obsoleta. If 
it were not for the fact that P. 0. arabica and P. r. pusilla both 
occur in Eritrea, it would seem better to consider them both one 


® Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 674. 

1 Journ. fiir Orn., 1920, p. 88: Adis Abeba. 

2 Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 584, 1930. 
®Tbis, 1926, pp. 402-405. 

4Bannerman and Bates, Ibis, 1924, p. 228. 

& Seclater and Mackworth-Praed, Ibis, 1918, p. 716. 
6 Ibis, 1917, p. 389. 

7Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 585, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 55 


species. It may be that arabica and pusilla do not actually occur 
side by side, in which case it would be possible to put all these 
forms in one specific group—odsoleta. 

In Darfur, Kordofan, and northern Nubia pusilla breeds in mid- 
winter and molts in April and May. In Kenya Colony and Tan- 
ganyika Territory, rujfigula nests from January to May and molts 
in May and June. 

Mearns made the following entries about this swallow in his note- 
books: Plains south and at base of Endoto Mountains, July 19-24, 
220 birds seen; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31, 4 noted; 
Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 20 seen. 


PSALIDOPROCNE HOLOMELAENA MASSAICA Neumann 


Psalidoprocne holomelaena massaica NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., 1904, p. 144: 
Kikuyu, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Meru Forest, Kenya Colony, August 9, 1912. 


This saw-winged swallow is currently considered as comprising 
two geographic races, the typical South African form and the East 
African massaica, which differs from the former in having the sheen 
of the plumage more oily brownish green. In southern holomelaena 
the green color is well marked on the crown and nape; in massaica 
it averages less pronounced there. The differences, however, are 
very slight, and I agree with Gyldenstolpe,’ who writes that when 
a large quantity of material “is available for examination, it seems 
highly possible that this distinction will prove to be of no value 
for the separation of an East African race.” On the other hand, 
it must be remembered that rather slight color differences in this 
genus appear to be constant enough in many cases to warrant! their 
usage as specific characters. The color of the under wing coverts 
does not hold as a racial criterion, although it was on this character 
that Neumann originally described massaica. I have examined a 
series of 20 massaica and 2 holomelaena and find the darkness or 
lightness of the under wing coverts to be individually variable. 

The range of massaica, as far as known, is from the Uluguru and 
Usambara Mountains, Tanganyika Territory, west to the eastern 
Belgian Congo (Kivu district), north through Ruanda, Urundi, 
Ruwenzori, Uganda, and Kenya Colony approximately to the Equa- 
tor. Meru, north of Mount Kenya, and Mount Elgon appear to be 
the northern limits of its range. Loénnberg® first recorded it from 
Meru, and the present specimen is the second from that locality. 


§ Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 230. 
® Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 79. 


56 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
PSALIDOPROCNE ANTINORII Salvadori 


Psalidoprocne antinorii Satvaport, Ann. Mus. Genova, 1884, p. 128: Denz, 
Ethiopia. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 males, 1 female, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 10, 1912. 
1 female, Loco, Ethiopia, March 138, 1912. 

The present species is one of the forms of Psalidoprocne peculiar 
to northeastern Africa, agreeing in this respect with blanfordi and 
pristoptera. P. antinorii is easily distinguishable from the other two 
named above in that it has a purplish-bronze sheen on the feathers, 
particularly of the upperparts. 

As far as known, P. antinorii occurs only in Ethiopia from Harrar 
and Adis Abeba to Gara Mulata, the Shoan Lakes region, Gofa, and 
Kaffa, and the north end of Lake Rudolf. Neumann? writes that 
it inhabits the whole south Ethiopian mountainous region south of 
the Hawash River and that its altitudinal range is from 7,600 to 
10,300 feet. It does not occur in the drainage area of the Blue Nile. 

The breeding season is little known, but appears to be rather pro- 
longed. Neumann found that the birds were in breeding condition 
in Kaffa in the beginning of March. Erlanger, on the other hand, 
found a nest with two very young nestlings at Adis Abeba on July 26. 

The present four specimens are very uniform in color, a fact that 
is in keeping with Neumann’s observation that the color is very con- 
stant in this species. Inasmuch as relatively few specimens are 
available in museums, I give in table 7 the measurements of the 
four birds. 


TABLE 7.—Measurements of four specimens (adults) of Psalidoprocne antinorii 
from Hthiopia 


Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 

Mn Mn Min Mm 

Nob tae 22 so Seen a pee ene Ae Ale Malone eaeeas 104. 5 74 5.5 10 
Dorset FA AIA DEE eee ewe eS Qe 108.0 74 5.0 9 
Moteciet ct S.A pee ae wed eee Female__.----- 91.0 47 6.0 10 
MOCO sa 2 aes eo aS ae Ne ene ge GOp hee 101.0 64 6.0 10 





The female from Aletta is molting the remiges, rectrices, and the 
feathers of the forehead and crown. This accounts for its short tail, 
as the longer outer rectrices are missing. Reichenow gives the 
wing dimensions of antinorii as 95 to 110 mm, which indicates a 
greater maximal variation than is shown by the birds before me. 


10 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 202. 
4 Tbid., p. 679. 
Die Vogel Afrikas, vol. 2, p. 429, 1908. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 57 


Family CAMPEPHAGIDAE, Cuckoo-Shrikes 
CAMPEPHAGA FLAVA FLAVA Vicillot 
Campephaga flava VirttLtor, Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., vol. 10, p. 49, 1817 
(female) : Southern Africa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Thika River, 20 miles above the mouth, Kenya 
Colony, August 27, 1912. 

The black cuckoo-shrike has two races, according to Neumann," as 
follows: 

1. C. flava flava; From the Cape of Good Hope to northern An- 
gola and to the Katanga, north through Mozambique and Nyasaland 
to Lake Kivu, across Tanganyika Territory and Kenya Colony to 
Tertale and Lake Stefanie in southern Ethiopia and the Juba River 
in southern Somaliland, intergrading in Uganda and the Nandi and 
Kakamega districts of western Kenya Colony with the western race 
petiti. 

The range as given above is based on the account given by Neu- 
mann. However, Neumann agrees with other investigators that 
Lanicterus hartlaubii Salvadori 1* is merely a color variation of typi- 
cal flava (or nigra as he calls it). But hartlawbii was based on a 
bird said to have come from Anseba, Bogosland. If the type did 
come from Bogosland, the range would have to be extended north 
across all Ethiopia to the Eritrean border. As far as I have been 
able to discover, the species has otherwise never been taken north of 
Tertale, and I therefore am inclined to question the locality of the 
type of hartlaubii. 

2. C. flava petiti: From northern Angola and southern Gaboon to 
the Congo Basin and east to Uganda, Urundi, and Ruanda, intergrad- 
ing in the last three with the typical race. In this race the female has 
the underparts yellow instead of white as in flava, more or less barred 
with dark fuscous. The adult males are very similar but typical flava 
has the inner webs of the remiges washed with yellow, while in pezz2, 
these margins are only slightly or, not at all, yellowish. Van Some- 
ren © considers petiti specifically distinct because of the marked differ- 
ence in the females of the two and also because he has found the two 
forms in the same place. His latter argument, however, loses much 
of its strength because of the fact that the only place where he ob- 
tained both forms was in the country where the two intergrade (the 
Uganda-Kenya border) and where individuals of both types might 
well be expected to occur. Furthermore, when we remember that the 
members of this genus are so prone to produce color varieties (such as 
hartlaubii in flava and wanthornoides and rothschildi in phoenicea), 


38 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 153-154. 
144 Ann. Mus. Genova, vol. 4, p. 439, 1873. 
3% Noy. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 106-107, 1922. 


58 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


it would not be surprising if typical flava stock should occasionally 
produce a yellowish-bellied female of the petiti plumage. 

The present species has been usually called C. nigra in literature, 
but Oberholser ?° has shown that flava is based on the female of this 
species and has page priority over nigra (based on an adult male). 

The single specimen obtained by the Frick expedition is in molt but, 
on the whole, in good fresh plumage. Its dimensions are as follows: 
Wing, 101; tail, 98; culmen, 15; tarsus, 20 mm. 

Neumann has shown that the males go through a sequence of three 
plumages, or, in other words, do not attain the adult feathering until 
the third year. 

Bannerman and Bates?’ find that in the western form petiti, “a 
young male has nearly the whole underside bright yellow, only a few 
feathers having blackish spots and bars. Some immature males in the 
collection are barred black and white on the underside, with httle or 
no yellow. Some nearly adult black males have on the breast a few 
white feathers with dark bars, but no yellow. From this it looks as 
though the first juvenile plumages were yellow on the underside, and 
a later one barred white and blackish.” I very much doubt that this 
is so; in C. quiscalina, the adult female of which has a pure-yellow 
under surface, the young of both sexes are whitish below, barred with 
blackish. It seems that the “young male” in question was wrongly 
sexed and is really an adult female. 

Sclater ® considers petiti a distinct species. 

Being an inhabitant of forests, or, at least, fairly well-wooded 
country, this bird is somewhat local in its distribution. 

Little seems to be known of its breeding season. Sjéstedt,1® 
however, notes that a female shot on March 16, on Mount Kiliman- 
jaro, had an egg, ready to be laid, in its oviduct. 

Besides the specimen collected, Mearns noted this species several 
times. The following records are from his notes: Thika River, August 
26-27, 14 birds; west of Ithanga Hills, August 28, 10 seen; Athi River, 
August 29-31, 15 birds noted. 


CAMPEPHAGA PHOENICEA (Latham) 


Ampelis phoenicea LATHAM, Index ornithologicus, vol. 1, p. 367, 1790: Africa. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Botola, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. 
1 male, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 6, 1912. 
2 males, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 9, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 12-20, 1912. 
1 immature male, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 
1 juvenal male, Biderou, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 


16 Proc. U. 8S. Nat. Mus., vol. 28, p. 921, 1905. 

17 Ibis, 1924, p. 247. 

18 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 590, 1930. 

19 Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der sehwedischen zoologischen Expedition nach dem 
Kilimandjaro . . . Deutsch-Ostafrika, 1905-6, ete., Vigel, p. 111, 1910. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 59 


Soft parts (adult male): Iris dark brown; bill, feet, and claws 
glossy black; the gape swollen and pinkish flesh color. 

As pointed out by Oscar Neumann,” this species is peculiar in that 
the adult males usually have a red patch on the outer, upper, lesser, 
and middle primary coverts, but that not infrequently this area is 
bright chrome-yellow instead of red. Occasionally the patch has an 
external border of lighter yellow as well. Quite naturally these 
color forms were once considered distinct species and were given 
names. Thus, Campephaga xanthornoides (Lesson)*? and Campe- 
phaga rothschildi Neumann,” both based on birds with yellow wing 
patches, are merely synonyms of C. phoenicea. Hartert *? in writing 
of the type of rothschildi, states that it “is not a species, but an 
aberrant specimen of the yellow-shouldered variety [“xanthornoides” | 
of Campephaga phoenicea, with yellow outer primary coverts. Not 
only the colour of the shoulder patch, but also the extent of the red 
or yellow colour varies, and in this case the latter colour has ex- 
tended over the outer primary coverts.” 

The male taken near Aletta and the one collected at Gato River 
are of the “rothschildi” type; one of the other Aletta males has 
pure-red shoulder patches, while the other two adult males have 
these patches mostly red but with yellow middle coverts forming a 
yellow posterior margin to the color areas. 

The immature male from Turturo is in an advanced stage of the 
postjuvenal molt and presents a rather bizarre appearance, being 
irregularly black and white below, brown and black above. Its 
colored shoulder patches are peculiar, as the lesser coverts are fiery 
orange-red and the middle coverts pale yellow barred with fuscous. 
Its tail molt is likewise peculiar in that the four middle pairs of 
rectrices and the outermost pair are new, black, adult feathers, while 
the next to the outermost pair are old, fuscous and yellow, juvenal 
feathers. The wing molt appears to begin at the carpal joint and 
proceed outward but not inward, that is, it affects the primaries 
and not the secondaries. The molt of the latter group of remiges 
seems to begin with the tertials and to proceed outward toward the 
wrist joint, but the secondaries do not begin to molt until all but 
the three outermost primaries are shed and renewed. This condition, 
however, may be found to be not entirely characteristic, as I have 
seen but one molting specimen. 

The juvenal male resembles the adult female but is much less 
barred below, is somewhat darker brown on the top of the head, 
upper back, and upper tail coverts, largely lacks the whitish on the 


2 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 146-154. 

21 Ann. Sci. Nat., ser. 2, vol. 9, p. 169, 1838. 
22 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 594. 

23 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 375, 1922. 


60 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


forehead, and has more pointed tips to the rectrices, the outer two 
pairs of which are much more broadly tipped with yellow than in 
the adult female. Adults vary considerably in size, but apparently 
the variations are nongeographic. Eight adult males have the fol- 
lowing dimensions: Wing, 98-108 (average, 105); tail, 92-107 
(94.7); culmen from base, 14.5-18.5 (16.4 mm). Three adult fe- 
males—wing, 95.5-108 (103.3); tail, 91-103 (96.8); culmen from 
base, 16.5-18.5 (17.6 mm). 

This cuckoo-shrike occurs from Senegal to the Niger, thence east 
to Uganda (south to the northern shores of Lake Victoria) and to 
the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (Provinces of Darfur, Sennar, Mon- 
galla, Lado Enclave and Bahr el Ghazal) to Eritrea and Ethiopia, 
south to the southern part of Arussi-Gallaland, the Rendile and 
Turkana country surrounding Lake Rudolf, and through Uganda to 
the Kakamega and North Kavirondo districts of Kenya Colony, but 
not occurring (as far as known) on Mount Elgon. 

Erlanger ** found that birds shot near the Daroli River in Feb- 
ruary and March were in breeding condition. In Uganda, van 
Someren *° found the species breeding in April, and says: “A nest 
with two eggs was taken in April. The nest reminded one of that 
of the Chaffinch; it was well covered with lichen. The eggs were 
creamy green with purply spots and blotches. A young male in 
moult was shot in November.” Seth-Smith?° found a nest late in 
March near Mpumu, Uganda. 


GRAUCALUS CAESIA PURA Sharpe 


Graucalus purus SHARPE, Ibis, 1891, p. 121: Mount Hlgon. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

1 male, 1 female, Loco, Ethiopia, March 138, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female (?), Meru Forest, Equator, Kenya Colony, August 10, 1912. 
Soft parts: Iris dark brown, bill black, feet dark gray, claws black. 
The comparative material of this species available is slight, but it 

corroborates the generally accepted fact that there are three valid 
races, as follows: 

1. G. caesia caesia: South Africa north to central Zululand 
(Eshowe) and the Zoutspanberg district of the Transvaal. 

2. G. caesia pura: Eastern Africa from Nyasaland and northern 
Mozambique north through Tanganyika Territory and the eastern 
Belgian Congo (region immediately west of Lake Tanganyika, and 
the Kivu country, to Ruwenzori) through Kenya Colony to Somali- 
land and Ethiopia, in which country it occurs north at least as far 


~ Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 689. 
5 Ibis, 1916, p. 387. 
26 Ibis, 1913, p. 494. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 61 


as Adis Abeba. This form resembles caesia but is very slightly 
smaller, the chief difference being in the bill, which is noticeably 
narrower and less robust in pura. 

3. G. caesia preussi: Cameroon. In this form the throat is darker, 
a deep slate-black in the males, and the size is generally smaller than 
in the nominate form (wings 110-117 mm as against 116-128.5 mm 
in pura, and 128-132 mm in caesia). 

The coloration varies considerably in intensity in a series of 13 
specimens of pura examined, the two extremes being noticeably dif- 
ferent in shade. This nongeographic variation (the darkest and the 
lightest birds come from the same locality) supports Gyldenstolpe’s 
discussion 7? of van Someren’s statement ** that “the series in the 
Tring Museum from British East Africa, west to Lake Kivu, shows 
two distinct forms, those from the Kivu district being darker and 
smaller.” Gyldenstolpe finds that this difference does not hold. 

It is rather strange that this caterpillar-shrike sould be unknown 
in most of Uganda, especially since it occurs on the Uganda-Congo 
border (in the Ruwenzori range) and on the Uganda-Kenya border 
(Mount Elgon). The only plausible explanation appears to be the 
question of altitude, most of Uganda being too low for this bird, 
which is chiefly a denizen of mountain forests. In Ethiopia, Neu- 
mann ”* found it in the thickest, darkest parts of the forests at alti- 
tudes of 7,200 to 9,200 feet. Similarly, Erlanger *° found it only on 
wooded mountains in that country. 

According to Neumann, the breeding season in Ethiopia is in Feb- 
ruary and March. Van Someren * found the birds breeding in June, 
and he obtained young just out of the nest in July. 


Family DICRURIDAE, Drongos 


DICRURUS ADSIMILIS DIVARICATUS (Lichtenstein) 


Muscicapa divaricata LicHTENSTEIN, Verzeichniss der Doubletten des zoologis- 
chen Museums... zu Berlin, etc., p. 52, 1823: Senegal. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

5 adult males, 1 adult female, 1 unsexed, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 
2-21, 1911, 

1 unsexed, Ourso, Ethiopia, no date. 

1 adult female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 27, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 adult female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 10, 1912. 

1 adult male, no locality, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 

1 adult female, Lake Abaya, southeast, Ethiopia, March 21, 1912. 

8 adult males, 7 adult females, 1 unsexed, 2 immature males, 8 immature 
females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 30-May 11, 1912. 


27 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 192-193. 
Ibis, 1916, p. 385. 

* Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 213. 

*Tbid., p. 688. 

% Noy. Zool., vol. 37, p. 299, 1932. 


62 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


2 immature females, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 27-29, 1912. 

1 adult male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3, 1912. 

1 immature male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 10, 1912. 

1 immature female, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 

1 adult male, Wobok, Ethiopia, June 18, 1912. 

1 immature female, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 24, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 immature male, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 
4-6, 1912. 

1 adult male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 

1 immature male, 3 immature females, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 
15-26, 1912. 

Soft parts: Immature female—iris red, feet and bill black. Adult 
male—iris cherry red; bill, feet, and claws black. 

Of this race of the common African drongo, the following are 
synonyms: Dicrurus fugax Peters * and H'dolius lugubris Hemprich 
and Ehrenberg.** 

According to Sclater,?4 Reichenow’s miinzneri (not miinzeri as 
given by Sclater) is probably the same as divaricatus. 

Bannerman®*® recognizes three subspecies of D. adsimilis, as does 
also Sclater. They are as follows: 

1. D. a. adsimilis: South Africa north to the Limpopo River. 
Characterized by its large size (wings, 131-141 mm). 

2. D. a. divaricatus: Rhodesia, Angola, and Mozambique north to 
Ethiopia, the Sudan, and Senegal, but exclusive of the coastal dis- 
tricts of Upper Guinea from Sierra Leone to Togoland. Similar to 
adsimilis but smaller (wings, 115-136 mm). 

3. D. a. atactus: The coastal districts of Upper Guinea from Sierra 
Leone to the Gold Coast and Togoland. This race is characterized 
by its deep velvety-blue sheen, less greenish blue than in either of 
the other two forms, and by having the lining of the remiges uni- 
formly dark; size intermediate between adstmilis and divaricatus, 
wings averaging 128 mm (the variational range given by Bannerman 
is 122-138 mm, but the type, which I have examined, has a wing 
length of only 117 mm). 

Recently van Someren ** has described a fourth race jubaensis, 
characterized by its short tail. 

Some writers have claimed that the birds of coastal East Africa 
(from southern Kenya Colony to Inhambane) average smaller than 
inland birds and are thus worth recognizing as D. a. fugaw. Van 
Someren ** and Gyldenstolpe ** are among those who find fugaz to 
be constantly small in size. I have seen one bird from Lumbo, Mo- 


32 Journ. fiir Orn., 1868, p. 132: Inhambane, 

83 Symbolae physicae, etc., folio S, pl. 8, fig. 3, 1828: Dongola. 

84 Systema avium A!thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 594, 1930. 

* Ibis, 1920, pp. 440444. 

86 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat, Hist. Soc., no. 37, p. 196, July 1931: Juba River. 
7 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 125, 1922. 

3 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 20-21. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 63 


zambique, and it is small, having a wing length of only 116 mm. 
Another from Morogoro, Tanganyika Territory, is still smaller, with 
a wing length of 110 mm. So far the evidence favors fugax. Van 
Someren, however, notes a series from Mombasa, Changamwe, Taveta, 
etc., as having wings of from 117-127 mm in the males, 117-119 mm 
in the females, and refers these birds to fugav. I have examined 4 
males and 10 females from Changamwe and find the wing length to 
vary from 123.5 to 129 mm in the males, from 110.5 to 182 mm in 
the females, while birds from as far inland as Uganda and the 
southern Sudan are no larger. As may be seen from table 8, the 
present series from Ethiopia also varies greatly in size, and I can 
not agree that fugawx is valid. Only adults are tabulated. 


TABLE 8.— Measurements of 33 adult specimens of Dicrurus adsimilis divaricatus 





Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Dino DaAgkaee someone Sees IWialorseeece- 121.0 | 106.0 19.0 18.5 
PGMA UES Ee PEEP 2 SPAS Se SE ay 4 Got ete: 123.0 102.0 19.5 21.0 
DOSS ae te ee ee ee oe a S[k do. e225: 128.0 111.0 19.0 19.5 
0 ee oe ee eae. |e dos 119.0 103.0 20.0 19.5 
OSES SEOs te ER = TARE Aa ag dows tay} 127.5 112.0 20.0 18.0 |°* 
awash s iversaae 2a ip De SATE Ss dox. === 129.0 | 113.0 19.5 20.0 
ND) Qe ee ee eee ee ene ees eye cee oberon ore 129.0 116.0 17.0 19.5 
GatptRivers 255-2 2 ese se Fee Gog: 252 - 126.5 | 108.5 20.5 19.0 
Bee Peis ees ee ele owt aw 32 130.0 115.0 20.0 19.0 
DI Qao eee, Sem eln aeae meee Ha TS dp reresnwe 126.0 108.0 20.0 19.0 
SAS Ee NE OP Saree aes dps te ee 127.0 109. 5 19.0 18.5 
IDOE eee ee a ae Nig ee Se dort eae 132. 5 115. 0 20.0 19.0 
OS ee ee es een do etse sa 124.0 109.0 18.5 20.5 
MD 23 93 b SR AR oe he Os te gt cs dose}. 4 121.5 102.5 20.5 18.0 
O15) ae ag ae of dosste- 2s 124.5 109.0 20. 5 18.0 
Bacon Rivers sass ee ees es d0s=- = 129.0 | 112.0 21.0 20.0 
VOD GR: ee it eee eee IE doz) 2 119. 5 108.0 20.0 19.5 
KENYA COLONY: 
Pekigndwen iver ee eee oe ne a dost. Saas 119.0 | 109.0 19.0 18.5 
Pharakayaisthictlss.— 2" a Soke fee dorte.222s 121.0 | 108.0 18.5 19.0 
ETHIOPIA: 
UY SO sere ee eee mete yee ot ee Seer CPP RD 125.5 | 102.0 19.0 17.5 
Pipe ADH ae as == eee ee Pe 120, 0 103.0 19.0 19.0 
GEALOVR vers sees ae oe aN a NS ee le 124.0 | 112.0 19.5 18.0 
(Dire Daoud. so. 82- eo eee - eee Hemale® ss: =~. 126.0 | 108.0 20.0 18.0 
BadivMalka ts terry) sch lobe. Boy calles does. 2= 123.0 | 112.0 18.5 20.0 
ewashvRi versa. 2~ 2 do ee 122.0 1OVE0 sie ee 20. 5 
(hakerAibayarccstcess sheen ol We le ee dos = a 119.0 | 101.5 18.0 18.0 
Gato River: 2-2 2+ bo? oe ee alte Ze do. feces 119.0 | 101.0 18.0 20.0 
NS eee cae a ag ee clo G0. = = 121.0 109.0 18.5 19.0 
19028 Sees See eee es aoe ae ee (Oss eeee 124.0 107.0 19.0 18.5 
5B 0 Se Se ey ee ae ee |e dovas-* 22 128.0 10958» feseen=2e 2 19.0 
1D [a ete ag aR EN ESE Se et [ GOrete = =- 125.0 112. 5 19.5 20.0 
DOS See ts ee a8 et eee eee dort 124.0 110.0 20.5 19.0 
I O=meeeus fay OSS IE Ee i) aes do: 4.4. - 116.0 99.0 20.0 20.0 





The present series admirably illustrates all the plumages of this 
drongo. One young male taken on May 11 was about a week out 
of the nest when collected. It has the remiges and rectrices only 
a third grown and has the chin and upper throat largely bare. The 


64. BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


top of the head and the upper back are dull fuscous-black, the lower 
back slightly washed with brownish, and the feathers tipped with 
brownish gray, giving a somewhat barred effect. The feathers of 
the underparts are dark fuscous-black edged terminally with grayish, 
the tail feathers and the two innermost pairs of secondaries are 
black with a slight greenish-blue sheen; the other rectrices are 
fuscous on the outer, and earth brown on the inner webs. Shelley * 
writes that the nestling is “browner than the adults, with broad 
brownish white edges to the feathers of the forehead, front of crown, 
scapulars.” Out of about 20 young birds examined, only two have 
light edges on the crown and forehead feathers. 

By the time the chin and upper throat are fully feathered, the 
remiges and rectrices are about three-quarters full size. This stage 
is shown by several specimens. Shelley distinguishes three plumage 
stages—the nestling, the immature, and the adult. The immature 
plumage is like that of the adult but has whitish edges on some of 
the feathers of the breast, under tail coverts, and under wing coverts. 
From the extensive material available for study I find that this plum- 
age is acquired by an incomplete postjuvenal molt, the old (juvenal) 
rectrices and remiges being retained. The molt begins on the crown 
and nape, then spreads to the upper back, then to the lower back, 
the upper wing coverts, and the upper tail coverts, to the throat and 
upper breast, and finally to the lower breast and abdomen. The 
feathers of the latter region are tipped with white but are otherwise 
black with a greenish-blue sheen (not dull fuscous-brown as in the 
first pennaceous feathering). Occasionally some of the greater and 
middle upper wing coverts are also tipped with whitish. 

The breeding season in Ethiopia is from March to June. Er- 
lander *° found nests with eggs in northern Somaliland on March 1, 
and at Arba, between Harrar and Adis Abeba, on June 8. Mearns 
found fledged young still attended by the parents, at Gato River, 
from April 9 to May 11. 

The abundance of this drongo is reflected in the number of times 
Mearns noted it in his diary, a transcript of which follows: At the 
Gidabo River, March 15-17, 10 birds were seen; Abaya Lakes, March 
18-26, 180; between the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 
25 birds; Gato River near Gardula, March 26—May 17, “abundant”; 
Anole and Kormali, May 17, 4 seen; Sagon River, May 19, 20 noted; 
Bodessa, May 19-June 8, 50 birds; Sagon River, June 3-6, 200; 
Tertale, June 7-12, 90; El Ade, June 12-13, 10 birds; Mar Mora, 
June 14, 25; Turturo, June 15-17, 100 seen; Anole, June 17, 100 
birds; Wobok, June 18, 100; near Saru, June 19, 100; Yebo, June 
20, 50; Karsa Barecha, June 21, 100; Malata, June 22, 20 seen; then 


# The birds of Africa, etc., vol. 5, pt. 2, p. 178, 1912. 
40 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 703-704. ’ 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 65 


none was recorded until the expedition reached the Endoto Moun- 
tains, July 19-24, when 100 birds were noted; Er-re-re, July 25, 50; 
Le-se-dun, July 26, 50; Malele and south for 40 miles, July 27-380, 
200 seen; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31—August 3, 50 birds; 
Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 100 seen; Guaso Mara River, August 
9, 10 birds; Tharaka district, August 12-14, 24 birds observed, Tana 
River, August 15-26, 750 birds; Thika River, August 26-28, 70; 
between Thika and Athi River, August 29, 100; Athi River, August 
20-31, 50 birds seen. 


Family ORIOLIDAE, Old World Orioles 
ORIOLUS AURATUS NOTATUS Peters 


Oriolus notatus Pretrers, Journ. ftir Orn., 1868, p. 182: Tete, Zambesi valley. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya 
Colony, August 25, 1912. 

This form of the African golden oriole occurs from Damaraland, 
Angola, Mashonaland, and Mozambique north through Nyasaland 
throughout Tanganyika Territory to southwestern Uganda and to 
Tana River and Lamu and to the Juba River in Kenya Colony. In 
southern Ethiopia, southern Sudan, eastern Uganda, west to Upper 
Guinea as far as Senegal, it is replaced by typical auratus. Adult 
males of the two differ in the following respects: The central pair 
of rectrices are black in both, but the three outer pairs always have a 
large basal black area in auratus and are pure yellow, with occa- 
sionally some black on or near the shaft, in notatus; the inner sec- 
ondaries are more broadly margined with yellow in notatus than in 
auratus. The adult females can be distinguished by the fact that 
notatus has broad yellow margins to the outer webs of the inner 
secondaries. Immature specimens of notatus likewise may be identi- 
fied from corresponding examples of auratus by the fact that the 
former have broad yellow edges on the inner secondaries. 

Meinertzhagen ** writes that birds from Damaraland are “fre- 
quently larger than eastern African specimens, but this is by no 
means constant.” Wan Someren #2 compared his series from Kenya 
Colony and Uganda with Angolan birds and found the former to be 
smaller, “the eastern birds having wings ef  2¢ 180-187, @ 180- 
135 mm., the western birds ¢ 140-147, 9 135-145 mm. As we have 
no Nyasaland birds, I am unable to say which are typical.” If the 
eastern, smaller, birds are the typical ones, as seems likely, Bocage’s 
name anderssoni*® is available for the southwestern larger ones. 
Four birds from General Machado, Angola, are not larger than 
others from East Africa. 

4 Ibis, 1923, p. 63. 


#2Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 126, 1922. 
43 Jorn. Sci. Nat. Lisboa, vol. 2, p. 342, 1870: Damaraland. 


66 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


While Sclater,* Meinertzhagen, and others consider the birds of 
southwestern Ethiopia (Omo region, etc.) typical awratus, it may be 
noted that Neumann *° writes that a male he collected on the Omo 
River has only a sprinkling of black on the inner webs of the outer 
rectrices and could be identified as notatus or as auratus equally 
well. He decides that the birds of the Omo district are really inter- 
grades between the two. In that area he found the species exclu- 
sively in forests and not ascending above 6,000 feet in the mountains. 

Granvik ** records both auratus and notatus from Mombasa. All 
these birds must be notatus, but his action indicates the variable 
nature of these birds. I find the distribution of black on the outer 
rectrices to vary considerably but have seen no specimens from East 
Africa that I would confuse with true auratus. The rectricial pat- 
tern character does not hold except for adult males. As a rule adult 
males of notatus have the upper primary coverts broadly edged with 
yellow, while in auratus these feathers are only minutely tipped with 
yellow. 

The extreme variability of the orioles of the auratus and monacha 
groups renders the systematics of these birds rather difficult, but it 
is of great interest in that it appears to be largely mutational in char- 
acter. The fact that so many patterns appear commonly indicates 
the absence of selective value of this character. Then, by inference, 
we are strengthened in our conclusions regarding the actuality of the 
races by virtue of their average stability. 

For a female, the present example is rather large, having a wing 
length of 137.5 mm, larger than the maximal figure given by van 
Someren for notatus and larger than his minimal figure for auratus. 
The bird is in fresh plumage. Granvik’s birds taken at Mombasa 
late in April were all in molt at the time. Birds from Kilimanjaro, 
late in June and early in July, are in fresh plumage, as are also 
some taken in October and November in central Tanganyika 
Territory. 

ORIOLUS MONACHA PERMISTUS Neumann 
FIGURES 6, 7 
Oriolus monachus permistus NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., 1904, p. 145: Gadat, 
Gofa, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 11-12, 1912. 
1 adult male, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 
1 subadult female, Malke, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, Sidamo Province, Ethiopia, March 4, 1912. 


5 adult males, 3 adult females, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 6-7, 1912. 
1 adult male (?), Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 21, 1912. 


“Systema avium #thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 647, 1930. 
4 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 232. 
‘6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 145-146. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 67 


Soft parts: Adult male—iris dark red to carmine-red; bill reddish 
brown; feet plumbeous; claws plumbeous to blackish. In immature 
and subadult birds, the bill is black. 

The birds from the Hawash River are intermediate between per- 
mistus and typical monacha but are nearer to the former, with which 


30° 40° 50° 


ARABIA 





o 400 __ 200 300 400 SoOmeLes 


> SCALE- 
FicurE 6.—Distribution of Oriolus monacha in northeastern Africa. 
1. O. m. monacha. 4. O. m. kikuyuensis. 
2. O. m. permistus. 5. O. m. reichenowi. 


8. O. m. rolleti. 


race they are here identified. The one from Lake Abaya approaches 
reichenowi considerably. 

The systematics of the African black-headed orioles is a subject of 
considerable complexity, no small part of which is due to the di- 
vergent results published by different investigators. The best review 


68 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


is that by Meinertzhagen,*’ while Bannerman,** Neumann,** Ogilvie- 
Grant,®° van Someren,! Granvik,? and Zedlitz ** have all recorded 
new data and made corrections where necessary. I have read all these 
and other contributions and have carefully studied about 100 speci- 
mens of all the forms of the species. As a result I have come to the 
conclusion that while there is an unusual degree of variation shown 
in all the races, yet on the whole the geographic variations are 
greater than (although often rather obscured by) the individual ones, 
and that the arrangement followed by Sclater ** is correct. 





Kicure 7.—Outermost rectrices of five individuals of Oriolus monacha permistus showing 


variation, with a figure (lower right) of the same feathers of O. m. monacha for com- 
parison. 


The enormous variability of the rectricial pattern is shown in the 
accompanying figures of the three outermost rectrices of five adult 
males from southern Shoa (fig. 7). For purposes of comparison 
the pattern of these feathers in an adult male of the nominate form 


is included, and is easily distinguished by the relatively small amount 
of black. 


7 Tbis, 1923, pp. 75-81. 

48 Rev. Zool. Africaine, vol. 9, pp. 269-272, 1921. 
49 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 282-236. 

60 Tbis, 1913, pp. 559-562. 

51 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 126-127, 1922. 

52 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 147-149. 
®3 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 1-4. 

64 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 648, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 69 


There is still much to be learned of the ranges of the races of this 
bird. The accompanying map (fig. 6) shows them as far as I have 
been able to make them out on the basis of material examined and of 
published records. The large gaps on the map, such as those in 
northern Kenya Colony and in southeastern Gallaland, are probably 
inhabited by intergrades, but definite data are needed to determine 
this. 

The most noteworthy result of my study of this species is that I 
find no good way of distinguishing reichenow? from rolleti. Thus. 
the latter is supposed to occur in the lower valleys of extreme south- 
ern Shoa, whence Mearns obtained a series at Gardula, Bodessa, and 
Turturo. However, all 12 of the specimens from those localities 
agree very closely with a series of reichenowi from southern Somali- 
land, Lamu, Taveta, and Changamwe. Erlanger® records rodleéi 
(since separated as retchenowz) from Kismayu, the Bardera-Umfudu, 
and Daua regions in Somaliland, while the birds he obtained in 
Arussi and Ennia Gallaland and in Djamdjam he refers to meneliki 
(=permistus or monacha). 

The birds from Gardula, Bodessa, and Turturo are probably the 
same form as those identified as rolleti by Neumann.®* I have con- 
sidered his suggestion that rodleti occurs in the lowlands of south- 
western Ethiopia, while permistus is found higher up in the moun- 
tains near by. I have seen more material of veichenowi than of 
rolleti but can not decide between them as to which form the southern 
Shoan birds should be referred, and this has led to a general con- 
sideration of the characters of the two. Unfortunately, no one has 
made any direct, detailed comparisons of the two; their geographic 
positions seemed to render that unnecessary. According to Meinertz- 
hagen,™ reichenowi is based “on smaller size and a further extension 
of the black on to the back than is usual in rodleti.” Zedlitz gives 
wings as 125-182 mm. Meinertzhagen gives the wing length of 
rolleti as varying from 124 to 144 mm. Stoneham,°* however, writes 
that rolleti (from southern Ethiopia, the Sudan, and the Northern 
Chua Province of Uganda) has wing measurements of from 112 to 
135 mm (average, 126 mm). In other words, the extreme measure- 
ments for rolleti are 112 to 144 mm. All the specimens I have seen 
of reichenowi have wings of from 121 to 182 mm in length. I have 
seen no birds less than 121 mm, although van Someren ** writes that 
reichenowi measures from 115 to 125 mm in this regard, thereby 
making the extremes for this race 115 to 132 mm, completely within 
the range of variation of rodlet?. 


5 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 1-2. 

58 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 234. 

57 Ibis, 1928, pp. 76-78. 

8 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 45, pp. 78-79, 1925. 
59 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 127, 1922. 


106220—37——6 


70 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The only character that I find by which the southern Shoan birds 
differ from typical veichenowi is in the color of the rump, which is 
brighter yellow, less greenish in rodleti, more greenish, more like the 
back in reichenow?i, but even this is variable. For the present, I 
recognize the two races on the basis of this character, but its con- 
stancy remains to be established. 

The eastern extension of the range of permistus as shown in the 
map is based on the present two examples from the Hawash River. 
These are much nearer to permistus than to monacha. Otherwise 
the subspecies appears to be known (east of the Abaya Lakes) only 
from Erlanger’s Djamdjam, Arussi- and Ennia-Gallaland records, 
which are somewhat uncertain to me, as I have not seen the specimens 
in question. 

In the region traversed by the Frick expedition four forms of the 
black-headed oriole occur. They may be identified as follows: The 
typical race is distinguished by the fact that the outer rectrices have 
little or no black on them; all the others have considerable black 
areas (in adults) on these feathers. The forms permistus and 


TABLE 9.—Measurements of 25 specimens of Oriolus monacha from Ethiopia 


O. M. PERMISTUS 





Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

Hawash River--------- Eo Jw Cee eee Males... 2222 133. 0 86.5 23.0 23.0 
Cofaltece ae aa a ee eae Goes 138.0 | 102.0 24.0 23.0 
Walkie sere id 52k Lat ita ae ee ows 224s 135.0 94.5 22.5 19.5 
SidamoProvince: 25255 --=2--25-22 52 -ee eee Gotsasate 44 138.0 90.0 24.0 23.5 
UNG TE) 1 a Sas = Gomer 142.0 RSi OF eee ae 23. 5 
A) Qe eee EE Pas a SS aE es GO Eee 8 xe 139.0 93.5 24.0 24.0 

DS) Qee See ea oes eee ees doves 132.5 87.5 23.0 22.0 

DD Oe eee aa ae ne eae aoe as Ses ene (6.00 Sea ee 136.0 93.0 24.0 23.0 

TE) Bas os =F INNA ee 2 SSR do eres 139.0 92.0 23.0 22.0 

Ha washuRivenr 2. 2c. eens Jee ee Female._...._- 131.0 81.5 24.0 20.5 
SidsmoProvineetss* seo sae aoe aoe do-aeee 131.5 90. 5 25.0 24.0 
Allott aHc2fo ss beet oe sibs) oUt ter kee do. 2s 137.0 86.5 24.0 21.5 
1) of soe os See ean ee dos 2 136.0 91.0 25.0 21.0 

Wor Fees ole eee ee ee ase [eae ae dori ssae 137.5 92.5 25.0 22. 5 





Gato River near Gardula_____...__.___- WVEalente ext: ze 132. 5 89.0 22.5 22.0 
DOe te 225 SE SS ee dost 132.0 81.5 23. 5 21.5 
OLA G ss Sis oe ee Be ee lll 0-222 124.0 79.5 23. 5 22. 5 
A Le eee rs Sea Pe oe NEI eee GOs=. aes 128.0 87.0 24.0 21.5 
TON este ee ee PE ee ee doer 124, 0 77.0 23.0 22.0 
FB OG OSS 8 ae ws S Piety ate = eS doses 123.0 79.5 23.0 23.0 
Gato River near Gardula__.____________ Female_____--- 124.5 83.0 24.0 21.5 
DS eee I ee TE asf a 2 doe 123. 5 76.0 22.0 21.5 
DOSS Sn i ae 2 ena ad oe eS Goze ees 127.0 80.5 23.5 20. 5 
IMS aes a es a aS Bl ah aT a doiasescs- 130.0 85.0 23.5 21.5 


PROTtUTO ee. ee S ees dosesitn3 121.0 81.5 22.0 20. 5 





BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY a 


kikuyuensis may be told from rolleti on the basis of size, the two 
former being larger (wings, 182-147 mm), the latter smaller (wings, 
males, 115-182 mm). Of the larger two, kikuyuwensis is darker, 
deeper greenish, less yellowish above than permistus, but it is not 
always easy to identify single specimens. 

The series of rolleti average considerably lighter, more yellowish 
above, especially on the nape and rump, than permistus. Inasmuch 
as the two are found so close together in southern Shoa, I append in 
tabular form the measurements of the present series of both forms 
(table 9). 

The subadult bird from Malke has a black bill but is otherwise 
similar to fully adult birds, except that there is no black in the tail. 
The dark areas in the outer rectrices are dark greenish olive becom- 
ing darker toward the terminal part (the dark areas cover approxi- 
mately the basal two-thirds of the feathers). 

One of the Aletta birds is somewhat abraded; all the other speci- 
mens of permistus collected are in fresh plumage. 

According to Neumann,” permistus (as well as monacha) inhabits 
the highlands at altitudes of from 2,200 to 3,000 meters. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns noted perméstus as follows: 
Aletta, March 7-11, 1,000; Loco, March 13-15, 20 birds; Galana 
River, March 19-20, 6 seen; Black Lake Abaya, March 21-23, 6 
noted. 

The male and female taken on March 4 were stated by the collector 
to be a mated pair. 


ORIOLUS MONACHA ROLLETI Salvadori 


FIGURE 6 
Oriolus rolleti SatvaportI, Atti Soc. Ital. Sci. Nat. Milano, vol. 7, Riunione a 
Biella, p. 161, 1864: White Nile between lat. 4° and 5° N. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
6 adult males, 4 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 
31-May 25, 1912. 
1 immature female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 81, 1912. 
1 adult female, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 

As already mentioned under the preceding form, there is some 
question as to whether these specimens are to be considered reichenowi 
or rolleti, and my reasons for their present disposition need not be 
repeated here. 

The immature bird has the forehead and crown black, the feathers 
margined with yellow, giving these parts a mottled appearance. The 
chin and throat are yellow, narrowly streaked with black. There is 
no black, but only grayish greenish olive on the rectrices. The bird 
is in very fresh plumage. 


Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 234. 


i2 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The exact time of the breeding season in southern Ethiopia does 
not seem to be known, but in Uganda van Someren ® found a nest in 
February and caught a nestling in March. 

Mearns observed this oriole as follows: Gato River near Gardula, 
March 29-May 17, 200; Anole village, May 18, 2 birds; Kormali 
village, May 19, 4 seen; Bodessa, May 19-June 3, 20; Sagon River, 
June 3-6, 10 seen; Tertale, June 7-12, 4 birds; El] Ade, June 12-13, 2 
noted; Mar Mora, June 14-15, 6 seen; Turturo, June 15-17, 10 birds; 
Wobok, June 18, 4 seen; Saru, June 19, 2 noted; Yebo, June 20, 2 
birds noted. 

ORIOLUS MONACHA KIKUYUENSIS van Someren 
FIGURE 6 
Oriolus larvatus kikuyuensis vAN SoMEREN, Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 127, 1922: 
Nairobi, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 18, 1912. 
1 female, junction of Tana and Thika Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 25, 1912. 
1 male, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 30, 1912. 

As shown by Stoneham® the diagnosis of kikwyuensis given by van 
Someren was based merely on wing measurements, but this character 
is not so constant as the darker dorsal coloration, particularly of the 
head and upper back, of Aikwyuensis as contrasted with the paler, 
more yellowish green rol/eti and reichenowi. 

Sclater °° does not include the north shore of Lake Victoria in the 
range of this form, but several authors have considered birds from 
Kampala, Entebbe, Jinja, etc., as kikuyuensis, and a specimen from 
Kigomma (near Kampala) examined by me is referable to the pres- 
ent race. 

The Tana River specimen is well advanced in molt; the other two 
birds are in good, fresh plumage. 


Family CORVIDAEH, Crows 
CORVUS ALBUS P. L. S. Miiller 
PLATE 2 


Corvus albus P. L. S. MULLER, Natursystem, Suppl., p. 85, 1776: Senegal. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
3 unsexed adults, above Gada Bourea, Ethiopia, December 26, 1911. 
7 adult males, 1 adult female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 8-12, 1912. 
1 immature male, Alaltu, Ethiopia, January 17, 1912. 
1 (immature?) male, 1 (immature?) female, Arussi Plateau, Hthiopia, 
February 15, 1912. 


The black and white crow is widely distributed over the whole of 
the Ethiopian region, including Madagascar and its surrounding 


61 Tbis, 1916, pp. 398-399. 
6 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 45, pp. 78-79, 1925. 
6 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 648, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 73 


islands. In all this enormous range it has produced no valid geo- 
graphic races, a fact that indicates the wide range of ecological tol- 
erance of the species. Many investigators have assembled series from 
all parts of Africa and have found no constant differences between 
birds from different areas. Merely to satisfy myself on this point I 
have examined some 50 specimens from the following localities— 
Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya Colony, Uganda, Tanganyika Territory, Bel- 
gian Congo, South Africa, Madagascar, Aldabra Island, and Assump- 
tion Island, and my results confirm those of others as given above. 

In northeastern Africa some rather puzzling plumage variations 
occasionally occur. Kleinschmidt ** has delved into the question of 
the so-called Corvus phaeocephalus and has come to the conclusion 
that the type of this form is merely a faded (brown instead of black) 
specimen of albus. On Plate 3 he figures a specimen that differs from 
typical albus in having broad black shaft marks on the white feathers 
of the upper back, breast, and upper part of the abdomen. This bird 
he calls “Corvus... .?” On Plate 4 (fig. 3) he shows a bird in 
which the feathers of the upper back, breast, and anterior part of the 
belly are dusky brownish or fuscous, edged with whitish, while in 
normal birds these feathers are pure white. In the present series 
are two birds that match these two. They were recorded by Mearns 
as a mated pair killed by the same shot at Arussi Plateau, on Febru- 
ary 15, although on the labels he has written “imm.” (= immature) 
in each case. The male approximates the appearance of the bird in 
Plate 3 of Kleinschmidt’s paper. It has the nape and the upper back 
covered with blackish feathers laterally margined with white, and the 
breast and upper abdomen fuscous-black, each feather very broadly 
margined with white, giving the region a predominantly white ap- 
pearance, heavily marked with blackish. In other words, it agrees 
with the plate except that the nape and upper back are less whitish. 
The female lacks the white on the nape and upper back, each feather 
being edged with brownish and narrowly margined externally with 
white. The feathers of the breast and upper abdomen are likewise 
black margined with brown and narrowly edged with white, giving 
this bird an appearance very like Plate 4, Figure 3, of Kleinschmidt’s 
work, except that the head is black and not brown. 

The immature male from Alaltu, on the other hand, agrees with the 
Arussi male on the breast and abdomen, and with the Arussi female 
on the color of the upperparts. None of these three are normal 
plumages, because of immaturity. Young birds are browner than 
adults but do not have the white areas streaked with dark fuscous as 
in these instances. Thus, a young male examined (from the Belgian 
Congo) has the chin, throat, and lower abdomen brownish mixed with 


6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, pp. 90-99, pls. 2-4. 


74 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


black (the brown feathers being old, the black ones new), but it has 
the upper back, the breast, and the upper abdomen pure white. 

Of all the attempted explanations, the most likely one appears to 
be that these unusual birds are either melanistic or that they are 
hybrids between Corvus albus and Corvus corax edithae. Of the two 
possibilities, I incline to the latter, because such birds have been found 
only in regions where the two species occur together. Kleinschmidt, 
on the other hand, considers the former the more probable. If he is 
correct, it is strange that no other area inhabited by Corvus albus has 
produced such specimens, and it would be just as logical to call them 
somewhat albinistic examples of Corvus corax edithae or to assume 
that edithae is a phylogenetic offshoot of albus (!) and that these 
peculiar individuals are atavistic in nature. Inasmuch as Meinertz- 
hagen ® and Kleinschmidt both agree that edithae is a race of Corvus 
coraz and albus a distinct species, an attempt to explain these aber- 
rant birds on the basis of atavism would involve considering albus 
the parent stock from which coraz and its races evolved, and this I am 
sure neither would care to do. 

The fact that Corvus albus is an indivisible specific aggregate 
throughout its range is due partly to its wide range of individual 
variation. The size characters, being the easiest to record in writing, 
may be used as an example. The wing length of adult birds (the sexes 
are alike) varies from 295 to 382 mm, the tail from 179 to 212 mm; 
the culmen from 51 to 64 mm, the tarsus from 56 to 67 mm. When we 
consider that in the matter of wing length the variational range is 
more than 25 per cent of the total measurement, and that in most birds 
the variations are usually under 10 per cent of the total size, the case 
becomes all the more striking. 

Von Heuglin found this crow to be generally in northeastern 
Africa, usually in pairs, but often in small flocks during the 
nonbreeding season. Neumann °® found it chiefly in the high inland 
plateau of Shoa at altitudes of from 2,500 to 3,000 meters (8,200 to 
9,800 feet), in distinction to its predilection for lower, warmer regions 
in equatorial East Africa. However, the bird occurs in Somaliland 
(although not listed by Zedlitz in his paper on that region **), Eritrea, 
and even in the Dahlak Islands, so it is by no means restricted to the 
highlands in northeastern Africa. The only regions where it does 
not occur are dense forest areas. Inasmuch as most of the highlands 
of equatorial East Africa are cut off by forest belts from the sur- 
rounding lowlands, it may be that the crows are more restricted alti- 
tudinally there than in Ethiopia, where the highlands are not ecologi- 
cally isolated, and this may account for Neumann’s comments. It 


® Nov. Zool., vol. 33, p. 106, 1926. 
% Journ, fiir Orn., 1905, p. 230. 
Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, pp. 1-69. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 75 


only remains to be stated that Mearns met with this bird rather 
seldom in the districts he traversed. On the journey up by train from 
Djibouti he saw none until he reached the high plateau above Gada 
Bourca. “Here,” he says, “they were fairly common, often soaring 
high with the vultures, the white scapula glistening in the sun. They 
are very tame. At one spot I shot three successively from a flock of 
eleven and still they remained.” In Shoa Mearns recorded only a few 
at Aletta, March 7-13, other than the ones collected. He did not see 
the species in northern Kenya Colony, and Lonnberg ®* found that it 
“did not seem to occur on the steppe or in the thornbush-country north 
of Guaso Nyiro.” 


CORVUS CAPENSIS CAPENSIS Lichtenstein 


Corvus capensis LICHTENSTEIN, Verzeichniss der Doubletten des zoologischen 
Museums... zu Berlin, etc., p. 20, 1828: Cape of Good Hope. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, 1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 12, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Alaltu, Ethiopia, January 15, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, camp west of Saleish, Ethiopia, January 18, 1912. 
1 male, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet (2,700 meters), Ethiopia, February 20, 
1912. 

This crow occurs from South Africa north to Angola and through 
eastern Africa to the Nile Valley in the Sudan, to Ethiopia, British 
Somaliland, Eritrea, and the Red Sea Province of the Sudan. It is 
very scarce and local in Tanganyika Territory and is unknown in the 
coastal belt of Kenya Colony and in Italian Somaliland. Two races 
have been differentiated on the basis of size. The typical form is 
the larger of the two, having a wing length of from 320 to 390 mm, 
the average being about 360 mm. It inhabits South Africa, the 
highlands of Angola, and the highlands of northeastern Africa 
(Ethiopia and adjacent parts of Bogosland). The smaller form, 
kordofanensis Laubmann (C. capensis minor auct.), has a wing 
length of from 300 to 340 mm, the average being about 315 mm. 
This form occurs in the lowlands of Angola, in Rhodesia, Mozam- 
bique, Tanganyika Territory, Kenya Colony, the Sudan, and British 
Somaliland, but appears to be unrecorded from Uganda although ob- 
tained near by in the Kavirondo country and on the east slopes of 
Mount Elgon. 

The present series has the measurements given in table 10. 

Although large birds only are found in Ethiopia, the South 
African birds are more variable and include not only the variational 
range of the Ethiopian specimens, but also many smaller individuals. 
The figures given by Meinertzhagen ® for birds from South Africa 


68 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 93. 
® Nov. Zool., vol. 33, p. 91, 1926. 


76 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


TABLE 10.—Measurements of seven specimens of Corvus capensis capensis fron: 








Ethiopia 
Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 
Mm Mm Mm Mm 

dis VA bebaie ve 22 1 oasis ee sea ae Miale:ast a 4 352.0 | 193.0 64.0 75.0 
RAY gab re eee Se ee ee ee dows. lee 350. 0 188. 0 62.5 71.5 
Weston Saleisiis- o.oo" saan eee see noes doses" 390.0 | 204.0 62.0 76.5 
ATTISSI SPI Steno n= — kOe ess. tee eee dot2£22ts- 358.0 | 194.0 61.0 72.0 
AdISVADe ba -=22 e552 oe ee eas Female_.._----| 355.0 | 183.0 58.0 72.0 
PAN a Ghee eee Eo ee ee dos== 359. 0 193. 0 58. 0 73.0 
Wrest otiSaleish:- = 22 reel le 2 iar t eee doch rst 359.0 | 180.0 60. 0 75.0 


are 818 to 880 mm. It looks as if both forms occur in the latter 
country, the larger form probably in the highlands, the smaller one 
lower down. This then, if true, would necessitate an examination 
of Lichtenstein’s type to see which race really is capensis, a matter 
that I am not able to follow up. 

With wear the feathers become somewhat bronzy in appearance 
and the purplish-blue sheen becomes less noticeable. 

But little has been recorded of the habits of this bird in Ethiopia. 
The breeding season appears to be during the northern spring if not 
earlier. In Eritrea Zedlitz found kordofanensis breeding in sum- 
mer. Mearns found mated pairs in January and, in fact, noted that 
the female of the pair shot on January 18 near Saleish was a laying 
bird. The eggs of this species are rather remarkable for crows in 
that the predominant color is pink and not green. 


CORVUS CORAX EDITHAE Phillips 


Corvus edithae Puuuut1es, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 4, p. 36, 1895: Somaliland 
(Hainwaina Plain). 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Yebo, Ethiopia, June 21, 1912. 
3 males, 1 female, Chaffa, Ethiopia, June 25, 1912. 
4 males, 2 females, Hor, latitude 3°19’ N., Kenya Colony, June 26-30, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, south end of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 7, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris brown; bill and feet black. 

I follow Meinertzhagen ™ in considering edithae as a race of Cor- 
vus corax. It is very similar to Corvus coraw ruficollis but smaller, 
with a shorter wing tip and a slenderer and shorter bill. Klein- 
schmidt 7 has given a detailed account of the plumage variations of 
this raven, and therefore only a few brief notes need be presented 
here. The bases of the feathers of the breast are white in edithae, 
while in ruficollis they are dusky, but in the former the purity of the 


7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 4. 
1 Nov. Zool., vol. 33, p. 106, 1926. 
7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, pp. 87—90. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY er 


white color increases with age, although even in young birds it is 
definitely whitish. 

Young birds have the entire head and underparts, as well as the 
upper back, rusty light seal brown instead of black, with a deep blue 
sheen as in adults. Seven of the present 13 specimens are molting 
from the brown to the black plumage. Kleinschmidt found that 
birds molting the remiges were collected from as early as January 
16 to as late as July 26. It is therefore in keeping with his obser- 
vations to find that the present series, taken in June and July, are 
likewise in molt. 

The size variations are considerable and are shown in table 11. 

The measurements given by Kleinschmidt indicate that the western 
birds (Lake Rudolf region) have much shorter tails than do typical 
edithae (from Somaliland and southeastern Ethiopia), the caudal 
measurements given for the latter group ranging from 185 to 205 
mm in the males and 185 to 195 mm in the females. I have seen four 
typical edithae and find them to have tails measuring 163, 170, 175, 
and 179 mm, respectively, so the two groups can not be separated 
nomenclaturally. 

This bird occurs in British Somaliland, south through the Hawash 
district of Ethiopia, Arussi-Gallaland, and Italian Somaliland to the 
Lake Rudolf country in northern Kenya Colony and the immediately 
adjacent parts of extreme southern Shoa (Yebo and Chaffa). It 
does not appear to have been recorded previously from southern Shoa 
and, for that matter, has been taken but once before on Lake Rudolf. 

Mearns made the following entries of this crow in his notebooks: 
Yebo, June 19, 4 seen; Karsa Barecha, June 21, 0 noted. Malata, June 
22, 4 birds; Chaffa villages, June 23-25, 60; Hor, June 26-30, 1,000 


TABLE 11.—Measurements of 13 specimens of Corvus corax edithae 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mn Mm Mm Mm. 

SYD ree Se Ra eee ee a Males 2-2 338. 0 165.0 48.0 55.0 

Chaffee wale eae el ee VIG OMEe bs oe 347.0 165. 0 49.0 58.0 

1D) eae a ee. es doa 346. 0 174.0 49.0 68.0 

1 BG ee es Oe ere ENN | ee dogs=—- + =. 347.0 164.0 50.0 57.5 
KENYA COLONY: 

ET Or ee ees is Ferber 2h es PE eet Pe Male 1__--_-.- 358.0 | 162.0 50.0 59.0 

i) Qua ce es a e ae Weale:-— testes == 313.0 158.0 51.0 59.0 

1D) a eee eee ae ee eae dose. 22 327.0 173.0 51.0 54.5 

Powers: . sel 5. see _ Ak eee petes silted do: =2 5% 352.0 180. 0 52.0 57.0 

akophitid alice =) ae ee a GOs --<— 346.0 | 172.0 50. 0 56.0 

FeTHIORIAlS © Naa == eee ee Female !__-_-_-.- 335.0 | 161.0 49.5 56.0 
KENYA COLONY: 

Of as ae no a ee Sat see ee Female-_-..---- 320. 0 173.0 46.0 55.5 

Doses eee eae a Rane Ne IE dose 290.0 | 164.0 48.0 58.0 

Take Rudolf qe.) keane ees |e Se Goceseees 351.0 | 180.0 52.0 61.5 


1 Molting. 


78 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


seen; Dry River south of Hor, July 1-2, 500; Dussia, July 3-4, 500 
birds; Lake Rudolf, July 5-9, 1,200; southeast of Lake Rudolf, July 
10-12, 600 birds; Indunumara Mountains, July 13-14, 400; Endoto 
Mountains, July 14-18, 200; Er-re-re, July 25, 100; Le-se-dun, July 
26, 100; Malele and district to the south for 18 miles, July 27-28, 
625; Lekiundu River, August 8, 40 birds seen. Unfortunately, no 
birds were collected south of the south end of Lake Rudolf, and it is 
therefore impossible to be sure of the identity of the birds from the 
Indunumara Mountains and southward. The species has not been 
recorded definitely from the latter group of localities. 


CORVULTUR ALBICOLLIS (Latham) 


Corvus albicollis LATHAM, Index ornithologicus, vol. 1, p. 151, 1790: Africa; 
restricted type locality Cape Town (apud Meinertzhagen, Noy. Zool., vol. 
33, p. 96, 1926). 

Although no specimens of the white-necked raven were collected, 
and while Mearns did not particularly differentiate between it and 
crassirostris in his field notes, it has been thought entirely possible 
to identify his records and incorporate them in this report. 

On July 21-24, at the plains south of the Endoto Mountains, 
Kenya Colony, Mearns noted two of these birds, and on August 10, 
at Meru near Mount Kenya, he saw 100. Inasmuch as his last 
records for crassirostris were from Gato River near Gardula, March 
29-May 17, and inasmuch as albicollis is the only species known to 
occur around Mount Kenya, it seems certain that the above records 
refer to albicollis. 


CORVULTUR CRASSIROSTRIS (Riippell) 


PLATE 2 
Corvus crassirostris RUpPELL, Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna von Abyssinien 
gehorig, Vogel, p. 19, pl. 8, 1885-40: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
4 males, 3 females, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 27, 1911-January 9, 
1912. 
1 female, “Lake Trip” (=near Lake Stefanie), Ethiopia, March 9, 1912 (C. 
Frick coll.). 
1 unsexed, Gardula, Ethiopia, April 20, 1912. 

The giant thick-billed raven is found in the highlands of Shoa 
and Arussi-Gallaland, and while commonest at moderate elevations 
up to 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) it also occurs in the lower areas of 
adjacent parts of British Somaliland and of the Sudan. Neumann 7% 
writes that the region about Lake Rudolf (Rendile and Turkana 
districts) forms the boundary south of which Corvultur crassirostris 
does not occur and north of which Corvultur albicollis is unknown. 


73 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 231. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 79 


The former has been recorded from Uganda by two writers, but in 
both cases the birds are of the latter species. Ogilvie-Grant ** erron- 
eously reported a bird from Mulema as crassirostris, a mistake that 
was promptly corrected by Shelley.** Van Someren reported one 
from Toro, Uganda. Meinertzhagen,’? however, lists albicollis 
from Toro and crassirostris only from Ethiopia, British Somaliland, 
and the Sudan. Inasmuch as van Someren’s collection is partly at 
Tring, where Meinertzhagen worked, it appears that the latter’s 
record of albicollis and the former’s of crassirostris may be based on 
one and the same bird, and that it really may be albicollis. 

Kleinschmidt 7® considers these two forms conspecific, and accord- 
ingly calls the present one C. albicollis crassirostris. While it is 
true that the two are geographical representatives, they are very 
distinct from each other, and have not been found to intergrade at 
all, so it is better to treat them as specific entities. 

‘The present series are in worn plumage, and two of the birds are 
actually in molt. As these two represent the extreme dates of the 
series, it may be inferred that the molting season is a prolonged 
one. The size variations of this raven are indicated in table 12. 

Von Heuglin* found this bird from 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) 
up to the snow line. In the Wogara region he found it breeding 
in March. Kleinschmidt, quoting Hilgert, records a nest with two 
young birds at Gara Mulata near Harrar on March 20. The fact 
that some of the series collected by the Frick expedition were molt- 
ing when shot in December indicates that the breeding season is 
less restricted than these two nesting dates might suggest. 

In his field notes written at Adis Abeba, December 26 to January 
7, Mearns records this bird as “abundant. None seen before reach- 
ing this place. A dozen may be seen feeding with kites and vultures 
in the hotel grounds. It carries its neck extended in flight, which, 
with its enormous bill, gives it somewhat the appearance of a horn- 
bill. Its note is a deep, very rough croak.” 

Apparently Mearns did not see this raven between the time he 
left the plateau of Adis Abeba and his arrival in the lake district 
of southern Shoa. From March 7 to 13 at Aletta he noted 200 of 
them; at Loco and Gidabo River, March 13-17, 100 more were seen. 
The species became markedly less numerous south of Gidabo River, 
as during a period over six weeks (March 29-May 17) at Gato River 
near Gardula, only 3 individuals were observed. 


74 Ibis, 1905, p. 201. 

7% The birds of Africa, ete., vol. 5, pt. 1, p. 189, 1905. 

7 Ibis, 1916, p. 397; and Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 126, 1922. 
77 Noy. Zool., vol. 33, pp. 96—97, 1926. 

78 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 82. 

79 Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, ete., vol. 1, p. 507, 1869. 


80 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


TABLE 12.—Measurements of nine specimens of Corvultur crassirostris from 











Hthiopia 
Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
Mm Mm Mm Mm‘: 
A distAtbeba 24-- os e2ette eet ee Male... <242-- 452.0 | 240.0 87.0 82.02 

TD) Oana ge ete Ne ak Se dole ee 455.0 | 240.0 86.0 78.0 

DO he as Sok ASA NAS 2 SA Re SSSI ESS dotef_ 23 438.0 229.0 84.0 81.0 

DOW Rye 2 Ek Seely a | RE chee Ose ee 430.0 241.0 87.0 80. 0 

WOR See thgell eNEe Oan oe see Bee --| Female-_.-__---- 42400 229. OF | - anne 2 80.0 

Qe Ae 2 RD SOA ANG SD BETES A LS devsitsi2s 430.0 228. 0 86.0 78.0 

DOSS NE Se See eee ee on era ge ee ee doves. 445.0 238.0 87.5 78.0 
Near Lake stefaniesis 222 == tb aeen EME Ss doze s.e- 419.0 222.0 81.0 76.0 
Gardulaz:22_ 2th ee eek AAS S| AE ee ok ee 423.0 244.0 86.0 82.0 








RHINOCORAX RHIPIDURUS (Hartert) 


PLATE 3 


Corvus rhipidurus Harrert, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 39, p. 21, 1918: New 
name for Corvus affinis Riippell. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

6 males, 3 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 1-10, 1911. 

1 male, about Gada Bourea, Ethiopia, December 26, 1911. 

1 male, 1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 12, 1912. 

1 male, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 16, 1912. 

1 male, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, May 15, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 22, 1912. 

1 male, Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 6, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 23, 1912. 

The fan-tailed raven occurs throughout British Somaliland, Ethi- 

opia, Eritrea, the Red Sea, Sennar, White Nile and Mongalla Prov- 
inces of the Sudan, south to extreme northwestern Uganda, and in 
Kenya Colony to the Northern Guaso Nyiro and Lekiundu Rivers, 
Lake Baringo, and Mount Elgon (erroneously reported from Kavi- 
rondo). It also occurs in western Asia from Jericho to Aden, and in 
upper Egypt in palearctic Africa. Its altitudinal range is very con- 
siderable, fully as great as that of the species of Corvultur (which, 
in a way, it serves to connect with the genus Corvus), the limits being 
sea level and about 12,000 feet (3,600 meters) above the sea. Thus, 
Lort Phillips found it common at the coast at Berbera and also on the 
highest elevations of the Goolis Mountains in British Somaliland, 
and von Heuglin recorded it up to 12,000 feet in the Ethiopian moun- 
tains. Blanford ®° writes that on the Eritrean-Ethiopian border 
it abounds everywhere on the highlands and in the subtropical zone 
and it descends almost to the sea-level at times. When he first visited 
Komayli, at the base of the hills in January, the only crow to be 
seen was C. scapulatus (=albus), but in February, after some rain 


80 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, etc., p. 393, 1870. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 81 


had fallen, C. affinis (=rhipidurus) abounded. In the former in- 
stance he first met with this species at about 3,000 feet near Mayen. 
In May it had retreated once more to its former range, and the white- 
breasted crow alone was to be seen in the tropical region. In ascend- 
ing to the Bogos country it first appeared on the Lebka at. about 
12,000 feet above the sea, at Ain. 

Mearns did not find this raven in the coastlands at Djibouti in 
November, “but a few stations up on the railway they appeared 
around the native villages in company with... vultures, and have 
been common everywhere. Here at Adis Abeba they are fairly 
numerous.” Mearns made no note of this bird in the Arussi high- 
lands, but in the lake country of southern Shoa he observed it fre- 
quently in large numbers. Thus, of a male collected at Gidabo 
River, on March 16, he writes, “this is the first one seen since we 
passed Sirre.” 

The present series indicates that the range of individual variation 
is very great in this as in so many of the crows. The measurements 
given in table 13 show this very well. 


TABLE 13.—Measurements of 19 specimens of Rhinocorax rhipidurus 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mim Mm Mm 
IDiresM aOR ao tee Miplete se 377.0 | 161.0 55.0 66.0 
O45. ate SLES ee 8 Ae al 8s do#s.2 32% 377.0 | 163.0 52.0 66.0 
Doles > tae ee SS eee |e do: tees = 353.0 146.0 49.5 61.0 
ND) ON Se ee eet wee eae GOs sea 357.0 | 149.0 50.0 61.0 
DOS ee EE ee bee doe. 222-3 370.0 | 161.0 53.0 69.0 
UB) OS a8 tes ne ue ie bs he ag does 360.0 | 152.0 54.0 70. 0 
AIDOVG! GAG ay BOUTCA sate c asa sea ae @0s222= 2 343.0 | 163.0 51.0 66.0 
[Adis ADBDS-Le = 222-2 neh EERE 8 dou iSse 415.0 173.0 55.0 71.0 
GidahovRiver 22. tee es Sere, doses 408.0 | 167.0 55.0 73.0 
GatORRIVer=ss- t= sane ees se eee ees dos. = 410.0 175.0 54.0 68.0 
BOdessa een ae oak eee. ea ETRE doi iisiss 405.0 | 179.0 56.0 63.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
akewRud olf ss eee = Ses a 0 (es 389. 0 167.0 53.0 71.0 
ENGotowviountainses saan = a eee! Omen 378.0 | 155.0 53. 0 66.0 
ETHIOPIA! 
Dire aouses se ee eee Female________ 356. 0 152. 5 49.0 67.0 
BD) a eee Bt de SR ee NSS ee BE Cowes 348. 0 153.0 52.0 65. 0 
OSA LUE ve IL ARAN, SERS ELIAS do! 243- 349.0 154. 0 50. 0 63.0 
INGIS TA DG DAtra ne See Se ee ee Es GOS eee 394.0 | 170.0 54.0 65.0 
IB OG OSSH=-— Bee CARRS eee Se | See doe F=f 383. 0 153. 5 53.0 67.0 
KerEnya CoLony: Endoto Mountains__|_---_ doseses-—— 373.0 | 157.0 50. 0 64.0 





The condition of the plumage of these birds, collected over a period 
of eight months, shows the following facts: Molting birds were 
taken in December and July; the birds collected from January to 
May (and to July) were in fresh plumage; birds in worn feather 
were taken in December. 


82 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


According to Neumann *! the breeding season in Shoa is in Feb- 
ruary. Meinertzhagen ** writes that the Corvidae have one annual 
molt, which takes place late in summer and in autumn in the Northern 
Hemisphere; in other words, the postnuptial molt is the only complete 
one. It would follow, then, if Neumann is correct in saying that 
the breeding season is in February, that molting birds should be 
found only after February. Yet one of the December specimens 
is molting its remiges, a sure sign of a complete molt. The inference 
is that there may be two breeding seasons in Ethiopia, a condition 
by no means uncommon farther south in Kenya Colony. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns noted this bird almost 
daily during his journey from southern Shoa to the Lekiundu River. 
The following are the definite entries in his diary: Gidabo River, 
March 15-17, 20 birds seen; Abaya Lakes, March 18-26, 180; between 
the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 25 noted; Gato River 
near Gardula, March 29—May 17, 1000; Anole and Kormali villages, 
May 17-18, 100; Bodessa, May 19-June 3, 200; Sagon River, June 
3-6, 100; Tertale, June 7-12, 50 seen; El Ade, June 12-13, 25 seen; 
Mar Mora, June 14, 20 birds; Turturo, June 15-17, 40 noted; Wobok, 
June 18, 20 noted; near Saru, June 19, 4 seen; Lake Rudolf, July 
5-10, 30 birds; southeast of Lake Rudolf, July 11-12, 8 observed; 
Indunumara Mountains, July 14-18, 4 birds; Endoto Mountains, 
July 19-24, 500; Er-re-re, July 25, 100; Le-se-dun, July 26, 100; 
Malele and country to the south for 40 miles, July 27-80, 1250 
birds; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31—August 3, 600 seen; 
Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 65 birds noted. He did not see it after 
he left the Lekiundu River, an experience in keeping with that of 
Lénnberg, who states** that he “did not see it south of Guaso 
Nyiro * * * and its occurrence there and not further is a good 
example of the zoogeographical importance of this river as a south- 
ern limit for many northeastern animals.” 


Family PARIDAE, Titmice 


PARUS AFER FRICKI (Mearns) 


Melaniparus afer fricki MEARNS, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 61, no. 20, p. 5, 
1913: Dire Daoua, Ethiopia. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 1 female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 6-9, 
1911, 


Sclater ** considers frickt a synonym of barakae; Zedlitz* does 
not mention frickz in his discussion of the races of this titmouse; 


81 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 231. 

® Nov. Zool., vol. 33, p. 63, 1926. 

8s Kong]. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 93. 

& Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 640, 1930. 
85 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 80-82. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 83 


yet it seems to be a valid form. In the original description of this 
bird, Mearns characterized it as differing from dbarakae in having a 
larger black spot on the middle of the breast, “deep gull gray sides 
and flanks, with a broad buffy-white collar separating the dark 
colors of the sides and chest from the black of the throat, and a 
darker general coloration.” I find that the size of the black breast 
spot is a variable character in barakae, some specimens having it as 
large as in fricki. Zedlitz mentions that a specimen from Dire 
Daoua and another from Daroli River have a very large black patch 
on the throat and breast, but suggests that this is merely a sign of 
old age. More material will have to be gotten together before it 
will be possible to say much about the constancy of this character, 
but fricki is definitely darker on the sides and flanks than barakae. 
Van Someren ** lists birds from the Northern Guaso Nyiro as fricki, 
but in this I think he is mistaken as these birds should be barakae. 
The same is true of the specimens from Archers Post recorded by 
him more recently.*’ 

In northeastern Africa there are three forms of this gray titmouse. 
They are: 

1. P. a. thruppi: British and Italian Somaliland south to eastern 
Jubaland. 

2. P. a. fricki: Northeastern Gallaland (the region about Dire 
Daoua and Harrar). 

3. P. a. barakae: Kenya Colony from the Endoto and Indunumara 
Mountains to the Teita and Taveta district. 

These three may be distinguished in the following way: P. a. 
frickt has the sides and flanks noticeably darker grayish than either 
of the others; thruppz has the inner margins of the remiges more 
buffy, less whitish, and the general tone of the abdomen also more 
buffy, than in barakae. Also, barakae has only a very narrow buffy 
whitish band bordering the black of the occiput; fricki and thruppi 
have a wider pale band on the nape. 

The male specimen is the type. Both it and the female are in 
rather abraded plumage. Their dimensions are as follows: Male— 
wing, 65; tail, 46.5; culmen, 10.5; tarsus, 17.5 mm. Female—wing, 
64; tail, 48.5; culmen, 10.5; tarsus, 17.5 mm. 

The breeding season is probably late in March and early in April. 
Erlanger ** shot birds with swollen gonads on March 19 and April 6 
in southern Ginir and Gurraland and found fledged young (of bara- 
kae) at Kismayu in July. 

® Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 204, 1922. 


Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 66 (142), 1930, 
88 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 52. 


84 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
PARUS AFER BARAKAE Jackson 


Parus barakae JACKSON, Ibis, 1899, p. 689: Njempa, near Lake Baringo, Kenya 
Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 138, 1912. 
3 males, 2 females, Hndoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 19-20, 1912. 
3 males, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 6, 1912. 

The characters and range of this form have been discussed under 
the preceding race. The specimens collected are all in somewhat 
worn condition but do not show signs of molt. Their dimensions are 
given in table 14. 

Besides these specimens, Mearns noted this form on several occa- 
sions. The following records are extracted from his field books: 
Indunumara Mountains, July 14, 6 birds seen; Endoto Mountains, 
July 19-20, 10 noted; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31-August 
3, 10 seen; Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 40; Tharaka district, August 
12, 6 birds observed. 


TABLE 14.—Measurements of nine specimens of Parus afer barakae from Kenya 











Colony 
Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
Mm Mm Min Mm 

Indunumara Mountains-_-----_-------- Malet ses" 64.0 49.0 10.5 17.0 
PBTTL GL O GOVE UNIT BUTTS ee eee ee a eee | dot: 61.0 45.0 10.0 17.0 
DD) RI Se SE a Ree PAE: dots 57.0 41.5 10.0 15.0 

PD Ose sae See ec ate aS ee 2 Ra dowieel 22 68.0 50.0 10.0 17.0 

We LUCE RVC Teas semen eo eerie ena || Be done -eeees 65.0 48.0 10.5 17.0 
BO} SS 2 epee WON Rae ee ete Pe lhe OR dovezsesee 63.0 46.0 10.0 17.5 

gD) Re ne eh es Gotaete se 66.0 49.0 10.5 18.0 
NndotosWountainstssse= = oa ue aes Female_____--- 62.0 44.5 10.0 17.0 
DP) ea es ae RRS, ee ae eh ea dope aa 62.0 46.0 10.0 16.5 


PARUS NIGER LACUUM Neumann 
FIGURE 8 


Parus niger lacuum NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 13, p. 77, 1905: Suksuki River, 
Lake Zwai, Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 10, 1912. 
2 females, Serre, Ethiopia, February 13, 1912. 
1 male, Loco, Ethiopia, March 15, 1912. 
The arrangement of the subspecies of this black titmouse, as given 
by Sclater *° is upheld by a small series studied in the present con- 
nection. I have examined specimens of four of the six forms—niger, 


8 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 641-642, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 85 


insignis, purpurascens, and lacuum. However, the range of lacuum 
is not correctly stated by Sclater or by Neumann.®? According to 
both of these writers, it is restricted to the southern Shoan lake 
region and the Omo district. The present specimens from Hawash 
River and Serre, however, are clearly referable to Jacuwm and not to 
the north Ethiopian race lewcomelas, of which, unfortunately, I have 
not seen any material. The latter race is said to differ from lacuum 
only in being smaller. Neumann gives the wing length of leucomelas 
as 75 to 84 mm, that of lacwwm as 85 to 95 mm. The female from 
Hawash River has a wing measuring 85 mm; the females from Serre, 
86 and 88 mm, respectively. Furthermore, van Someren * states that 
his series of dacuum from Turkwell south to Kakamegos presents 
wing lengths of from 83 to 91 mm, slightly less than Neumann’s 
figures and in better agreement with the present series. It appears 
that leucomelas occurs ‘in Eritrea, Sennar, and the highlands of north- 
ern Ethiopia south to northern Shoa, but not to eastern Ethiopia, 
while Zacwwm occurs in the lower elevations of the Hawash valley, 
southwest (through Ennia-Gallaland) to southern Shoa, the Omo 
region, Lake Stefanie, and northwestern Uganda. I wonder whether 
van Someren’s Kakamega birds are really lacuwm; on geographic 
grounds they would seem to be purpurascens, the form occurring on 
Mount Elgon and across Uganda to the eastern Congo, southern 
Sudan, and to northern Cameroon. 

In northeastern Africa three races of this bird occur, as follows: 

1. P. n. leucomelas: According to Sclater, this form is found only 
in Eritrea, Sennar, and the northern highlands of Ethiopia. Tynes,°? 
however, refers his Darfur birds to this race, and Bannerman and 
Bates *? list two specimens of leuwcomelas from between Ibi and 
Takum, and from east of Bauchi, in Nigeria. I have seen no mate- 
rial from Darfur or Nigeria and assume that Sclater must have 
examined these birds and found them to belong to the race pur- 
purascens. 

2. P. n. lacuum: This form has been discussed above. Its range 
is from the middle stretches of the Hawash River to southern Shoa, 
the Omo region, and northwestern Uganda. It resembles lewcomelas 
but is smaller. 

3. P. n. purpurascens: Mount Elgon, across Uganda to Ruwen- 
zori, the eastern Uelle district of the Belgian Congo, north to Mon- 
galla and the Upper Nile provinces of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, 
thence west through the southern Sudan (north to Darfur) to 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 260. 

1 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, 1922, p. 205. 
® Ibis, 1924, p. 719. 

8 Tbis, 1924, p. 250. 


106220—37——7 


86 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


northern Cameroon and northern Nigeria. This race may be easily 
distinguished by the fact that it has the under wing coverts wholly 
white, whereas in the other two forms here under discussion these 
feathers are largely blackish, or at least as much black as white. 


° 


ARABIA 


IK 
wll 


TANGANYIKA 
TERRITORY 





o 4/00 200 300 00 Sf00 MILES 
- SCALE- 
Ficure 8.—Distribution of Parus niger in northeastern Africa. 





1, P. n. leucomelas. 
2. P. n. lacuum. 
8. P. n. purpurascens. 


From its nearest neighbor to the southwest, insignis, it differs in 
having a deeper, more purplish, less greenish, sheen to the feathers. 

Von Heuglin™ writes that this titmouse (race Jewcomelas) is a 
resident in the highlands of Beni-Amer and Bogosland, where it 


% Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, etc., vol. 1, p. 407, 1869. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 87 


occurs at altitudes of from 3,000 to 8,000 feet, and also in the upper 
stretches of the Blue and White Niles (the latter region is, however, 
inhabited by purpurascens). Jesse * found it rather uncommon in 
Bogosland, and Zedlitz did not see it at all in southern Eritrea and 
northern Ethiopia. Neumann found that dacwwm occurred up to 
about 7,300 feet in the mountains of southwestern Ethiopia. 

‘he male taken at Loco on March 15 is in molting condition; the 
other three specimens are in fine, fresh plumage. 

Mearns recorded seeing a few of these tits on the following occa- 
sions—North or Black Lake Abaya, March 18, 4 birds; Galana 
River, March 19-20, 10 seen; between the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, 
March 26-29, 2 individuals noted. 


PARUS ALBIVENTRIS ALBIVENTRIS Shelley 


Parus albiventris SHELLEY, Ibis, 1881, p. 116: Ugogo. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Tana River, Camp 6, Kenya Colony, August 21, 1912. 
2 males, 1 female, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 4-6, 1912. 

There are two races of this titmouse : The typical one, which occurs 
in the interior of Kenya Colony and northern Tanganyika Territory 
from Moroto and Ugogo, Kakoma, and Salanda, to Mount Lololokui 
in the north and to Mount Elgon on the west, and a smaller race, 
curtus, which occurs in the coastal districts of southern Kenya Colony, 
inland to Taveta. In the nominate form the wings measure 79 to 86 
mm in the males, 77 to 88 mm in the females, while in cwrtus the wing 
length varies from 75 to 77 mm in the males and from 72 to 76 mm in 
the females. The three males listed above have wings of 80, 80, and 
81 mm, respectively ; the female, 77 mm. All are in fine, fresh plumage. 

The nominate race appears not to have been taken in Uganda, but it 
is known from the Banso Mountains of Cameroon, rather a surprising 
distribution in view of the fact that most birds common to the Came- 
roon highlands and parts of East Africa are not infrequently found 
in Uganda. 

Hinde ** found it common in the “neighborhood of swamps and 
river-beds where there is some timber, such as mimosa, in proximity 
to the water. Breeds in April and November.” 

Granvik *’ found this bird common on the eastern slopes of Mount 
Elgon at an altitude of about 6,500 to 7,000 feet. 

Besides the four birds taken, Mearns observed a few others of this 
species, as follows: Tana River, August 16-23, 18 birds seen; junction 
of Tana and Thika Rivers, August 23, 2 noted. 


% He Finsch, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, 1870, p. 238. 
6 This, 1900, pp. 494495. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 227. 


88 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
PARUS LEUCONOTUS Guérin 


Parus leuconotus GuERIN, Rev. Mag. Zool., 1848, p. 162: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

1 male, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 8, 1912. 

8 males, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 20-29, 1912. 


The white-backed black titmouse occurs in the highlands of 
Ethiopia from Djimma, Djamdjam, Shoa, Arussi-Gallaland, and 
Harrar north through Tigre and Simien to Bogosland in southern 
Eritrea. Throughout this area it lives chiefly in the juniper 
and bamboo forests. Neumann®® found it at altitudes of from 
9,200 to 10,200 feet. Von Heuglin®® writes that only once did he 
find this bird below 6,000 feet—at Mensa on the northern border 
of Ethiopia. He found it; not infrequently in Semien, Wogara, 
Begemeder, the highlands of Gallaland, and Shoa, usually in pairs. 
He writes that its habits recall those of the European species Parus 
major. Blanford} found it to be not very common at Senafé and 
Adigrat. This observation is borne out by the fact that Jesse ob- 
tained but, three specimens in Bogosland, and Zedlitz did not meet 
with it at all. 

One of the males from the Arussi Plateau is probably immature. 
It has the light patch on the back heavily washed with brownish 
buff and is somewhat smaller than the other specimens. Reichenow ? 
writes that these are the characters by which the young differ from 
the adult birds. 

Taking only the eight adults into consideration, I give their size 
variations in table 15. 


TABLE 15.—Measurements of eight male specimens of Parus leuconotus from 





Ethiopia 

Locality Wing Tail Culmen | Tarsus 

Mm Mim Mm Mm 

IAGIStADODS-- 62 no 5 SS 74.0 58.0 11.0 19.0 
IATUSSI“E Atala sos eons ees Soe e eee 82.0 60.5 13.0 19.0 
DO. sess ss sed. Sees ee ee 76.0 62.5 11.0 19.5 

DD Oe See Se eS ae 78. 5 60.0 11.0 19.0 
ID Owe emt oie ereeae Sos ose aeeeee 81.0 62,0 11.5 19.0 
Dore La wee Bes sy Es 78.0 59.0 11.5 19.0 

DO0s2=22 5 Sanne ee eee ee 75.5 58.0 11.0 19.0 

DOs a ee eee eee 78.0 58. 5 11.5 20.0 





8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 261. 

Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, vol. 1, p. 408, 1869. 

1 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, etc., p. 356, 1870. 
2 Die Vogel Afrikas, vol. 3, p. 518, 1905. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 89 


The bird from Adis Abeba and the majority of those from the 
Arussi Plateau were in molt when shot, the ecdysis being particu- 
larly noticeable in the rectrices. The immature bird was similarly 
in molting condition. 

The only clue of which I know as to the breeding season of this 
bird is a note by Neumann ®* to the effect that a female, taken by 
him on December 27 at Abera in the Djamdjam district, had an 
egg in the oviduct. It may be that the reason Mearns happened 
to obtain only male specimens of this titmouse is that the females 
were out of sight, incubating their eggs during January and 
February. 


ANTHOSCOPUS CAROLI ROTHSCHILDI Neumann 


Anthoscopus rothschildi NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 597: Simba, Kenya 
Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, near Tana River east of Ithanga Hills, Kenya 
Colony, August 26, 1912. 


This specimen agrees with the description of rothschildi, which 
form I have not otherwise seen. Van Someren‘ gives the wing 
ieneth of a male as 55 mm, of a female as 52 mm. The present 
example is sexed as a male but has a wing measuring only 52.5 mm; 
it is in somewhat abraded plumage, but not enough to make more 
than a half a millimeter difference in the wing length. 

The systematics of this little “cappoc-vogel” are in an unsatisfac- 
tory state, owing to the absence of adequate series in any collection. 
For example, Sclater > writes that A. sharpei is a synonym of A. car- 
oli sylviella, while van Someren, who had seven specimens of the 
former, suggests that it is racially distinct from the latter. 

Hellmayr ° examined the type of sharpei and concluded it was not 
distinct from sylviella. Hartert 7 synonymizes the two with a query, 
adding that the identity of the two is still doubtful. 

The present specimen appears to constitute the westernmost record 
for the race. According to Sclater, this subspecies occurs in the 
“eastern districts of Kenya Colony: Simba and Kitui.” The dis- 
tance between Kitui and the Tana River east of Ithanga Hills is 
not very great, however. 

Since the above was written, van Someren ™ has recorded this race 


from Simba, Kiu, Kitui, Fort Hall, and Thika. 


$ Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 261. 

*Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 203, 1922. 

5 Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, pt. 645, 1930. 
Sin Wytsman, Genera avium, pt. 18, p. 63, 1911. 
™Noy. Zool., vol. 27, p. 441, 1920. 

™ Noy. Zool., vol. 37. p. 359, 1932. 


90 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
ANTHOSCOPUS MUSCULUS (Hartlaub) 


Aegithalus musculus HartLAus, Orn. Centralbl., 1882, p. 91: Lado; see Journ. 
fiir Orn., 1882, p. 236. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 11, 1912. 
1 female, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 1, 1912. 
1 female, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 6, 1912. 


This species occurs from the Upper White Nile east to the Hawash 
Valley and Somaliland, south through Kenya Colony to the Taveta 
district, in the semiarid thornbush steppe country only, not in the 
highlands of central and southwestern Kenya Colony. 

Van Someren ® writes that topotypical musculus differ from east- 
ern specimens in being paler below, “less creamy white on the throat 
and chin, and much less deep buff on the abdomen.” More recently ° 
he writes that birds from Archers Post, Kenya Colony, “cannot be 
placed accurately without comparison with typical birds.” Unfor- 
tunately, I have no western, typical material for comparison, but 
some of the eastern specimens seen have only a very pale buffy tinge 
on the abdomen, so it seems that there may not be any constant dif- 
ference between them and typical musculus. 

The three specimens obtained by the Frick expedition are in worn 
plumage. Their dimensions are as follows: Male—wing, 47; tail, 
21.5; culmen, 8; tarsus, 18 mm. Females—wing, 46.5, 49.5; tail, 25.5, 
28; culmen, 8, 8; tarsus, 12, 12 mm. 

Lénnberg ?° shot a bird on February 27 at Njoro, north of the 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River, and found it to be in breeding 
condition. 

This bird appears to be fairly widely distributed in Ethiopia, as 
Erlanger 1! obtained specimens at Gumbowerin, between Zeila and 
Djeldessa; at Tschoba, between Harrar and Adis Abeba; in Djamd- 
jam; in Gurraland; in the Garre-Lewin district; and at Anole, be- 
tween Bardera and Umfudu. 

Van Someren 7? has recently described the birds of northern Kenya 
Colony under the name A. m. guasso (type locality, Archers Post), 
on the basis of smaller size and the absence of the olive tinge to the 
mantle. If guasso be valid (the material available for study does not 
indicate it, but my series is small), the present specimens would 
have to be referred to it. 


® Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 204, 1922. 

® Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 66 (142), 1930. 
10 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 120. 

11 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 53. 

2 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 359, 1932. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 9] 
Family TIMELIIDAE, Babbling Thrushes 
TURDOIDES LEUCOPYGIA SMITHII (Sharpe) 
FIGURE 9 
Cratcropus smithii SHARPE, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 4, p. 41, 1895: Sheikh 


Hussein, Arussi-Gallaland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Moulu, Ethiopia, December 17, 1911. 


Sclater 1° considers lacwwm Neumann a synonym of smithii, but in 
T. 1. lacuum has the chin and upper throat dark 


this he is mistaken. 


ARABIA 


TANGANYIKA 
TERRITORY 





400 S00 MILES 


© __100__200 300 
- SCALE- 


Figure 9.—Distribution of Turdoides leucopygia. 
4. T. 1, lacuum. 


1. T. 1. leucopygia. 
2, T. 1. limbata. 5. T. l. omoensis. 
8. T. 1. smtthii. 


13 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 354, 1930. 


92 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


grayish, sometimes almost blackish, while in smzthii these parts are 
grayish white. Furthermore, the present race has well-developed 
whitish superciliary stripes, which are not present in /acuuwm, and 
the latter has the rump less pure whitish than smthiz. 

Zedlitz 14 has reviewed the forms of the white-rumped babbler and, 
on the whole, his conclusions seem fairly sound as far as the available 
material indicates. There appears to be some confusion, however, 
with regard to the northern limits of the range of limbata. Zedlitz 
claims that this race inhabits northern Shoa (the drainage area of 
the Blue Nile) and also the western Hawash Valley, and that typical 
leucopygia inhabits northern and central Ethiopia (Tigre district, 
etc.). Sclater, on the other hand, concludes that leucopygia occurs 
only in the Danakil coastal area and on the eastern slope of the 
eastern Ethiopian escarpment, while /imbata occurs from northern 
Shoa to Lake Tsana and the Anseba Valley in Eritrea. Reichenow * 
records leucopygia from Bogosland and the Tigre district of extreme 
northern Ethiopia. Finsch ** records liémbata from Bogosland and 
leucopygia from northeastern Ethiopia (Undel Wells and Rayray- 
guddy) but considers the former the immature plumage of the latter. 
The total evidence available to me substantiates Sclater’s statement 
of range rather than Zedlitz’s. 

In northeastern Africa there are then five subspecies, as follows: 

1. 7. l. leucopygia: The Danakil and Eritrean coastal belt, and 
inland to about 8,000 feet on the eastern Ethiopian escarpment. 

2. 7. 1. limbata: Bogosland south through the Tigre country to 
northern Shoa. Similar to the nominate race, but only a small 
frontal white band, as against the whole forehead and fore-crown 
white in leucopygia. . 

3. T.1. smithii: British Somaliland to Harrar and the Arussi-Galla 
countries. Like /imbata but with no transverse white frontal mark 
on the forehead; the superciliary stripes, chin, upper throat, and 
cheeks grayish white. 

4. T. 1. lacuum: The lake region of the southern Hawash region 
from Lake Swai south to approximately the southern end of Lake 
Abassi; in other words, to the demarcation line between the Hawash 
region and the southern Shoan area as given by Erlanger.’’ This 
form resembles smithii but lacks the whitish superciliaries, and has 
the chin and upper throat dusky grayish. 

5. T. l. omoensis: The drainage basin of the Omo and Sobat 
Rivers, northeast to the Sidamo district, north of Lake Abaya in 
southern Shoa. This form is like 7acwwm but has the gray of the 


14 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, pp. 73-74. 

1% Die Vogel Afrikas, vol. 3, p. 665, 1905. 
16Trans. Zool. Soc. London, 1870, pp. 243-244. 
M@ Journ, fiir Orn., 1904, map 5. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 93 


chin, upper throat, malar region, and lores blackish; the centers of 
the feathers of the throat and breast darker than in lacwwm, and the 
lower abdomen and the rump darker, somewhat washed with buffy. 
Neumann ?® notes that two specimens of dacuwm from Sidamo are 
blackish gray on the chin and upper throat, and are really inter- 
mediate between it and omoensis. I should call these birds omoensis 
and not dacwum. It is a little unfortunate that the type locality of 
laewum is so near the southern limits of the range of that form, but, 
on the other hand, the two races are very distinct and should never 
be difficult to tell apart. 

In central Africa (from Lake Kivu and the western shores of Lake 
Tanganyika to southern Angola and to Lake Ngami) a brownish 
form without white margins on the throat and breast feathers oc- 
curs—hartlaubti. It appears, on what is now considered to be rather 
insufficient evidence, that the birds of the eastern Congo may be 
separable on the basis of slightly darker size, in which case the name 
ater Friedmann is available for them. 

Besides the present specimen, I have seen two other examples of 
smithti, a male from Harrar and an unsexed bird without data. The 
Harrar bird is slightly darker, especially on the breast and tail, than 
the Moulu specimen. The former is in fresher plumage than the 
latter; in fact, it is just finishing the molt, the outermost primary in 
each wing being still inclosed basally in its sheath. The Moulu bird 
has noticeably darker under wing coverts than either the Harrar or 
the other specimen. Whether this variation is individual or geo- 
graphical in nature, I can not say without more material. It is a 
point worth keeping in mind, however. 

Hawker 1° found this babbler frequenting rocky hills in British 
Somaliland, where it “went in families and was very noisy.” 


TURDOIDES LEUCOPYGIA LACUUM (Neumann) 
FIGURE 9 
Crateropus smithi lacuum NEUMANN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 14, p. 15, 1903: 
Alelu, Lake Abassi, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 males, 1 female, near Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 
6, 1912. 
Soft parts: Iris red, bill black, feet gray. 
The characters and range of this form have already been outlined 
and need not be repeated here. 
The present specimens are in fairly fresh plumage. Their di- 
mensions are as follows: Males—wing, 110, 114; tail, 105, 111; 


culmen, 22; tarsus, 34,36 mm. Female—wing, 113; tail, 101; culmen, 
21; tarsus, 37 mm. 


18 Tourn. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 261. 
12 Ibis, 1899, p. 73. 


94 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
TURDOIDES LEUCOPYGIA OMOENSIS (Neumann) 


FIGURE 9 


Crateropus smithi omoensis NEUMANN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 14, p. 15, 1903: 
Senti River, affluent of the Omo, southwestern Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, 1 female, Loco, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 15, 1912. 
1 female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 15, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris red; bill black; feet gray. 

These three specimens, together with Neumann’s two “intermedi- 
ates between lacuwm and omoensis””® extend the range of omoensis 
to the Sidamo district. The present three birds are in no way inter- 
mediate in their characters but are typical examples of omoensis. 

This race is very slightly smaller (average difference only) than 
lacuum. The male has the following dimensions: Wing, 110; tail, 
118; culmen, 21.5; tarsus, 34 mm. Females: Wing 109-113; tail, 
98-100; culmen, 21.5, 22; tarsus, 33.5, 34 mm. This species appears 
to decrease in size and to increase in darkness from east to west 
across its range. 

Nothing has been recorded of its habits other than that it usually 
goes in small flocks and is noisy. Ogilvie-Grant ** writes that speci- 
mens collected in July in the Gofa and Uba regions were in molt. 

The altitudinal range of omoensis appears to be 4,000 to 7,000 feet. 


TURDOIDES HYPOLEUCA (Cabanis) 


Crateropus hypoleucus CABANIS, Journ. ftir Orn., 1878, pp. 205, 226: Kitui, 
Ukamba, Kenya Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Big Bend Hill, Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 28, 1912. 
1 male, between Thika and Athi Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 29, 1912. 

The Kenya pied babbler is a common bird in the southern parts 
of Kenya Colony from the Ukamba and South Kenya Provinces 
through the Kikuyu and Teita districts. Van Someren ” writes that 
its range extends to the coast, but I know of no records nearer the 
coast than Useguha and Kilimanjaro. In northern Tanganyika Ter- 
ritory it occurs on the upper stretches of the Pangani River, but not, 
as far as I know, at the mouth. 

Neumann? has separated the Pangani, Useguha—Kilimanjaro 
birds under the name vufuensis, on the basis of paler dorsal colora- 
tion, the rump and upper tail coverts lighter than the back; the 
forehead light gray, and the feathers of the upperparts with pale 


20 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 261. 
21JTbis, 1913, p. 622. 

22 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 234, 1922. 
23 Orn. Monatsb., 1906, p. 148. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 95 


margins. Sclater does not mention rufuensis at all, but Sjéstedt 24 
recognizes it. I have seen no specimens from the range of Neumann’s 
form, but I find that a series of 17 birds from Ukamba and adjacent 
areas contains individuals showing one or more of, or even all, the 
characters of rufuensis. Therefore, for the present at least, I con- 
sider the Jatter as indistinguishable from hypoleuca. 

One of the present specimens is in molt, the other in fresh plumage. 
The dimensions of the latter one are: Wing, 109; tail, 107; culmen, 
19; tarsus, 36 mm. 

Van Someren *° writes that this is a common species, “frequenting 
the outskirts of forests, the scrub, and plantations. They are noisy 
birds, and their cry is harsh and oft-repeated. They were found 
breeding in February and March, a nest with eggs was collected in 
February, and one with young towards the end of March.” 

Lonnberg *° found a family of this species at Nairobi on January 
6 and collected the old female and a young female. This extends 
the limits of the breeding season back to about early December. 


TURDOIDES HINDEI (Sharpe) 


Crateropus hindei SHARPE, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 11, p. 29, 1900: Athi River. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 23, 1912. 
1 male, 9 miles up Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 27, 1912. 


Sclater 7” writes that Aéndez is possibly nothing but the juvenal 
plumage of 7. hypoleuca. This is wrong, as a nestling hypoleuca 
not yet fully fledged shows very clearly that the juvenal plumage 
resembles that of the adult, and is very different from that of hindei. 
Furthermore, the plumage of hindez generally known is the adult and 
not the juvenal stage. The juvenal plumage of hindei appears never 
to have been described. While with the Smithsonian—Roosevelt ex- 
pedition, Mearns obtained a young Aéndez just beginning to molt 
into adult plumage. It shows the preceding plumage very well, a 
brief description of which follows: 

Forehead, crown, occiput, lores, cheeks, auriculars, nape, chin, and 
sides of throat uniform dark fuscous-black; upper back fuscous 
barred with tawny-rufous; lower back, rump, and upper tail coverts 
bright tawny-rufous; rectrices fuscous-brown indistinctly barred 
with rufous-brown; upper wing coverts and remiges fuscous-brown, 
the inner coverts and the secondaries margined with rufous; middle 
of throat and the breast dull fuscous-black, grayer than the top of 


24 Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der schwedischen zoologischen Expedition nach dem 
Kilimandjaro . . . Deutsch- Ostafrika, 1905-6, ete., Végel, p. 156, 1908. 

2% Ibis, 1916, p. 464. 

26 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 125. 

27 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 355, 1930, 


96 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


the head, and the feathers narrowly tipped with grayish white; ab- 
domen whitish heavily washed with pale tawny on the flanks and 
under tail coverts. A few of the new white-tipped feathers are 
coming in on the forehead and crown, and the molt is fairly well 
advanced on the throat and breast in this young bird. 

The two adults obtained by the Frick expedition are of interest in 
that they are not quite alike. Thus, the Tana River specimen has ail 
the remiges fuscous-brown, while the bird from the Thika River has 
some of these feathers broadly tipped with white but not the same 
remiges in both wings are thus colored. The latter bird also has some 
grayish-white tips to some of the rectrices as well. It is in fresher 
plumage than the Tana River bird. 

Van Someren ** collected a series of adults in fresh plumage, which 
showed unusual variations. He says: “One * * * has the whole 
of the breast and abdomen pure white, thus resembling somewhat 
C. hypoleucus, but the upperside is that of typical Aéndez.” 

This babbler has a curiously restricted range wholly coincident 
with, though not so extensive as that of hypoleuca. It has been taken 
in the Ukamba and South Kenya Provinces, north to the Tana River. 

The measurements of the present two examples are as follows: 
Wing, 100, 101; tail, 104, 106; culmen, 19.5, 21; tarsus, 34, 34.5 mm. 


ARGYA RUBIGINOSA RUBIGINOSA (Rippell) 


Crateropus rubiginosa RUPPELL, Systematische Uebersicht der Vogel Nordost- 
Afrika’s, p. 47, pl. 19, 1845: Shoa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

5 males, 1 female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 6-22, 1911. 

1 male, Black Lake Abaya, south, Ethiopia, March 25, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 28-29, 1912. 

12 males, 14 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 3-May 11, 
1912. 

1 male, Anole village, Ethiopia, May 18, 1912. 

2 males, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 25-27, 1912. 

2 females, Sagon River, Hthiopia, June 3-4, 1912. 

1 female, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 11, 1912. 

1 male, Malata, Ethiopia, June 22, 1912. 

1 female, east of Lake Stefanie, Kenya Colony, April 26, 1912. 

1 male, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 1, 1912. 

2 males, 1 female, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 21-22, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 2, 
1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 18, 1912. 

1 female, Tana River, camp 6, Kenya Colony, August 21, 1912. 

2 males, 2 females, junction of Tana and Thika Rivers, Kenya Colony, 
August 24-25, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, between Thika and Athi Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 29, 
1912. 


28 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 233, 1922, and vol. 37, p. 338, 1932. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 97 


Soft parts: Male—iris pale clear yellow; bill pale olive-brown, 
paler and greenish below; feet and claws fleshy olive color, palest on 
tarsus. Female—iris pale greenish yellow; bill horn-color, flesh-color 
at base of mandible; feet and claws pale grayish brown. 

Hartert *® has reviewed the nomenclature and races of the rufous 
chatterer and has come to conclusions that seem entirely correct to 
me. In the present connection I have carefully examined some 78 
specimens representing all three forms and find that Hartert’s ar- 
rangement (which is adopted by Sclater *°) is wholly substantiated. 

The present series of the nominate form shows considerable varia- 
tion in coloration, some specimens being practically as dark gen- 
erally as the coastal race heuglini, but the two forms may be readily 
distinguished by the color of the lores, which are rufous in the latter 
and grayish in rwbiginosa. Also, on the wholé, heugliné is generally 
darker above, more richly rufous below. It occurs along the East 
African coast from the Juba River to Zanzibar. 

In central Tanganyika Territory another race, emini, is found. 
This form is a very well-marked one, being characterized by having 
the forehead and most of the crown distinctly grayish, with light 
grayish tips to the feathers, a somewhat slenderer bill and smaller 
wings (80-82 mm). Van Someren* has called birds from the 
Mount Kenya district south to Simba and Masongoleni emini, but in 
this he is mistaken. Birds from this region are typical rubiginosa. 

In the same paper van Someren also stated that birds from south- 
central Kenya Colony are darker than specimens from northern 
Uganda. I have seen a series from Gondokoro, in the extreme 
southern part of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, which ought to be the 
same as Ugandan birds, but which are indistinguishable from others 
from Kenya Colony from the Ethiopian border south to the Athi 
River. 

Arqya sharpii Oglivie-Grant and Reid is merely a giant example 
of typical rubiginosa, a conclusion that is by no means new but is 
of interest because a suggestion has been made that races based on 
size characters might be recognized in northeastern Africa. The 
type of sharpii is said to have a wing length of 96.5 mm. In his 
notes on the types of birds in the Tring Museum Hartert * writes 
that this unique type, although much larger, “agrees in other ways 
perfectly with Crateropus (Argya) rubiginosus rubiginosus, and it 
was rash to describe it as ‘new species’ from this one specimen. 
Without further material it cannot be ascertained whether this is a 
distinct subspecies or an exceptionally large specimen.” The type 


2 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 43, p. 132, 1923. 

20 Systema avium JAdthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 356, 1930. 
81 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 235, 1922. 

#2 Nov. Zool., vol. 27, p. 486, 1920. 


98 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


came from Shebelli, a region from which typical rubéginosa has been 
obtained. 

Van Someren ** has recently reinstated sharpez as the name of a 
large race inhabiting the area at the junction of the Juba and Darea 
Rivers. 

The present series contains birds in fresh plumage, others in 
abraded condition, and some in molt, but the dates are rather mean- 
ingless unless they mean that this species breeds more or less through- 
out the year and that therefore specimens in different plumage con- 
ditions occur side by side. Molting birds were taken on the following 
dates: April 12, June 3, 4, 11, July 21, and August 24. Supposedly 
mated pairs were collected on April 17, July 21, and August 2. 

The size variations of this series are shown in table 16. 


TABLE 16.—Measurements of 58 specimens of Argya rubiginosa rubiginosa 








Locality Sex Wing Tail Culmen | Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Dire Daous.222222--22s2eeessscee Male...------- 90.0 115.0 17.0 27.0 
Dos a aek ce reeset avesastee[Seaee! doz. -2-5 86.0 108.5 18.0 28.0 
WO se soos a ee wea neneecssasee|secee 6 87.0 113.0 17.5 27.0 
Dore fe asses. ess doses 84.0 111.0 17.5 27.5 
DOns. 26. beeen e= ESS ee hea dozsea- its 85.0 110.0 17.5 27.0 
Black Lake Abaya--2---5---.2-2=-|---.- G0sc.a28ece 84.0 100.0 17.0 29.5 
Near (Gardulase. i 2 se sees taes| sete Go: 2EUes 83. 5 105.0 17.5 27.0 
(Gatophl Volseesee sane ae ean | dOleeeee-= 86.0 106.0 17.0 30.0 
WD Onno ee eee eee oor e eee ees dole eae 88.0 108.0 16.5 28.0 
DO's ee eee ee eee Gotst tess 87.0 111.0 16.5 29.0 
DOs eter eae a Boo MS ses Gotta s. 87.0 113. 5 18.0 30.0 
1D) Qo sae eaesee ee eee ee eee salen eee COs = ~ 85.0 103.0 16.0 29.0 
DOs e se eee. eo sseee oe aoe dotel 90.0 119.0 17.0 29.0 
WO esas See tas Saeesebcscs| Stes dona 91.0 114.0 16.5 29.5 
Dobe eee eee ae eee ease lose GO see cs SAO ence ee 17.5 30.0 
MOE See Ae Sa eet e es Goes seats 88.0 108.0 17.0 29.0 
DD One eee ese es es ee bes done Sotee2 9030, 7,22 17.0 30.0 
I oe se SSS UE a is se a dows 88.0 107.0 18.0 30. 5 
DOs ee ae SSE doricn.J2ee 86.0 102.0 17. 5 27.5 
Anole Villagestss 2acece eee tten lite tse Cote ee 83.0 104.0 17.0 29.0 
BOdGS8S8 Se. Sa oan eee sekt cone ae |e eu8 do0s-32 2-332 87.0 104.5 17.5 28.0 
DOL ss se bar eer a SA, cece 2S Gorse 81.0 105.0 16.0 30.0 
Malate i. pace oes He EE Gos aaraw 79.0 102.0 16.0 28.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
18 miles southwest of Hor-._------|----- doses 84.0 106.0 17.0 30.0 
Endoto WMountains+.2----5=-- 2. 22) da 86.0 115.0 17.0 29.0 
WDO0b ee ceo os eae eee tc ceene=|seeen Gonssessas 83.0 113.0 17.0 28.0 
Guaso: Nyiro Rivers --22--s2—-e-=|-s>—5 doit. 3224 84.0 110.0 17.0 29. 5 
Tharaka district... --2s-c- +o secon oa Gotss 4:5 82.5 107.0 16.0 29.0 
Mana Rivers. 2.2ec sede see eee |aaee! GOs etcee 81.0 113.0 16.5 30.0 
Mos tes Peete Be eee SO Go .sesaee ee 87.0 111.5 18.0 30.0 
‘Thika-Athi -RiverS.-<2s2honce es =|st £2 dO. sence 88.0 110.0 17.0 29.0 
ETHIOPIA: 
Dire Daouasisss sees SA eh e Female-_-_-__---- 88.0 105.0 17.0 29.5 
Near (Gardula®: 22222-2223 ol sae Goze26 2282 84.0 101.0 17.0 29. 5 


83 Nov. Zool., vol. 87, p. 340, 1932. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 99 


TABLE 16.—Measurements of 58 specimens of Argya rubiginosa rubiginosa—Con. 


Locality Sex Wing Tail Culmen | Tarsus 
Etuiorra—Continued. Mm Mm Mm Mm 

Gato Riverstecs =. soee eS eee ce Female-_-_-__---- 87.0 103.0 16.0 29. 5 
ID QuS cate ae nos ke te oe on eetoe doer. eae 86.0 105.0 18.0 29.0 

DOs be Eee SOLE CASTE oh cae Gose2e 2. 2 82.0 100. 5 17.0 28.0 
DosR 2S x fe a hee Eos 2 GOs. .2s2222 88.0 108.0 17.0 28.0 

SD) ees er ee ee ee ee ee ee | NE ee Cone 88.0 111.0 18.0 30.0 

DOU SE AORS SARE: Bie AR SE Soke do. as 90.0 106.0 16.0 29.0 

DP) Osa Se ek Pe OE ee (eee 87.0 109. 0 16.5 30.0 

DOS ete oe eae see ee eae ee ee eS dos 2 86. 0 110.0 16.5 31.0 

DO RNS A oe PS RUE Te A LEU IES Shs dose ss 83.0 106. 0 15.5 28.0 

Dobe Ss RE od Se ae COs 84.0 100.0 16.5 30.0 

NS) oe era es er Se wel oN ere a Oa En es ee 15.0 29.0 

DD) ONS seat te Eee re eS Goztts site 83.0 99.5 17.0 28. 5 
PONE eee aS Oe poe ee a oe dO: fee 88.0 110.0 16.5 29.0 

DOSS en een ae ee eee | ee dos) _ == 87.0 110.0 17.0 28.0 
SagonsRivers: 2 soe) osu as Ns eee Bere dosti 83.5 104.5 17.0 28.0 
Dot 2 eee ee Ss doses r= EeS3u65 106.0 17.0 28. 5 
PROTA] Oeee cee es See ee a ies | CON ene Ose) ee 87.5 TUDO Ns See se ate 28. 5 

KENYA COLONY: 

East of Lake Stefanie__-......--.-]_---- (6 (0. See 86.0 10720 See eee 29.0 
Endoto Mountains.2- 82022. a hee do- 83.0 106.0 16.0 27.0 
Guaso NyiroRiverse 2s 2 a2 2 | eee does 84.0 112.0 16.5 28.0 
harakea districtes.= = s20-6e eases |S d0:=2--2- +2 82.0 104.0 15.5 29.0 
Tana Rivers cesses weaan eno es sess doses ee 80.0 99.0 16.0 27.0 
EY Bae apn eh gE ie dges2:-ce22 84.5 107.0 16.5 29.5 

I) ee ae ee ee eae Gove bias 84.0 100.0 16.5 28.5 
hike Ath Riversea- cose se eee aaaee Gots-e see 81.0 96. 5 17.0 28. 5 


This babbler is a characteristic inhabitant of the bushy thickets, 
where it goes about in small flocks and where its drawn-out notes are 
among the most noticeable of the chorus of avian sounds. 

Erlanger ** writes that the breeding season is very prolonged, last- 
ing from early in March until June—so prolonged that one might con- 
sider the birds double-brooded. The nests are built of grasses and 
leaves, lined with grass heads, and are placed in the dense bushes. 
This bird is one of the chief victims of the pied cuckoo (Clamator 
jacobinus jacobinus). Erlanger found two nests, both with eggs of 
this cuckoo, one on March 26 at Kata and one on June 8 at Webi- 
Shebelli. Another nest, found on June 10 in the Hawash region, 
contained three eggs of the babbler and none of the cuckoo. 

Besides the actual specimens collected, Mearns recorded seeing this 
bird as follows: At the Abaya Lakes, March 19-26, 36 seen; between 
the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 50 birds; Gato River, 
March 29-May 17, 500; Anole village, May 18, 100; Sagon River and 
Bodessa, May 19—June 6, 1,200 seen; Tertale, June 7-12, 150; El Ade, 
June 12-13, 20 birds; Mar Mora, June 14-15, 75; Turturo, June 15-17, 
20 noted; Wobok, June 18, 25 birds; Saru, June 19, 20 seen; Yebo, 
June 20, 10; Karsa Barecha, June 21, 100; Malata, June 22, 30 seen; 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 739. 


100 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Chaffa, June 23-25, 30 birds seen; Nyero Mountains, July 18, 10 noted; 
Indunumara Mountains, July 13-18, 35; Endoto Mountains, July 18- 
24, 200; Er-re-re, July 25, 50 birds seen; Le-se-dun, July 26, 50; Malele, 
July 27, 20 noted; 35 miles north of Northern Guaso Nyiro River, 
July 29-30, 20 seen; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31—August 3, 
200 birds; Tharaka district, August 12-14, 130 seen; Tana River, 
August 15-23, 150; Tana River at mouth of Thika River, August 
23-26, 200; east of Ithanga Hills, August 26, 20 birds; 9-20 miles up 
the Thika River, August 27, 40 seen; west of Ithanga Hills, August 28, 
25 birds; between Thika and Athi Rivers, August 29, 30 birds seen. 

Hachisuka,®* in studying a series of the Indian babbler Argya longi- 
rostris, finds that the birds of Munipur are separable from typical 
Nepalese examples. For the former he revives Godwin-Austen’s name 
rubiginosa.*> I am not concerned here with the validity of the 
Munipur form, but point out that rubiginosa Godwin-Austen, 1874, is 
preoccupied by rwbiginosa Riippell, 1845. I have not looked to see if 
another name is available, but if not the Munipur race is without a 
name, 

ARGYA AYLMERI AYLMERI Shelley 


Argya aylmeri SHELLEY, Ibis, 1885, p. 404, pl. 11: Somaliland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Nyero Mountain, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 
13, 1912. 
2 females, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 16, 1912. 

Sclater ** recognizes four races of this bird, but I doubt if more 
than two are really valid. Hartert described loveridgei from south- 
eastern Kenya Colony,** and later ** he synonymized it with keniana 
Jackson. Van Someren * has, in turn, synonymized keniana with 
mentalis, a course in which he appears to be justified on the basis 
of his material, and which is further substantiated, although indi- 
rectly, by Hartert’s synonymizing of loveridgei with keniana. 

Unfortunately, the material available to me has been very scanty, 
but the conclusions to which I have come are that only two valid 
races occur, as follows: 

1. A. a. aylmeri: British and Italian Somaliland west through 
southern Arussi-Gallaland and northern Kenya Colony to the Indu- 
numara Mountains. 

2. A. a. mentalis: Central Kenya Colony south to the Dodoma 
and Singida and Kondoa Irangi districts of central Tanganyika 


Tori, vol. 5, no. 25, English column, p. 20, 1928. 

*6 Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1874, p. 47. 

37 Systema avium thiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 356-357, 1930. 
# Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 43, p. 119, 1923. 

29 Nov. Zool., vol. 34, p. 214, 1928. 

“ Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 235, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 101 


Territory. This form is generally darker than the nominate one, 
especially on the underparts and on the crown, and is slightly larger 
in size, 

The present specimens are the southwesternmost records for 
aylmeri and extend its known range westward by nearly 400 miles. 
The male has the pale edges of the throat feathers more rufescent 
than the females and, in this respect, approaches the characters of 
“keniana”, a form of which I have nct seen any typical material. 

The three birds obtained by the Frick expedition are in worn 
plumage and are in an early stage of molt. Their dimensions are 
as follows: Male—wing, 80; tail, 117; cuimen, 19; tarsus, 29 mm. 
Females—wing, 71-72.5; tail, 111.5-114; culmen, 17; tarsus, 26.5- 
28mm. A pair of mentalis from central Tanganyika Territory have 
wings measuring 81 mm in the male and 77 mm in the female. 

Zedlitz #4 writes that the birds of southern Somaliland are only 
questionably referable to aylmeri, as they are smaller than the meas- 
urements given by Reichenow for typical north Somaliland birds. 
Zedlitz found the wing lengths of four south Somali males to be 
67 to 71 mm, as against 75 to 78 mm for typical aylmeri. 

Van Someren has recently * recognized keniana and loveridgei, but 
“for the time being” only. 

The scaly chatterer appears to be uncommon throughout its range 
and has been collected only a small number of times. Erlanger * 
recorded it as much scarcer and more secretive in habits than A. 
rubiginosa. He found it singly or in pairs, except for one group 
of five birds seen on April 4 in Gurraland. On April 2, he found 
a nest with two eggs at Kata on the Mane River in the southern 
Ginir area. The nest was in a clump of bushes and euphorbias and 
was about 5 feet from the ground. The eggs were fresh and prob- 
ably the two did not comprise a full clutch. The male bird was 
found sitting on the nest, a fact that Erlanger interprets as mean- 
ing not that incubation is performed by the male as a rule but that 
the male merely sits on them while the female is away before the 
latter actually begins to incubate. 


PSEUDOALCIPPE ABYSSINICUS ABYSSINICUS (Riippell) e 


Drymophila abyssinica RUPPELL, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna von Abys- 
sinien gehdrig, etc., Vogel, p. 108, pl. 40, 18385: Simien Mountains, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: Male, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 9, 1912. 


Lack of adequate material prevents me from doing more than 
merely tabulating the previously recorded facts of variation and 


“ Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 103-104. 
“Nov. Zool., vol. 37, pp. 340-341, 1932. 
Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 739. 


106220—37——8 


102 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


range of this species. Four races are currently recognized. ‘They 
are: 

1. P. a. abyssinicus: Northeastern and eastern Africa from the 
Simien Mountains, northern Ethiopia, south through Shoa and 
Kenya Colony to the Kikuyu and Kilimanjaro districts and the 
Usambara Mountains. Of this form kélimensis Shelley is a syno- 
nym. Van Someren *4 lists kilimensis as a species, but he evidently 
examined no material, for all he writes is “apparently confined to 
the Kilimanjaro Range” and lists no specimens. Neumann * was 
unable to find any differences between Ethiopian specimens (typical 
abyssinicus) and others from Kikuyu (apparently kilémensis). Re- 
cently van Someren *° examined material and states that birds from 
Kilimanjaro, South Mau, Aberdare, and Mount Kenya are darker 
on the head, mantle, and underside than northern birds, and hints 
that kilémensis may be valid. 

Shelley himself 4? admitted that his form dlimensis was indis- 
tinguishable from abyssinicus. 

2. P. a monachus: The mountains of Cameroon. This race differs 
from the typical subspecies in color, being darker on the crown, 
brighter reddish brown on the upperparts, especially on the rump, 
upper tail coverts, and the edges of the remiges and rectrices, and 
darker brown on the flanks. 

3. P. a. claudei: The island of Fernando Po, where it is confined 
to high altitudes. Similar to monachus but with the gray of the 
head and nape extending much farther down the back; the flanks 
and thighs duller rufous-brown. 

4. P. a. ansorgei: Benguella and Mossamedes, Angola. Differs 
from abyssinicus in having the crown paler ashy gray and tinged 
with brown, back, rump, wings, and upper tail coverts paler brown, 
middle of abdomen slightly more grayish. 

The present specimen is slightly smaller than a male from Mount 
Garguess (Mount Uraguess of van Someren’s papers), Kenya Colony. 
The dimensions of the former are: Wing, 68; tail, 60; culmen, 13; 
tarsus, 21.55 mm. Those of the latter are: Wing, 71; tail, 68; culmen, 
14; tarsus, 22.5 mm. 

This bird is wholly a denizen of high mountain forests, its altitudi- 
nal range being from 7,500 to 9,500 feet in Ethiopia, while on Kili- 
manjaro it occurs down to 6,000 feet. Neumann (loc. ct.) found it 
only in the high mountains from 7,500 to 9,000 feet, where it lives in 
the dense vegetation of the forests. Erlanger ** met with it at Gara 
Mulata, at Dabaaso near Adis Abeba, in the Shoan lakes region, and 


44 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 245, 1922. 

Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 281. 

46 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 341, 1932. 

“7 The birds of Africa, ete., vol. 2, p. 210, 1900. 
# Journ. fiir Orn., 1905. p. 750. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 103 


in Djamdjam. Lovat found it somewhere lower down, in the for- 
ested valleys of southern Arussi-Gallaland. 

In Kenya Colony, it is found on all the wooded highlands from 
Elgon to northern Kikuyu and Mount Kenya. According to van 
Someren it does not occur in the southern Kikuyu forests. 

The breeding season is in April, as Erlanger found a nest with five 
eggs on April 22 at Cialanco on the mountain route from Harrar to 
Adis Abeba, Ethiopia. 

Grote *® has suggested that P. atriceps is a racial form of abys- 
sinicus, but, in spite of his arguinent that coloration is but a mask 
to hide relationships, I do not agree with him. It may well be that 
in some cases an apparently great difference in color may be due to 
some small genetic difference, but when we have no evidence but that 
afforded by the coloration, it is highly speculative to claim that the 
only available evidence is deceptive and to completely reverse its 
implications. 

LIOPTILORNIS GALINIERI (Guérin) 


Parisoma galinieri GUERIN-MENEVILLE, Rev. Zool., 1843, p. 162: “Abyssinia.” 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, 1 female, Arussi plateau, 9,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 20, 1912. 
2 males, Cofali, Arussi, Ethiopia, March 2-3, 1912. 

This species has been placed in several different genera, and even 
families, by different workers, and a genus Parophasma was pro- 
posed for it by Reichenow. I have carefully compared it with 
Parisoma and Lioptilornis and can find no reason for keeping it dis- 
tinct from the latter group. The only difference, aside from colora- 
tion, is that the present bird has rather stiff frontal feathers, which 
no other Lioptilornis possesses. Neumann °° writes that he considers 
this bird as nearest to Lioptilus nigricapillus of South Africa and 
mentions the nature of the frontal feathers as the chief point of 
difference, on the basis of which he recognizes Parophasma as a 
genus. Sharpe*! definitely refers galiniert to Lioptilus. On the 
other hand, Ogilvie-Grant *? writes that he can not see any good rea- 
son for separating Parophasma from “Parisoma as it is evidently of 
the same genus as P. swbcacruleum, which is the type of that genus.” 
In a previous paper ** he states that it agrees well with P. swbcaeru- 
leum in structure as well as in coloration. A comparison of L. 
galiniert and P. swbcaeruleum shows that Ogilvie-Grant was misled 
by the general similarity in coloration, but his statement that the two 
are alike in structure is wholly wrong. The former has a much 


“ Orn. Monatsb., vol. 34, pp. 53-54, 1926. 
© Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, pp. 281-282. 

51 Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1884, p. 231. 
"2 Tbis, 1913, p. 627. 

53 Ibis, 1900, p. 153. 


104 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


more rounded wing, more squarely truncated, less graduated tail, and 
a differently shaped bill. I consider it as demonstrated that galiniert 
is a Lioptilornis, although admittedly the most distinct of all the 
species of that genus. Parophasma may be used in a subgeneric sense 
to give expression to the distinctness of galiniert. L. rufocinctus 
Rothschild ** is said to be structurally near galinierc. 

As this species is rather scarce in collections, I give in table 17 
the dimensions of the four examples obtained by the Frick expedition. 


TABLE 17.—Measurements of four specimens of Lioptilornis galinieri from 








Ethiopia 
Locality Sex Wing Tail Yulmen | Tarsus 
Mm| Mm Mm Mm 
Colaliiecen ssa aoe es eee ee Mises. 5.222 2- 88 80 14 26. 5 
Wows. Obs Sess ss Ftd. Steep. Fee dotseet3 89 79 15 27.0 
PARUSSIUPIAtegtesa a =. s- Seese a boss ee eee do: ete 86 86 15 26.0 
UE) Qe ee DRE eC ee Hemales22-2=- 87 78 14 25.0 











According to Mearns’s notes, the two birds collected on February 
20 were a mated pair. He found these birds in the vines growing on 
the juniper trees in the highland forests. Von Heuglin*® found this 
species living in pairsin bushy thickets and on tall trees in the Simien 
Mountains, Begemeder, Wogara, Wadla, in Gallaland, and in Shoa 
in places of from 8,000 to 12,000 feet above the sea. To these locali- 
ties Neumann adds the Omo drainage basin and the mountains of 
the Kaffa district. Erlanger ** found it in the Djamdjam country. 
Judging by the condition of the gonads of his specimens and by his 
observations on the song season, Erlanger fixed the breeding season 
of this bird as from the end of March to late in July. Toward the 
end of July he found a pair with newly fledged young near Adis 
Abeba. All writers agree in declaring this bird to be one of the 
finest, if not the very finest, singer of all the birds of Africa, several 
of them in their field notes calling it the African nightingale. Er- 
langer found that each pair had a definite region (wholly comparable 
to the more recent idea of breeding territory) and that it was pos- 
sible to estimate the number of birds by the number of spots from 
which the songs came. 

Oberholser ** has found that Zéoptilus Cabanis ** is preoccupied by 
Leioptila Blyth, another genus of Timaliidae, and he has proposed 
in its stead the generic name Lioptilornis, used in this report. 


Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 23, p. 6, 1908: Lake Kivu. 

55 Ornithologie Nordost Afrika’s, ete., vol. 1, pp. 395-396, 1869. 
56 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 750-751. 

67 Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 35, p. 186, 1921. 

53 Museum Heineanum, vol. 1, p. 88, 1850. 

5° Journ. Asiatic Soc. Bengal, vol. 16, pt. 1, p. 449, 1847. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 105 


Family PYCNONOTIDAE, Bulbuls 
PYCNONOTUS DODSONI DODSONI Sharpe 
FIGuRE 10 


Pycnonotus dodsoni SHarpe, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1895, p. 488: Sillul, 
Ogaden, western Somaliland. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Yebo, Ethiopia, June 20, 1912. 
1 male, Chaffa village, Ethiopia, June 24, 1912. 
2 males, Hor, Kenya Colony, June 28-30, 1912. 
7 males, 5 females, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 1-2, 
1912. 
male, Dussia, Kenya Colony, July 3, 1912. 
male, Lake Rudolf, southeast, Kenya Colony, July 11, 1912. 
female, 25 miles southeast of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 12, 1912. 
female, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 238, 1912. 
female, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 


fk pk ek ee 


In studying the geographic and individual variations of the white- 
eared geelgat, I have examined a series of 70 specimens represent- 
ing four of the five named forms. The treatment accorded these 
forms by different writers has been so varied and contradictory 
that I have felt it necessary to go into the matter in some detail. 
The names to be considered are: Pycnonotus dodsoni Sharpe,°° 
Pycnonotus spurius Reichenow,* Pycnonotus layardi peasei Mearns,” 
Pycnonotus dodsoni teitensis van Someren,® and Pycnonotus dodsoni 
littoralis van Someren.®* 

Sclater ® considers all these five synonymous and recognizes no 
races of P. dodsoni. Gyldenstolpe * admits two forms—dodsoni 
(with pease, teitensis, and littoralis as synonyms), and spurius. As 
a result of my study of both literature and material, I find it not 
only possible, but also essential, to recognize dodsoni, spurius, and 
peasei. Of littoralis I have seen no material, but teztensis is not 
distinct from peasez. I have examined specimens from Maktau and 
Taveta (both of which should be ¢eitensis on geographic grounds) 
and find them indistinguishable from typical pease?. When de- 
scribing teztensis, van Someren had no pease? available and sent his 
birds to Washington, where Doctor Oberholser compared them with 
the identical series of that, form that I have examined and found 
them to be distinct. My observations reverse his conclusions, and 
the only deduction that may be drawn is that the differences he 
found were individual ones. 


6 Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1895, p. 488: Sillul. 

61 Die Végel Afrikas, vol. 3, p. 841, 1905: Ennia Gallaland. 
®2 Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 56, no. 20, p. 8, 1911: Kitunga. 
68 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 190, 1922: Tsavo. 

* Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 43, p. 153, 1923: Changamwe. 

® Systema avium’ Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 370, 1930. 

* Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 191-192. 


106 BULLETIN 158, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


For the present, in the absence of material, I follow Sclater in 
considering /ttoralis as not valid, and place it in the synonymy of 
peaset. 

The ranges and characters of the three races are as follows: 

1. P. dodsoni dodsoni: Central and southern British Somaliland, 
south through Italian Somaliland and the eastern Hawash and Oga- 
den distriets of Ethiopia, westward in extreme southern Gallaland 
and Shoa and northern Kenya Colony to Lakes Stefanie and Rudolf, 
south approximately to the Northern Guaso Nyiro River, and south 
along the coast to the mouth of the Tana River. This race is rather 
small, the wing length varying from 78 to 84 mm in males and 70 to 
81 mm in females. It has the rectrices tipped with white when fresh. 

2. P. dodsoni spurius: This form is altitudinally distinct from 
dodsoni, occurring somewhat higher up as a rule, and inhabits Ennia 
and southern Arussi-Gallaland, west to the southern part of the 
Shoan lakes district. It is larger than the nominate form, wings 
measuring 83 to 92 mm in males, 80 to 86 mm in females. In the 
eastern part of its range (topotypical spurius) it lacks the white tips 
on the rectrices, but the birds of southern Shoa are intermediate in 
this respect between spurius and dodsoni, and some have white tips 
while others do not. 

3. P. dodsoni peasei: Central and southeastern Kenya Colony, from 
a little north of the Equator to the Tanganyika border. (This is 
assuming that littoralis is not separable.) This race is larger than 
dodsoni, wings 83 to 92 mm in males, 75 to 86 mm in females, and is 
darker generally than either dodsoni or spurius, and in fresh plumage, 
has a slight olive-yellowish wash on the edges of the feathers of the 
upper parts, and with the feathers of the lower breast more heavily 
striped centrally with dark brown than in either of the other races. 
Inasmuch as the main character on which Uittoralis was based 1s the 
less mottled breast, it appears that the birds forming this aggregate 
are merely intermediates between pease? and dodsoni, which sugges- 
tion is supported both by geography and ecology. From spurius, 
which it resembles in size, peasez may be told by the greater develop- 
ment of the white tips on the rectrices and its darker, more heavily 
mottled breast, but it must be admitted that series are needed to 
show the differences. Thus, Gyldenstolpe had only a small series 
(four specimens) and was not able to make out any color differences. 

The present series of dodsoni contains birds all collected within 
approximately a month, but some of them are in worn plumage, 
some in fresh feathers, and others are molting, indicating that the 
breeding season was probably recently over when they were taken 
(most recently finished in the case of those in worn plumage, least 
recently in the case of the freshly feathered individuals). This di- 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 107 


versity of plumage condition shows that even in fresh feathers there 
is no olive tinge as in the corresponding stage of pease. 

The caudal molt is usually centrifugal but appears to be subject to 
some irregularity, as one specimen has shed and replaced only the 


ARABIA 


LQUATOR 


TANGANY/KA 
TERRITORY 





O 100 200 300 400 SOOMIMLES 
» SCALE: 


FIGURE 10.—Distribution of Pycnonotus dodsoni. 


1, P. d. dodsoni. 
2. P. d. spurius. 
8. P. d. peasei. 


outermost pair of rectrices, while another has the middle and the 
outermost pair new and the rest old. 

If wear is taken into consideration in comparing these birds with 
pease, the darker color of the latter is very noticeable, and, for that 
matter, even worn pease? are definitely darker than fresh dodsond. 


108 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The size variations of the present series are shown in table 18. 


TABLE 18.—Measurements of 28 specimens of Pycnonotus dodsoni dodsoni 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen |} Tarsus 

ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
NG DOEe ees conse ae Lose ceonebeelooes Male::- #22 78.0 66.0 15.0 20.0 
Ohaflavies sense cesstdeecers see ties Go=stas== 81.0 69.0 14.0 19.0 

KENYA COLONY: 

TOT Sas ee ae ee eee Goss. 328 78.0 68.0 14.0 19.0 
DOts co eee set sass Es Gore ae 83.0 71.0 15.0 20.0 

18 miles southwest of Hor_.--------]_-_-- dort a: 81.0 70.0 14.0 20.0 
D Osos acoi ck ssscsecssade sca G0. 22. 3 79.0 68.0 14.0 20. 5 

DOL soe So. Se So RC dose 23 82.5 72.0 14.0 20.0 

1) a a eg eng a Smee |S eee GOrs es Se 83.0 aan 15.0 20. 0 

DOrres 2 ocecwscedonsccsossee ee | doizeens# 81.0 2c O\5)| Soe 20.0 

ID OSs See er eae aos ee ee dole 84.0 73.0 15.0 21.0 

DOs. none senceee ce aa saat = Soe ee Se dos 23528 79.0 69. 0 14.0 21.0 

ID SSIa Doon. See ca ee Goze o 222 83.0 72.0 14.0 19.0 
Lake Rudolf, southeast_.....-.-.---]_-.-- Goss | 8320 66. 0 14.0 20. 5 
Malele, 24 miles south.....-.-.-..__|____- dots. 2 22 82.0 68. 0 15.0 21.0 
18 miles southwest of Hor_-------__ Femalete---== 77.0 67.5 14.0 20. 0 
DOsessensss ees cevesecsscisteese|tosce d0zas22355 78.0 67.0 14.5 19.0 

DOs 5. See aes See oe ofa ee dos saax 77.0 63.0 14.0 18.5 

YR oto a i fed See (eset dosss2ee. = 79.0 69.0 14.5 20.0 
AD) Os i ee te do. 81.0 65.0 14.0 19.5 
Lake Rudolf, southeast_..---...._-}_---- Goes 80.0 66.0 14.0 20.0 
Hndoto Mountains c2-2-2-22--25- 22 |ee ae Gore 2282)" 81.0 72.0 14.0 20. 5 





Little seems to be known of the habits of this bulbul. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns observed this form at 
many localities, the following records being culled from his note- 
books: At Turturo, June 15-17, 45 birds were noted; Anole, June 17, 
10 seen; Wobok, June 18, 100; near Saru, June 19, 100 observed; 
Yebo, June 20, 25 birds; Karsa Barecha, June 21, 50; Malata, June 
22, 4 seen; Chaffa villages, June 23-25, 16 birds; Hor, June 26-380, 
200; dry river, 18 miles southwest of Hor, July 1-2, 200; Dussia, 
July 3-4, 25 birds; around the east and south sides of Lake Rudolf, 
July 5-11, 25 birds noted; 25 miles southeast of Lake Rudolf, July 12, 
10 seen; Nyero Mountains, south of Lake Rudolf, July 13, 10 noted; 
Indunumara Mountains, July 13-18, 20 birds; Endoto Mountains, 
July 18-24, 120; Er-re-re, July 25, 25 seen; Le-se-dun, July 26, 25 
birds; Malele and country to the south for 25 miles, July 27-29, 150; 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31-August 3, 60 seen; Lekiundu 
River, August 4-8, 2 birds noted. 

Van Someren ® has recently considered dodsoni a race of P. tri- 
color, a course which I hesitate to follow in view of the distribution 
of the dodsoni group and the tricolor group. 


87 Noy. Zool., vol. 37, p. 347, 1932. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 109 
PYCNONOTUS DODSONI SPURIUS Reichenow 
FIGURE 10 


Pycnonotus spurius REICHENOW, Die Vogel Afrikas, ete., vol. 3, p. 841, 1905: 
Ennia Gallaland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 


5 adult males, 7 adult females, 1 juvenal female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 
20-81, 1912. 


1 adult male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3, 1912. 
1 adult male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 10, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris dark brown; entire bill black; feet and claws 
grayish black. 

As intimated in the account of the nominate race of this geelgat, 
specimens of western spurius are not typical and often have white- 
tipped rectrices (in fresh plumage). It may even be thought worth 
naming the birds of extreme southern Shoa and southern Arussi- 
Gallaland on this basis, but in the absence of topotypical material 
I prefer to let the matter rest. Also, it seems not at all unlikely 
that they are intermediates bridging the gap between true spurius 
and dodsoni. 

The dimensions of these specimens, given in table 19, clearly show 
their agreement in size with spurius and not with dodsoni. 


TABLE 19.—Measurements of 14 specimens of Pycnonotus dodsoni spurius from 


Ethiopia 
Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

SagonRiveriote oo =. 32 eee ph pests. Males 522 ot 87.0 74.0 16 19.5 
SREY TAO teen ase ee ere = een ae ee ke 0-2 2e2=s 84.0 71.5 15 19.5 
Bodessat: 3. 22 232-2 ats sk ehtee Goseece 21878650 74.0 14 21.0 
MOSS Set ee Sa ee eee doy. ee 88.0 77.0 16 21.0 
On ee a ar ee ees ee oe eee Gol. + 84.0 74.0 15 19.5 
1) Oe Sec EES amy ee. Reed Seine Oe Fh: ses 84.5 75.0 14 21.5 
iD Om eH er Sates See Re A Se G02. .22525- 83.0 76.5 14 19.5 
DORs oe en eee ee ee ee Female-_--..---- 85.0 74.0 14 18.0 
DOs. Fetes Se Se donee 82.0 75.0 14 19.5 
TD) See a ee Le SE ee dose -| (85.0 70.0 14 19.0 
BT) ye Se AE SR a dos. = 83.0 69.0 15 19.0 

DOM re ree ae eae ee Se Gls ee 80.0 70.0 15 20. 5 

BD) Oe ee ea re OE ee ey UE Oe eae St, Oa ee 14 19.0 

HD) eae eet weno eons =e sphere! | Sees oma F 8650) 74.0 14 20. 5 


For some reason unknown to me this bird appears to have been 
met with by very few collectors, and yet it is a common bird where 
it occurs, as evidenced by the present series and by the sight records 
listed in his notebooks by Mearns. Thus, at Sagon River, on May 
19 he saw several of the birds; at Bodessa, May 19-June 6, 250 were 
noted; at Sagon River again on June 3-6, 200 more were seen; at 


110 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Tertale, June 7-12, over 100 birds; and at El Ade, June 13, 10 were 
observed. 

The juvenal bird taken on May 20 at Bodessa could not have been 
out of the nest for more than 10 days, which would suggest that the 
eggs were laid about April 10. The tail feathers of this bird are 
about an inch long and are therefore only a third grown. They have 
no white tips. 

The juvenal plumage resembles that of the adult but the top of 
the head is brown, not blackish, and the lower breast is paler brown. 
Unfortunately, the specimen has the chin and upper throat still bare, 
but probably, when feathered, this region is brown, not blackish as in 
adults. 

Most of the specimens are in worn plumage, but two are molting 
the rectrices. Here again, as in dodsoni, the caudal molt appears to 
be somewhat irregular, although on the whole, centrifugal. 


PYCNONOTUS DODSONI PEASEI Mearns 
Ficure 10 


Pycnonotus layardi peasei Mrarns, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 56, no. 20, p. 8, 
1911: Kitunga, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Meru forest, Equator, Kenya Colony, August 10, 1912. 
2 males, 1 female, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12-18, 1912. 
2 males, 4 females, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 17-24, 1912. 
1 male, Bowlder Hill, Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 28, 1912. 

The characters and range of this race have already been discussed. 
The measurements of the present series, combined with those of the 
type and paratypical series, are given in table 20. 

While at Meru on August 10, Mearns saw about 100 of these birds; 
the following day, when 20 miles east of Meru on the trail to the 
Tana River, he noted 200; in the Tharaka district, August 12-14, 
1,500; and on the Tana River, August 15-23, over 500. 


TABLE 20.—Measurements of 25 specimens of Pycnonotus dodsoni peasei from 
Kenya Colony 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 


MertnsH Orestiso22¢ 2-2 eos eee ee Male. ls 87 76 15.5 21.0 
Mharakaidistricts =. 2-2 54 pee dots 90 78 15.0 21.0 
DQ seas pacacee nena de ts sane aclescoons eoooe dose ance 84 74 15.0 20.0 
Tana} River sores ss ee ee See Be hee) ake doc 288: 90 76 15.0 21.0 
DDO: 37 S62 = oe eo et at eee 0.25 ee bee eek eee oe 14.0 19.0 
IBOWIGGrsEM ec ene. ere oe ee eee aoe dose 92 82 15.0 20.0 
Between Potha and Kapiti Plains______|_____ dos... 28 90 83 16.0 21.0 
DOs son noc ac econ ones ee nese donee ae 90 83 15.5 21.0 
Poth ae fee or eee a eee noes wees | Moor go2s22- 87 77 14.0 21.0 
DO! sii ee we is | SAS BY a oa ved do 225.222 \nt) 83 74 14.5 20.0 
Kitunga (type). i-s22226 25-2553 2o5 sso sees doe 84 76 14.3 20.0 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY tid 


TABLE 20.—Measurements of 25 specimens of Pycnonotus dodsoni peasei from 
Kenya Colony—Continued 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 





Mm Mn Mm Mm 
Ia Gin ae ets See 2 ee eee Mialet.842ke 83 76 15.0 19.5 
Mountilololokuil2- 22 4 ee Se ee dO™s.o42tn5 83 73 15.0 20.0 
WiouTlun Garpuess. sae ans eee ee ae oe anes 82 74 15.5 19.0 
‘Tharaka, GiSthichs =. 22-- 02-52 ae Female-_2-2- =~ 83 71 15.0 20.5 
ManavRiversst&- foe s- a2 ao ee ae Oe eae Gove 83 72 15.0 20.0 
Osc eee ee GOsees Le. 87 79 15.0 19.0 
DOses222seee ee a oe ee ee Got ss. 78 71 16.5 19.5 
DOs sae ea ee se oa se ee G02 e524 82 74 15.0 20.0 
SGU Paes a ae eee eee eae Co eae 80 73 14.0 20.0 
DOS sta -  S  e eeee Gonrese 2222 80 71 13.5 19.0 
DO. foe se ee ee ee Gore 75 75 13.5 19.0 
TO 8 a og 8 oN ee ta eae G02:-=.-25> 76 76 14.0 20.0 
Mount @ololok@ie--—-=- === 2eee cs See Re eS oes 5 86 76 16.0 20. 5 
Din Fsteet he eh. 5 Sek Eek ee guess dopa 86 Ti5 15.0 20.0 





PYCNONOTUS TRICOLOR FAYI Mearns 

Pycnonotus layardi fayi MEARNS, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 56, no. 20, p. 7, 
1911: Fay’s Farm, Njabini, Kenya Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 9 females, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 
4-10, 1912. 

I have examined a series of over 200 specimens of the races of this 
bird and find that the conclusions reached by Sclater % are correct 
except for the following points: 

1. P. tricolor pallidus is a recognizable, though not too well differ- 
entiated form. 

2. The names phaeocephalus Mearns and tanganjicae Reichenow 
are synonyms of minor and not of typical tricolor. 

3. The range of the nominate form does not extend to Uganda, as 
minor is the resident form in that country as well as in Ruanda, 
Urundi, northwestern Tanganyika Territory, and the eastern Bel- 
gian Congo. 

The present race is a common bird in its range, and it is significant 
on that account that it was not met with in the Indunumara and 
Endoto Mountains. Mount Kenya and Muhuroni appear to con- 
stitute its northern limits. 

The breeding season is during September and October, and prob- 
ably March as well. 

The male collected has the following dimensions: Wing, 90; tail, 
79; culmen, 16; tarsus, 21mm. The females: Wing, 88-94; tail, 79- 
84; culmen, 14-16; tarsus, 20-22 mm. It appears that the male is a 
particularly small one, as van Someren * gives 95 to 102 mm as the 
wing length in the males in his series. 


6% Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 371-372, 1930. 
6 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 190, 1922. 


112 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
PYCNONOTUS BARBATUS SCHOANUS Neumann 
FIGURE 11 


Pycnonotus barbatus schoanus NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 13, p. 77, 1905: 
Kilbe, Kollu Province, Shoa. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
5 males, 2 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 27—December 20, 1911. 
1 female, Gada Bourea, Ethiopia, December 25, 1911. 
3 males, 2 females, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, December 21, 1911—January 31, 
1912. 
1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 8, 1912. 
1 female, Malke, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 
1 male, 2 females, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 10-11, 1912. 
3 males, 1 female, Gardula, Ethiopia, March 27-28, 1912. 
5 males, 2 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 3-27, 1912. 

The forms of the white-vented brown bulbul have been reviewed 
by several workekrs, such as Harter,” Sclater and Praed,”! and oth- 
ers, and I find their general conclusions as modified and set down by 
Sclater 7? to be correct. I have studied a series of some 55 specimens 
representing five of the six races. Of the form found in British 
Somaliland, P. somaliensis Reichenow, I have seen no material, but 
I doubt whether it is a distinct species as Sclater rates it. In fact, 
Hartert writes that it is very closely allied to arsinoe, the north 
Sudan form, “so closely that even Prof. Reichenow called it P. arstinoe 
somaliensis. It differs only by its smaller size, the wings meas- 
uring in the ¢, 87-91, in the 2 about 77 to 84 mm. It is thus evi- 
dent that this form is not easily recognizable, and I should doubt its 
distinctiveness if it were not for the slender bills which it exhibits 
when compared with P. 6. arsinoe. Reichenow’s statement that it is 
paler brown on the upper surface is not correct as far as one can 
make out from the 8 rather worn specimens collected by Baron von 
Erlanger. On the contrary, judging from a few fresh growing 
feathers, I am inclined: to think that somaliensis is rather darker 
than arsinoe, not paler...” Yet, in the same paper, in tabulating 
the forms of P. barbatus, Hartert characterizes somaliensis as 
“smaller than arsinoe, but of about the same pale coloration.” 

I have gone into the question of the characters of somaliensis be- 
cause of the possibility that the birds of the Hawash Valley (Dire 
Daoua and Gada Bourca) might represent a degree of intergrada- 
tion between schoanus and the northern Somali race. As may be seen 
from the measurements given in table 21, these specimens are, on the 
whole, rather small, but the difference between them and those from 
Shoa is not great or constant enough to have any real significance. 


7 Nov. Zool., vol. 13, pp. 390-891, 1906. 
1 Tbis, 1918, p. 697. 
72 Systema avium A5thiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 372-873, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 113 


If it is assumed that somaliensis is a valid form, there are three 
races of this bird in northeastern Africa, as follows: 

1. P. db. arsinoe: Egypt to Khartoum, Roseires, and Lake No, west 
to Kordofan and Darfur. Lynes™ mentions specimens of this form 


ARABIA 


TANGANY/KA 
TERRITORY 





o 100 200 300 400 S00 MULES 


- SCALE- 
Ficure 11.—Distribution of Pycnonotus barbatus in northeastern Africa. 


1. P. b. arsinoe. 9. P. bv. schoanus. 3. P. db. somaliensis. 


from the Red Sea Province of the Sudan, which would extend its 
range as stated above, eastward to the Red Sea. 

9. P. b. schoanus: The inland plateau of Ethiopia from Eritrea 
and Bogosland to southern Shoa. This race is darker above than 
arsinoe, but in worn plumage it becomes very similar to the latter, 
when the difference is most pronounced on the rectrices and remiges. 





73 Tbis, 1925, p. 120. 


114 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


3. P. b. somaliensis: Known only from British Somaliland (Zeila 
on the ccast and Somadu on the inland plateau). This race appears 
(from contradictory statements in literature) to differ from the other 
two chiefly in being smaller, the color characters being open to 
question. 

The present form has an altitudinal range of from fairly low 
down in the hot tropical valleys up to nearly 10,000 feet in the 
mountains, which accounts for its general distribution in Ethiopia. 
It appears to reach its maximum in population density between 7,000 
and 9,000 feet, according to Neumann.” Zedlitz’® found it fairly 
ubiquitous in northern Ethiopia and judged that the breeding season 
in the Eritrean—Danakil coastlands was during January and Feb- 
ruary, while in the highlands of Bogosland and Tigre it appeared 
to occur late in summer. Mearns collected a mated pair on March 
10 at Aletta. 


TABLE 21—Measurements of 29 specimens of Pycnonotus barbatus schoanus 
from Hthiopia 








Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 
Mm Mm Mm Mm 

Dire Daouseee oa teen eee eee Maleuses 2a 87.0 81.0 16.0 21.0 
DOs nas be oo ee eee Go: ssee==" 84.5 77.5 16.0 20.0 
DOs oe aes oreo e ese ee eteeo eae dozen tse 94.0 86.0 17.0 22.0 
TA) pea in TS eg does 93.0 84.0 16.0 21.5 

DOr ee re ace eate oe ane eee leooee dono 90.0 80.0 15. 5 21.0 
SadisMialka sa 2s ae ee ee cee e eee Goks.ueeas 93.0 85.0 16.5 21.5 
DORs se ee eee a a aoe Reese dost /2ses 89.0 81.0 16.0 21.0 

TD (a Aa ee, a VM fe ET al Pe donee 95.0 81.0 16.0 21.5 
IOLA | Hoe shee ane cee see ee ee eas does22u- a3 95. 0 84.0 16.0 22.0 
Gard ilar ee ecto eee paw dos zeeat 89.0 83.0 16.0 20.0 
DD Que eae ee ba cae eee Soe ee ae doze ae 92.0 85.0 17.0 20. 5 

Oren sama Se AE Nee a ee eral | ees doe seer os 92.0 84.0 16.5 21.5 
GatopRiverssasicses eet ee see eee doses 86.0 77.0 15.0 21.0 
eae ee Se Gorse 97.0 84.0 17.0 20.0 

Doe eae BON Wa Se ae ee Ose es 93.0 83.0 16.0 21.0 

Dae ee a ee ea ee ee Gosn st ues 92.0 84.0 16.0 21.0 

DO22sbe lene s a eee c chose does 91.0 80.0 16.0 21.0 
Ire VACUA SHS ewan eee ase eee Female------- 88.0 82.0 16.5 21.5 
eee Se ae Seen ee sa ssn ores 85.0 79.0 17.0 21.5 
Gada Bourca: 2.222230 bes eee dots ses 87.0 77.0 14.5 21.5 
ACISVA GDS nec ee eee ones senate | comes doseeo2 95.0 85.0 16.0 20.0 
Sadi’ Malkas.-~ ak eee eet eee Goveses os 88.0 80.0 15.0 20.0 
Does. 2 ae he eee oe dose 97.0 71.0 16.0 21.5 
Vial sha 28 se a eee ee eee Eee done 2s 83. 5 80. 5 16.0 21.0 
Aletta: 4 a8 eso oS sch pee cetssccce aces dos22242 22 91.0 86.0 16.0 21.0 
WOho se oe on ee oe ee Gots 22 91.0 83.0 17.0 20.0 
Gardtl eee eee estan een seen dota 90.0 79.0 16.0 20.5 
Gato River: 232220 Se see. Shes doe te 86. 5 76.0 16.0 21.0 
DO fas ek oes eee eet oe ee sees eeoee dobe see 91.5 82.5 16.0 21.0 


7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 241. 
7% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 55. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 115 


The measurements of the present series are given (table 21) for 
the use of future investigators who may have occasion to study this 
bulbul. 

One of the birds from Sadi Malka is in very worn plumage and is 
very much paler and tawnier above than any of the others. In dorsal 
coloration it is nearer to P. xanthopygos reichenowi than to P. b. 
schoanus, but is otherwise typical of the latter. 

None of the birds are actually in molt, but some are in fresh plum- 
age, and others taken at the same time are in abraded feathering. 

Mearns found this bulbul to be abundant along the Hawash Valley 
from Dire Daoua to Gada Bourca, during his stay there. At Aletta, 
March 7-13, he saw about 1,000; at Loco, March 13-15, 100 birds; 
Gidabo River, March 15-17, 50 noted; the Abaya Lakes, March 18-23, 
170 birds; between the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 12 
birds; Gato River near Gardula, March 29—May 17, about 500 birds. 


PHYLLASTREPHUS STREPITANS (Reichenow) 


Criniger strepitans RercHENOw, Orn. Centralb., 1879, p. 189: Malindi, Kenya 
Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, 1 female, Gardula, Ethiopia, March 27, 1912. 
4 males, 8 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 2-May 8, 1912. 
1 male, Bodessa, Ethiopia, June 1, 1912. 
83 males, 3 females, 2 nestling females, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3-5, 
1912. 
2 males, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 23-24, 1912. 
2 males, 1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 15-17, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris dark brownish red; bill olivaceous-black, pale be- 
low at base; feet and claws plumbeous. 

The birds from Bodessa, Sagon River, and Kenya Colony listed 
above constitute the original series on the basis of which Mearns 
described fricki. 

In studying the present series (and a small additional one), I have 
carefully gone over the characters and ranges of the several so-called 
races of this bird and find that individual variation is greater than 
geographic and that no local forms can be successfully maintained. I 
am not unmindful, however, of the fact that Zedlitz ** concluded that 
there were three valid forms—strepitans, pauper, and sharpez, and 
that Bannerman’ also recognized pauper, and while not listing 
sharpei, he grants the validity of rufescens. Sclater 7 recognizes no 
subspecies of this bulbul. 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 66-67. 
™ Rev. Zool. Africaine, vol. 12, p. 32, 1924. 
78 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 382, 1930. 


116 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The forms to be taken into consideration are: P. sharpet Shelley,”® 
P. rufescens Hartlaub,®° P. pauper Sharpe,* and P. s. fricki Mearns.*? 
There is no need to go into the question of Reichenow’s Calamocichla 
schillingst, as Neumann * conclusively showed it to be a synonym of 
sharpei. 

P. sharpet is said to be more rufescent than P. strepitans. So too 
is P. rufescens. In the present series this character is found to be 
very variable. Furthermore, a topotype of sharpei in the Museum 
of Comparative Zoology (A. Loveridge collection) is not any more 
rufescent than the most rufous examples of frichi. 

P. pauper is said to be distinguished from P. strepitans by its 
brown tail and absolute want of any olive shade in the plumage. 
Here again we have a rufous bird compared with a less rufous one, 
a condition that can be matched throughout the range of P. strepitans. 

Finally, P. s. fricki is said to have the back drab-color, while in 
strepitans it is sayal brown and in pauper snuff brown. Again, the 
characters mean nothing; sex, wear, age, and season all have a role in 
this, and on top of it all is the factor of individual variation. If I 
were to attempt to recognize forms based on degree of rufescence in 
the brown, I would have to call them all species with wholly coin- 
cidental ranges—an obviously improbable state of affairs. 

As additional evidence against the validity of racial forms in this 
species, it may be noted that Neumann * collected two specimens in 
southern Ethiopia. These he compared with the types of strepitans, 
sharpei, and pauper and found them all alike. He found that 
sharpet and pauper were described by error, as their respective au- 
thors compared them with series of P. capensis suahelicus, which they 
mistook for strepitans. 

Sclater gives the range of the present species as “Upper White Nile 
(Lado) and south-western Abyssinia through the drier parts of 
Kenya Colony to Dar es Salaam and the coastal districts of Tan- 
ganyika Territory.” 'To this may be added the northeastern Belgian 
Congo, southern Shoa, Gallaland, and Somaliland. 

Aside from the great variation in intensity of shade of the dorsal 
coloration, the species shows a good deal of dimensional variation. 
Thus, van Someren *° found the wings to range from 65 to 82 mm. 
I do not find nearly so great a range in the present series, as may be 
seen from the measurements given in table 22. 





79 Ibis, 1880, p. 884: Dar es Salaam. 

80 Orn. Centralb., 1882, p. 91: Lado. 

81 Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1895, p. 489: Shebcle River, Gallaland. 
82 Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 41, no. 25, p. 1, 1914: Tana River. 
83 Nov. Zool., 1908, p. 244. 

§4 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 240. 

8 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, 1922, p. 184. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 117 


Molting birds were collected on the following dates—April 2, 15, 
and 21 and June 4 and 25. The March specimen is fairly abraded; 
the July and August ones are quite freshly feathered. 

The juvenal plumage is similar to that of the adult. The two 
nestlings obtained were collected with the parents. There were three 
young in all, but only two were preserved. These two appear to 
have been about 10 to 12 days old, which, about two weeks being 
allowed for incubation, would put the date for eggs at about May 10. 


TABLE 22.—Measurements of 26 specimens of Phyllastrephus strepitans 


Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen |} Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Gardula, 22284. 2822 sete ihe ee Male! bs been 76.0 83.0 18.5 21.0 
GatorRiviers= sce = ses ees a es ee does 325 81.0 88.0 20.0 22. 5 
DOr St oe Ree ee Seen 2 dotes2 222 83.0 87.0 21.0 23.0 
TD) OS ek en NE ok ee Ss G02: 22655 84.0 90.0 19.5 23.0 
£1) Qe Be a eee ee ee Goss 85.0 86.0 19.0 23.0 
IBOdeSSALt 25205 ee EAS Eh Bete eee alee Gowesal 4: 81.0 78.0 20.0 21.0 
SagontRivert 22222 25252 2 See Sees dotsss4-t 79.0 83.0 20.0 23. 0 
RED) Ose ase ee ee ee eee Sal ae dose 83.0 86. 5 19.0 22.0 
DOES! PEM aN Ae SAE NL ty IE Gotsau". lm 83.0 87.0 20.0 23.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
IH NGOCOMMOUN TAINS = eee eee ee ee dotesas == 80.0 87.0 20.0 21.5 
DOs Reese AR, Tae ERE. do- ees: 79.0 89.0 20.0 23.0 
Tanai CL eas sss =r ae ee PE Se dos. se 84.0 87.0 20.0 22.5 
WD) Ese es em Se ae te dons a 81.0 84.5 21.0 23.0 
ETHIOPIA: 
Gardulasstes eee Sele ocean eae cee iKemaless=s=== 75. 5 84.0 19.5 21.0 
Gato River 2--22 0.6522 2255-2 sa |Ss2 8 dorsae === 74.0 79.0 19.0 21.0 
TD) QSPRs SEE Sat Sheri : Shale dosssoee 75.0 82.0 19;0#|Seakss22 
ID) Ome ey a ek ee ee i | Go-2he-28 82.0 88.0 19.5 22.0 
NE) Oe ee tear es dee |e ee! dose eee 78.0 85.0 19.0 21.5 
YP) OSs t ae eae re ae oe ate don fies 82.0 85.0 20.5 21.0 
1) Qt ah ees ee eee 2 ee Oa ae 73.0 79.0 18.0 21.0 
1D) Oe eee ee et eee ees See ete ee doteetes. 2 73.0 76.0 18.5 22.0 
DO 2222 Sees: eh Sak iad dots2s22 73.5 82.0 18.5 22.0 
Sagon: Rivehas cise. ease Se COs a6 5-02 81.0 86.0 18.0 23.0 
1) 0 eee ee eee enon dOesaeera= 73.0 74.0 16.5 21.0 
1D) 0 2B sea 2B saris tek I en Got tess 74.0 80.0 17.0 22. 5 
KenNYAl COLONY: Dana Riversse- =| eee Gotese ee 73.0 79.0 16.0 21.0 


PHYLLASTREPHUS FISCHERI PLACIDUS (Shelley) 


Xenocichla placida SHELLEY, Proc. Zool. Soe. London, 1889, p. 363: Mount 

Kilimanjaro. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 maie, Meru forest, Kenya Colony, August 9, 1912. 

1 male, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 8, 1912. 

I have carefully compared three Kilimanjaro birds (topotypical 

placidus) with eleven birds from Mount Kenya including the type of 
keniensis Mearns, and find that Sclater ** is quite correct in stating 


86 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 384, 1930. 
106220—37——_9 


118 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


that keniensis is a synonym of placidus. In his original description 
of the former (to which, if valid, the present two specimens would 
have to be referred) Mearns wrote that eniensis could be distin- 
guished from plactdus by its more greenish-gray upperparts and 
paler, less brownish head.** Neither of these characters holds even 
in Mearns’s series of paratypes. 

Similarly, birds from the Uluguru Mountains are placidus. I 
have not seen any specimens from southeastern Tanganyika Terri- 
tory, whence Reichenow * described grote?, a paler form. Sclater 
considers this as the same as typical fischeri. 

Sclater has disposed of sokokensis van Someren, cognitus Grote, 
dowashanus Madarasz, and munzneri Reichenow, and, judging from 
the descriptions and material available, I agree with his conclusions. 

The two races are distinguishable on the basis of the color of the 
upperparts, the typical form being paler, especially on the head, 
which is not distinctly browner than the back, than is placidus. 

The specimen taken in September at Escarpment is in molt; the 
August bird from Meru is in fresh plumage. 

Recently van Someren ** has described a form from Marsabit under 
the name P. f. marsabit. I have seen no pertinent material and can 
not form any opinion of it. It is said to be intermediate in color 
between fischeri and placidus. 


PHYLLASTREPHUS CERVINIVENTRIS LONNBERGI Mearns 


Phyllastrephus cerviniventris lénnbergi MEARNS, Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 61, 
no. 25, p. 2, 1914: Tharaka district, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 


This specimen is the type and, as far as I know, the only adult 
example of lonnberg?. Sclater °° considers this form as probably 
identical with typical cerviniventris. When he described lénnbergi, 
Mearns had only the present specimen and one of cerviniventris from 
Taveta, and the published comments on a Meru (Equator) bird col- 
lected by Lonnberg.*t I have seen two additional specimens of the 
typical race from the Uluguru Mountains, Tanganyika Territory, 
and they help to substantiate the validity of Mearns’s race. Of 
course, additional material of lénnbergi is what is really needed, but 
for the present it is advisable to recognize this form. The two races 
then are as follows: 

1. P. ¢. cerviniventris: Northern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, the Ka- 
tanga, and Tanganyika Territory north to the Kilimanjaro region 


87 Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 61, no. 25, pp. 2-3, 1914. 

88 Orn. Monatsb., vol. 18, p. 8, 1910: Mikindani. 

8° Journ. Hast Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., 1931, p. 197. 
0 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 385, 1930. 

% Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 115. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 119 


and to Taveta, Lake Jipe, and Bura, in southern Teita district, Kenya 
Colony. 

2. P. c. linnbergi: The Mount Kenya area (Meru-Tharaka dis- 
trict). Similar to cerviniventris but with the head slightly more 
cinereous, the back darker olive, the underparts duskier and more 
rusty, on the middle of the breast. Inasmuch as Lénnberg’s imma- 
ture bird and Mearns’s adult both show these characters (which, 
however, are rather slight), I feel that the race is recognizable, at 
least until better series are available. Van Someren,®? judging by 
analogy with other birds, writes that while he has “not examined a 
specimen of this race * * * from the locality it must certainly be 
different from the typical bird.” He is wrong in saying that the 
type came from Meru, as that is where Loénnberg’s specimen was 
taken, while the type was collected two days’ journey south of there. 

The dimensions of the type are as follows: Wing, 81; tail, 81; 
culmen (broken) ; tarsus, 22 mm. 

This bulbul appears to be a rather scarce bird all through its range, 
and practically nothing is known of its habits. 


ARIZELOCICHLA TEPHROLAEMA KIKUYUENSIS (Sharpe) 


Xenocichla kikuyuensis SHARPE, Ibis, 1891, p. 118: Kikuyu. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 males, 2 females, Escarpment, 7390 feet, Kenya Colony, 
September 6-10, 1912. 

I have examined 15 birds from the Kenya Colony and 1 specimen 
from Ruwenzori and find them alike. It therefore follows that 
Reichenow’s form schubotzi, described *? from the Rugege Forest 
near Lake Kivu, is a synonym of kikuyuensis. Gyldenstolpe ** has 
examined a more extensive series and has also been unable to dis- 
tinguish between schubotzi and the present race. 

I have seen no material of typical tephrolaema, of bamendae, or 
of usambarae, and can not add anything to what has been recorded 
of them. It is rather strange, however, that such widely separated 
mountains as Elgon, Kenya, and Ruwenzori should be inhabited by 
the same race, while the Usambara range should have a very distinct 
form, differing from the others in having the gray of the throat 
extending on to the breast and upper abdomen and the gray of the 
crown somewhat washed with greenish. It is also peculiar that this 
species does not occur on Kilimanjaro at all. So much collecting has 
now been done on that mountain that it may be taken as established 
that this bulbul is definitely absent there. 

The four specimens obtained by the Frick expedition are in fresh 
plumage. Their dimensions are as follows: Males—wing, 84-89; tail, 


*2 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 185, 1922. 
®8 Orn. Monatsb., vol. 16, p. 47, 1908. 
“% Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 182. 


120 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


84; culmen, 15.5; tarsus, 21.5 mm; females—wing, 84-84.5; tail, 80—- 
84; culmen, 14; tarsus, 21.5-22 mm. 

On Mount Elgon, Granvik * found this bird from 6,500 to 7,500 
feet. It was fairly common there in the undergrowth in the dense 
forests. On Ruwenzori, Woosnam °° found it up to 10,000 feet in the 
dense undergrowth, but also in the tops of the tallest trees and in 
the bamboo jungles. He found a nest with one egg on March 4. 


CHLOROCICHLA FLAVIVENTRIS CENTRALIS Reichenow 


Chlorocichla centralis RercHENow, Journ. ftir Orn., 1887, p. 74: Loeru, Tan- 
ganyika Territory. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Meru Forest, Kenya Colony, August 10, 1912. 


This specimen is the type of Chlorocichla flaviventris meruensis 
Mearns.°** 

The subspecies question in the case of the yellow-bellied bulbul in 
tropical East Africa is rather confusing, and is still an open one. 
Three names have to be considered in this question: C. f. centralis 
Reichenow, C. 7. mombasae Shelley, and C. f. meruensis Mearns. 

Reichenow separated the birds of eastern Africa from those of Natal 
and Zululand on the basis of the yellower upperparts and lighter, 
paler yellow underparts. Shelley °® described a form from Mom- 
basa as being like the South African form but with darker under 
wing coverts. Mearns described meruensis as differing from mom- 
basae in having the crown darker, the back more greenish olive, and 
the underparts more yellowish. 

The present specimen bears out the diagnosis of merwensis, and at 
first sight this form appears to be valid. However, two specimens 
trom Morogoro, Tanganyika Territory (nearly topotypical cen- 
tralis), match it very closely. Furthermore, van Someren °° writes 
that the only difference he can find “between these up-country birds, 
and the coastal form is the slightly larger size. The males have wings 
of 108-114, females 102-108 mm., and perhaps the coloration is 
brighter. As I have no birds from Meru or Kenia, I am unable to 
say definitely whether these birds are really the same as the race 
described by Mearns.” 

I find that there is no constant size difference between meruensis 
and birds from Morogoro and Dodoma. Birds from the last-named 
place are mombasae in color, although geographically they are as 
nearly topotypical centralis, as are the darker Morogoro birds. I 
am therefore led to the conclusion that the individual is at least as 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 205. 

% Trans. Zool. Soc. London, 1910, p. 383. 

% Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 61, no. 25, p. 3, 1914. 
°8 The birds of Africa, ete., vol. 1, p. 64, 1896. 

® Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 186, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY Pl 


great as the geographic variation in this bulbul, and that it is unwise 
to attempt to recognize racial forms in Kenya Colony and the north- 
ern half of Tanganyika Territory. The wing lengths of the males 
examined are as follows: Meru, 102; Dodoma, 100-104; Morogoro, 
103-109 mm. 

Van Someren? has recently studied this species and now considers 
the birds of Kilimanjaro, inland to Kikuyu and Mount Kenya, as 
meruensis, based on their larger size, and the coastal race mombasae. 
If he is correct the latter has a very narrow coastal range, and the 
Morogoro and Dodoma birds would be merwensis. The difference, 
however, is slight at best, and the recognition of meruwensis may be 
deferred until more definite proof is forthcoming, especially since 
meruensis is to be distinguished from centralis and not necessarily 
from coastal birds. 


ANDROPADUS INSULARIS FRICKI Mearns 


Andropadus fricki MEARNS, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 61, no. 25, p. 4, 1914: 
Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Endoto Mountains, north, Kenya Colony, July 20, 
1912. 

This specimen is the type of fricki. 

I have not been able to examine enough material to come to definite 
conclusions about the geographic races of the sombre bulbul, but it 
appears that in addition to the five forms recognized by Sclater,? two 
others are also valid—subalaris Reichenow and kitungensis Mearns. 
I have seen no material of kilimandjaricus or somaliensis and can 
not pass any judgment on them, but I accept them tentatively on the 
basis of Sclater’s conclusions. The races here recognized are as 
follows: 

1. A. 2. insularis: Zanzibar and the coastal belt of eastern Africa 
from Dar es Salaam north to the Pangani River. 

2. A. 2. kilimandjaricus: Known only from Kibonoto on Mount 
Kilimanjaro, at 4,200 feet. The colored figure given by Sjéstedt® 
resembles insularis but is duskier, more grayish olive-brown, less 
vellowish. 

3. A. 7. fricki: Known only from the Endoto Mountains, northern 
Kenya Colony. This race has a yellow eye ring, not found in any 
of the others except kitungensis. In the original description of this 
form, Mearns wrote that it has much more yellow on the underparts 
than does énsularis. I fail to find any difference between them in this 
respect, but fricki is darker above than insularis. 


1 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 845, 1932. 

2Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 393, 1930. 

’ Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der schwedischen zoologischen Expedition nach dem Kili- 
mandjaro . . . Deutsch-Ostafrika, 1905-6, etc., Végel, pl. 2, fig. 2, 1908. 


122 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


4, A. i. kitungensis: The plateaus of south-central Kenya Colony— 
Kitunga, Thika, junction of Thika and Tana Rivers, etc. Similar to 
fricki but larger; wings 90 to 91 mm as against 87 mm in the latter. 
The yellow eye ring 1s not always more developed than in fricki as 
Mearns thought. 

5. A. 7. subalaris: The coastal belt of southern Kenya Colony from 
Mombasa north to Malindi and Lamu, inland to Voi, the Teita and 
Taveta districts. Similar to typical insularis, but with the under 
wing coverts buffy yellow, not bright yellow. 

6. A. 7. somaliensis: Southern Italian Somaliland. This race is 
said to resemble swbalaris but is much paler and has the under tail 
coverts grayish yellow margined with pale yellow. 

7. A. z. oleaginus: From the Zambesi Valley, northern Rhodesia, 
Mozambique, and Nyasaland, north through Tanganyika Territory 
to as far north as Kilosa. Similar to énsularis but paler above. 

The present specimen of frickt appears to be unique as far as J 
know. It is in good, fresh plumage, and was probably a month or 
so past breeding when collected. Its dimensions are as follows: 
Wings, 87; tail, 81; culmen, 16; tarsus, 20 mm. 

ANDROPADUS INSULARiS KITUNGENSIS Mearns 
Andropadus fricki kitungensis MEARNS, Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 41, no. 25, 
p. 4, 1914: Kitunga, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya 
Colony, August 24, 1912. 

This specimen has the yellow eye ring only faintly indicated, but 
this may be partly due to the fact that the eyelids were cut during 
the skinning process. Still, in general coloration, size, and other 
characters it agrees most closely with kitungensis. Mearns referred 
it to typical insularis, but he had not seen any of the nominate form 
at the time. 

The measurements of this example are as follows: Wing, 92; tail, 
88; culmen, 18; tarsus, 22 mm. 

Nothing has been recorded of the habits of this form, but the 
nominate race is known to breed from May to November in coastal 
Tanganyika Territory. 


STELGIDOCICHLA LATIROSTRIS EUGENIA (Reichenow) 


Andropadus eugenius ReiIcHENow, Journ. fiir Orn., 1892, p. 58: Bukeba, Tan- 
ganyika Territory. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 3 males, 1 female, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, 
September 6-10, 1912. 
Sclater* considers saturata Mearns and pallida Mearns as syn- 
onyms of eugenia. Granvik ® likewise concludes that satwrata is not 


«Systema avium A‘thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 394, 1930. 
5 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 208. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 123 


distinct. On the other hand, Gyldenstolpe,? van Someren,’ and 
others declare that saturata is valid. None of these investigators 
was able to examine any material of pallida from Mount Garguess (or 
Uraguess of van Someren’s papers), but van Someren concludes 
that “as the avifauna in this district is peculiar, it is probably 
sound.” I have examined the type and three topotypes of pallida 
and find it perfectly valid. It is known, as yet, only from the type 
locality, the upper slopes of Mount Garguess. Of satwrata I have 
seen the type and four others (from Nyeri and Ngong, near Nairobi) 
and find that it is also recognizable, although not overly well dif- 
ferentiated. On the whole, it is slightly brighter yellow below and 
greener above than ewgenia and is also somewhat larger. 

All in all, there are five valid races of the yellow-whiskered bulbul, 
as follows: 

1. S.0. latérostris: Cameroon to Gaboon and Portuguese Congo; also 
Fernando Po. Gyldenstolpe has referred specimens from the Semliki 
Valley and the Ituri Forest, eastern Belgian Congo, to this race as 
well, so it may be expected to occur right across from Cameroon 
to the Semliki River. 

2. 8. 1. eugenia: The Kivu district, Urundi, Ruanda, Uganda, 
extreme northwestern Tanganyika Territory, and western Kenya 
Colony (Kavirondo, Escarpment, Elgon). Similar to latzrostris but 
darker below and larger (wings in males, 86-91 as against 76-85 mm 
in latirostris). 

3. S. 1. saturata: The Mount Kenya highlands south to Kikuyu 
and Nairobi. Characters as given above. 

4. 8. 1. pallida: Mount Garguess. Palest of all the forms, this 
being most noticeable on the middle of the abdomen. 

5. S. 1. congener: Upper Guinea from Senegal to Southern Nigeria. 
None seen by me. Said to differ from the typical form in having 
duskier underparts, browner upperparts, and dark brown rectrices. 

The measurements of the present four specimens are as follows: 
Males—wing, 86, 87, 91; tail, 80, 82, 86; culmen, 15, 15, 16; tarsus, 
20, 21, 21.5 mm; female—wing, 86; tail, 79; culmen, 14.5; tarsus 22 
mm. The birds are in fairly fresh plumage. 

The species appears to breed throughout the year. Van Someren ® 
writes that the “nest is usually situated on some low tree of the forest 
undergrowth. A foundation of dead leaves is first laid down, then 
the nest proper is built of rootlets and twigs and lined inside with 
fine fibres. The eggs are dirty pink, with liver-coloured spots and 
greyish under-markings; the surface is smooth and glossy.” 





®Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 186. 
™Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 189, 1922. 
8 Ibis, 1916, p. 437. 


124 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


This bulbul is a forest bird, and its distribution is therefore rather 
discontinuous, and, in Kenya Colony at least, largely confined to 
high country. 

Family TURDIDAE, Thrushes 


TURDUS LIBONYANUS CENTRALIS Reichenow 
FIGURE 12 


Turdus pelios centralis REICHENOW, Die Vogel Afrikas, etc., vol. 3, p. 690, 1905: 
Lake District of central Africa; type from Wadelai. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 maie, Lake Abaya, southeast, Ethiopia, March 21, 1912. 
7 males, 5 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 1—21, 1912. 
1 male, Anole village, Ethiopia, May 18, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris brown; narrow eye ring greenish yellow; bill 
yellow; feet and claws very pale yellowish brown. 

These birds are not wholly typical of centralis but are nearer to 
it than to any other race of this thrush. They suggest a slight 
approach to pelios, the form of the lower parts of northwestern 
Ethiopia. 

I have not seen sufficient material to attempt a revision of the 
races of this species, and follow the conclusions arrived at by Rensch °® 
and adopted by Sclater.*° 

It is rather strange that the Frick expedition failed to meet with 
and obtain specimens of the northern form pelios when traveling 
along the Hawash River, as it is a common bird there. The present 
race is slightly brighter in its general coloration and darker on the 
breast than pelos, but on the whole the subspecies of this thrush 
are rather slightly differentiated. 

All the birds collected are in rather worn plumage and are some- 
what more brownish, less olive above, and paler on the breast, than 
two Ugandan birds in fairly fresh plumage. Their dimensions are 
given in table 23. None of the birds is in molting condition, and 
all are in adult plumage. 

According to Neumann," this bird occurs at altitudes of from 
6,000 to 8,300 feet. Mearns, however, collected most of his specimens 
at 4,000 feet at Gato River. 

At the Gato River, March 29—May 17, Mearns saw about 100 of 
these birds and found them to be breeding. On April 23, he collected 
a set of three eggs which he attributed to this bird. There seems to 
be some doubt, however, as to their identification, as they do not 
agree with the descriptions given by van Someren’* for Ugandan 


» Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, pp. 95-100. 

20 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 438-440, 1930. 
11 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 285. 

12Tbis, 1916, p. 465. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 125 


eggs, or by Erlanger** for eggs of pelios. The three eggs collected 
by Mearns are plain, unmarked, lumier blue and measure 21 by 18 
mm. According to van Someren, the eggs of centralis resemble those 





oO 100 __ 200 300 400 SOOMILES 
SS 


> SCALE- 


FIGURE 12.—Distribution of Turdus libonyanus in northeastern Africa. 


LD. petios: 3. T. l. cinerascens. 
2. T. tl. centralis. 4. T. l. costae, 


of the European blackbird and also the missel-thrush; that is, they 
are speckled. Erlanger makes a similar comparison for pelios. 
The breeding season in Uganda is from April to June and from 
October to December. 
In the Harrar district, pelios breeds in April. 


13 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 742. 


126 BULLETIN 1538, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


TABLE 23.—Measurements of 1; specimens of Turdus libonyanus centralis from 














Ethiopia 
Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus | 
Mm Min Mm Mm 
Laker Abayase<=-- ee ee Male-22= 342 118.0 93.0 20.0 30.0 
FAMOOUVAM POs a 8 oe ea ee eee dos222- 116.5 91.5 21.0 32. 5 
CA TOMRNVeL eee ree ee ee eae eee eee dos 117.5 S0805 | Sa eae 32.0 
TE) ee ee ee ee eee (3() eee ee 111.5 90.0 20. 5 30. 5 
DO $2 Be 3 dot 35.44 112.0 93. 5 21.0 31.0 
EB) eis ee ee ee ee ae | eee does. = 116.0 95.0 20.0 31.0 
DOs 2 eae = OO PA eae dor. Jas 115.5 91.5 20. 5 32.5 
IDO nee acdsee 25 ea Le ee do- es. 117.0 95. 5 20.0 33.0 
I Ones ee 2c 5 eo eee do =-es 106. 0 88.0 20.5 29.5 
MOM ME. =) a iE eee Female-.-_---- 118.0 84.0 19.0 30.0 
1) Oe Sa ees ee eae eee dot 3 107.5 86.5 21.0 32.0 
[Di GOo3 224 tS Sod Par 2 eh ES doe sseses 114.0 89.5 21.0 30.0 
DOP SE =. oe = 2 eer 52 ee dons 114.5 83.5 20.0 Slee 
DOs 2222 Se ae te Se GOs saas 114. 5 86.0 20.0 30.0 





TURDUS OGLIVACEUS ELGONENSIS (Sharpe) 


Merula elgonensis SHARPE, Ibis, 1891, p. 445: “Mt. Elgon”; type from Kikuyu. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 6 adult males, 1 immature male, 1 immature female, 
Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 7—10, 1912. 

Sclater,* following Rensch,! has considered Turdus milanjensis 
and its northern form uluguru as races of 7. olivaceus. A perusal of 
the literature might make this appear incorrect, as 7’. milanjensis 
uluguru has been recorded from the Usambara Mountains, a region 
inhabited by 7. olivaceus roehli.® However, on reexamining the 
specimens of uluguru from the Usambara Mountains, I find they 
really are roehli. I therefore conclude that Rensch and Sclater are 
justified in their decisions. 

Two other criticisms are in order. Firstly, Sclater writes that 
Planesticus helleri Mearns is closely allied to, if not identical with, 
Turdus olivaceus roehli. 'This is not so. 7. 0. helleri is a very dis- 
tinct subspecies easily told from any other race of its species by its 
solid black top and sides of the head, which are very strikingly and 
abruptly demarcated from the brownish-olive back. Also, the rufous 
on the sides of the abdomen is vastly richer and deeper than in any 
race of olivaceus and is in marked contrast to the pure white middle 
of the abdomen. 

Secondly, 7. olivaceus polius Mearns is a good, valid subspecies 
easily told from elgonensis by its paler, grayer coloration. I have 
seen series of eight birds, including the type, of polius from Mounts 
Garguess and Lololokui. Van Someren "’ finds that polius is distinct 


14 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 440-442, 1930. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, pp. 100-104. 

16 See Friedmann, Ibis, 1928, p. 94. 

"Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 239, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 17 


from elgonensis but fails to see wherein it differs from abyssinicus. 
It is noticeably grayer than the latter as well. 

In the regions traversed by the Frick expedition, two races of this 
thrush occur. They are the present one and abyssinicus. The for- 
mer occurs in the highlands of Kenya Colony on both sides of the 
Rift Valley from Mount Elgon to Mount Kenya and Nairobi. The 
northern race, abyssinicus, occurs from southern Eritrea to Shoa, 
Gojam, Kaffa, etc., and from Harrar to Arussi-Gallaland. This race ” 
averages more olivaceous above than e/gonensis, but otherwise the 
two look very similar. The northern form averages slightly larger 
than the equatorial one. 

The adult males have the following dimensions: Wing, 116.5, 108, 
118, 121.5, 109.5, 112; tail, 96.5, 89, 95.5, 97.5, 94; culmen, 22.5, 20, 22, 
22, 21.5, 21; tarsus, 31.5, 32.5, 33, 38, 31.5, 32 mm. 

This thrush is a common bird on the edges of forests, and in the 
denser, taller scrub. Van Someren 1* found it nesting in April and 
May, and fledged young were seen in June in the Nairobi region. 
Mearns saw about 100 of these birds at Escarpment, September 4-12. 

Of the present series, one adult and the two young birds are in 
worn plumage or in molt, while five adults are in fresh feathering. 


TURDUS OLIVACEUS ABYSSINICUS Gmelin 


Turdus abyssinicus GMELIN, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 824, 1789: Abyssinia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911. 
5 males, 6 females, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 18-29, 
1912. 
1 male, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 8, 1912. 
1 female, Loco, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 18, 1912. 

Soft parts: Male—iris brown; bill and eye ring orange; feet 
yellow; claws yellowish brown. Female—iris brown; bill and eye 
ring orange; feet and claws brownish yellow. 

The characters and range of this form have already been stated 
under the discussion of e/gonensis. The dimensions of the present 
series are given in table 24. 

A female shot on February 20 at Arussi Plateau contained a fully 
shelled egg, bluish green, thickly marked with brown. This is con- 
siderably earlier than the records of nests given by Erlanger '° who 
found a set of two eggs on April 23 at Cialanco; another of two 
eges three days later at Burko, between Harrar and Adis Abeba; 
and a third set of two eggs at Cunni on May 12. 

The birds collected are mostly in fairly fresh plumage. 


18 Ibis, 1916, p. 464. 
7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 741. 


128 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Mearns found this thrush in the juniper woods and also in the 
neighboring open country. He noted it as a “sweet singer.” Near 
Aletta and vicinity, March 7-13, he saw about 1,000 of these birds 
but unfortunately did not note whether they were migrant flocks or 
whether the species is really so abundant a resident there. 


TABLE 24.—Measurements of 14 specimens of Turdus olivaceus abyssinicus from 











2 Ethiopia 
Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
Mm Mm Mm Mm 

AdiszApebas. 22-5 --5- = ob ee eet Male = 112.5 O340F Pees ae 34.5 
Arissigbh lategu ss ss. SNe eee oe ees Bale eee ona A 1850 96.0 21.0 33.5 
1D) OSes oe ee |Past dose 2 = 116.0 89.5 20.0 32.0 

Dorie ine fe ease ele 2 ee eee dose a 118.0 94.0 20.0 San5 

Dobe 22 he) s2 eee Seen PRES do 121.0 92.0 22.0 30.0 

ID Ons aa hee ee as a doze 121.5 97.0 22.0 32.5 

PAN Gtiamte sn oso cee teats Bae ne caper =| (ee (6 (0), ie 107.5 82.0 22.0 30. 5 
ArussiPlateatt= 25225 222522- 26222 2 Female__-__---- 114.0 89.0 20. 0 33.0 
aD) Qs he See ae ede es eee See roe dot = 108. 0 84.0 21.5 33.0 

DY eee Mee REE 2 RE NN OMe sees 113.0 88.0 22.0 33. 5 

WD) Ose Seb let re en elk Me eS er GOs 22k 113.0 95.5 21.0 33.5 

UDG eee ee pa ea he ee Nee Goes ees en heo 90. 5 20. 5 33. 0 

1D O2. eee een? = I et Os BO Gon ears LTONO 83.0 21.0 31.0 
WOCOm=288 Bate. 2b cosh ee cee ey eR Slee doe 116.0 80.0 20.5 29.5 














TURDUS TEPHRONOTUS Cabanis 


Turdus tephronotus CABANIS, Journ. fiir Orn., 1878, p. 205, 218, pl. 3, fig. 2: 
Ndi, Teita district, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 5, 1912. 
1 male, Wobok, Ethiopia, June 18, 1912. 
1 male, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 20, 1912. 
1 male, 25 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 
1 female, Tana River, camp 38, Kenya Colony, August 16, 1912. 

Soft parts: Male (adult)—iris hazel to grayish brown; bill and 
feet orange; bare orbital region orange to yellowish orange; claws 
brownish. Immature male—iris garnet; bill and feet red; bare 
orbital region yellow. 

The males from Wobok and Endoto Mountains are immature. 

Aside from the surprising difference in eye color recorded for im- 
mature and adult birds, the colored figure referred to above shows 
the bare eye region almost orange-red. 

The two Ethiopian specimens are somewhat darker on the sides 
and flanks than the three Kenyan birds, but a female from the 
Dodoma district, central Tanganyika Territory, is just as dark. Van 
Someren ”° notes that specimens from “Lamu, Manda, and Juba River 
are paler below than typical tephronotus with clear grey breast-bands, 
lacking the ochraceous tinge, and with the throat area not outlined 


20 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 239, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 129 


with buff, but with white, and streaked with black. These characters 
are constant in my series.” I have seen no coastal birds and therefore 
can not add anything pertinent to this. 

The range of the bare-eyed thrush is more extensive than generally 
thought. Sclater ** writes it as “Southern Somaliland and the coastal 
districts of Kenya Colony to Ugogo in Tanganyika Territory.” He 
appears to have overlooked the fact that Erlanger *? collected a male 
at Gololoda in Arussi-Gallaland. As far as I know, the present 
specimens from Sagon River and Wobok are the first ones recorded 
from Shoa and constitute a new northwestern limit for the range of 
the species. The presence of this thrush in the Endoto Mountains 
indicates a wider range in the interior of northern Kenya Colony 
than hitherto suspected. 

The measurements of the present series, plus two from central 
Tanganyika Territory, are given in table 25. The Wobok bird is in 
molting condition. 


TABLE 25.—Measurements of seven specimens of Turdus tephronotus 


Locality Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus - 


ETHIOPIA: 


KENYA COLONY: 
Endoto Mountains 
South of Malele 





More material may demonstrate the presence of a long-billed race 
in central Tanganyika Territory, but until such specimens are forth- 
coming nothing definite can be done. 

These specimens agree quite well with Cabanis’s colored figure, 
but not with the illustration in Seebohm and Sharpe’s monograph of * 
the Turdidae (vol. 1, pl. 70).?8 

The breeding season in southern Italian Somaliland is in May. 
Erlanger found a nest with three much incubated eggs on May 27 at 
El-Uak-Bardera. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns saw a very few of these 
thrushes at Bodessa, June 3-6, at the south end of the Endoto Moun- 
tains, July 21-24, and about 30 birds along the Tana River, 
August 15-17. 

21 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 442, 1930. 


22 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 741-743. 
23 A monograph of the Turdidae, or family of thrushes, 2 vols., 1902. London. 


130 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
GEOKICHLA LITSIPSIRUPA SIMENSIS (Riippell) 


Merula (Turdus) simensis Riippett, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna von 
Abyssinien gehirig, etc., Vogel, p. 81, pl. 29, fig. 1, 1840: Angethat, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
5 males, 3 females, 1 unsexed, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911- 
January 12, 1912. 
1 female, near Ankober, Ethiopia, January 20, 1912. 
3 males, 1 female, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, 7,000-10,000 feet, February 
17-27, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 2, 1912. 
1 male, near Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 6, 1912. 

The ground-seraper thrush is another of those birds that occur in 
southern Africa (north to the Katanga, Nyasaland, and southwestern 
Tanganyika Territory) and also in Ethiopia, but not in the interven- 
ing area. Three forms are recognized, as follows: 

1. G. 1. Utsipsirupa: Zululand, Transvaal, Orange Free State, and 
Damaraland north to Southern Rhodesia and southern Angola. 

2. G. 1. stierlingi: The Malanje district of northern Angola east 
through Northern Rhodesia and the Katanga to northern Nyasaland 
and the Iringa district of Tanganyika Territory. This race, of 
which I have seen no material, is said to resemble the typical one, 
but has a shorter bill, the under wing coverts and inner edges of the 
remiges somewhat darker, and the throat and sides of the body more 
strongly washed with rusty yellow. 

3. G@. 1. simensis: Southern Eritrea, Bogosland, and Ethiopia south 
to Gardula and the Kullo district. Somewhat browner above than 
litsipsirupa, the under wing coverts darker, the bill shorter (as in 
stierlingi), and the under parts more washed with rusty yellow. 

The present specimens are all in rather worn plumage and show 
considerable variation in color. Some are almost as white below 
as South African birds while others are very yellowish. Extremely 
abraded birds may be as grayish above as typical litsipsirupa, so care 
must be used in comparing specimens of the different races. 

_ The size variations of the 18 birds collected by the Frick expedi- 
tion are shown in table 26. 

This thrush is a bird of the highlands. Blanford ** found it to 
be “common throughout the highlands, but not observed below 5,000 
or 6,000 feet elevation.” In Eritrea, Zedlitz 2° found it from about 
7,500 feet up. Erlanger 7° writes that it lives near water, not being 
found in arid places. He found a nest with three fresh eggs on 
March 26 at Gara Mulata near Harrar. The breeding season appears 
to be later in northern Ethiopia and Eritrea—about June and July. 


24 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, ete., p. 357, 1870. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 76. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 740. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 131 


Taste 26.—Measurements of 18 specimens of Geokichla litsipsirupa simensis 
from Hihiopia 


Locality Sex Wing Tail Culmen 





Aidis+Aibebae o2s2 82-27 ae sso. Ses et es Mialet. /4 25224 136.0 71.0 24.0 
NDS) 6) ees Se eee ee se ee ape dos."s2-=- 133.0 74.0 24.0 
DO. Sek ce ee ee ee OP ee a ee ee eas dots ss 134. 0 74.0 24.0 
Do. fe BE 8 re ee ee ee 2 Goer 131.0 68.0 24.0 
TO se pe ee eee ne eee do: 3 131.0 72.0 25.0 
PD) ee ee eee ees pee sas nao Goz42 2225 135.0 71.0 25.0 
Arussi Plateau, 10,000 feet-___-----------|----- Gonz? ee 139.0 76.0 23.0 
1D Os ee ee lee Goes eee! 138.0 75.0 23.0 
Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet__.-.----------|----- Gomes ae 131.0 71.5 24.5 
Cotali sae 3 Pe re ee ces Re et. Ae tees (0 (oye ee 136. 0 71.5 23.0 
Wear Alottai. 220-222. 8 oe ae eee leoene doe 132. 5 (Os 23.0 
Adis Abebas 22-2 § 2S Female______-- 125.0 71.0 23.0 
1D Osos ss) bee Ss segs - es Sk dO 222 132. 5 74.0 23.5 
1 DD {cS Aa a Rel ae ne ee he do.t-¥sct=. 129.0 67.5 24.0 
INearsAnko bers 22. tae ee ae dows: 8: 129.0 71.0 24.0 
Arussi Plateau, 7,000 feet_..--.---------|----- dost velo 128.0 67.0 24,5 
GCOtaliee 6 oe ee eee ee | eee do22 3-8-2 131.0 71.0 23.0 
AGISVA DOD Sac se nen eee ae ee Ee ee ee ee 132.0 70.0 25.0 





MONTICOLA SAXATILIS (Linneaus) 


Turdus savatilis LINNAEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, p. 294, 1766: Mountains of 
Switzerland, Austria, and Prussia; Switzerland (Hartert). 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 immature males, 4 immature females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 
27-December 19, 1911. 
1 adult male, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. : 
1 immature female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 
1 adult female, Bridge south of Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 23, 1912. 

The European rock thrush is a regular and common migrant and 
winter visitor in Ethiopia and Kenya Colony. Meinertzhagen ” 
has summarized what is known of its wanderings in eastern Africa, 
and, more recently, Grote ** has added to this account. In eastern 
Africa the birds get as far south as the Ubena highlands and the 
Morogoro area, Tanganyika Territory. 

According to Meinertzhagen, this bird begins to arrive in north- 
ern Somaliland in the second half of September, the first birds being 
young ones; adults appear early in October. Likewise, the species 
reaches the Sudan in September, but I am not aware of any records 
for Ethiopia earlier than October. Here again, as in the case of so 
many palearctic migrants, the routes followed seem to be the Nile 
Valley and the Red Sea, and the intervening area receives chiefly 
the overflow from these paths rather than a direct flight of migrants. 


27 Ibis, 1922, p. 18. 
2 Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, pt. 1, pp. 38-39, 1930. 


132 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


In Kenya Colony the birds arrive around Nairobi and the Rift Valley 
in the last week of October. 

In spring the majority leave in March, but birds have been found 
in Ethiopia until practically the end of April. 

The birds molt in their winter quarters from December to March, 
but this molt is incomplete as it does not affect the remiges and 
rectrices. 

Mearns noted a few individuals at Gidabo River, March 15-17; at 
the Abaya Lakes, March 18-26, and between the Abaya Lakes and 
Gardula, March 26-29. After that he saw no more. 

Roberts 2° has split the genus Monticola into four, establishing 
Petrornis for M. rupestris, Colonocincla for M. brevipes, and Notio- 
cichla for M. explorator. J cannot see any advantage in this split- 
ting, as the forms in question are not really generically separable. 


PETROPHILA RUFOCINEREA RUFOCINEREA (Riippell) 


Sazicola rufocinerea RUPPELL, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna von Abyssinien 
gehorg, etc., Vogel, p. 76, pl. 27, 1887: Simien Province, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 unsexed (male?), Ourso, Ethiopia, November 15, 1910. (Ouellard Coll.) 
1 male, Serre, Ethiopia, February 138, 1912. 
1 female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 18, 1912. 
2 females, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 16-17, 1912. 
1 immature male, 1 adult female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 
12-18, 1912. 
1 male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, May 19, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris dark brown; bill all black; feet and claws brown- 
ish black. 

The birds from eastern Ethiopia (Hawash River and Ourso) have 
wider dark tips to the rectrices than do the Shoan birds. This is of 
interest in that it is in just this character that the birds of south- 
eastern Arabia, the race sclatert Hartert, differ from typical 
rufocinerea. 

In his description of sclateri, Hartert *° writes that there “is prob- 
ably a third race in East Africa. A male collected by William 
Doherty on the Escarpment, Kikuyu Mountains, has the brown on 
the inner web of the outer rectrices nearly 15 mm wide, and a wing 
of about 90mm. A female from the same place has also rather much 
brown on the lateral rectrices, while two young females are rather 
brown on the upper side. More material will very likely show the 
Kikuyu bird to belong to a third sub-species, for it can hardly be the 


22> Ann. Transvaal Mus., vol. 8, p. 228, 1922. 
30 Noy. Zool., vol. 24, pp. 459-460, 1917. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 133 


Arabian form, and its habitat is also far away from Abyssinia and 
North Somaliland.” 

I have seen no Kikuyu birds, but it may be noted that van Some- 
ren *! obtained two birds at Naivasha, which, he writes, agree with 
the Arabian form sclateri and not with Doherty’s birds. 

There are three forms of this rock thrush, as follows: 

1. P. rv. rufocinerea: The highlands of British Somaliland, Bogos- 
land, and of Ethiopia from Tigre to southern Shoa, and to northern 
Uganda and to Mount Elgon. 

2. P. r. sclateri: The highlands of Yemen, southwestern Arabia. 
This form is similar to the typical one, but has wider dark tips on 
the outer rectrices (10-14 mm wide in sclateri; 1 or 2-7 mm in 
rufocinerea) . 

3. P. r. tenuis: Mount Lololokui, northern Kenya Colony. Similar 
to sclateri in the width of the dark tips of the rectrices but definitely 
paler, especially on the breast and abdomen, than either of the other 
races. ‘This difference appears to be more marked in males than in 
females. 

Zedlitz ** suggests that typical rufocinerea is a relatively pale form 
(with narrow dark rectricial tips) inhabiting northern Ethiopia and 
Eritrea, while the birds of southern Ethiopia, south through north- 
eastern Uganda to Mount Elgon and to Navisha are darker and may 
be a valid, undescribed race. If so, the birds from Gidabo River, Gato 
River, and Sagon River would belong to the darker form. I feel 
that Zedlitz is probably correct, but in the absence of typical Simien 
materia! I have to let the matter rest as it is. 

The dimensions of the present seven adults and of three specimens 
of tenuzs are shown in table 27. 

Von Heuglin ** writes that the altitudinal range of this bird is 
from 1,000 to 10,000 feet above the sea in Eritrea and northern 
Ethiopia. Jackson * found it plentiful in the Mau Plateau in west- 
ern Kenya Colony, above 6,000 feet. 

Erlanger * found this bird to be rather local in its distribution. It 
was not uncommon around Harrar, but in the Shoan lakes district 
and in Arussi-Gallaland it was very scarce. Blanford ** found it 
“by no means rare on the highlands and found as low as about 4,500 
feet. It appears to be a permanent resident, as I saw it in the hills 
close to the Anseba valley, in pairs, in July.” 


31 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 241, 1922. 

2 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, pp. 77-78. 

33 Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s ete., vol. 1, pp. 369-370, 1869. 

“Ibis, 1901, p. 75. 

% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 7438. 

86 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, ete., p. 358, 1870. 


106220—37——_10 


1384 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


TABLE 27.—Jeasurements of 10 specimens of Petrophila rufocinerea 


P. R. RUFOCINEREA 


Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 











ETHIOPIA: Mm 
QOursoe 252 SEE E RES st SE Mraletia 22 n2 3 86.0 
Serr. ape sae ee | ee dome $5.0 
PRGON MV Ore see sae eae tela ea ante a Meee oe Ouran Te 88. 0 
Ha washeRivede: tas see Stee Eee Female___.___- 83.5 
RibadoeRivers= ses ee oe dole ese 79.0 

AS) ereere sR ws ho I Vala ac es GOs ee a 82.0 
Gatonhiventee fs bettie hee Vee (Cet dots hess 80. 0 



















KENYA COLONY: 
Mount Maololokuise--s622 eee Iino ees 84.0 63. 0 21.0 23.5 
eo SEE ees ee AI Eee Female______--| 78.0 57.5 21.0 23.0 
eee oe ee ee ee GO eee eon 59. 5 20.0 22. 5 





GCENANTHE OENANTHE OENANTHE (Linnaeus) 


Motacilla oenanthe LinnaAkus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 186, 1758: Europe; restricted 
type locality, Sweden. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 unsexed, Lake Abaya, Hthiopia, March 18, 1912. 


The main migration route followed by the European wheatear ap- 
pears to be the Nile Valley, and the result is that the bird is com- 
moner in the Sudan, Uganda, and Kenya Colony than in Ethiopia. 
However, it is a regular winter visitor in the latter country and also 
in Somaliland. Chapin* has graphically depicted what is known of 
the wanderings of this form, and Grote ** has further elaborated this 
subject. ) 

A long-billed race, rostrata, also winters in northeastern and east- 
ern Africa. Sclater *° does not mention rostrata, or argentea either, 
but both winter in eastern Africa. 


OENANTHE LEUCOMELA LEUCOMELA (Pallas) 


Motacilla lewcomela Patuas, Acad. Sci. Imp. Petropolitanae, Novi Comm., vol. 
14, p. 584, pl. 22, 1771: Lower Volga. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
4 males, 1 female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 29-December 20, 1911. 
1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 2, 1912. 
i male, Sadi Malka, Hthiopia, January 30, 1912. 
1 female, Serre, Ethiopia, February 13, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 14-20, 1912. 
1 male, White Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 22, 1912. 


87 Amer. Nat., vol. 57, p. 119, 1923. 
*8 Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, pt. 1, pp. 40—41, 1930. 
* Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 450-451, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 135 


According to Sclater and Mackworth-Praed * the Cyprian race 
cypriaca also occurs in northeastern Africa in winter. It is said 
to be distinguished by its deeper coloration and shorter wing (84—89 
mm as against 94-96 mm in leucomela). One of the males and the 
female from Dire Daoua are small, having wings measuring 88 and 89 
mm, respectively, but they do not differ in color from the others 
with wings of 91-98.5 mm). I therefore consider them as /ewcomela. 

Grote *! finds that the pied wheatear winters from Arabia and the 
Red Sea coast from Eritrea southward through Ethiopia, northern 
and southern Somaliland, the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Uganda, and 
Kenya Colony to northern Tanganyika Territory. The birds begin 
to arrive in September and October and leave for the north in March 
and April. 


GCENANTHE LUGUBERIS (Riippell) 


Sazvicola lugubris Ruppert, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna von Abyssinien 
geborig, etc., Vogel, p. 77, pl. 28, fig. 1, 1837; Simien, Abyssinia. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED; 
1 female, Gada Bourca, Ethiopia, December 25, 1911. 
1 male, Ankober, Ethiopia, January 22, 1912. 

The Abyssinian black chat appears to be a rather scarce bird in 
the southern part of its range, as evidenced by the comments of 
several fairly recent writers, such as Erlanger and Zedlitz, and by 
Mearns’s manuscript comment that this bird was found sparingly 
from Gada Bourca to Adis Abeba. In northern Ethiopia and Bogos- 
land it is commoner. Thus, Blanford *? saw it “frequently on the 
highlands, and obtained several specimens. It is a constant resident, 
as I shot birds in May, when all true Saxicolae had left. I saw it in 
the passes at about 3,000 feet above the sea, but not so commonly as 
at a higher elevation. It keeps more to bushes and rocks than the 
true Saxicolae, in this resembling S. mc/anura.” On the other hand, 
Zedlitz ** found it to be anything but abundant in Eritrea. He sug- 
gests that it may be somewhat migratory, going south in winter and 
reappearing in the breeding range in the second half of March. The 
present two specimens, taken in December and January, show the 
species remains in Ethiopia throughout the year, but these two may 
be wintering birds that would have bred in Bogosland or the north- 
ern Ethiopian highlands. Erlanger ‘** collected two pairs between 
Harrar and Adis Abeba on September 23. 

The male is in worn plumage and has the upper and under tail 
coverts practically white; the female is in fresher plumage and has 


40Tbis, 1920, p. 851. 

"1 Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, p. 42, 1930. 

2 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, etc., p. 363, 1870. 
48 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 85. 

* Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 748. 


136 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


these parts pale buffy orange. The dimensions of the two specimens 
are as follows: Male—wing, 80; tail, 54; culmen from base, 17; tarsus, 
23 mm. Female—wing, 78.5; tail, 55; culmen from base, 16; tarsus, 
22 mm. 

OENANTHE ISABELLINA (Temminck) 


Sazvicola isabellina TEMMINCK, Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d’oiseaux, 
etc., livr. 79, pl. 472, fig. 1, 1829: Nubia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 female, Djibouti, French Somaliland, November 23, 1911. 
7 males, 9 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 29-December 20, 1911. 
1 female, Gada Bourea, Ethiopia, December 26, 1911. 
1 mile, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 14, 1912. 
1 male, 2 females, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 6-9, 1912. 
1 female, Serre, Ethiopia, February 14, 1912. 
1 female, Loco, Ethiopia, March 138, 1912. 

The isabelline chat is a regular and common winter visitor 
throughout the regions traversed by the Frick expedition. The 
Massai steppes appear to be the southern limit of its winter range. 

These birds undergo a complete molt while still in their European 
and Asiatic breeding quarters, and only a very incomplete ecdysis, 
involving some of the body feathers, takes place in the winter range 
in Africa. Occasionally, however, the postnuptial molt is delayed 
until after the bird has arrived in Africa. Thus, a male taken at 
Dire Daoua on December 10 is renewing its rectrices. 


OENANTHE BOTTAE FRENATA (Heuglin) 


Sazicola frenata Hructin, Journ. fiir Orn., 1869, p. 158: Mensa, Abyssinian 
Highlands. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 males, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 10-11, 1912. 
1 male, near Saleish, Ethiopia, January 18, 1912. 
2 males, 2 females, Arussi Plateau, 8,500-10,500 feet, Ethiopia, February 22— 
2%, 1912. 
2 males, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 2, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris grayish brown; bill and feet black. 

Sclater *° has straightened out the complicated synonymy of the 
forms of Oenanthe bottae, and the arrangement given by him *° 
appears to be correct. 

The present form occurs in the highlands of Ethiopia from Bogos- 
land to Djamdjam, Shoa, and Arussi-Gallaland. Blanford 47 met 
with this bird “on the very highest portions of the Wadela Plateau, 
near Saintora and Gazoo, at an elevation of 10,500 feet above the sea; 
there it abounded. Von Heuglin states that he has seen it at a 
much lower elevation also.” 


45 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 49, pp. 17-19, 1928. 
46 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 455-456, 1930. 
#7 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, etc., p. 362, 1870. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 137 


The two specimens from Cofali are slightly darker, more fuscous- 
black, less brownish, above than the other males, but the difference 
is not great and may be accounted for by the fact that they are in 
worn plumage. In fresh feathering the upper wing coverts and the 
inner secondaries have pale tawny-buff tips, which wear off leaving 
uniform fuscous feathers in abraded birds. 

A male from Adis Abeba is considerably darker below than any 
of the others, and approaches the Sudanese race heuglini in color. 
It differs from the rest of the series in that the light loreal stripe is 
pale buffy and not white. 

The measurements of the present nine specimens are given in 
table 28, 

The female taken at February 22 in the Arussi Plateau was one 
of a pair shot together. The male escaped into a hole in the ground 
in the open plain where the birds were seen. This might appear to 
indicate that the breeding season is early in the spring, but Erlanger * 
writes that the nesting time is in the middle of June and early in 
July. He collected a bird in breeding condition early in July. 


TABLE 28.—Measurements of nine specimens of Oenanthe bottae frenata from 


Ethiopia 

Locality Sex Wing Tail Culmen | Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

IAGIS A DOD Be Sos o= = oe ee Male--— ---.2)-- 97.5 58.5 19.0 33.0 
TD) ONES Sees ane Se aa en ee doz 2622252 98.0 59.0 AQ! O's: | eee ee 

Near paleish= = 8220. So es: 22 = a eS dos 98.5 62.0 19.5 34.0 

ATUSS! Plates eee doz ss 99. 5 65.0 20.5 32. 5 

[DO es a tet ee ene ee ee dos i= 103.0 65.0 19,5 34.0 

Gofal Ake Org SS as eres we FA |S ee dost e2 98.0 61.5 18.0 33.0 

1 DY) eo i a ee G0=-e= 2 >. 100.0 62.0 20.0 32.0 

‘Arussithlateadl s22-3- >= 2S Female_-__-_--- 96.0 61.0 19.0 33.0 

ID) Gt ee: Soe ee ee te oe dora 93.0 61.0 19.0 31.0 


CERCOMELA MELANURA LYPURA (Hemprich and Ehrenberg) 


Sylvia lypura HEMPRICH and EHRENBERG, Symbolae physicae, etc., folio ee, 
1828: Abyssinia, i. e., eastern Hritrea (Neumann and Zedlitz). 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 27, 1911. 
1 male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 20, 1911 (von Zulow). 
1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, February 2, 1912. 


In studying the forms of the genus Cercomela, I have been guided 
chiefly by Lynes’s excellent review,*? but also by Neumann and Zed- 
litz’s notes.°° Sclater ** follows Lynes. 


4 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 746. 

4Tbis, 1926, pp. 389-397. 

50 Journ. fiir Orn., 1913, pp. 362-370. 

& Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 456—459, 1930. 


138 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The present species has four subspecific forms, of which I have 
seen only two—the present one and the nominate race. The latter 
occurs in Palestine and northern Arabia and is pale ashy gray above; 
the present form, /ypura, inhabits the Red Sea Province of the 
Sudan to eastern Eritrea, British Somaliland, and the Hawash Val- 
ley in Ethiopia. It has the gray of the back strongly tinged with 
brownish. | 

In southwestern Arabia another form, erlangeri, with a dark 
smoky-gray (but not brownish) back, occurs, while in Asben and in 
north and central Darfur, a light cinnamon-brown backed race, 
airensis, is found. 

Of the three specimens listed above, the one collected in November 
is in fresh plumage; the December bird less fresh; the February 
specimen much abraded. Their dimensions are as follows: Males— 
wing, 79, 78; tail, 59.5, 57; culmen, 15.5, 16.5 mm. Female—wing, 
77; tail, 60; culmen, 16.5 mm. Neumann and Zedlitz give wing 
measurements of 76 to 79 mm for males and 71 to 74mm for females. 
Their bill measurements (12 to 13 mm) are apparently of the ex- 
posed culmen, while mine are from the base of the bill. 

IT am not aware of any published notes on the breeding season of 
this rock-chat in Ethiopia, but in the Red Sea Province of the 
Sudan, Butler * found a fledgling only a few days out of the nest 
on May 7 at Khor Arbot. At this place he found this species was 
common, especially near streams. The juvenal plumage appears to 
be similar to the adult stage even to the black rectrices. 





CERCOMELA SCOTCCERCA TURKANA van Someren 


Cercomela turkana@ VAN SOMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club., vol. 40, p. 91, 1920: 
Turkana country. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 msie, Bodessa, Ethiopia. May 31, 1912. 

male, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 

females, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 1, 1912. 

males, 10 miies south of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony. July 9-10, 1912. 

2 males, southeast of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 11-12, 1912. 

2 females, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 14, 1912. 


hm DD le 


Sclater °° recognizes five races of the brown-tailed rock-chat. As 
I have seen only the present series of one of these forms, I follow 
Scinter’s arrangement unquestioningly. 

IT must confess that I do net understand just what the characters 
of turkana are, as van Someren ** writes that it resembles the typical 
form of Eritrea and adjacent parts of the Red Sea Province of the 


2 Ibis, 1909, p. 399. 
*8 Systema avium Zthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 457-458, 1930. 
4 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 242, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 139 


Sudan, but is paler, less deep grayish brown, more ashy, with an 
ochraceous tinge on the crown, and with buffy edges on the rectrices, 
instead of rusty-rufous ones. 

Lynes,** on the other hand, characterizes turkana as a dark form. 
On the whole, judging by the present series, which come from the 
range of turkana, it seems that Lynes is correct and van Someren 
wrong. Recently, van Someren®*® has studied new material of this 
bird and finds that the range of twrkana extends from Karamoja to 
the Northern Guaso Nyiro River. He says: 

There is a further bird, which ranges from the Koroll mountains to Kulal 

and south to the Northern Guasso Nyiro and is not turkana. It is a very dark 
ashy chocolate-brown, with paler edges to the wing-feathers and rusty buff 
edges to the rectrices. The lower surface is grayish buff, with a strong vinous 
tinge on the breast, flanks, and throat. The under tail-coverts are blackish 
brown with rusty buff edges. They are slighily larger than turkana, wings 
74-81 against 70-76 mm. A larger series of turkana from the type locality is 
required to clear up the relationship of the two. 
It seems that the present birds are these dark ones and not true 
turkana. Lacking adequate material I can not do anything other 
than call attention to them and to van Someren’s statement in the 
hope that he or someone else with sufficient material may settle the 
issue. 

The size variations of the present series are given in table 29. 

The bird from Bodessa has the edges of the rectrices much more 
rufescent, less buffy, than any of the others. It, and the Mar Mora 
specimen are in fairly fresh plumage; the remainder of the series are 
abraded. 


TasLe 29.—Measurements of 12 specimens of Cercomela scotecerca turkana 





Locality Sex | Wing Tail Culmen | Tarsus | 
erates eee eee 
| 
ETHIOPIA: | Mm | Mm Min Mm | 
Bedeseant =: Fei e ees EA eh alee eso | 75.0 58.5 14.5 22.0 
Mion Mot 22> Se 5 vb dpest 79.0 | 59.5 15.0 21.5 
KENYA COLONY: | 
10 miles south of Lake Rudolf ____-|___-- dori tees 69.0 | 55.0 14.8 21.5 | 
EDO ee ae Se eT Sa ay of don ears 2 75.5 56.0 14.5 22.0 | 
eee re ee ee ee ee do 75.0 55. 5 15.0 23.0 
PGs s Clbeee Bele ae eS. © 2p S5 kt ede & gos 58 ey 77-0 60.0 15.0 23.0 
Southeast of Lake Rudolf_--_-__---|_---- doe 23 a: 77.0 61.0 15.0 22.5 
De ee ne ee ee op ane 80.0 62.5 14.5 23.0 
18 miles southwest of Hor-__-------- Female-_-_.----- 74.0 60.0 15.0 22.0 
PG eee Bae ea en a ee a do= 2 74.0 56.0 14.0 22.5 
Indunumera Mountains__-_--------]_---- ga | 79.0 60.0 15. 23.0 


Bossce 35. oye ak peace Ses eb dp bites | 69.0 | 51.0 14.0 21.0 


5 Tbis, 1926, p. 391. 
% Noy. Zool., vol. 37, p. 378, 1932. 


140 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
CERCOMELA DUBIA (Blundell and Lovat) 


Myrmecocichla dubia BLUNDELL and Lovat, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 10, p. 22, 
1899: Fontaly, Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 adult (unsexed), Chobi, Ethiopia, December 23, 1911. 


This appears to be the fifth known specimen of this rock-chat. 
Lynes *’ writes that there are two specimens in the British Museum 
and two in Berlin, all from the middle and upper Hawash Valley 
(Fontaly, Dire Daoua, and Abassuen). The present example ex- 
tends the known range westward to Chobi. 

The somber rock-chat is the least wide-ranging species in its genus, 
being wholly confined to the Hawash Valley. If one may judge 
by the results of the various expeditions that have passed through 
that area, dubia would seem to be a very scarce bird, but this is 
probably due to the fact that Cercomela scotocerca enigma and 0. 
mélanura lypura are common birds there and the present one is over- 
looked, as in life the three appear much alike. Thus, Lynes made a 
special study of this bird before going to Ethiopia and was able to 
recognize it in the field. He writes that it was “a big upstanding 
bird, and except for the dark brown colour of its tail and body, 
looked and behaved like an enlarged edition of the melanura.” 

The single specimen collected has a wing length of 83 mm and a 
tail length of 70 mm. Unfortunately, the tip of the bill was shot 
off, so I can not give its culmen length. The bird is in worn 
plumage. 

PINAROCHROA SORDIDA SCHOANA Neumann 


Pinarochroa sordida schoana NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 18, p. 78, 1905: 
Abuje, Gindeberet, Shoa. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: | 
4 males, 3 females, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 31, 1911—January 10, 
1912. 
5 males, 7 females, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 15-29, 1912. 
1 male, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 

At the same time that he described schoana, Neumann also named the 
birds of the Djamdjam Mountains east of the Abaya lakes djamdja- 
mensis. ‘These were said to differ from schoana in having the under- 
parts purer and brighter reddish isabelline; the auriculars dark brown 
sharply set off from the paler cheeks; the upper wing coverts with 
more whitish, less buffy, edges; the black tips of the rectrices usually 
broader than in schoana. The present specimens from the Arussi 
Plateau and from Cofali should be djamdjamensis if we may judge 
from geography. However, these 20 birds show no constant char- 
acters by which they differ from the 7 Adis Abeba examples 


Ibis, 1926, p. 396. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 141 


(schoana). Consequently, I do not recognize djamdjamensis, a con- 
clusion in which I am anticipated by Sclater.°* Hartert, however,°® 
considers it a valid form. 

I have seen no material of the nominate form or of the Harrar race 
erlangeri, but they both appear to be valid. On Mount Kilimanjaro 
a distinct form hypospodia is found. The birds inhabiting Mount 
Elgon are very similar to ernesti, the race found on Mount Kenya 
and the Aberdare Range, but have been separated by Madarasz °° 
under the name rvdolf. Unfortunately, Madarasz compared rudolft 
only with hypospodia and not with ernesti. Of recent authors the 
only one who recognizes rudolfi is Granvik,* who also failed to com- 
pare his birds with ernesti. Van Someren® had no Elgon material, 
but wrote that rudolfi “appears to be very close to ernesti.” 

It seems, then, that there are five valid races, as correctly given in 
his list by Sclater. I assume that he has examined the type of 
schoana and found it to be the same as djamdjamensis, as other writers 
have synonymized schoana with sordida and used the name djam- 
djamensis for the south Shoan birds. Still, Neumann “* records seven 
specimens from Adis Abeba as schoana and others from farther south 
as djamdjamensis. 

The size variations of the present series (table 30) indicate a slight 
average difference between the birds from Adis Abeba and those 
from the Arussi Plateau (djamdjamensis). 

Practically all these birds are in fresh plumage. One specimen 
from Adis Abeba (January 2) is in molt. On February 15 Mearns 
shot a male and female, which he recorded as a mated pair. The 
only other data available as to the breeding season are the observa- 
tions of Erlanger,** who observed parents with fledged young early 
in August. 

This hill chat is wholly a bird of the mountains and occurs up to at 
least 11,000 feet in the Arussi country. Mearns collected specimens 
at altitudes of 8,500 to 11,000 feet in that region. Adis Abeba is, of 
course, lower down, but probably the lower limits of the bird’s range 
must be about 6,000 feet. On Mount Kenya it is known from 
10,700 to 14,000 feet; on Mount Elgon from 12,000 feet to the summit 
(a little over 14,000 feet); on Mount Kilimanjaro, from 10,000 to 
14,000 feet. No form of this bird has been found on Ruwenzori or 
Mount Cameroon. 


58 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 461, 1930. 
52 Nov. Zool., vol. 27, p. 471, 1920. 

6 Orn. Monatsb., vol. 20, p. 175, 1912. 

* Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 251. 

® Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 243, 1922. 

6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 292. 

 Tbid., p. 745. 


142 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


TABLE 30.—Measurements of 20 specimens of Pinarochroa sordida schoana from 








Ethiopia 

Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen |! Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

ACIS ADO TAS ee sate te Lowy eee ia IMiaI6 222 tee ae 75.0 52.5 13.0 29. 5 
1) OBB eee een are me We Sale ox aa rtaae 75.0 55.5 13.5 28.0 
DO Sa Seis a) ON SS EEE ME ATE Bast dozuzestes 79.5 57.0 13.0 29.5 
DO eee ee a he eee eo eles dos 8. 2i-2 75.0 52.0 14.0 28.0 
ATISSIU Pla pCa se =. eases a eee eee eae aCe Goeseessae 69.0 42.0 14.5 29.0 
Io See ESE aS NOTE EE aa ee GoLves ses 67.0 42.5 14.0 30.5 

D Olesen see se cece eee ee oe dose to 72.0 46.0 1355 29.5 
DO Sees os one das oe ake es ee (ea doses 72.0 46.0 14.0 29. 5 
DOL PRA ee ESE NS EL Se dose sexe 77.0 51.0 14.0 30.0 
(Cofaliae so. are 2 Se ee eek eens ee Ost 69.0 47.0 13.5 28.5 
ENGIS CAO Dag et aa ese aie SOs ene Female_-__._- 71.0 48.5 13.0 28. 5 
DO. SSAA SE EE = PL, SUE ey doli ts 77.0 54.0 12.5 30.0 

1) Ra Bee ple oe ee ae SIE doo 69.0 47.0 13.5 29.0 
ATTISSIPP LAGOS ae eee oi eee ee a ee (alow ey $s 65.0 38. 0 13.5 29.5 
D0: HaeS | ee PRS ee Eee ee See ORCL oF doi... 27 72.0 44.0 14.0 30.0 

Os seen Ve we ee OE ge se oe dons: 70.0 41.0 14.5 29.5 
DOES Tee eae ec ae ace ee eal ee es Goyette 68.5 43.0 13.5 29.0 
DORIS Sa) AE Peer ee UTE eT G62 £E2t Ss 70.0 44.0 14.0 28. 5 

BQ Ee setae 2b Sipe ee ee ee eel ye <A doz fee) 70.0 ZO NOM Lee aoc me 28.0 

ENO ee 2 ens ioe es aaah epee | ae d0ee tease 1220 pleaee- 14.0 30.5 





Since the above account was written, Peters and Loveridge ** have 
actually compared topotypical specimens of rudolf. with topotypes 
of ernesti and found them to be separable, the former having darker 
ear coverts and browner, less grayish, superloreal stripes. 


PENTHOLAEA MELAENA (Riippell) 


Saxicola melaena RUPPELL, Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna Abyssinien gehorig, 
ete., Vogel, p. 77, pl. 28, 1837: Alegua Mountain, Agami Province, Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 1 female, Ankober, Ethiopia, January 21-22, 1912. 


Riippell’s chat is a bird of the Ethiopian highlands from Senafe 
to Shoa. It appears to be relatively scarce, or rather local, as a 
number of good collectors have failed to meet with it. Neumann ® 
obtained but a single specimen; Erlanger never saw it; Mearns only 
got two. Neumann found it at an altitude of about 3,000 meters. 
Blanford °° writes that it is “pretty common on the highlands, keep- 
ing much to rocky places amongst bushes.” 

Nothing appears to be known of the habits of this bird. Both 
specimens collected by the Frick expedition are in somewhat worn 
condition and afford no real clue as to breeding or molting season. 
Their dimensions are as follows: Male—wing, 86; tails, 57; culmen, 
18; tarsus, 28.5 mm. Female—wing, 86; tail, 58; culmen : 
tarsus, 26.5 mm. 





sa Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 79, p. 178, 1936. 
%® Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, pp. 288-289. 
°6 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, ete., p. 361, 1870. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 143 


THAMNOLAEA CINNAMOMEIVENTRIS SUBRUFIPENNIS Reichenow 

Vhamnolaea subrufipennis REICHENOW, Journ. fiir Orn., 1887, p. 78: Near Ussure, 
Kondoa, Irangi district, Tanganyika Territory. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Gardula, Ethiopia, March 27, 1912. 

The cliff-chat ranges from the Cape Province to Bogosland, south- 
ern Eritrea, west to the French Sudan. The ranges of the races as 
given by Sclater°’ seem to be correct. The present form occurs 
from Nyasaland north through Tanganyika Territory, Kenya Colony, 
Uganda, to the Gaima Hills in the northeastern Belgian Congo and 
the Mongalla Province of the Sudan, and to southwestern Ethiopia 
north to southern Shoa. This race has the tail feathers reddish 
brown basally and the upper tai! coverts entirely reddish brown. 
In the northern half of Ethiopia (from Harrar to Tigre) and in 
Bogosland it is replaced by the form a/biscapulata, which differs in 
having the long central upper tail coverts broadly tipped with black. 
The nominate form of southern Africa differs from both in having 
the rectrices black basally. On the upper waters of the Niger a 
fourth race, bambarae, occurs. This form, which I have not seen, 
is said to resemble subrufipennis, but differs from it in having the 
rufous color less extensive on the rump and on the breast in both 
sexes; in having the black of the male less deep a black; in having 
the white feathers of the bend of the wing of the male not wholly 
white, but particolored black and white; and in having the slaty 
breast feathers of the female with blackish shaft streaks. 

Neumann * has described a race wsambarae from the Usambara 
Mountains in northern Tanganyika Territory. This form is said to 
resemble subrufipennis but to lack the white posterior border of the 
black pectoral area; in other words, the black of the breast and the 
rufous-brown of the abdomen are not separated by a narrow band of 
white. Grote ® adds that the brown of the abdomen and rump is 
darker in wsambarae than in subrufipennis. Sclater considers usam- 
barae as “very doubtfully separable.” I have seen no birds from 
the Usambara Range, but a male from the Uluguru Mountains is 
typical subrufipennis. A female taken in the Uluguru Mountains 
has the brown of the rump and abdomen much darker than the 
male, but this seems to be the usual thing in subrufipennis, according 
to Reichenow.”? I have not seen any females from elsewhere to 
compare it with. 

An additional, but also somewhat inconclusive, bit of evidence 
against the validity of wsambarae is furnished by van Someren, who 
states ™ that he finds “very little difference between the Uganda and 


% Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 463, 19380. 
® Orn. Monatsb., vol. 22, p. 11, 1914. 

® Journ, fiir Orn., 1921, p. 1387. 

® Die Végel Afrikas, ete., vol. 3, p. 792, 1965. 
(Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 248, 1922, 


144 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Kilimanjaro birds.” The latter refers not to Mount Kilimanjaro 
itself, on which mountain the birds seem to be absent, but to the 
general region thereabouts, which would come very close to the 
Usambara Range. 

The present specimens are in fresh plumage (the Gardula bird is 
so badly damaged by shot that it hardly seems so), and have the fol- 
lowing dimensions: Wing, 112, 113; tail, 92, 93; culmen, 21.5, ; 
tarsus, 28, 30 mm, respectively. A male from Mount Garguess is 
shghtly smaller (wing, 109 mm). It appears that fresh plumage 
signifies that the birds had just finished breeding, as Granvik ** found 
a female with nestlings on Mount Elgon on June 3, and the parent 
was in molt at the time. “The bird”, he says, “had its nest in an 
inaccessible position under the large rocks and could reach the nest 
by different ways, in which I heard the nestling twittering.” Granvik 
found this bird but once on Mount Elgon. Van Someren records it 
as not very common in Kenya Colony and Uganda. 





THAMNOLAEA CINNAMOMEIVENTRIS ALBISCAPULATA (Riippell) 


Sazicola albiscapulata RUppELL, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna Abyssinien 
gehorig, ete., Vogel, p. 74, pl. 26, fig. 1, 18387: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 13, 1910. 


This specimen was obtained from M. Ouellard by the Frick expedi- 
tion. It is in very abraded condition, but it shows the characters of 
the race—black tips to the long central upper tail coverts. 

There is some confusion in the published statements as to the range 
of this bird. Von Heuglin” states that it lives at altitudes of from 
1,500 to 3,000 meters above the sea, while Blanford ™* saw it “from 
the sea-level to the highlands.” It was found near water, especially 
on the rocky banks of streams. In Eritrea, Zedlitz ™ found it at ele- 
vations from 1,000 to 1,800 meters. He further observed that its 
distribution is very local, as he found it numerous only at Ela Bered 
(1,600 meters) ; elsewhere only scattered pairs were seen. 

This race occurs west to Sennar in the Sudan. 


THAMNOLAEA SEMIRUFA (Riippell) 


Sazicola semirufa RUpPELL, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna Abyssinien gehorig, 
ete., Vogel, p. 74, pl. 25, 1837: Zana, i. e., Lake Tsana, Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, 2 females, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 7-10, 1912. 
1 male, Botola, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 7, 1912. 


Soft parts (female): Iris grayish brown; bill and feet black. 


7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 250. 

78 Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s etc., vol. 1, p. 368, 1869. 

74 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, etc., p. 360, 1870. 
%® Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 79. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 145 


The white-winged cliff-chat inhabits the highlands of Ethiopia, 
where 15 ranges from the neighborhood of Lake Tsana south to the 
Sidamo country and to Djamdjam in Shoa. It is more of a highland 
bird than 7. cinnamomeiventris albiscapulata, although the two do 
overlap in range. Von Heuglin” writes that he found it from 5,000 
to 8,000 feet above the sea, in the eastern and central parts of Ethi- 
opia, and as high as 12,000 feet in Gallaland. Erlanger found it 
in Arussi-Gallaland and between Harrar and Adis Abeba. It was 
nowhere abundant, being seen in pairs as a rule. On the other hand, 
Neumann * found it very abundant at altitudes of from 2,600 to 3,100 
meters. 

The three females are quite different 7nter se. One of them, ap- 
parently the youngest of the three (all of which are fully grown, not 
obviously juvenal), has the feathers of the nape, scapulars, inter- 
scapulars, and back dark grayish brown barred with fuscous-black; 
the rump and upper tail coverts tawny, barred with black; the entire 
underparts, except the rufous under tail coverts and the extreme 
caudal part of the middle of the abdomen, dusky tawny-buff heavily 
banded with black. There is a tawny-yellowish stripe down the 
middle of the throat. The female from Aletta is similar but has the 
upperparts solid black (quite glossy on the head) and has the breast 
and upper abdomen darker than in the first mentioned one (from 
Adis Abeba), but this difference may be due to wear, as the Aletta 
bird is abraded and the Adis Abeba example is not so much so. 
Finally, the third one, also from Adis Abeba, is solid black above, 
but has the middle of the abdomen anterior practically to the poste- 
rior margin of the breast, dark bright rufous as in the male. Like 
the Aletta bird, the thighs are black (they are barred buff and black 
in the youngest of the three specimens). 

Ogilvie-Grant * found that a— 

* * * young male from Abyssinia * * * in the British Museum col- 
lection, with the upper parts and breast still partially in the spotted nestling- 
plumage, is moulting direct into the plumage of the adult male—the lower 
breast, belly and under tail coverts having already become nearly uniform 
rufous-chestnut, while many feathers of the upper parts, throat, and upper 
breast are deep black. This bird shows no trace of the rufous patch down the 
middle of the throat. It seems probable, therefore, that though the females 
ultimately become similar in plumage to the adult male, they do not attain the 
adult plumage at the first moult * * * an intermediate dress, in which the 
breast and belly are dusky rufous-buff indistinctly barred with black, being 
worn for at least a year. 

I rather doubt whether the female becomes similar to the adult male, 
as no other forms of this group exhibit such sexual similarity in 


7 Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, ete., vol. 1, p. 369, 1869. 
7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 744. 

78 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 288. 

7 Tbis, 1900, p. 170. 


146 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


adult plumages, but it is obvious that there is an unusual sequence of 
plumages, the further study of which, when additional material 
becomes available, should be of interest. 

The second of the three females (from Aletta) was apparently the 
mate of the male killed at the same shot. 

According to Neumann, young birds lack the yellowish stripe on 
the middle of the throat, which is present in older females. 

The males have wings measuring from 103.5 to 106.5 mm; the 
females, 107 to 108 mm. I doubt whether this size difference would 
be found to hold with a longer series. 

On the Hakaki River, near Adis Abeba, Erlanger found a nest 
with three eggs on August 12. The eggs were milky white, some- 
what suffused with greenish, and abundantly speckled with fine pale 
rusty brown dots. They averaged about 25 by 19 mm. 


SAXICOLA TORQUATA AXILLARIS (Shelley) 


Pratineola agviliaris SuHeLiey, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1884, p. 556: Mount 
Kilimanjaro, 7,000 feet. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 6 males, 5 females, Escarpment, 7,890 feet, Kenya Colony, 
September 4-6, 1912. 

Jn studying these birds and those of the other races represented in 
this collection, I have been guided largely by Meinertzhagen’s review 
of the group.*® The total material available to me from eastern 
Africa has been 118 specimens of 7 races. I agree with Sclater *? 
that promescua Hartert is a valid race (this was described after 
Meinertzhagen’s revision) and differ from both Sclater and Meinertz- 
hagen in considering the Uganda birds as distinct from Kenyan 
avillaris. I must confess to some hesitancy in naming the Uganda 
birds, as Meinertzhagen has examined the type of emmae Hartlaub, 
described from Ruganda, and finds it identical with typical awlaris, 
yet all the Ugandan birds I have seen are smaller than Kenyan 
axillaris and have the brown on the breast very much more restricted. 
For the present I use Hartlaub’s name for them in spite of Meinertz- 
hagen’s notes. 

In the areas traversed by the Frick expedition there are two resi- 
dent races of this bird, while another form, which breeds in the 
Urals and Caucasus, occurs in winter in Ethiopia. The two resident 
forms are avillaris and albofasciata,; the winter visitor is maura. The 
Indian race, zndica, is also said to winter in Ethiopia, but I know of 
no definite records. The two resident races are very easily distin- 
guished by the fact that adult males of a/bofasciata completely lack 
the rufous-brown on the breast, which is so conspicuous in awillaris. 


80 Ibis, 1922, pp. 20-29. 
‘1 Systema avium thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 468, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 147 


Occasional specimens of the former race have a fringe of chestnut on 
the lower edge of the black throat patch, formed by rufous tips to 
the black feathers, but never a really well-developed brown pectoral 
band. Females of a/bofasciata are darker than those of aaillaris. 
The migrant race maura is similar generally to ewillaris but differs 
in having the rectrices white basally instead of solid black as the 
resident African birds. 

The present race (if we consider the Ugandan birds as emmae) 
inhabits the highlands of Kenya Colony from Mount Elgon, Escarp- 
ment, Molo, etc., east to Mount Kilimanjaro. The northern form 
albofasciatus occurs in the highlands of Ethiopia from Adigrat south 
to Harrar, Arussi-Gallaland, and Kaffa. 

The present males have wings measuring 67-74 mm (average 72 
mm) ; females—67—-72 mm (69 mm). Five males from Uganda have 
wings of from 66 to 69 mm. 

When in very fresh condition, the black feathers of the back in the 
males are margined with brown, but with wear the edges are lost 
and the back becomes uniform black. The present birds are all in 
fairly fresh plumage. 

Granvik ** has discussed in detail the color variation of this bird. 
The present birds (all from one locality) are remarkably uniform in 
color. All are adults, which eliminates the age factor. As is well 
known, young males have less black and more brown on the throat and 
breast than older birds. 

This little stone-chat is one of the commonest birds throughout its 
range. The breeding season is in May. 


SAXICOLA TORQUATA ALBOFASCIATA Rippell 


Sazvicola albofasciata Ripretnt, Systematische Uebersicht der V6gel Nordost- 
Afrika’s, p. 39, 1845: Simien Province, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
5 males, 4 females, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 31, 1911—January 8, 
1912. 
1 male, Hakaki, Ethiopia, January 14, 1912. 
4 males, 3 females, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 15-28, 1912. 

The Abyssinian stone-chat is a very distinct race. The male lacks 
all the rufous-chestnut on the breast and has the black of the throat 
extending over the breast to the anterior margin of the abdomen. 
Occasionally there is a rufescent fringe to the black breast, but this 
disappears with wear. 

Two of the males from Arussi Plateau have some dark dull brown 
feathers among the black ones on the crown and occiput. They are 
otherwise similar to the other specimens and may be in their first 
adult plumage. 


82 Journ, fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 254-256, pls. 2, 3. 


148 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The females vary somewhat in the color of the pale margins of the 
feathers of the back, the extremes being dull amber-brown, tawny- 
olive, and grayish earth brown; the last being due to wear. 

The males have wing lengths of from 69 to 71 mm; the females, 65 
to 71 mm. 

This bird lives in the highlands of northern and central Ethiopia. 
Blanford ** writes that it— 


is not a rare bird in Abyssinia, * * * TI first met with it near Adigrat, 
where it was far from scarce, and * * * again * * * on some of the 
passes south of Antalo, and at Lake Ashangi. It was never noticed below about 
8000 feet of elevation, but at the same time I did not observe it in the higher 
plateaux, so that it appears to belong to the temperate rather than to the 
subalpine fauna. 

Erlanger ** found a nest with four young birds between Harrar 
and Adis Abeba in April. Neumann ** writes that birds in breeding 
condition were taken in Shoa in September. Mearns collected a 
mated pair on February 15 on the Arussi Plateau. It appears, there- 
fore, that the breeding season must be either a prolonged one or that 
there are two such seasons, one from February to April and the 
other in September. 

Mearns noted this bird as fairly common along the Hawash River, 
especially on the upper stretches, January 26 to February 13. 


SAXICOLA TORQUATA MAURA (Pallas) 


Motacilla maura PALLAS, Reise durch yverschiedene Provinzen des Russischen 
Reichs, vol. 2, p. 708, 1773: Ural Mountains, between the Tobol and 
Irtysh Rivers. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Iron Bridge, Hawash River, February 14, 1912. 


The Ural stone-chat winters as far south as southern Ethiopia, 
Gallaland, northern Somaliland, and southern Arabia. In the Sudan 
it occurs as far south as Sobat on the White Nile. 

Neumann * has straightened out the confusion that existed in the 
literature with regard to the nomenclature of this form. He leaves 
the question of a resident Abyssinian race hemprichii open, but 
Meinertzhagen *’ has decided the latter is a synonym of maura and is 
not a breeding bird in northeastern Africa. 

According to Grote ** the migration route appears to follow the 
Red Sea and not the Nile Valley. The form has been taken in 
Egypt on only a few occasions. 

The present specimen is in freshly molted plumage. 


83 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, etc., pp. 365-366, 1870. 
84 Journ. fiir Orn. 1905, p. 749. 

8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 297. 

86TIbid., pp. 295-297. 

& This, 1922, p. 22. 

88 Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, pt. 1, p. 45, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 149 
SAXICOLA RUBETRA RUBETRA (Linnaeus) 


Motacilla rubetra LINNAEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 186, 1758: Europe, restricted 
type locality, Sweden. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 females, Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 18, 1912. 
3 males, 1 female, Gato River, near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 3-16, 1912. 

The European whinchat winters throughout the region traversed 
by the Frick expedition, south as far as southwestern Tanganyika 
Territory. In the western part of the African Continent it ranges 
south to Cameroon, and has been recorded a single time from the 
Southwest African Protectorate. Apparently it is much more of an 
autumn and spring migrant than a winter resident in Ethiopia, but 
in Kenya Colony it is a very abundant bird all through the northern 
winter. 

The birds begin flying northward in March, and the migration lasts 
until well into May in Ethiopia, although it is practically over in 
April in Kenya Colony. 

The birds pass through an incomplete molt while in their winter 
quarters, the wings and tail alone being unaffected. 


COSSYPHA HEUGLINI HEUGLINI Hartlaub 


Cossypha heuglint HartLaus, Journ. fiir Orn., 1866, p. 36: “Keren’’; error, 
Wau, Bahr el Ghazal (Heuglin, Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, etc., vol. 1, 
p. 375, 1869). 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
4 adult males, 3 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 

31—May 11, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 adult female, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 4, 1912. 
1 juvenal male, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 8, 1912. 

Sclater *° considers occidentalis as a synonym of heuglini. 

Gyldenstolpe,®° Grote,*t van Someren,®? and others, however, recog- 
nize it as a valid form, with which opinion I agree. 

However, in the region immediately concerned in this report, occ?- 
dentalis does not occur, the two races involved being heuglini and 
intermedia. The former occurs below 5,000 feet from southern Shoa 
and the Omo region, southwestern Ethiopia to the Upper White Nile, 
west through Darfur to the Shari River, south to Uganda and the 
western half of Kenya Colony to the Ikoma district, Tanganyika 
Territory. The latter form, zntermedia, is more of a coastal bird, and 
occurs from the Juba River south to the Pangani River. 


8 Systema avium ADthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 470, 1930. 
°0 Kong]. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., p. 161, 1924. 
"Orn. Monatsb., p. 142, 1924. 

Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 240, 1922. 


106220—37——11 


150 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


C. h. intermedia is darker below, and smaller (wings, male, 90-98; 
female, 82-88 mm) than C. A. heuglini (wings, male, 101-105; female, 
89-94 mm). 

Grote °° recorded birds from Mikindani, extreme southeastern 
Tanganyika Territory, as C. heuglini, but I do not know whether 
these birds are intermedia or euronota. 

The southern race, ewronota, occurs at Lumbo, Mozambique, in 
Gazaland; and probably northward along the coast to the Rovuma 
River. This form is small, like intermedia, but more greenish olive 
above, having practically no slate-blue on the upper back. 

In Nyasaland and the Katanga, south through Rhodesia to the 
Transvaal, the race swbrufescens occurs. This differs from the 
others in having the middle pair of rectrices blackish brown instead 
of olive-brown. 

The adult males have wings measuring 101, 101.5, 101.5, 104.5, and 
105 mm, respectively; the females, 89, 91, 98, 94 mm. 

On April 18, at Gato River, Mearns collected a nest and two eggs 
together with the female parent. The nest is a deep cup of straws 
and fine twigs, externally surrounded by coarser twigs and thicker 
herbaceous stems. The eggs are somewhat like those of Cossypha 
caffra but paler. They are uniform pale wood brown and measure 
25 by 17 and 24 by 17 mm. 

In Uganda this bird breeds in May, June, and October, according 
to van Someren.** 


COSSYPHA SEMIRUFA SATURATIOR Neumann 


Cossypha semirufa saturatior NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 14, p. 7, 1906: 
Bolagoschana, in Doko, southwestern Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 24, 1912. 
1 male, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 
1 male, Malke, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 
1 male, 2 females, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 6-10, 1912. 

Sclater °° does not recognize this form, but it appears to be per- 
fectly valid nonetheless. Inasmuch as his account does not satisfy 
me, I append a résumé of my findings. The races are as follows: 

1. C. s. semirufa: The high plateau country of Bogosland south to 
the vicinity of Adis Abeba. 

2. C. s. saturatior: The lake region of southern Shoa, and the Omo 
and Doko areas, southwestern Ethiopia, east to the Arussi Plateau. 
This and the nominate form are olive-greenish on the upper back and 
may be told from the next races at a glance by this character. The 


3 Journ. fiir Orn., 1913, p. 141. 
* Tbis, 1916, p. 472. 
® Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 471, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 151 


typical race has the crown dull black, while in saturatior it is glossy 
black. 

3. C. s. donaldsoni: The Harrar area and eastern Gallaland. This 
form has the upper back slaty bluish gray. 

4. C. s. intercedens: The highlands of south-central Kenya Col- 
ony—Ukamba and Kikuyu to Mount Kenya and the Aberdare Moun- 
tains. This form is similar to donaldsoni but has a slightly longer 
wing according to Sclater. The specimens seen by me have wings 
of 90 to94mm. I have seen no donaldsoni material. 

Tt is not generally known that this bird occurs on Mount Kili- 
manjaro, but I have seen one undoubted example from there (U. S. 
N. M. no. 118104, adult male collected by W. L. Abbott at 5,000 feet 
on Mount Kilimanjaro). This bird was listed by Oberholser %* as 
Cossypha heugling intermedia. It is the smallest example of énter- 
cedens seen by me (wing 86 mm) and may be donaldsoni, or else an 
undescribed race, but more material is needed to decide the point. 

The measurements of the present series are shown in table 31. 

There is some variation in the width of the white superciliary 
stripes. In one male these stripes are connected across the forehead, 
while in the rest of the series there is no such frontal connection. The 
birds are all in fairly fresh plumage. 


TABLE 31.—Measurements of six specimens of Cossypha semirufa saturatior 
from Ethiopia 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 
Mm Mm Min Mm 

Atassi Platesues: .. Se Vee SATE Mralete .. 32222 84.0 73.0 17.0 33.0 
ofa es eae oe a ee ee does =s= 80.0 69. 0 18.5 3185 
WRI KO nse neces area ae ce ice eee ee eee GOeense- 84.0 73.5 18.0 31.5 
Aletitass: Seek’ . Fac1E 0895. Seer | eeay: doz fi aesh 80.0 71.0 18.0 30.0 
EY See Sea gta Ae oo Ween oe near Female____.-_- 78.0 66.0 18.0 28.0 

DO aa Sere eee nae 6 wees Ae dossses"2 71.0 62.0 16.5 28.0 


Neumann *’ found this bird to occur at altitudes of from 2,500 
to 3,100 meters. Pease *® met with it frequently in dense bushy 
thickets and under “creeper-covered .earth-banks.” 

Erlanger °° found the east Ethiopian form donaldsoni nesting dur- 
ing May in the region west of Harrar. He considers this form as a 
race of subrufescens while Sclater, in turn, classes it as a form of 
heuglind. 

Besides the specimens procured, Mearns saw this bird at the fol- 
lowing places: Abaya Lakes, March 21-26, 4 birds; between the 


* Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 28, p. 894, 1905. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 283. 

8 Ibis, 1901, p. 660. 

* Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 752. 


152 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Abaya lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 2 seen; Gato River near 
Gardula, March 29—May 17, 100; Kormali village, May 19, 2 birds; 
Sagon River, June 3-6, 20 noted; Bodessa, June 6, 10 birds, Tertale, 
June 7-12, 6 seen; El Ade, June 12-14, 2 birds seen. 


COSSYPHA SEMIRUFA INTERCEDENS (Cabanis) 


Bessornis intercedens CABANIS, Journ. ftir Orn., 1878, pp. 205, 219: Kitui, 
Ukamba, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 immature males, Meru Forest, Kenya Colony, August 10, 1912. 
1 immature male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 

The characters and range of this race have already been given and 
need not be repeated here. The present three birds are all molting 
into adult plumage. The Tharaka bird is almost finished molting 
and is practically adult in appearance; the other two still have a 
number of juvenal upper wing coverts and crown and abdominal 
feathers left. 

COSSYPHA CAFFRA IOLAEMA Reichenow 


Cossypha caffra iolaema REIcHENOW, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 8, p. 5, 1900: East 
Africa; Mount Kilimanjaro. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 adult male, 1 immature male, Escarpment, 7,300 feet, ~ 


Kenya Colony, September 8-10, 1912. 


Cossypha caffra mawensis Neumann? is a synonym. This form is 
sald to differ from iolaema in having the head and upper back black- 
ish brown. I have examined some 30 birds from the highlands of 
south-central Kenya Colony and 5 from Kilimanjaro, and find no 
difference between them. Lénnberg? procured specimens at Escarp- 
ment, Fort Hall, and Punda Melia, and noted that they were 
“* * * similar inter se but somewhat darker than a specimen from 
Kilimanjaro, and have especially less white on the lower side than 
the latter.” The present adult male from Escarpment is exactly 
like Kilimanjaro birds below, and is slightly paler above than two 
individuals of typical zolaema. 

Gyldenstolpe * suggests that not only is mawensis a synonym of 
tolaema but that the latter is identical with typical South African 
caffra, although he uses the name zolaema for his birds from the Kivu 
district. I have seen 11 South African birds (Cape of Good Hope, 
Grahamstown, Transvaal, and Natal) and find that they are paler, 
less slaty, more olivaceous and rusty above than zolaema. The south- 
western form namaquensis I have not seen. Finally, to bring this 
summary to a close, van Someren‘ suggests that birds from Kagera 


1 Journ. fiir Orn., 1900, p. 309: Mau, Kenya Colony. 

2 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., vol. 47, no. 5, 1911, p. 129. 
8 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 160. 

*Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 239, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 153 


and Kivu are darker than Kenyan birds and may be a distinct form. 
Gyldenstolpe’s two Kivu birds fail to corroborate this alleged differ- 
ence. 

The system adopted by Sclater® is therefore correct. It is un- 
fortunate that he does not dispose of mawensis, as his omission leaves 
that name in an uncertain position. 

The present race occurs from the highlands of Nyasaland north 
in the higher districts of Tanganyika Territory and Kenya Colony 
north to Mount Elgon, and the Mount Kenya district, and also in 
the Kivu highlands of the eastern Belgian Congo, and to Urundi, 
and to Ankole, southwestern Uganda. It does not appear to reach 
Ruwenzori, and, for that matter, I do not know of any records from 
Mount Kenya itself, although the Smithsonian-Roosevelt expedition 
obtained a specimen along the Njoro River, in the plains immediately 
to the west of that mountain. 

The young bird collected is in postjuvenal molt; the adult is in 
fairly fresh plumage. The young bird is peculiar in that the spots 
on the upper back are practically white, while in several other 
juvenal birds examined these spots are rich rufous. 

This robin-chat is fairly common along the edges of forests and 
in dense hedgelike thickets. Van Someren® found nestlings in De- 
cember at Nakuru and Nairobi. Fledglings just out of the nest were 
obtained in May and in October at Kitunga and near Fort Hall by 
the Smithsonian-Roosevelt expedition. 

Mearns recorded seeing 10 of these birds at Escarpment, September 
4-12. On Mount Elgon, Granvik* found it up to an altitude of 
8,500 feet. 


CICHLADUSA GUTTATA GUTTATA (Heuglin) 


Crateropus gutitatus Hrvucuin, Journ. fiir Orn., 1862, p. 300: Bahr el Abiad, i. e., 
Upper White Nile; type from Aniop, Bahr el Jebel (Neumann). 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
5 adult males, 2 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 
8—May 11, 1912. 
1 adult male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 4, 1912. 
1 adult male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 11, 1912. 
1 adult male, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 16, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 juvenal male, 1 adult female, Malata, Ethiopia, June 22, 
1912. 
1 adult male, Chaffa, Ethiopia, June 23, 1912. 
1 adult female, north Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, May 23, 1912. 
1 juvenal male, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 23, 1912. 
1 adult female, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 
1 adult female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 


'Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 475, 1930. 
®Ibis, 1916, p. 470. 
TJourn. fiir Orn., 1928, Sonderheft, p. 257. 


154 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Besides the above series, I have examined eight other specimens 
including some practically topotypical birds. The combined series 
of 26 birds shows considerable variation and throws some doubt on 
the validity of rufipennis and miilleri. The latter race, described 
from southern Italian Somaliland, is considered a synonym of rufi- 
pennis by Sclater ® although Gyldenstolpe * considers it a valid race. 
I have seen no Somaliland birds, but a specimen from Temkaka, 
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (therefore unquestionably of the nominate 
race) is grayer than a series from Gondokoro and Rhino Camp. 
However, it is definitely a brownish bird, while Zedlitz *° calls millera 
almost a pure gray-backed form. 

Some 15 or more years ago Mearns identified the female from the 
Tana River, listed above, and another female from Mount Garguess 
as rufipennis. I do not find any significant difference between them 
and females of undoubted guttata. I find that plumage wear pro- 
duces very marked alterations in appearance of these birds, and I 
would be very cautious in recognizing races. However, inasmuch as 
my material is so very weak in coastal specimens; I prefer to follow 
Sclater, and, temporarily at least, recognize rufipennis. Van 
Someren! finds that birds from the 'Taveta-Ukamba region are 
smaller than others from Lake Rudolf, and “darker on the mantle; 
the crown is more distinctly streaked and the spotting on the under- 
side more numerous, larger, and blacker. They thus differ consider- 
ably from the Lamu race rufipennis. Wings 76-88 mm.” These 
birds are probably intermediates between guttata and rufipeniis, as 
the latter has been obtained not far from Taveta—at Kahe, by W. L. 
Abbott. Likewise, the birds from the Morogoro and Dodoma area 
of north-central Tanganyika Territory are intermediate, but, on the 
whole, nearer to the nominate form. 

The adults collected show the range of size variations given in table 
32. A male and a female from Gato River (April 8 and May 4) and 
a female from Malata (June 22) are in molt. 

Neumann ? writes that this bird is an inhabitant of the dense bush 
along placid streams and lakes in the hot valleys of southern Shoa. 

A female shot on April 8 at Gato River contained a fully developed 
egg. 

Besides the specimens listed above, Mearns saw this species on the 
following occasions: Chaffa villages, June 23-25, 120 birds; Endoto 
Mountains, July 21-24, 25 seen; river, 24 miles south of Malele, 
July 29, 10 noted; 40 miles south of Malele, 2 birds seen. 





&Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 481, 1930. 
® Arkiv for Zool., vol. 19A, no. 1, p. 54, 1926. 

10 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 108. 

11 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 236, 1922. 

2 Journ, fiir Orn., 1906, pp. 283-284. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY P55 


TABLE 32.—Measurements of 16 specimens of Cichladusa guttata guttata 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 

ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Gatoy Rivers 22 bls eee 2 eee Malev i226. 8350) ||Sees- =. 18.0 25.0 

ID) a Re a) a dose = 83.5 84.0 19.0 27.5 

DOS eases ee eee cee [eee GOs-s- ene S650) le ase— as 19.0 27.0 

eee SSR. aie Seer STAY dost25i522 83.0 73. 5 19.0 28.0 

AD) Oper ee ete es ne [te Goes. =— =| 880.5 84.0 19.0 26.0 

SaponeR iver. ot 2 = see oe sere Sane GOte sess 85.0 82.0 19.0 27.0 
Rortale-Ble4 ces. see cL Stee |e dot. eee 78.0 80.5 18.5 26.5 
STU t Oss e 23 ea SR Se Le (a 88.5 88 Or |: ae 28.0 
IGA Ae toa aan e a nee en ene: d0ssseee 88.0 87.0 20. 5 27.0 
Chafiazie Sri iste 2 ile ss ass Go seat F329 84.0 83.0 20. 0 28. 0 
GatouRiversc 3-22 =o ee Female-_-__-____ 80.0 79.0 19.0 26.0 
ID) eee ete aaa ee eee ee mere | ae Gore 79, 0 74.0 18.0 27.0 

UM al at eee oF Sete te ek esky ral 228 do: tite 2x 79.0 77.5 16.0 28.0 

KENYA COLONY: 

North of Lake Rudolf. - == 2-2-2 2 doses ee 82.0 80.0 17.5 26.0 

18 miles south of Malele_____-----.-|----- dove seee ees f2, 1650 79.0 16.5 25.0 
MAN ARV Obs 52 ae2 2 ee a ee doje 2 78.0 78.5 17.0 26.0 


ERYTHROPYGIA LEUCOPTERA LEUCOPTERA (Riippell) 


Salicaria leucoptera RUpretnt, Systematische Uebersicht der Vo6gel Nordost- 
Afrika’s, p. 88, pl. 15, 1845: Shoa. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 


Beppe Ye we eee 


jt 


pe 


1 


1 


adult male, 4 adult females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 7-22, 1911. 
adult male, Gidabo village, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 

immature female, Konso, Sagon River, Ethiopia, April 3, 1912. 

adult female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 22, 1912. 

adult males, 1 adult female, Anole village, Ethiopia, May 18, 1912. 

adult male, 2 adult females, Sagon River, Ethiopia, May 19-June 6, 1912. 
adult males, 1 adult female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 21, 1912. 

adult male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 11, 1912. 

adult male, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 

adult female, east of Lake Stefanie, Kenya Colony, May 30, 1912. 

adult male, 2 adult females, 25 miles southeast of Lake Rudolf, Kenya 
Colony, July 12, 1912. 

adult male, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 17, 1912. 

adult male, 1 adult female, camp near Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, 
July 19, 1912. 

adult female, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 28, 1912. 
adult male, 25 miles north of Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, 
July 30, 1912. 

adult male, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 17, 1912. 


The white-winged scrub-robin ranges from Somaliland, the Haw- 
ash Valley, Gallaland, and Shoa to the Karamojo district of north- 
eastern Uganda, Turkanaland, and northern Kenya Colony south to 
the Tana River. In southern Kenya Colony and northern, Tangan- 
yika Territory two other forms occur—brunneiceps, in south-central 
Kenya Colony and adjacent parts of Tanganyika Territory, and 
vulpina, of the Teita-Kilimanjaro country. Finally, in the central 


156 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


and southwestern portion of Tanganyika Territory, another sub- 
species, sclateri, is found. Other forms occur elsewhere in Africa. 

Van Someren 7° writes that vulpina occurs “from the Baringo and 
Tana district south and west through Ukambani, to the plains east 
of Kilimanjaro.” He refers a specimen from Marsabit to vulpina, 
which race is distinguished by having the gray of the crown some- 
what suffused with brownish. I wonder whether van Someren was 
not misled by youngish birds, which, in first adult plumage, have 
the crown washed with brown. Thus, a bird from Tertale in south- 
ern Shoa, and another from the Tana River have brownish crowns, 
but the rest of the series is grayish on the top of the head. 

Erlanger also noticed similar variation in the grayness and brown- 
ness of the crown in his large series from Somaliland and Ethiopia, 
and even went so far as to decide that vulpina was not a valid race. 

The size variations of this bird are as follows: Adult males (13 
specimens)—wing, 62.5-71.5; tail, 61-72.5; culmen, 15.5-17.5; tarsus, 
20-26.5 mm. Adult females (14 specimens)—wing, 63.5-72.5; tail, 
63-75; culmen, 14.5-17.5; tarsus, 23-26 mm. 

This species is widely distributed in southern Ethiopia, both in 
the mountains and in the lower regions, where its rich, pleasing song 
forms a conspicuous part of the general chorus of bird life. It does 
not occur very high up in the mountains, however. 

Erlanger ** found it breeding in southern Somaliland. In April 
he found fresh eggs, while in June he observed fledged young, which 
suggested to him that the bird might be double-brooded. 

Mearns noted about 50 of these scrub-robins along the Tana River, 
August 15-23, and 10 at the junction of that river with the Thika 
River, August 23-26. 


POGONOCICHLA MARGARITATA KENIENSIS Mearns 


Pogonocichla cucullata keniensis MEARNS, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 56, no. 20, 
p. 9, 1911: Mount Kenya, 10,700 feet. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 3 females, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 
8-10, 1912. 

Gyldenstolpe?® has carefully reviewed the nomenclature and sys- 
tematics of the white-starred bush-robin, and Sclater?* has largely 
followed his conclusions. Unfortunately, I find it impossible to recon- 
cile some of those conclusions with the material I have seen of the 
races gutiifer, keniensis, orientalis, and hellert. Both Gyldenstolpe 
and Sclater consider kenensis and helleri as synonyms of guttifer. I 
have examined five adults from Kilimanjaro (topotypical guttifer) 


13 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 236-237, 1922. 

144 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 754-756. 

1% Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 155-158. 

18 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 486-488, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 157 


and six from Mount Kenya (topotypical keniensis, including the 
type), the present four from Escarpment, and six adults from Mount 
Garguess. The Escarpment and Garguess birds agree with those 
from Mount Kenya, and all differ from the Kilimanjaro birds in being 
definitely paler, purer yellowish green, less rusty, on the back. I 
therefore recognize keniensis as a valid form. 

With regard to helleri, 1 have examined the unique type and feel 
that it is probably a synonym of ortentalis, not of guttifer. Its chief 
distinguishing character, the narrow black tips on the rectrices, is 
also present in two adults of ortentalis from the Uluguru Mountains. 
Unfortunately, no juvenal birds from Mount Mbololo are known, but 
aside from the characters of the adults of hellert and orientalis, their 
geography suggests possible, if not probable, identity. Still, it should 
be borne in mind that Gyldenstolpe has found the width of the rec- 
tricial tips to be a variable character, but at any rate I doubt whether 
hellert could be looked upon as a synonym of guttifer. If it is not a 
distinct race (which is not impossible) and if it is not a synonym of 
orientalis, I should suggest lumping it with keniensis rather than 
with guttifer. 

After discussing several of the forms of this bush-robin, Gylden- 
stolpe writes that it would not be surprising “if birds from Usambara, 
Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, and the Highlands of Kenya Colony be- 
longed to one and the same form. But if Pogonocichla orientalis 
really has a plain juvenal dress, as has been stated by Neumann (in 
litt.), we must regard this race distinct and confined to the Hills of 
Usambara.” To this I may add that two juvenal birds from the 
Uluguru Mountains are unspotted above and have the breast feathers 
edged with olive-green, not with black as in guttifer. 

After reading Gyldenstolpe’s valuable notes, I have examined 
Levaillant’s plate of “Le Gobe Mouches Etoile” 17 on which Vieillot 8 
based his description of A/uscicapa stellata, and I concur in the con- 
clusion that that name can not be used for the present species. 
Sundevall’s name margaritata’ is therefore the oldest available 
name. Sclater?° continues to use Vieillot’s name. 

Sclater gives the range of keniensis (or, as he calls it, guttifer) as 
north to Mount Kenya. However, it occurs considerably farther 
north, as Heller obtained a series on Mount Garguess north of the 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River. 

This bird is a denizen of the highland forests, and its range is 
therefore rather broken and discontinuous. It has been found in the 
following localities—Mount Kenya, Nairobi, Kyambu, Ngong, El- 

17 Histoire naturelle des oiseaux d’Afrique, vol. 4, pl. 157, 1805. 

#8 Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., vol. 21, p. 468, 1818. 


%” Ofv. Kongl. Vet.-Akad. Foérh., 1850, p. 104: Caffraria. 
2 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 486, 1930. 


158 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


geyu, Molo, Londiani, Maraquet, the Aberdare Range, and Mount 
Garguess. On Mount Elgon, another race, elgonensis, is found, 
just as on Mount Kilimanjaro, guttifer is the local form. 


CERCOTRICHAS PODOBE PODOBE (Miller) 


Turdus podobe P. L. S. MUtter, Natursystem, Suppl., p. 145, 1776: Senegal. 
SPECIMENS COLLEOTED: 1 female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 21, 1911. 


The black bush-robin appears not to have been found before in the 
Hawash district of Ethiopia, although it is not uncommon in the 
Eritrean lowlands and in the Red Sea littoral of the Sudan. 
Sclater *4 considers this bird and melanoptera conspecific, but it 
would seem just as natural to grant the latter full specific standing, 
as it has plain brownish wings, while podobe has a large bright 
rufous patch on the inner web of each remex. 

The present specimen is in fairly fresh plumage and has the fol- 
lowing dimensions: Wing, 92; tail, 110.5; culmen, 20; tarsus, 28 mm. 

According to von Heuglin, the breeding season in Dongola is 
from July to August. Zedlitz ** suggests that this is also true in the 
Cheren district, southern Eritrea. 


PHOENICURUS PHOENICURUS PHOENICURUS (Linnaeus) 
Motacilla phoenicurns LINNAEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 187, 1758: Europe; Sweden 


(Hartert). 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 unsexed, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, September 9, 1911. 


This specimen was obtained from M. Ouellard. 

Two races of the European redstart occur in Ethiopia in winter— 
the typical one, and the eastern form samamisioeus, which may be told 
very easily by the white outer webs of the primaries. 

The typical form winters south to southwesiern Arabia, Ethiopia, 
Turkanaland, southern Sudan, etc., west to the Gold Coast. It has 
been taken as far south as Bukoba, on the west shore of Lake Victoria, 
but this is unusual, It does not appear to have been found in Kenya 
Colony or adjacent parts of southern Uganda. 

It is not impossible that a third form, turkestanicus Sarudny, may 
winter in eastern Africa, according to Grote.” 


PHOENICURUS PHOENICURUS SAMAMISICUS (Hablizl) 


Motacilla samamisica Hasiizt, Neue Nordische Beytriige, vol. 4, p. 60, 1788: 
Samamisch Alps, Gilan Province, northern Persia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 18, 1911. 
1 male, Serre, Upper Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 13, 1912. 
1 male, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 


21 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 488, 1930. 
22 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 87. 
28 Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, pt. 1, p. 46, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 159 


The Gidabo River specimen is much blacker on the upper back 
than either of the other two; the Serre example is the palest of the 
three. 

This race of the redstart is known only from southern Arabia 
and from Ethiopia and northern Somaliland with certainty in its 
African winter range. It follows, by inference, that it does not 
migrate down the valley of the Nile, but over the Red Sea. 


ERITHACUS RUBECULA RUBECULA (Linnaeus) 


Motacilia rubecula LINNAEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 188, 1758: Hurope; restricted 
type locality Sweden. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Mediterranean between Palermo and Almaria, 
October 11, 1912. 

This specimen flew on board the steamer as Mearns was returning 
from Africa. Though it has nothing to do with the results of the field 
work in Africa, it is included here to complete the record of the 
specimens obtained. 

The bird is in fresh plumage. 


LUSCINIA MEGARHYNCHA AFRICANA (Fischer and Reichenow) 


Lusciola africana FiscHEer and REICHENOW, Journ. fiir Orn., 1884, p. 182: Klein 
Aruscha, near Mount Kilimanjaro. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Sadi Malka, Hthiopia, December 20, 1911. 


The Persian nightingale (described from a wintering bird taken in 
Tanganyika Territory; hence the name africana) winters south to 
northern Tanganyika Territory. Apparently this bird has never been 
taken in Ethiopia before, and only a small number of wintering speci- 
mens have been taken in all. Meinertzhagen** obtained one in the 
Teita Hills near Voi, Kenya Colony, in December. He says: “In addi- 
tion to this specimen other winter birds are known from near Kili- 
manjaro, southern Arabia, and N, Somaliland.” According to Grote,”° 
Schillings found it as early as September in the Massai country. 

Apparently the migration route follows Arabia and the Red Sea 
and not the Nile Valley. 

This form is paler than typical European Z. m. megarhyncha. 


Family SYLVIIDAE, Old World Warblers 
SYLVIA CURRUCA CURRUCA (Linnaeus) 


Motacilla curruca LINNAEuS, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 184, 1758: Europe; restricted 
type locality, Sweden. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 20, 1911. 


The lesser whitethroat is a regular winter visitor in northeastern 
Africa, especially those parts of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan that he 


* Ibis, 1922, p. 30. 
5 Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, pt. 1, p. 47, 1930. Be 


160 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


to the east of the Nile, and also in Ethiopia south to the Shoan lakes 
and to Arussi-Gallaland. It occurs west to Lake Chad. 

Grote ** has summarized the data on this bird’s migrations in Africa 
and finds that one line of flight passes along the Nile Valley and 
another along the Red Sea and Arabia. In Darfur, Lynes recorded 
the birds as early as the middle of October and observed them depart- 
ing in March. Meinertzhagen *? found the spring migration to extend 
later into the year in Egypt than in Asia Minor (March 24 to April 11 
in Egypt, as against early March in Palestine). 

Geyr von Schweppenburg ** has given further details, which make 
it unnecessary to say more here. 

The specimen is in worn plumage, and badly damaged by shot. 
This warbler does not molt appreciably in its winter quarters until 
iong after its arrival (January and February). 


SYLVIA COMMUNIS COMMUNIS Latham 


Sylvia communis LATHAM, Supplement (I) to the general synopsis of birds, 
p. 287, 1787: England. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Ethiopia (no exact locality), March 6, 1912. 


The whitethroat occupies a much more extensive winter range than 
does S. curruca curruca, as it occurs south to central Tanganyika 
Territory regularly, and occasionally even to Southern Rhodesia and 
to Damaraland. In western Africa it ranges south to the Gold Coast 
and Northern Nigeria (south to the northern border of the Upper 
Guinea forest area). 

It is a common bird in Ethiopia, where it begins to arrive late in 
September. The spring migration starts in the middle of March. 
Van Someren *® has, however, found individuals lingering as late as 
April in Kenya Colony. 

The present specimen is in molt. 

The Caucasian race zcterops is known to winter in northern Somali- 
land but has not yet been reported from Ethiopia. It is slightly 
larger and is darker above and has paler, less rufous, more grayish 
edges to the secondaries. 


SYLVIA ATRICAPILLA ATRICAPILLA (Linnaeus) 


Motacilla atricapilla Linnarnus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 187, 1758: Europe; re- 
stricted type locality, Sweden. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Loco, Ethiopia, March 13, 1912. 


The familiar blackcap of Europe winters in Africa south to Gam- 
bia and French Guinea in the west, to Ruwenzori in central Africa, 


2° Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, pt. 1, p. 35, 1930. 

2 JTpis, 1922, p. 10. 

28 Verh. vI Int. Orn. Kongr. in Kopenhagen, pp. 89-101, 1926 (publ. 1929) ; and Journ. 
fiir Orn., 1930, p. 49. 

22 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 233, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 161 


and to southwestern Tanganyika Territory in the east. It is a 
common bird in Ethiopia and Kenya Colony. It arrives in Ethiopia 
around the beginning of October; in Kenya Colony, toward the 
middle of November, according to Grote.*° The birds of central 
and southern Kenya Colony begin moving northward in the first 
half of March, and the migration is well under way in Ethiopia and 
southern Arabia by the first week in April. Stragglers may be found 
along the Red Sea as late as the first days in May. 

In Ethiopia this warbler occurs up to the surprising altitude of 
2,700 meters, where Neumann * found it not uncommon. Meinertz- 
hagen *? writes that in “some winters the Blackcap is very common 
in Kenya Colony; in others it is scarce.” 


HIPPOLAIS PALLIDA ELAEICA (Lindermeyer) 


Salicaria elaeica LINDERMEYER, Isis, 1848, p. 342: Greece. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 31, 1912. 

Both this form and the nominate race of the olivaceous warbler 
winter in Ethiopia, but only edaeica gets as far south as Kenya Colony. 
The two may be distinguished by their dorsal coloration, which is 
isabelline-brown in pallida and grayish olive-brown in elaeica. 

Grote ** does not mention Ethiopia as part of the winter range of 
elaeica, but Hesse ** definitely mentions a specimen taken at Dire 
Daoua on December 28, 1907, which he refers to elaetca. Further- 
more, Neumann * collected a bird at the south end of Lake Gandjule 
in Shoa, which he found to agree very closely with Hemprich and 
KEhrenberg’s types from Dongola and Ambukol, except in having a 
darker maxilla, which, fortunately, is not a racial character in this 
species. Another record, which Grote appears to have overlooked, 
is a specimen of elaeica from Aruwin in northern Somaliland. 
Erlanger ** writes that this specimen is somewhat grayer above than 
typical pallida, a statement that shows it to be of the form elaeica. 

Meinertzhagen *? writes that all winter “visitors of this species to 
Kenya Colony appear to belong to this race. From December to late 
March they are common from Uganda to the coast * * * latest 
spring record being from Kisumu on the Victoria Nyanza on I. iv.” 
Van Someren ** found a good deal of variation in the color of the 
upper back in his series from Kenya Colony and Uganda. I have 


80 Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, pt. 1, pp. 38-34, 1930. 
31 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 284. 

2 Tbis, 1922, p. 8. 

33 Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, pt. 1, p. 31, 1930. 

* Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 268. 

% Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 284. 

%¢ Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 736. 

Ibis, 1922, p. 6. 

% Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 2382, 1922. 


162 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


seen no birds from either of those countries, but a series from the 
Sudan and the present bird from Ethiopia are quite uniform in this 
respect. 

The present specimen is in rather fresh plumage. It has a wing 
length of 68 mm. 


PHYLLOSCOPUS TROCHILUS TROCHILUS (Linnaeus) 


Motacilla trochilus Linnarus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 188, 1758: England (see 
Hartert, Die Végel der paliiarktischen Fauna, vol. 1, p. 597, 1907). 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 males, 2 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, 
April 2-21, 1912. 

The willow warbler winters throughout the greater part of Africa 
south to the Cape Province. In the areas traversed by the Frick 
expedition it is a common and regular migrant and winter visitor. 
The four specimens listed above were very fat and were undoubtedly 
migrating north when collected. 

The northern Eurasian race eversmanni also winters in Africa, and 
it may be that one of the present specimens may be of that race. 
However, the difference between the two is very slight (wings 66 to 
70 mm in trochilus, 68 to 72 mm in eversmanni—males in both 
cases), and it is not always possible to differentiate between migrants 
of the two forms. The two males collected have wing lengths of 
70 and 71.5 mm, respectively, but do not bear out the statement made 
by various writers that eversmanni is grayer, less greenish above, and 
whiter, less yellow below than the nominate race. 

Erlanger ** found this bird in great numbers in southern Shoa 
during December, and met with it commonly in Gurraland in the 
middle and end of March, where singing males were not uncommon. 
Neumann *° found it was an abundant winter bird in the middle and 
more lofty highlands of Djamdjam, Kaffa, and Shoa. In Eritrea 
and extreme northern Ethiopia the species is much more of a migrant 
than a winter resident, according to Zedlitz.* 

Grote *? has summarized the published data on this bird and finds 
it reaches the equatorial parts of East Africa as early as the latter 
part of August, although the bulk of the autumn migration is in 
September, and by October or early November the birds arrive in 
South Africa. On the return migration the birds depart in March 
and April and only a few stragglers are left by the first days of May. 
Van Someren 4? has taken specimens as late as June in Kenya Colony, 
but such birds are exceptionally late. 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 735. 

40 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 284. 

41 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 70. 

42 Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, pt. 1, p. 24-25, 1930. 
48 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 238, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 163 
PHYLLOSCOPUS COLLYBITA COLLYBITA (Vieillot) 


Sylvia collybita VieiLLot, Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., vol. 11, p. 235, 1817: France. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911. 

1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, February 1, 1912. 

1 male, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 20, 1912. 

The chiffchaff winters in Africa south to northern Somaliland, 
southern Ethiopia, the Bahr el Ghazal, Darfur, the Gold Coast, 
and Senegal. It does not occur in Kenya Colony. 

In Ethiopia it occurs together with the willow warbler, which it 
resembles so greatly in appearance. Erlanger ** found it common 
from November to March together with P. trochilus in northern 
Somaliland, and very abundant in Djamdjam in December. 
Strangely enough, Neumann did not meet with it, but only with 
trochilus. Zedlitz*® writes that collybita is an abundant winter 
visitor along the Red Sea coastal belt in Eritrea but that it is much 
scarcer in the highlands of the interior of that country and of 
northern Ethiopia, where it occurs chiefly as a migrant. 

The paler, northern race, abéetina, also occurs in Ethiopia and 
occasionally wanders south into Kenya Colony. 


SEICERCUS UMBROVIRENS OMOENSIS (Neumann) 


Oryptolopha umbrovirens omoensis NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 208: 
Banka, Malo, Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 females, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 20-29, 1912. 
1 male, near Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 6, 1912. 

It is rather difficult to decide where to draw specific lines in the 
African forms of Seicercus. The present species contains at least 
five races as correctly stated by Neumann, but whether w7/helmi 
Gyldenstolpe #* and alpina Ogilvie-Grant ‘7 are to be considered 
specifically distinct from the wnbrovirens group is an open question. 
They have been usually granted specific standing, and in the absence 
of sufficient material, I do not care to propose any change but merely 
take the opportunity to point out the very close apparent relation- 
ships of these birds. 

In Ethiopia and Kenya Colony (and immediately adjacent parts 
of Uganda, Tanganyika Territory, and Eritrea) there are five valid 
subspecies, as follows: 

1. S. wu. umbrovirens (Riippell) : The drainage basin of the Blue 
Nile to Lake Tsana and the Simien Mountains, Ethiopia. This form 


# Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 735. 

*® Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 70. 

48 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 43, p. 37, 1922: Mount Muhavura, Birunga Volcanoes. 
7 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 16, p. 117, 1906: Ruwenzori. 


164 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


has fairly light brownish upperparts, with no olive-green tinge; 
middle of throat brownish. 

2. S. u. erythreae (Salvadori) : Bogosland, Eritrea, the drainage 
basin of the Barco River, the coastal plain of the Danakil area. 
This form, which I have not seen, is said to be even paler and purer 
brown above; middle of throat white. 

3. S.u.omoensis (Neumann) : Southern Ethiopia from Harrar and 
the Arussi-Galla countries to Djamdjam, eastern and southern Shoa, 
and the Omo region. This race has the upperparts distinctly washed 
with olive-green and has the whole throat tawny grayish brown. 

4. S. u. mackenziana (Sharpe): The highlands of the interior of 
Kenya Colony from Kikuyu, Mount Kenya, Mount Uraguess, Mau, 
Escarpment, Burnt Forest, Londiani, Aberdare, and Elgeyu to 
Mount Elgon. This race is light below, i. e., middle of throat and 
most of abdomen white; the upperparts brown, washed with olive- 
green on wings, tail, and upper tail coverts. 

5. S. u. dorcadichroa (Reichenow): Mount Kilimanjaro. Most 
similar to omoensis, but without the olive-green wash on the dorsum ; 
throat tawny grayish brown. 

Jn addition to these five, there is a very pale form with white lores 
in southwestern Arabia. This is the race named yemensis by 
Ogilvie-Grant ** from the high mountains of the Yemen provinces. 
I have seen no material of this race. 

Seicercus alpina appears to be merely an extremely dark version 
of dorcadichroa, and might well be considered a seventh race. 

S. budongoensis and S. laeta may represent another specific group, 
rather than two such aggregates. I have seen no specimens of the 
former and have merely compared Seth-Smith’s description * with a 
single example of the latter. Neither has anything to do with the 
umbrovirens group. 

One of the two females is darker, more brownish, less olivaceous 
above than the other. In size they agree, both having wings 55 mm 
long; tails, 41-42; culmen, 10; tarsus, 19-19.5 mm. The male has 
the following dimensions: Wing, 61; tail, 48; culmen, 11; tarsus, 
21 mm. The dark female resembles the birds from Sciotalit and 
Antotto discussed by Neumann * and seems to be an intermediate 
between omoensis and umbrovirens. 

The three specimens are in fairly fresh plumage, a fact that, 
together with Erlanger’s observations *! indicates that the species 


48 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club., vol. 31, p. 90, 1913. 
49 Bull. Brit. Orn., Club, vol. 21, p. 12, 1907. 
60 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 209. 

5 Tbid., p. 684. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 165 


breeds in fresh plumage. Erlanger found a nest with three eggs on 
April 26 at Burko, on the mountain trail between Harrar and Adis 
Abeba, and another nest on March 28 at Gara Mulata. 


SEICERCUS UMBROVIRENS MACKENZIANA (Sharpe) 


Cryptolopha mackenziana SHARPE, Ibis, 1892, p. 153: Kikuyu. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 
{, 1912. 

The range of this subspecies has already been outlined and need 
not be repeated here. 

This specimen is slightly darker above, especially on the head, 
than any of a good series (24) from Mount Kenya, but a series from 
Escarpment is needed to determine whether this difference is con- 
stant. Granvik *? collected a small series on Mount Elgon and found 
that— 

* * * only one of the 4 specimens has the throat greyish white, in the 
other 8 it is more yellowish-brown on a pale greyish white ground. 

Reichenow states * * * that the length of the wing of this bird is 55 
mm. In my specimens the wings have a measurement of 59 and 64 mm. for the 
6 @ and 55 and 57 mm. for the @ Q@. It is therefore possible that the 
Elgon bird represents a larger form, which should thus have a separate namie. 


The size measurements I find are of no significance. Thus, the 
present bird from Escarpment has a wing length of 57; tail, 44; 
culmen, 11; and tarsus, 21 mm; while Mount Kenya birds range 
as follows: Males—wing, 57.5-62.5; tail, 47-50; culmen, 10.5-12; 
tarsus, 20.5-22 mm. Females—wing, 55-58; tail, 43-47; culmen, 
11-12.5; tarsus, 20-21.5 mm. 

Like all the races of this species the present form is a denizen of 
the highland forests. Granvik found it on Mount Elgon up to 
11,000 feet, even above the true forest. He writes that it “was among 
the few that followed the slopes of the mountains right up to the 
highest summits, * * * even among the old and withered trees 
of the Hrica forest. Only once did I observe the bird down at the 
foot of Elgon * * * but otherwise it was found in the subalpine 
regions.” On Mount Kenya it has been taken up to 12,100 feet. 

Little is known of the breeding time of mackenziana. Van 
Someren °* shot a male on November 17 in the Londiani forest and 
says: “At the time that it was shot it was holding a piece of bark- 
fibre in its bill, probably for nesting purposes, as, on dissection, the 
testes were found to be large.” 

Mearns recorded seeing 10 of these birds at Escarpment, Sep- 
tember 4-12. 


52 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 124. 
53 Tbis, 1916, pp. 879-380. 


106220—37, 12 





166 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
BRADYPTERUS BRACHYPTERUS ABYSSINICUS (Blundell and Lovat) 


Lusciniola abyssinica BLUNDELL and LovAt, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 10, p. 19, 
1899: Lake Chercher, near Harrar, Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 2, 1912. 


As far as I have been able to discover, this specimen is the second 
one known from Ethiopia, and it serves to connect the type from 
Harrar in the eastern part of that country with the series from Lake 
No, Sudan, recorded by Sclater and Mackworth-Praed.* 

Sclater ** has listed five races of this swamp warbler. Unfor- 
tunately, he, as well as other workers who have not had access to 
the type of fraterculus Mearns, has considered that form a race of 
brachypterus, which it is not. Van Someren ** was more nearly on 
the right path when he wrote that altwmi appears to be very similar 
to fraterculus. The trouble started because Mearns described frater- 
culus as a race of babaeculus on the assumption that Reichenow 
was correct in stating that babaeculus and barratti were the same. 
Sharpe, however, inclined to the view that babaeculus was identical 
with Calamoherpe gracilirostris (=Calamornis gracilirostris), which 
view has been followed by the majority of students with the result 
that subsequent workers felt that Mearns implied /raterculus was a 
form with 12 broad rectrices like the other forms of brachypterus. 
However, it belongs to the section of the genus having 10 narrow tail 
feathers. The type itself has one complete rectrix (a narrow one) 
and portions of two others; the rest were shot off; but a female from 
Mount Kenya, which agrees perfectly with the type and which was 
identified as fraterculus by Mearns, has 10 narrow rectrices. It fol- 
lows, then, that fraterculus is not a form of brachypterus, but a dis- 
tinct species, closely related to altumi. The birds with 12 broad rec- 
trices, inhabiting the highlands of Kenya Colony, are centralis. 

I have not seen enough material to really decide on the merits of 
the races of the present bird, but it seems that the forms are very 
slightly differentiated. The birds of the Kenyan highlands are 
somewhat intermediate between abyssinicus and typical centralis. 

The forms of this swamp warbler may be summarized as follows: 

1. B. b. brachypterus: South Africa from the western Cape Prov- 
ince to Natal, and (assuming that Sclater is correct in considering 
transvaalensis Roberts °° as a synonym) to the Transvaal and Nyasa- 
land. Sclater writes that it also ranges north to Benguella, but inas- 
much as he recognizes Bannerman’s form benguellensis as well, this 
seems doubtful. I have, however, seen no Angolan material. 


%Tbis, 1918, p. 658. 

5 Systema avium A2thiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 508-509, 1930. 
5 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 229, 1922. 

5 Die Vogel Afrikas, vol. 3, p. 580, 1905. 

8 Ann. Transvaal Mus., vol. 6, p. 116, 1919. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 167 


2. B. b. benguellensis: Southern Angola. This form I have not 
seen. It is said to be the darkest of all the races of this species. 

3. B. b. centralis: The highlands of Kenya Colony from the 
Kikuyu area and Mount Kenya to Mount Elgon, and the Kivu 
district of the eastern Belgian Congo, and reappearing again in 
Cameroon. This form is said by Neumann * to resemble the nom- 
inate form and abyssinicus but to have the black streaks on the lower 
throat more distinct; the upper parts slightly less rufous, more olive; 
the sides and flanks also more olive-brown. I have seen one specimen 
from Mount Elgon and one from near Fort Hall (Wambugu) and 
find that the character of the throat streaks does not hold at all, and 
that the dorsal coloration is darker, but not especially more oliva- 
ceous, than in brachypterus or abyssinicus. The sides and flanks are 
somewhat more olivaceous. Van Someren® writes that his series 
from Kenya Colony and Uganda are so different from Neumann’s 
type that he is “inclined to think that they must belong to another 
race, especially as Kivu birds are not usually like Nairobi ones, and 
these birds are very local! However, until a series is obtained from 
Kivu, one cannot decide the question.” He admits that Neumann’s 
type was a very much abraded specimen, as was also another from 
Escarpment, which Neumann also called centralis, while van 
Someren’s birds are in fresh plumage. 

4. B. b. abyssinicus: Southern Ethiopia (Harrar and Aletta) west 
to Lake No on the Upper White Nile, Sudan. I have not seen any 
Sudanese birds, but I cannot help but question the identity of the 
specimens from there. It would not be surprising if they were just 
as close to centralis as to typical abyssinicus. This race is slightly 
darker and smaller than brachypterus. 

The present specimen is in somewhat worn plumage. Its measure- 
ments are as follows: Wing, 59; tail, 64; culmen from base, 15.5; 
tarsus, 22 mm. 


BRADYPTERUS CINNAMOMEUS (Riippell) 


Sylvia ? (Salicaria) cinnamomea RUPPELL, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna yon 
Abyssinien gehorig, ete., Vé6gel, p. 111, pl. 42, 1840: Entschetqab, Simien, 
Ethiopia. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

2 males, Arussi Plateau, 9,000—-9,200 feet, Ethiopia, February 24-28, 1912. 
1 female, Malke, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 


1 male, 1 female, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 7-10, 
1912. 


The systematics of the cinnamon swamp warbler have been investi- 
gated by a number of workers, and a number of racial forms have 


© Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 21, p. 55, 1908. 
6 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 230, 1922. 


168 BULLETIN 1538, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


been named, none of which appears to be valid. In the present study 
I have assembled a series of 79 specimens from Ethiopia, various 
parts of Kenya Colony (Mount Kenya, Escarpment, Naivasha, 
Chuka, Kericho, Limoru, Fort Hall, Aberdare Mountains, Nyeri, 
Mau, Gilgil, Lekiundu River, and Mount Garguess), Tanganyika 
Territory (Kilimanjaro and the Usambara Mountains), and the Ru- 
wenzori Mountains. I find no constant geographic, size, or color 
differences that in any way support the contentions of those students 
who have recognized subspecific groups. Neumann * described salva- 
dorit from the Kondoa Irangi district of Tanganyika Territory on 
the basis of their larger size. Three years later ®* he admitted that 
the difference was not well marked and that, on the whole, the typical, 
Ethiopian birds were larger than his race salvadorii. Van Som- 
eren * recognizes salvadorii and also elgonensis Madarasz (supposed 
to have a wider pectoral band than salvadorii) of Mount Elgon east 
to Molo and Burnt Forest. He also suggests that a darker race oc- 
curs in southern Ankole, western Uganda. Granvik,* on the other 
hand, relegates Elgon specimens to typical cinnamomeus. Finally, 
Gyldenstolpe °° examined a good series and could not “detect any 
colour-differences between specimens from Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenia, 
Mount Elgon, and the Birunga Volcanoes, nor are there any differ- 
ences with regard to size.” He was not able to examine any Abys- 
sinian birds and so could not say definitely that there was but one 
race. I have compared the present three birds from Ethiopia with 
Kenyan and Tanganyikan material and find no difference between 
them. Table 33 shows very clearly the absence of any size criterion 
for the recognition of salvadorii. Only adults are tabulated. 

The color characters are likewise variable; it may be that the 
degree of rufous increases with age, as Granvik suggested. ‘The two 
Escarpment birds are darker grayish, less rufous, on the crown and 
upper back than any others seen, but the difference is a slight one. 

This species is remarkable in that it varies with regard to the 
number of rectrices, the limits being 10 and 12, thereby bridging the 
gap between the 10-rectrixed and the 12-rectrixed species of the 
genus. If not for this species, it might almost be advisable to split 
the genus into two. Ogilvie-Grant first noticed this and wrote * that 
“examples of this species from the mountains of Shoa, Mount Kenya, 
and Kikuyu possess 12 tail-feathers, but in a large series of speci- 
mens from Ruwenzori only 10 tail-feathers are found, though one 


1 Journ. fiir Orn., 1900, p. 304. 

62 Orn. Monatsb., 1903, p. 90-91. 

63 Nov. Zool., vol. 25, p. 288, 1918; and vol. 29, p. 230, 1922. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 239-240. 

% Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 137-139. 

6 Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 19, p. 354, 1910. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA 


AND KENYA COLONY 


169 


TABLE 33.—Measurements of 57 specimens of Bradypterus cinnamomeus 








Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
“ArussirPlatesu= 225-221 peter 3 2: IWalere s ete 65.0 72.0 15.5 23.0 
Doe elas 535. ey ee Se Gow 2555 63.0 72. 5 16.0 22.5 
KENYA COLONY: 
Hscarpment...-.-.-_4- 422. Se3c15. Weert do_isatkt 64.0 68.0 16.0 23.0 
Mount Garguess- 222 052555 Se Oo. See oS sae el 68. 0 15.0 23.0 
Mexia Weiver-sese. so-so ee sane ae do.n.: aes 64.0 68.0 15.0 24.5 
Mopnt (Kenya: 22224. .s22set see tet dohei#. 282 59.0 69.0 15.0 24.0 
1D foyA EERE See See eee ee doe 62.0 70.5 14.0 23.0 
a) a * "eng ee ee oe en de Gos st as 62.0 67.0 15.5 24.0 
One ia 8. hee es chee Bee doit 63.5 69.0 15.0 24.0 
DIOL MERE a 8 SES EN gS et Be G08 2s 59. 5 65.0 14.5 24.0 
PPE ee ree ee RE ee eee Goes ee 63. 0 67.0 16.5 23.0 
TDG ee les OE he ry eye oe ree Pere ae eS Goi. Fase ehs 62.0 69.0 16.0 24.0 
1D {eye ER ae es OS es eS ee doen. = 60.0 65. 0 14.5 23.0 
1) ee ae ere ee ee es ee! ome =ee 60.0 66.0 15.0 22.5 
Des SVE 55 oa a. cogent 0) ee oe dors ft 59.0 68.0 14.5 24.0 
Osa SEL tS Sh yt ae Go: 2 63.5 71.0 16.0 24,0 
Wreston Mount kenyae2® 222-2 = |e doles 61.0 69.0 15.7 25.0 
Dee 8 aged pee pees bee ok eter EL doiz.2taar! 59.5 63.5 16.0 24.0 
ID OP ELEL | Aes eee ek SEES COS 60.0 70.0 16.0 23.5 
DD) OSes ee ee a eee eee GOs 2a eee er Ono 60.0 15.0 25.0 
Wore SS. cebu ceeetutre 2 Susi re. alge pty tt: 61.0 68.0 15.0 25.0 
DO Seen ee Ee ea ks @0-2..42-= 60.0 65.0 15.5 24.0 
DOs Pe es a ei EE (G(0) = ees 59.0 72.0 15.0 25.0 
DOR aes sh pee ea ee aa tyes Sea dy Gortst 548 62.5 65.0 15.0 22:5 
Aberdare Mountains_____.-.-_____.|----- GOs ees 66.0 58.0 14.5 24.0 
Chukas ss. RIAN oe eto dos noe 59.0 67.0 14.0 24.5 
(Cyt (a) ele ee ee eee ne a dose: Bes 64.0 73.0 15.0 24.0 
eimorgss 2 a Ee Ee eyes Set dos as.t | 64.5 65.0 15.0 23.0 
St AO. 2 er se 2 Se Ble ee dolls.2f3% 62.0 71.0 13.5 23.0 
ING VeMi Ss =) see ee cpa hese TT ie De | oa ge Goths 944 60. 0 GEIB Soe 25.0 
ONT R eee ea oie et ae ne ie ee |e Gozs sa 61.0 69.0 14.5 23.5 
AECiCh Gee Saas SURE eee! 8 ele eels Goseee 65.0 MeO) foo ee ee 25. 5 
UGANDA: Ruwenzori Mountains_______|-----_ dolsaitey 62.0 72.0 15.0 23.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
Mount Menyastess-=- = et eee Hemale=sa2 60.0 67.0 14.5 24.0 
TOL eae Ss seed | sees S Sep Sh do aeete- 61.0 68.0 16.0 24. 5 
DOs See e se eae a ee Gots BE eek? 65.0 15.0 23, 5 
DOF eee eh PRE A aL ok dota teu HGS) | SEC 15.5 23. 5 
DOE ae ae he eee Ba TE doliasnta. 58.0 65.0 15.0 23. 5 
ND) Oe eee cee Oe pee tp eg GO=2= a GLOp sh 15.0 24.0 
WOLF aS EL he SS A ee Ea dos 58.0 65. 0 14.5 22.5 
Dols) 428) ses eh se || lee Gore ares 603,5.5 |teet ses 15.0 23.0 
Wrestiorivtount, Kenya = s42 225.5 |oo a 0:2: - 52> 64.0 66.0 15.5 22. 5 
PIONS F PERS: AES Ie Wh ERE | SPE LE Gos ase 61.0 65.0 16.0 23.0 
DGbe as ss leer aows ey cee dois. exe 60.0 65. 0 15.0 24.0 
DOE eres ec ee ek ea G02 22k 58.0 67.0 15.0 22; 5 
IAW EE SAN BILD PEASE ALL dos. sm8 58.0 63.5 15.0 23.5 
DOs aes se: od Bok Ee Hee ge dots. 2b 61.0 67.0 15.0 25.0 
HD) Oe ened ee ee is Be ces IN re Gorse 3 61.5 10: Sieg |S een 24.0 
DOE ea Pe Ee dg 62.0 70.0 15.5 22.0 
TKericho 125 = ols ee GOS ort 59. 0 65.0 15.0 23. 5 
INAV ASH ame ots eyes nea os 21 edhe GOs = 66.0 74.0 15.0 24.0 
mscanpmoent=_ 9.) Site Fh Pe et SA aortas 61.0 68.0 15.5 23.0 
ONG eva ee ee eee ew dost 4.2. 61.0 67.5 15.0 24.0 
IEITHIORTAS Mis Oss scene ae eee ee eee eee Ole (cy EA) ee ae 15.0 22.5 
TANGANYIKA TERRITORY: 
Usambara Mountains_____-..____]_-__- do.2s1: = 57.5 68. 0 14.5 22.5 
DOvne ee ee oe ee os ae ee dona ne 58.0 71.0 15.9 23.0 
RIAN AT Oss ws | Goes Gls One | Sates [Eee ees 24.0 





170 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


example has the abnormal number of 11 * * *. It is thus evident 
that the birds from Ruwenzori, though differing in no way in 
plumage from specimens from Shoa, show symptoms of becoming 
gradually differentiated into a distinct form.” I have examined a 
large series from Kenya Colony and find that while the majority of 
birds have 12 rectrices, occasional individuals have only 10 (i. e., 
naturally, not due to two feathers being shot off). 

This bird inhabits swampy ground covered with thick, luxuriant 
vegetation and occurs only in the highlands, the altitudinal range 
being approximately 5,000 to 13,500 feet. Von Heuglin * writes that 
it occurs on the mountains of Simien, and the high plateaus of Bege- 
meder, Lasta, and Gallaland at altitudes of from 9,000 to 12,000 feet. 
On Mount Elgon, Granvik found it on the fringe of the bamboo zone 
at 9,500 to 10,000 feet, but also met with it at 8,000 feet near Londi- 
ani. On Ruwenzori it has been taken from 6,000 to 10,000 feet; on 
Kilimanjaro from 6,000 to 12,000 feet. The highest point at which 
it has been found is 18,500 feet on Mount Karissimbi, in the Kivu 
district of the Belgian Congo, where Gyldenstolpe obtained it. 
Nakuru, Naivasha, Kericho, Fort Hall, and Lekiundu River appear 
to be the lowest localities at which it occurs. 

Not much is known of the breeding season, but nestlings have 
been taken on Mount Kenya in the middle of October. 


BRADYPTERUS ALFREDI FRATERCULUS Mearns 


Bradypterus babaeculus fraterculus MEARNS, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 61, 
no. 20, p. 3, 1913: Escarpment, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 10, 1912. 


This specimen is the type of this race. 

This bird is not a race of brachypterus, as considered by Sclater 
and others, or of barratti, to which (under the name babaeculus) 
Mearns thought it was most closely allied, but appears to be a form 
of alfredi nearest to the Kilimanjaro form sjéstedti, but darker. 
Similarly, it seems that wsambarae is another race of this species. 
Furthermore it appears not impossible that nyassae may be still an- 
other race, although I can not say without seeing material. Like- 
wise, I can not repress a wonder whether roehli and usambarae may 
not be the same, but again lack of material of both sexes of each of 
the forms prevents me from deciding (types of both examined). 

The forms of B. alfredi are as follows: 

1. B. a. alfredi: Only known from the type locality (and the type 
specimen )—Njangalo, west of Lake Albert. 

2. B. a, albicrissalis: Only known from the type locality (and the 
type specimen)—Mubuku Valley, eastern Ruwenzori. 


® Ornithologie Nordost-Afrikas, etc., vol. 1, p. 275, 1869. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 171 


3. B. a. fraterculus: The highlands of Kenya Colony from Mount 
Kenya to Mau. 

4. B. a. sjéstedti: Mounts Kilimanjaro and Meru. 

5. B. a. usambarae:; Usambara and Uluguru Mountains. 

A possible sixth race is nyassae of the Nyasa highlands. It may 
even be that msiri of the Katanga is a seventh. 

The five forms listed may be distinguished by the following 
characters: The under tail coverts are entirely white in albicrissalis; 
they are margined with white in a/fredi; and they have no white 
on them in the other three. Of the remaining three, fraterculus is 
the darkest; it has the breast, sides, flanks, thighs, and under tail 
coverts brownish olive; the other two have these areas distinctly 
tawny-olive. The difference between sjostedii and wsambarae is 
rather slight, but the former is more grayish on the breast, sides, 
and flanks than the latter. 

A female from Mount Kenya is slightly paler below than the 
present male. In his original description of fraterculus Mearns 
mentions two females from Mount Kenya. One of these is really 
B. altwmi van Someren. The male has the following dimensions: 
Wing, 62; tail, 68; culmen from base, 15.5; tarsus, 25 mm. ‘The 
female: Wing, 62; tail, 62; culmen, 14.8; tarsus, 24 nm. Both are 
in fairly fresh plumage. 


CALAMONASTES SIMPLEX SIMPLEX (Cabanis) 


Thamnobia simplex CaBANis, Journ. fiir Orn., 1878, pp. 205, 221: Ndi, Teita 
district, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 adult males, 1 adult female, 1 unsexed, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 
5-10, 1911. 
1 adult female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 30, 1912. 
1 adult male, Anole village, Ethiopia, May 18, 1912. 
2 adult males, 2 juvenal males, Sagon River, Ethiopia, May 19—June 5, 
1912, 
adult unsexed, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 
adult female, Anole, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 
adult male, Wobok, Ethiopia, June 18, 1912. 
adult unsexed, near Saru, Ethiopia, June 19, 1912. 
adult male, 1 adult female, 25 miles southeast Lake Rudolf, Kenya 
Colony, July 12, 1912. 
adult male, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 14, 1912. 
1 adult female, Endoto Mountains, north, Kenya Colony, July 20, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 
23, 1912. 
2 adult males, 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, Tana River, camp 8, Kenya Colony, August 
16, 1912. 
1 adult male, Thika River, Bowlder Hill, Kenya Colony, August 28, 1912. 


a a 


172 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Soft parts: Iris reddish brown; bill black (yellow at angle of 
mouth in juvenal birds) ; feet and claws brown (slightly darker in 
the juvenal birds). 

I agree with Sclater ** and van Someren ® that Zedlitz’s races hil- 
gerti and erlangeri can not be maintained. If they were valid, the 
Dire Daoua and Sadi Malka specimens would, on geographic grounds, 
be erlangeri, and those from southern Shoa and northern Kenya Col- 
ony would probably be Adgerti, but I find no size or color differences 
between them. Ican not account for Zedlitz’s results, although it must 
be admitted I have seen no topotypical material of either of his races. 
Also, it may be that the birds of northern Kenya Colony and ex- 
treme southern Shoa are not supposed to be hélgertz, but are (as I 
find them) indistinguishable from s¢mplex. ‘This would account for 
the fact that van Someren and I both find no differences in our re- 
spective series, although van Someren had birds from the lower 
reaches of the Juba River, which must be considered Azlgerti if that 
form be recognized. Gyldenstolpe” considers hilgerti a valid race 
but unfortunately gives no discussion. 

The size variations of the present series are shown in table 34. 


TABLE 34.—Measurements of 23 specimens of Calamonastes simplex simplex 








Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Dire Da0ua 222242.-32e. - Males x 2s 3a7' 56.0 51.0 16.0 2125, 
DO re oss ee aa eesaseeelesees Goes: see 60.0 59. 0 15.0 22:5 
1D Oe ee eee oe ee aaa ee oe aoe eee 54.0 53.0 14.5 19.0 
‘Anolorvillace! 22 eee a eee Miales- ios) wae 60.0 57.0 15.0 23. 5 
Sacon River ae. =e ae. oa [eeee Goxt 24-3 59.5 61.0 15.0 22.0 
Dos Less ea he tence ee | eseos Gos 58.0 51.0 15.0 22. 5 
VVC RO Kee a a aa S| doa a 58.0 56:09) |stats 22.0 
INGAI Sa Ue eee eee se soe cee sens 51.0 54.0 15.0 21,0 
WUE RIT Oe eect se es et ar Sa ee Se |b cies ee 57.0 59.0 15.0 24.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
25 miles south of Lake Rudolf___-_- Maleusac2 es 59.0 55.0 15.0 21.0 
Indunumara Mountains.-_---------|----- dose ea 59.0 55. 0 15.0 22. 5 
Hndotoy MOUNTAINS: -o2 sse= so eee ae eee Gor et 57.0 57.0 15.0 22.0 
24 miles south of Malele-__---------}----- dort at 59.0 60.0 16.0 22.5 
DOee a2 Ace ee on es does 8 55.0 50. 5 15.0 21.5 
Pana: RVers: 2 WSS ANE Serge te Goes eser. 58.0 56, 0 15.0 21,0 
Mhika Rivers -s-8 a5 A a ee doses 58. 0 56. 0 15. 5 22.0 
ETHIOPIA: 
Dire DAOUS Sse l ete eee eae Female_-_-_--__- 56. 0 50.0 15.0 20.0 
SadiiMalke 3. i tees Se eee doizkekety 56.0 52.0 15.0 19.5 
PAN OG i 2228 228. aR ee 8 es GO sess hese 53. 0 49. 0 15.0 20. 5 
KENYA COLONY: 
25 miles south of Lake Rudolf___---}----- Gove erase 53. 5 46.0 14.0 20.5 
Endoto Mountains, north_._-------]----- GoLe eee 54.0 50. 5 15. 0 20.0 
Endoto Mountains, south..__------|-----do__-__---- 54.0 47.0 15.5 20. 5 
ManatRiver2it 23222 Bim fas se eee dose 55.0 52.0 14.0 21.0 





68 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 516, 1930. 
© Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 228, 1922. 
70 Arkiv fdr Zool., vol. 19A, no. 1, p. 46, 1926. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 173 


The two juvenal birds are fully grown and resemble the adults 
generally, but are distinctly tinged with greenish olive and have the 
mandible largely yellowish in color. 

Some of the adult birds have considerable whitish or grayish 
white on the forehead, while others have none. 

One of the birds from the Endoto Mountains, collected on July 28, 
is molting the rectrices; another taken on August 16, on the Tana 
River, is molting the remiges; the rest of the birds are in rather 
worn or, at least, not very fresh, plumage, but do not show any signs 
of ecdysis. 

This warbler is a denizen of thorny thickets, and, being of a rather 
secretive nature, is more often heard than seen. Pease™ found it 
fairly common in thorn-bushes in the Danakil coastal area, as did 
Erlanger in Gurraland. Jackson” met with it in southern Kenya 
Colony and writes that it “is very plentiful in suitable places, but it is 
essentially a bird of the wilderness. It is particularly abundant be- 
tween Tara and Mt. Mauungu.” 

Erlanger ** found this bird breeding in April in Gurraland, four 
eggs apparently comprising a clutch. Jackson shot a breeding 
female on December 30 at Mauungu, southern Kenya Colony. 

Mearns wrote on the label of one of the adult males, “note a loud, 
monotonous click.” 


APALIS CINEREA CINEREA (Sharpe) 


Euprinodes cinereus SHARPE, Ibis, 1891, p. 120: Mt. Elgon. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 females, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 6-8, 
1912. 

Granvik 7 separated the birds of the Kikuyu highlands under the 
name minor, based on their smaller size. Grote’ renamed it 
granviki as minor Granvik was preoccupied by minor Ogilvie-Grant 
(1917). 

In his notes on Granvik’s type, Gyldenstolpe™ states that while 
he would be inclined to synonymize minor with cinerea, he finds 
that some very slight differences do exist between Elgon birds 
(typical cinerea) and those forms east of the Rift Valley, and so 
he tentatively recognizes the eastern race. 

Granvik does not say where the ranges of the two forms found 
in East Africa meet, and it is therefore a little difficult to know 


1 Ibis, 1901, p. 649. 

72 Tbid., p. 54. 

73 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 722-723. 

™ Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 243. 

7% Orn. Monatsb., 1927, p. 23. 

7 Arkiy fdr Zool., vol. 19A, no. 1, p. 48, 1926. 


174 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


what he would have considered specimens from Escarpment. How- 
ever, the present two birds are larger than one from the Honi River, 
southwest of Mount Kenya, which locality would seem to come 
within the range of granviki. They have wings measuring 51 and 
56 mm, respectively, while the Honi River female has a wing length 
of 50 mm. The figures given by Granvik for cinerea are 53 to 
5¢ mm; those for minor (=granviki), male 52, female 49 mm. It 
appears then that if the two forms are distinct, the birds from the 
Kikuyu Escarpment are nearer to the typical race. Sclater ™” does 
not recognize granvik?, but as he bases his decision largely on 
Gyldenstolpe’s comments (and Gyldenstolpe allows the eastern race 
to stand), it seems that, for the present at least, granvikt must be 
given the benefit of the doubt. 

There are no color differences between granviki and cinerea, those 
given by Granvik being wholly individual in nature. 

The ranges of the races of the brown-headed forest warbler may 
be summed up as follows: 

1. A. c. cinerea: The highlands of Uganda and extreme south- 
western Kenya Colony (east to the Kikuyu Escarpment), and reap- 
pearing again on Mount Cameroon and the highlands of Adamaua, 
and in the mountain forests west of Lake Tanganyika. 

Reichenow ™ has recorded cinerea from the highland forest west 
of Lake Tanganyika. Sassi’® has listed the same specimens, all col- 
lected by Grauer. These records appear to have been overlooked by 
Sclater. 

2. A. c. granviki: The highlands of central Kenya Colony from 
Mt. Kenia and the Honi River to Nairobi and Kiambu (doubtfully 
distinct from c?nerea). 

Recently, van Someren *®° has recorded “Huprinodes cinerea cin- 
erea” from Marsabit in northern Kenya Coyony. He says nothing 
about granvik?, and it is therefore probable that he considers it iden- 
tical with cinerea. If granviki be maintained, however, the Marsa- 
bit birds would probably have to be referred to that race. The 
locality is a new one for the species and constitutes a very remark- 
able northeastern extension of range. 

3. A. c. sclateri: The islands of Fernando Po and Sao Thome in 
the Gulf of Guinea. I have seen no material of this form, but Ban- 
nerman *! writes that he doubts very much if selateri can stand. 


™ Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 521, 1930. 

™% Die Vogelfauna des Mittelafrikanischen Seengebiets. Wissensch. Ergebn. der Cen- 
tralafrika-Exped. Herzogs Adolf Friederich zu Mecklenburg, p. 361, 1911. 

7 Ann. naturh. Hofmus. Wien, vol. 30, p. 301, 1916. 

£0 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 67 (143), 1930. 

& Tbis, 1915, p. 503. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 175 


“If further investigation shows it to be a good subspecies, it will probably 
be found to be confined to Fernando Po. * * * 

Dr. Reichenow * * * believes the Huprinodes from Cameroon Mountains 
to be referable to Z. c. sclateri, in which case it will probably be found that 
E. cinereus and #, c. sclateri are synonymous. 

This race is said to be more creamy yellowish on the throat, breast, 
and upper abdomen than cinerea or granviki. 

The distribution of this species, like that of other mountain birds, 
offers much food for thought. It is very curious, to say the least, 
that it should occur without any change on Mount Elgon and Mount 
Cameroon and not in between, but break up into slightly differen- 
tiated forms on either side, with no such great geographical gap 
between their respective ranges. 

There is considerable variation in color in this warbler, regard- 
less of sex, age, season, or geography. Thus, one of the present two 
specimens has the top of the head much more brownish, less grayish, 
than the other. The former has the upper back slightly less bluish 
slate, more olivaceous slate, than the latter. Sassi has suggested tha 
the degree of white in the outer rectrices may be correlated with age. 
I have not enough material to investigate this point, but there is 
considerable variation in the few specimens seen by me. 

In his field notes Mearns recorded seeing about 10 of these birds 
at Escarpment, September 4-12. They are found only in dense 
forests. 

APALIS FLAVIDA FLAVOCINCTA (Sharpe) 
Euprinodes flavocinctus SHARPE, Journ. fiir Orn., 1852, p. 346: Adi, i. e., Athi 
River, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 8, 1912. 
1 male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 
4 males, 1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 14-17, 1912. 

All the present specimens have the basal portion of the mandible 
yellowish, and all lack any trace of a black pectoral mark. It, there- 
fore, appears that they are all young birds. On the other hand, a 
series of unquestionably adult birds from the Athi River, and from 
Nyeri have black bills and have the black pectoral area well de- 
veloped. These latter birds are also darker generally than the 
present series. 

Neumann *? and Zedlitz** have discussed the races of this bush 
warbler, and van Someren * has even separated the present form as a 
distinct species, chiefly because of its long tail. He has, in a more 
recent publication,®® shown that long-tailed and short-tailed birds 


= Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 278. 

88 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 89-91. 
“Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 221-222, 1922. 
© Nov. Zool., vol. 37, pp. 367-368, 1932. 


176 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


occur together, an argument in favor of his action in calling 
flavocincta a species. 

The material available to me for study includes only 6 of the 11 
proposed races (one of which, newmanni, is questioned by Sclater, but 
which I have not seen and therefore can not judge), and, as the total 
series comprises less than 30 specimens in all, I follow Sclater’s 
arrangement.®® 

Gyldenstolpe,*7 however, upholds Zedlitz in deciding that neu- 
manni is a valid race, and it may be that Sclater is wrong in this 
regard. 

In the general region involved in the present report five races (six 
if we count newmanni) are found, as follows: 

1. A. f. golzi: The coastal districts of extreme southern Kenya 
Colony and northern Tanganyika Territory, inland in the latter 
country to Dodoma and the Unyamwesi district. This form enters 
into the present report because it occurs at Mombasa, the terminus 
of the African wanderings of the Frick expedition. 

2. A. f. aequatorialis: Southwestern Kenya Colony from near Mau 
and the Sotik district and around Lake Victoria. 

3. A. f. flavocincta: Central Kenya Colony from the Lekiundu 
River and Mount Kenya to Kikuyu, Ukamba, the Athi River, the 
Taru Desert, and the plains east of Kilimanjaro, intergrading in the 
Sotik area with aequatorialis. 

4. A. f. malensis: Extreme southern Shoa (possibly Gallaland 
also) south through the Rendile district to the Northern Guaso 
Nyiro River and Lake Baringo in Kenya Colony. 

5. A. f. viridiceps: British Somaliland (none seen by me). 

If newmanni is a synonym of viridiceps, the range of the latter 
will have to be extended south to Afgoi, in southern Italian Somali- 
land. Sclater suggests the identity of these two but restricts the 
range of wiridiceps to British Somaliland. Reichenow,** on the other 
hand, appears to consider southern Somaliland birds as malensis. 
If this is true, then the range of malensis will have to be extended 
east through Gallaland to southern Somaliland. The fact that there 
are three divergent opinions about newmanni (that it is distinct; that 
it is a synonym of viridiceps; and that it is the same as malensis) 
makes me wonder whether it may not really be distinct, or if the 
distinctness of some of the other forms is not due more largely to age 
and seasonal differences than to real racial characters. Certainly, 
the form aequatorialis is very close to golzi, and malensis is only 
doubtfully distinct from flavocincta. 


% Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 523-524, 1930. 
87 Arkiv fir Zool., vol. 19A, no. 1, p. 49, 1930. 
88Die Végel Afrikas, vol. 8, p. 612, 1905. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 177 


The five races listed above may be told by the following key: 


a. Entire top of head, including forehead, green-_--~------~--~-_-- viridiceps 
a?, Forehead, or entire top of head, grayish. 
b*. Entire top of head grayish. 


Go bectoral pand) Usually ale) Vell Owes golzi 

ce. Pectoral band, usually rich yellow-_-~-_____-------_---- aequatorialis 
b®. Forehead grayish, crown greenish. 

c. Light area on outer rectrices almost white------_~--_-_------ malensis 

c’. Light area on outer rectrices pale yellow--_----------------~ flavocincta 


Neumann writes that malensis differs from flavocincta in the color 
of the upperparts, lacking the brownish tinge of the latter race. 
However, I am unable to see any brownish tinge in the color of the 
upperparts of either form. I consider malensis a very doubtful form 
but have seen only one specimen of it, and I hesitate to synonymize 
it on such slender evidence. The specimen examined does substan- 
tiate the character of the light outer rectrices. 

This bush warbler appears to take two years to acquire full adult 
plumage and to begin to breed when one year old. Thus, Mearns 
shot a “mated pair” on August 14, both of which birds are in im- 
mature plumage. The black pectoral mark does not appear until the 
adult plumage is attained. This late assumption of the black trans- 
verse bar on the lower breast suggests that such species as Apalis 
thoracica and its races, A. flavigularis, A. ruwenzori, A. pulchra, 
all of which have well-developed black pectoral bands, may be rela- 
tively recent species as compared with A. flavida, A. cinerea, and 
others. 

The breeding season near Nairobi is in June, and possibly later 
as well. Van Someren *® found a nest with eggs on June 20 in his 
garden at Nairobi. 


APALIS FLAVIDA MALENSIS Neumann 


Apalis malensis NEUMANN, in Reichenow, Die Vogel Afrikas, vol. 8, p. 612, 
1905: Schambala River, Male district, southern Abyssinia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 15, 1912. 


This specimen is in worn plumage and has had most of its tail 
shot off, but fortunately the right outermost rectrix is present and 
agrees with Neumann’s diagnosis of malensis in being very pale 
yellowish white. Gardula is not far from the type locality of 
malensis, and there can be no question as to the racial identity of 
this specimen. 

Erlanger °° found a nest with three eggs at Dagaje, in Gurraland, 
on April 4. He found the so-called newmanni breeding in May in 
southern Somaliland. 


Ibis, 1916, p. 459. 
® Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 729. 


178 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
PHYLLOLAIS PULCHELLA (Cretzschmar) 


Malurus pulchellus CretzscHMark, Atlas zu der Reise im ndérdlichen Afrika, 
Vogel, p. 53, pl. 35, 1880: Kordofan. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
3 males, 2 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 30-December 22, 1911. 
1 male, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 28, 1912. 
1 female, Serre, Ethiopia, February 13, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 19-20, 1912. 
1 male, 4 females, 1 unsexed, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 6— 

May 138, 1912. 

This little warbler occurs from Eritrea and Sennar west to the 
Divide Range in central Darfur, and south to the Ituri district of 
the Belgian Congo (Kasenyi, west of Lake Albert and to Ruwenzori), 
Uganda, and Kenya Colony, south to Mount Meru near Kilimanjaro 
in extreme northeastern Tanganyika Territory. Sclater®! gives 
the Athi River as its southern limit, but Sjéstedt *? lists a specimen 
from the Ngare-na-nyuki River near Mount Meru. 

Van Someren * finds that southern birds are darker on the back 
than northern ones. I have but one southern specimen and cannot 
form an opinion, but if this difference should be found to hold, 
Sharpe’s name Aildegardae** would be available for the southern 
form. Gyldenstolpe *° writes that a specimen from Eritrea is con- 
siderably paler, more olive-brown, than others from Kenya Colony, 
Uganda, and the eastern Congo. 

In Ethiopia this bird appears to be restricted to the drainage 
basin of the Nile and its tributaries, the southern Shoan lake region, 
and the lowlands of the Somaliland border. It does not occur in the 
highlands at all (i. e., above about 4,500 feet). In Eritrea, Zedlitz *° 
found it only once, and Jesse did not meet with it at all. The single 
specimen obtained by Blanford * is only questionably from Eritrea, 
as Blanford writes that, “the label * * * has unfortunately been 
lost, and I have forgotten the exact locality. I believe, however, that 
the bird was shot in the Anseba valley,” which would imply that it 
probably came from Ethiopia. 

In the Sudan it is known from Sennar, Kordofan, Darfur, Upper 
Nile, and Mongalla provinces. In Darfur, Lynes** found it fairly 
common in the wooded country at the base of Jebel Marra, and 


% Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 530, 1930. 

®2 Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der schwedischen zoologischen Expedition nach dem 
Kilimandjaro . . . Deutsch-Ostafrika, 1905-6, ete., Végel, p. 155, 1908. 

*8 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 223, 1922. 

* Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 10, p. 28, 1899: Athi River. 

*% Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 144. 

% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 68. 

%7 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, etc., p. 374, 1870. 

% Ibis, 1925, pp. 97-98. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 179 


apparently absent elsewhere. Hawker ** found it very common on 
the White Nile south of Abba Island. 

It appears to be absent (or at least very scarce and has not been 
taken) in the arid portions of northern Kenya Colony (eastern 
Rendile to Jubaland) but has been found at the south end of Lake 
Rudolf, thence south to the Trans-nzoia, the Uasin Gishu, etc., to 
the Kavirondo, Kikuyu, and Sotik districts, and to Ukambani, the 
Athi River, Simba, and to the Tanganyika border. 

One of the females from Gato River, April 30, is a young bird. 
It has a bare space around the eyes, and the bill is only 8 mm long 
(as against 9 to 10.5 mm in adults). The plumage is as in the adults. 

The measurements of the adults reveal rather little variation; 
thus, the six males have the following dimensions: Wing, 45-48; tail, 
42.5-46.5; culmen from base, 9-10.5; tarsus, 14.5-16.5 mm. Seven 
females: Wing, 48.5-47; tail, 41-43.5; culmen, 9-10.5; tarsus, 15- 
16 mm. 

On November 30, at Dire Daoua, Mearns shot a mated pair. This 
is the only clue I know of as to the breeding season in Ethiopia. 


SYLVIETTA BRACHYURA HILGERTI Zedlitz 
Sylvietta brachyura hilgerti Zepurtz, Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 99: Dire Daoua, 
Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 6, 1911. 


I have not enough material to attempt a revision of the forms of 
this crombec and therefore follow Sclater’s arrangement.t In the 
regions traversed by the Frick expedition two races occur, as follows: 

1. S. 6. Aclgerti: Eastern Eritrea, northern Somaliland, and east- 
ern Ethiopia. Wing, 52-58 mm. 

2. S. b. leucopsis: Southern Somaliland, Gurraland, Arussi Galla- 
land, west through the Rendile country to the east side of Lake 
Rudolf, south through the thornbush and scrub country of northern 
and eastern Kenya Colony to the dry plains east of Mount Kiliman- 
jaro and to Nguruman. Similar to Adlgerti but smaller; wings, 
475-52 mm. 

The present specimen is rather small for its race (wings, 53; tail, 
21; culmen, 10; tarsus, 19 mm), but it is undoubtedly Azlgertz, as it 
comes from the type locality of that form. 

The validity of Adlgerti has not gone unquestioned in literature, 
and with apparently good reason, as the only difference between it 
and lewcopsis is one of size, in which regard the two forms overlap to 
a considerable extent. 


* Ibis, 1902, p. 419. 
1 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 531-533, 1930. 


180 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


West of Lake Rudolf this race merges with micrura, according to 
van Someren,? who finds birds from Meuressi, Turkwell, Kobua 
River, and West Rudolf less grayish, more sandy above than true 
leucopsis. 


SYLVIETTA BRACHYURA LEUCOPSIS Reichenow 


Sylviella leucopsis RetcHENOW, Orn. Centralbl., 1879, p. 114: Kibaradja, Tana 
River, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, 1 female, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 1-8, 
1912, 
1 female, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 5, 1912. 

I agree with van Someren,? Sclater and Mackworth-Praed,* and 
Sclater > that tavetensis Mearns is a synonym of leucopsis. I have 
examined the type of the former and find that the only difference 
between it and the present specimens is that it has the rufescent- 
tawny more extensive on the underparts, the white areas more re- 
stricted. At first sight the bill of tavetensis appears to be smaller, 
but measurements fail to substantiate this visual impression, as the 
base of the bill is less exposed than in the present examples. 

The range and characters of this race have already been given 
and need not be repeated here. 

The present specimens are in rather worn plumage; they have the 
following dimensions: Wings, males, 48, 52; female, 47; tail, males, 
21, 23; female, 20; culmen from base, males, 9.5, 9.5; female, 10; 
tarsus, males, 16.5, 17; female, 17 mm. 

Erlanger ° found this bird breeding in April in Gurraland. 


SYLVIETTA WHYTII JACKSONI Sharpe 
FIGuRE 13 


Sylwviella jacksoni Suarpr, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 7, p. 7, 1897: Kamassia, 
Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 maie, 2 females, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, 
August 23-24, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 31, 
1912. 


I find that the arrangement followed by Sclater* in regard to the 
races of this bird is incomplete and, as far as the available material 
shows, inaccurate in some respects. He recognizes three races— 


2 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 226, 1922. 

8 Tbid., p. 225. 

4Ibis, 1918, p. 671. 

’ Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 532, 1930. 

6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 732-733. 

TSystema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 532-5338, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 181 


whytiit, minima, and jacksoni. I consider minima to be a distinct 
species and recognize four races of whytii—the typical one, jacksoni, 
loring?, and abayensis—and feel that probably fischeri is also valid 
but have not the material necessary to decide its status. 

My conclusions may be summarized by listing the valid races 
with their synonyms, characters, and distribution : 

1. S. w. whytii: From Gazaland and Nyasaland to Mozambique, 
thence northward along the coastal areas of Tanganyika Territory 
(inland to Morogoro) to Malindi and Lamu in Kenya Colony. If 
fischeri Reichenow (described from Malindi) should be found valid, 
as is claimed by van Someren,’ then the range of whytez would stop 
somewhere in northeastern Tanganyika Territory. Zedlitz® writes 
that pallidior Grote (from Mikindani) is a young specimen of 
whytii. The characters of whytiz, like those of the other forms, are 
relative ones and are therefore difficult to express. On the whole, 
this form has the forehead, chin, and upper throat more whitish than 
in any of the others and has pale tawny underparts; wings, 52-57 
mm. 

2. S. w. jacksoni: Central and northern Tanganyika Territory, 
west to Lake Victoria (Ngare Dowash, Sagayo, etc.), north through 
the Kavirondo, Sotik, and western Ukamba areas to the Athi River, 
and the Thika-Tana River junction. Birds from the Athi and Thika 
Rivers are really intermediate between typical jacksoni and loring?. 
The form jacksoni differs from whyt% in being more darkly and 
richly colored below, in lacking the whitish on the forehead, chin, 
and upper throat; wings, 58-63 mm. 

Of this race the following are synonyms: Sylviella major Neu- 
mann,’° Sylviella distinguenda Madarasz," and Sylvietta zedlitzi 
Reichenow.2. While on the subject of synonyms, it may be men- 
tioned that Zedlitz** uses johnstonz instead of jacksoni. This is evi- 
dently a slip, as there is no described form under this name. Also, 
Reichenow ** lists a few specimens as Sylviella leucopsis, which are 
really S. w. jacksont. 

3. S. w. loringi: The rather dry scrub and plains country of south- 
central and southeastern Kenya Colony, from Fort Hall to the Taru 
Desert, the Teita and Taveta districts, and the plains east of Mount 
Kilimanjaro. This race is somewhat intermediate in color between 
jacksoni and whytii but nearer the former, with which it agrees in 


8 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 226-227, 1922. 

® Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 95. 

10 Journ. fiir Orn., 1900, p. 305: Usandawe, Tanganyika Territory. 

11 Arch. Zool. Hungar. (Budapest), vol. 1, p. 177, 1910: Ngare Dowash, east shore of 
Lake Victoria. 

122 Journ, fiir Orn., 1918, p. 437: Yaida, Tanganyika Territory (immature bird). 

18 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 96, 98. 

144 Die Vogel Deutsch-Ost-Afrikas, p. 223, 1894. 


106220—37. 13 





182 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


the absence of whitish on the forehead, chin, and upper throat, and 
from which it differs in being considerably paler below and in having 
the upper parts light neutral gray instead of dark gull gray; wings, 
male 61, female 56.5 mm. 





ETHIOPIA 





iu 





EQUATGR 


a2 1090 200 300 400 S00 MILES 
- SCALE- 
Ficurp 13.-—Distribution of Sylvietta whytii. 


1. S. w. whytii. 8. 8S. w. loringi. 


9. S. w. jacksoni. jy. S. w. abayensis. 


Zedlitz has synonymized loringi with major, but in this he is mis- 
taken, as major is nothing but a straight synonym of jacksoni, from 
which form loringi is distinct. Inasmuch as Sclater does not grant 
the latter racial standing, it may be of advantage to see what opin- 
ions other workers have reached. Sclater and Mackworth-Praed * 


15 This, 1918, p. 669. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 183 


write that they “have no specimens from Fort Hall (type locality) 
* * * but two specimens from the Athi River in the close vicinity 
are indeed somewhat paler than typical specimens of S. w. jacksoni. 
This is only to be expected as Fort Hall is a place where the desert 
fauna would naturally meet with the highland fauna and an inter- 
mediate form be thus produced.” 

Van Someren ?* is “prepared to support this race as a pale form of 
S. w. jacksoni, and give as its range the Kast Ukambani district 
from south of Fort Hall, extending to the east of Kilimanjaro— 
i. e., inhabiting the whole of the thorn-bush and scrub country and 
the Yatta Plains.” 

4. S. w. abayensis: The southern Shoan lake district (north to 
Djalaban, south of Adis Abeba) and the country immediately around 
Lake Rudolf, west to Turkanaland and the Turkwell-Moroto-Kara- 
mojo region of northeastern Uganda. This form is similar to 
loringi, but paler, the color of the underparts fading to whitish on 
abdomen; and the upperparts slightly more olivaceous than in 
loringt. I have seen nine typical examples (including the type) 
of abayensis and have seen the type and two others of loring?. 

Sclater and Mackworth-Praed write that they cannot distin- 
guish between birds from southern Shoa and typical jacksoni. This 
is rather difficult to believe; if they had said loringi, it would be 
more comprehensible. Zedlitz finds that abayensis is recognizable. 

As intimated above, the present specimens are not really typical 
jacksoni (typical examples from the Sotik district seen) but are 
somewhat intermediate between that form and loringi. They are 
best referred to jacksoni, however. In comparing races it must be 
remembered that females tend to be more tawny below than males 
of the same form. Lack of appreciation of this factor appears to 
be partly responsible for the conclusions (now no longer of much 
value for other reasons as well) of Ogilvie-Grant 18 and of Reiche- 
now.’® 

The present specimens are in somewhat worn plumage. Their 
dimensions are as follows: Males—wing, 58, 59; tail, 26, 27; culmen 
from base, 13.5, 14; tarsus, 18,19 mm. Females—wing, 55, 56, 59; 
tail, 23, 24, 24.5; culmen, 12.5, 18, 18; tarsus, 17, 17, 18.5 mm. 

The reason that I consider Sylvietta minima a distinct species is 
that it occurs together with S. w. whytii (fischeri) at Lamu, accord- 
ing to van Someren.”° 


16 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 226, 1922. 
MWTbis, 1918, p. 669. 

18Tbis, 1900, pp. 154-157. 

2” Orn. Monatsb., 1900, pp. 21-22. 

*” Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 226-227, 1922. 


184 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


SYLVIETTA WHYTII ABAYENSIS Mearns 
FIGURE 13 
Sylvietta whytii abayensis MEARNS, Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 61, no. 20, 
p. 4, 1913: Gato River, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 
3 males, 4 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 6-May 14, 
1912. 
1 female, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 8, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris yellowish brown; bill olivaceous-brown above, 
pale reddish brown below; feet and claws light brown. 

One of the Gato River males is the type of this race. 

This race is only slightly different from loringi, but as the differ- 
ence (paler color below, more olivaceous tone above) seems to be 
constant, I consider it recognizable. 

To the brief account of its range given under the preceding race, 
I may add here that this race appears to be completely isolated from 
the others, or, at least, the species is not yet known from the inter- 
vening area of northern Kenya Colony. 

The size variations of the present series are given in table 35. 


TABLE 35.—Measurements of nine specimens of Sylvietta whytii abayensis from 


Hthiopia 
Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen]} Tarsus 
Mm Mm Mm Mm 

GatopRivier 20 es weve 1 ae Male (type)---| 61.5 25.0 13.0 18.0 
ae see a ee ee een Malessi<--2o-= 60.0 23.0 13.0 17.0 
DO eo ees Dt Yes ea Goztisoere 61.0 26.0 13.0 18.0 
GidabovRivier2o so ooo ee ea eee Female___---_- 56.5 23.0 12.5 17.5 
Gator RVers ao eaeny cuerey a eye een 2 aD eae Goteaane= 57.0 23.0 12.0 17.0 
Dole a2 Sea a Se Ae ee ce Pee ee ay do ates 59.0 23. 5 13.0 17.0 
TD) OSs eee es Se Sale aa doseeats x 57.0 22.5 12.0 18.0 

TE) Oe eee See ae Py ela es reees | eee dots 57.5 24.0 12.5 17.0 
FRertale i) 33a See be a Cae ee doa OVD 23. 5 13.0 17.0 


The birds are in somewhat abraded plumage, but I can not detect 
any signs of molting. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be known 
of the breeding season of this bird, but it is probably in April, as 
its relative, S. brachyura leucopsis, nests during that month in the 
Gurra country. 

Erlanger * was the first to record this species from Ethiopia (Djal- 
aban and Gambo). I am not aware of any other published records 
from that country, but Sclater and Mackworth-Praed *? mention a 
series collected by Zaphiro in southern Shoa. 

Besides the actual specimens collected, Mearns observed this bird 
as follows: Aletta, March 7-18, 1 seen; between the Abaya Lakes 


21 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 732. 
2Tbis, 1918, p. 669. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 185 


and Gardula, March 26-29, 50; Sagon River, June 3-6, 2 noted; 
Tertale, June 7-12, 5 birds; Wobok, June 18, 2 birds seen. He noted 
the song as a pleasant trilling warble similar to that of some of 
the Mniotiltidae of North America. 


SYLVIETTA ISABELLINA Elliot 
Sylviella isabellina Ewtiot, Field Columbian Mus. Publ. Orn. Ser., Publ. 17, 
vol. 1, no. 2, p. 44, 1897: Le Gud, Somaliland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 
1912. 

I have not enough comparative material to attempt a critical study 
of this species and therefore follow Sclater ** in considering gatkwari 
Sharpe, erlangeri Reichenowi, and macrorhyncha van Someren as 
synonyms of idsabellinw Elliot. I must admit, however, that 1 am 
not convinced of the accuracy of Sclater’s conclusions. Reichenow’s 
form erlangeri is synonymized with gaikwari by Zedlitz ** on appar- 
ently good grounds (the type of gaikwari having an abnormally 
long bill as shown by further material), and these two may well be 
the same, but I feel that isabellina, gaikwari, and macrorhyncha 
are probably distinct. The first is said to be washed with greenish 
on the upperparts, which the latter two certainly are not; macror- 
hyncha is less pure grayish above than gatkwari and has a longer, 
more slender bill, and paler underparts. If these races are recog- 
nized, as I feel they will have to be when more material becomes 
available, the present specimen will have to be referred to van Som- 
eren’s race macrorhyncha, of which form it appears to constitute 
the northernmost record. Its dimensions are as follows: Wing, 59.5; 
tail, 24.5; culmen from base, 16; tarsus, 18 mm. It is in rather 
abraded condition. 

According to van Someren,”> birds from Mandaira are like macro- 
rhyncha but paler below and also smaller; wing, 54-56 mm. 

Erlanger 7° found this bird (gatkwari, if distinct) breeding late 
in March in Gurraland. The nests are said to be purse-shaped and 
suspended from the tips of small branches of the acacia trees. Two 
or three eggs appear to comprise a set. 


SYLVIETTA LEUCOPHRYS LEUCOPHRYS Sharpe 


Sylviella leucophrys SHARPE, Ibis, 1891, p. 120: Mount BHilgon. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 
10, 1912. 


Sclater 27 considers keniensis Mearns a synonym of leucophrys. I 
am not aware that he has examined a topotypical specimen of the 


“4 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 534, 1930. 

Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 24. 

*> Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., 1930, p. 43. 
*6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 731-732. 

27 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 535, 1930. 


186 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


former (which, as far as I know, is represented only by the unique 
type). I have examined the type of keniensis and have compared it 
with specimens of lewcophrys from Escarpment and Ruwenzori and 
find it to be perfectly distinct. Of course, it must be admitted that 
I have seen only one Mount Kenya bird (kendéensis), and van 
Someren ** has recorded that a bird from the Aberdare Mountains 
does not differ from topotypical lewcophrys from Mount Elgon. It 
seems, then, that keniensis is wholly restricted to Mount Kenya. 

There are three forms of this crombec, as follows: 

1. S. 1. leucophrys: Ruwenzori to Mount Elgon and to the Aber- 
dares and Escarpment. 

2. S. 1. keniensis: Known only from Mount Kenya. This race is 
somewhat paler above, less brownish, more olivaceous on the back, 
has the superciliary stripes posteriorly suffused with light brownish, 
and is generally paler below. 

3. S. l. chloronota: The eastern Belgian Congo from the forests 
west of Lake Tanganyika and the Kivu district to southern Ankole 
in Uganda. This race has a yellowish-green back. 

The present specimen is in fresh plumage and has the following 
dimensions: Wing, 54; tail, 23; culmen from base, 10; tarsus, 19.5 
mm. An unsexed bird from the eastern slopes of the Ruwenzori 
range is slightly larger: Wing, 58.5; tail, 24.5; culmen, 11; tarsus, 
21 mm. 

EREMOMELA GRISEOFLAVA GRISEOFLAVA Heuglin 


FIGuRE 14 


Eremomela griseoflava HrEvuGuLin, Journ. fiir Orn., 1862, p. 40: Bogosland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

1 male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 9, 1911. 

1 male, 1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, February 2, 1912. 

1 male, Serre, Ethiopia, February 13, 1912. 

In northeastern Africa no fewer than seven forms of this warbler 
are known to occur. The material available for study has been in- 
adequate to attempt a thorough review of these races, but it sup- 
ports the conclusions arrived at by Sclater.2® The seven forms are 
as follows: 

1. EL. g. griseoflava: The Red Sea Province of the Sudan, Eritrea, 
Bogosland, Sennar, south through Ethiopia to northern Shoa and to 
Gurraland. 

2. #. g. archeri: Northern British Somaliland. 

3. EL. g. alewanderi: From the White Nile to Kordofan and Lake 
Chad. 


28 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 225, 1922. 
227Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 537-538, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 187 


4. B. g. karamojensis: The Moroto and Karamojo districts of 
northeastern Uganda through Turkanaland to the Lake region of 


southern Shoa. 


°° 40° 50° 





ARABIA 


oO 100 200 300 400 Sco miles 
SSS 


- SCALE- 


FIGURE 14.—Distribution of Hremomela griseoflava. 


1. BE. g. griseoflava. 5. E. g. abdominalis. 
2. EB. g. karamojensis. 6. E. g. crawfurdi. 
38. HE. g. archeri. 7. E. g. alexanderi. 
4. BE. g. flavicrissalis. 


5. EB. g. flavicrissalis: Southern Italian Somaliland, southeastern 
Ethiopia (southern Gallaland) through Jubaland, west in northern 
Kenya Colony to Marsabit, south to the Northern Guaso Nyiro River. 
In giving all this as the range of flavicrissalis, I assume that erlangeri 
is not a distinct form (see, however, under the discussion of this race). 


188 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


6. L'. g. abdominalis: Central Kenya Colony from Lekiundu River, 
Fort Hall, Kikuyum Tsavo, and Campi-ya-bibi, south to central Tan- 
ganyika Territory (Igonda and Songea). 

7. HB. g. crawfurdi: The Sotik, Loita, and southern Kavirondo 
districts of Kenya Colony south to the Mwanza district in Tan- 
ganyika Territory. If tardinata Hartert (described from Sagayo 
near Mwanza) should prove to be valid, the range of crawfurdi 
would end, in a southward direction, in the Ikoma area. 

Of these seven races, abdominalis is the darkest and most richly 
colored. It has the entire abdomen, and flanks, strontian yellow. 
The form most like it is haramojensis, in which the abdomen and 
flanks are citron-yellow. This race also averages slightly paler 
grayish on the throat and breast, and has the rump very slightly 
more greenish. The form griseoflava is still paler, having the abdo- 
men and flanks barium yellow; archert has the abdomen pale yellow- 
ish only along the midventral portion, the rest and the flanks being 
whitish; alewanderi is said to be much paler than griseoflava and to 
have more greenish yellow on the rump; crawfurdi is a paler form, 
which is said to differ from all the others in having well-marked 
white superciliary stripes. All these six forms are large, having 
wings of from 50 to 59 mm, while the seventh race, flavicrissalis, 
is small, wings 45 to 50 mm. In color it resembles archer. 

Von Heuglin and Blanford found the typical form of this warbler 
in the Anseba district on the Eritrean-Ethiopian border. Zedlitz *° 
found it to have a very considerable range altitudinally from Barca 
at 700 meters to the high plateau at 2,400 meters. 

Erlanger ** observed it in the luxurious vegetation along stream 
banks in the Hawash and Ginir districts. He writes that the breed- 
ing season is in May in the Hawash region. On June 6, he found 
two juvenal birds only recently out of the nest. 


EREMOMELA GRISEOFLAVA KARAMOJENSIS Stoneham 


FIGURE 14 


Hremomela flaviventris karamojensis STONEHAM, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 45, 
p. 78, 1925: Northern Karamoja, northeastern Uganda. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 20, 1912. 
4 males, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 22—June 1, 1912. 


The range and characters of this race have already been discussed 
and need not be repeated here. The Lake Abaya specimen is some- 
what intermediate between karamojensis and typical griseoflava but 
is nearer to the former. On the whole, karamojensis is slightly 
smaller than griseoflava, as the figures given in table 36 show. 


8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 69. 
1 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 733. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 189 


Besides the specimen collected, Mearns saw about 20 of these 
warblers at Bodessa, May 19-June 3; 2 seen at Sagon River, June 6; 
and 2 at Tertale, June 7. 


TABLE 36.—Measurements of nine specimens of Eremomela griseoflava from 
Ethiopia 
i. G. KARAMOJENSIS 











Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mim Mm 

DireyDaquat=2-s. iste stt 4 Ret Nales sa. 262 = -| 55.0 31.0 11.0 Bre 
Sadisiialceh 2 ee ae aL d0=- 56.0 32.0 10.5 17.0 
1D) Ores Se eee ee ee eee ee eee Hemalezs = 53.5 30.0 10.0 16.0 
Orrin Rs nde nk Bh WMalens3tcrte 57.0 32.0 10.5 16.0 











EREMOMELA GRISEOFLAVA FLAVICRISSALIS Sharpe 


Eremomela flavicrissalis SHARPE, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1895, p. 48: Shebelli, 
western Somaliland. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 female, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 
1 male, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 
1 male, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 28, 1912. 
1 female, 25 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 
1 female, 25 miles north of Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, 
July 30, 1912. 

As already intimated, there is some doubt as to whether erlangeri 
is really a synonym of flavicrissalis. I have seen no specimens of the 
former and therefore do not care to attempt a definite decision, but 
several authors who have had material from southern Somaliland 
and from the Marsabit area find that the birds do break up into two 
racial forms. Zedlitz * writes that flavicrissalis has a wing length 
of 50 mm, and erlangeri 45 to 48 mm. This difference does not hold, 
as the present birds are typical of flavicrissalis in color and have 
wings measuring 46 to 48 mm. The difference between the two 
groups (if they be distinct) is one of color; the abdomen is pale 
yellow in erlangeri, while in flavicrissalis it is white with only a very 
narrow midventral pale yellowish area. Van Someren ** writes that 


Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 100. 
*8 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 67 (148), 1930. 


190 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


four birds from Lugh are quite distinct from five specimens from 
Marsabit and the Northern Guaso Nyiro River, the former having the 
yellow “of the vent of a deeper shade and more extensive. * * * 
Five males from the N. Guasso and Marsabit, have the yellow of the 
vent very pale indeed and limited in extent. As all are constant in 
this respect, it is more than likely that the race will have to be 
recognized.” It appears from this that van Someren suggests that 
the birds of northern Kenya Colony may be a new, undescribed form 
regardless of whether erlangeri be distinct from flavicrissalis, since 
he considers the Lugh specimens “typical flavicrissalis or erlangert, 
if that race can be upheld.” I doubt that the birds of the northern 
districts of Kenya Colony are separable from typical flavicrissalis, 
but material is needed to prove the point. 

The five specimens collected agree with van Someren’s description 
of his Marsabit and Northern Guaso Nyiro birds. All five are in 
rather worn plumage. Their dimensions are given in table 37. 

The colored figure given by Erlanger ** agrees fairly closely with 
the present specimens. 

Erlanger *° found a nest with two eggs on May 8 at Sarigo in the 
Garre-Lewin district. This is all that has been recorded about the 
breeding season of this bird. 


TABLE 37.—Measurements of five specimens of EHremomela griseoflava flavicris- 
salis from Kenya Colony 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 
Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Malolos 22. sas Sa. aes eee aes Mialewstse Sree 46.5 2385 10.0 16.0 
18 miles south of Malele__-------------- axes Gosetats 48.0 25.0 9.5 15.0 
T6-86-QUN 929. = 2 eee a ee Memalezesas-eo= 46. 0 23.0 9.5 15.5 
24 miles south ot Mialelet ase ee eee O22 as 48.0 24.0 9.5 16.5 
25 miles north of Northern Guaso Nyiro |-_---- doze 47.5 26.0 9.5 14.5 
River. 
pst be 





EREMOMELA GRISEOFLAVA ABDOMINALIS Reichenow 


FIGURE 14 


Eremomela flaviventris abdominalis RretcHENOow, Die Voégel Afrikas, vol. 3, p. 
635, 1905: East Africa; type in Berlin Museum, from Igonda, Tabora 
district, Tanganyika Territory. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 5, 1912. 

This race is the most richly colored of all the forms found in 
northeastern and east equatorial Africa. 

The single specimen obtained is in worn plumage and therefore 
is rather duller than another example in fresher plumage. Its meas- 


* Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pl. 17, fig. 2. 
% Ibid., pp. 733-734. = 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 191 


urements are as follows: Wing, 56; tail, 30.5; culmen, 10.5; tarsus, 
16 mm. 

It seems that the Lekiundu River is about the northern limit of 
the range of abdominalis, as a little farther to the north, on the 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River, van Someren ** procured birds of the 
flavicrissalis (or erlanger?) type with the yellow on the abdomen very 
pale and limited in extent, and with wings 49 to 50 mm in length. 
In his field notebook Mearns records seeing two “yellow-bellied, gray- 
breasted Eremomelas,” similar to the Lekiundu bird, along the 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River, but in the absence of specimens we 
can not extend the range of abdoménalis north of the present locality 
record. 

Mearns saw 4 of these birds along the Lekiundu River, August 
4-8; and 2 on the Tana River, August 17. 


CAMAROPTERA BREVICAUDATA ABESSINICA Zedlitz 
FIGurE 15 
Camaroptera griseoviridis abessinica Zepiirz, Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 338: 
Harrar, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult, 1 immature, male, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, December 20, 1911. 
1 female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 8, 1912. 
1 male, Botola, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. 
3 males, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 7-11, 1912. 


11 males, 3 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 10—-May 11, 
1912. 


2 males, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 23—June 1, 1912. 
1 male, El Ade, Ethiopia, June 13, 1912. 

In working over the forms of Camaroptera in the Frick and other 
collections, it became necessary to review all the species and sub- 
species of this genus. Zedlitz*? monographed the group very ably 
but unfortunately misapplied the names brevicaudata and griseiven- 
tres. ‘This was subsequently straightened out by Hartert.** On the 
whole, I find that Zedlitz’s conclusions are correct, but differ in con- 
sidering erlangeri to occupy the entire coastal strip of Kenya Colony 
from Mombasa, inland to Changamwe, to southern Italian Somali- 
land. This will be taken up in more detail later on, as will also the 
ranges of abessinica and griseigula, which appear to have been much 
misunderstood. 

It has been my personal experience that a perusal of the literature 
leaves one with a hazy notion of the specific groups, to say nothing 
of the racial forms, of this genus. Therefore, I append a brief key 
to the species, based on adult birds. 


* Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 67 (143), 1930. 
37 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, pp. 828-344. 
8 Nov. Zool., vol. 27, p. 459, 1920. 


192 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


KEY TO SPECIES OF CAMAROPTERA 


@. With distinct yellowish superciliary stripes____-______________ superciliaris 
a?. Without distinct yellowish superciliary stripes. 
bt, Under wing coverts and bend of wing rusty brown____-_-_----- toroensis 
b?. Under wing coverts and bend of wing yellowish or yellowish 
green. 
G. Back ereen:, distinct from eray of headi===—2=2 22 Se brachyura 
c. Back grayish or brownish gray like head_----_----------- brevicaudata 


Of these the only species that directly concerns us here is brevicau- 
data. This species is represented by four races in northeastern 
Africa, as shown on the map (fig. 15). These races are: (1) The 
typical one, which inhabits the Red Sea Province, Sennar, Kassala, 





| 


| 


| 


| 
ih 


| 
| 


| 
| 


) 


| 
| 
! 


ii 






































TANGANY/. 
TERA 





oO 100 200 300 400 SOOMILES 
- SCALE: 
Vicure 15.—Distribution of Camaroptera brevicaudata in northeastern Africa. 


1. CO. b. brevicaudata. 8. C. b. griseigula. 
2. O. b. abessinica. 4. OC. b. erlangeri. 





BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 193 


the White Nile south to Taufikia or thereabouts, and the north- 
eastern Belgian Congo (Uelle district) west through Kordofan to 
Darfur; (2) abessinica, which occurs throughout the elevated por- 
tions of Ethiopia and of British Somaliland, south through the 
Mongalla Province of the Sudan, Turkanaland, and Uganda to the 
Ruwenzori Mountains, east through the Elgon and north Kavirondo 
districts to Mount Kenya and the highlands of the Kikuyu country 
in Kenya Colony; (8) grisetgula, which is found in the lower plains 
of northern Tanganyika Territory, east to the Kilimanjaro district, 
north through the Teita district and the Taru area to the Tana 
Valley, thence west to Marsabit and southern Rendile; it will be seen 
that in Kenya Colony this form occurs to the north, east, and south 
of abessinica, while northwestern individuals of grisezgula are sur- 
rounded on the north and south by abessinica, a state of affairs that 
has caused much confusion among students of African birds, and 
which is responsible for many misidentifications in published work, 
(4) the coastal race, erlangeri; this form Sclater ** considers to be a 
synonym of griseigula, but in this I feel he is mistaken. These four 
forms may be differentiated by means of the following characters, 
but it should be remembered that the differences are average, not 
absolute, in nature: The dorsal coloration (in adults) is gray, fairly 
free of any brownish cast, in abessinica and erlangeri; in griseigula 
and brevicaudata it is much washed with brownish. Of the first two, 
with relatively pure grayish backs, erlangeri has the abdomen largely 
pure white, and is small, wings 51 to 56 mm, while adess?nica has the 
abdomen chiefly grayish, the white restricted to a small median area, 
and is larger, wings 54 to 59 mm. The two races with brownish 
backs may be told by the fact that griseigula has the sides and flanks 
washed with brownish, while in brevicaudata these parts are grayish. 
As might be expected, in Kenya Colony many intermediates between 
abessinica and griseigula occur, and in northwestern Uganda and the 
Mongalla area of the Sudan, intermediates between abessinica and 
brevicaudata are found. 

Van Someren* records Camaroptera brevicaudata pileata from 
Mombasa, Changamwe, Manda, and Lamu. These birds I think are 
all erlangeri, as they have grayish-brown tails, while pleata, which 
is a race of OC. brachyura and not of C. brevicaudata, has the tail 
green. It happens that C. brachyura pileata occurs together with 
C. brevicaudata erlangeri at Mombasa, whence I have seen specimens 
of both. 

In comparing specimens of abessinica with others of grisezgula, 
one must take care to choose wholly comparable individuals, as imma- 


% Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 544, 1930. 
40 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 228, 1922. 


194 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


ture abessinica often have some brownish wash above and below, 
making them look much like griseigula, while worn examples of the 
latter appear grayer above, quite like freshly plumaged abessinica. 

Since the above account was written, Granvik *°* has described two 
more races from Kenya Colony—albiventris from the coastal belt, 
which I consider a synonym of erlangeri, and aschani from Mount 
Elgon, which may prove to be distinct from abessinica, inhabiting 
parts of western Kenya Colony and also eastern Uganda. Of this 
race, said to have the head and mantle darker than in abessenica, I 
have seen no material. 

The size variations of the present series may be judged from the 
figures (adults only) given in table 38. 


TABLE 38.—Measurements of 23 specimens of Camaroptera brevicaudata abes- 
sinica from Hthiopia 


Locality i i Culmen | Tarsus 





Neumann *! records a male from Lake Abaya with a wing length of 
60 mm. 

One of the Gato River specimens (taken on April 27) is molting 
the rectrices. The majority of the birds collected in April and May 
are in fairly fresh plumage; the majority of those shot in December 
and March are abraded. 


40a Rey. Zool. et Bot. Afr., vol. 25, pp. 101-103, 1934. 
4 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 278. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 195 


This bird is very common in the forests of the Abyssinian high- 
lands. According to Erlanger,*® the breeding season is probably in 
February, March, April, and May. He did not succeed in actually 
finding a nest but collected a displaying male on May 5 at Debaasso, 
between Harrar and Adis Abeba. On dissection it was found to have 
much swollen testes. 

The observational records of this warbler in Mearns’s diary indi- 
cate that it is more abundant in southern Shoa than in the Hawash 
district or around Adis Abeba. Thus, Mearns merely records it as 
“seen between Dire Daoua and Gada Bourca,” while in Sidamo and 
southwards a large number of entries testify to its abundance— 
Aletta, March 7-13, 10 seen; Loco, March 13-15, 4 birds, Gidabo 
River, March 15-17, 4 seen; White Lake Abaya, March 24-26, 4; be- 
tween the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 4 noted; Gato 
River near Gardula, March 29-May 17, 500; Anole village, May 18, 
20; Sagon River, May 19, 20 birds; Bodessa, May 19-—June 3, 25; 
Sagon River, June 3-6, 90; Tertale, June 7-12, 14 seen; El Ade, 
June 12-13, 10 birds; Mar Mora, June 14, 20 noted; Turturo, June 
15-17, 50; Anole, June 17, 4 birds; Wobok, June 18, 10 seen; Saru, 
June 19, 20 birds; Yebo, June 20, 4; Karsa Barecha, June 21, 4 
noted. 

CAMAROPTERA BREVICAUDATA GRISEIGULA Sharpe 
FIcurE 15 
Camaroptera griseigula SHARPE, Ibis, 1892, p. 158: Voi River, Teita district, 
Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED ; 


1 male (immature?) Meru forest, Equator, Kenya Colony, August 10, 1912. 
2 males, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 24, 
1912. 


1 male, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 31, 1912. 
2 males, Athi Station, Uganda Railway, Kenya Colony, September 1, 1912. 

The characters and range of this race have already been discussed. 
It only remains to be said that all the above-listed specimens are 
somewhat intermediate between griseigula and abessinica but on the 
whole are nearer to the former, with which race they are here iden- 
ufied. Inasmuch as this race occurs in a region with few, small, and 
scattered wooded spots, its range is decidedly discontinuous. Of 
all the subspecies, the present one is the least well marked. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns observed this bird as fol- 
lows: Endoto Mountains, July 19-24, 3 seen; Meru Forest, August 
10, 50; 20 miles east of Meru, August 11, 50 noted; Tharaka dis- 
trict, August 12-14, 20 birds; Tana River, August 17-23, 6 seen; 
junction of Tana and Thika Rivers, August 23-26, 20 birds noted; 


“ Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 730-731. 


196 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


east of Ithanga Hills, August 26, 4 seen; 20 miles up the Thika 
River, 6 birds; west of Ithanga Hills, 10 seen, between Thika and 
Athi Rivers, August 29, 10 noted; Athi River near Juja Farm, 
August 30, 2 birds observed. 


Genus CISTICOLA Kaup 


The treatment given the forms of this difficult genus in this report 
follows the conclusions arrived at by Lynes in his superb mono- 
graph.*? This work has rendered a perusal of earlier literature quite 
unnecessary, and so no discussions of names, synonyms, etc., are 
included here. The most critical test of a monograph such as Lynes’s 
is applying it to a large museum collection, and I am happy to add 
a quite unnecessary word of praise to the many already accorded it. 
Lynes’s book has not fallen down in a single case (I have reidentified 
all the Cisticolas in the United States National Museum with it at 
hand) and it has brought order out of chaos in a manner that is far 
easier to admire than to imitate. 

CISTICOLA JUNCIDIS UROPYGIALIS (Fraser) 
Drymoica uropygialis FRASER, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 18438, p. 17: Accra, Gold 


Coast. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 males, 1 female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 9-12, 1912. 
1 male, Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 25, 1912. 
1 male, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 16, 1912. 

The Hawash River specimens are in freshly acquired winter 
plumage. Their dimensions are as follows: Males—wing, 51, 51; tail, 
46,43 mm. Female—wing, 45; tail, 41 mm. The bird from Black 
Lake Abaya is somewhat abraded; its measurements are: Wing, 48; 
tail,40 mm. The Turturo specimen is a little less worn; it measures: 
Wing, 48; tail, 387mm. It is in summer plumage, while the first three 


are in winter plumage. 


CISTICOLA JUNCIDIS PERENNIA Lynes 


Cisticola juncidis perennia LYNEs, Ibis, 1930, Suppl., p. 105: Mokia, near Lake 
George, Uganda. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, 
August 3, 1912. 

This race of the fantail warbler ranges from northern Tanganyika 
Territory north at least to Marsabit in northern Kenya Colony, and 
from Zanzibar in the southeast to the Uelle district, Belgian Congo, 
in the northwest. 

The present specimen is in a winter plumage stage, something like 
uropygialis. It has a wing length of 48 mm; tail, 36 mm. 


48 Ibis, 1930, Special Supplement, pp. 1-673, pls, 1-20. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 197 
CISTICOLA ARIDULA LAVENDULAE Ogilvie-Grant and Reid 


Cisticola lavendulae OGILVIE-GRANT and REID, Ibis, 1901, p. 650: Aroharlaise 
(Ari Harlaise), British Somaliland. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Anole, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 


This specimen matches the description and figure of lavendulae 
given by Lynes.** It constitutes a new southwestern extension of 
range, as the form was formerly known only from Somaliland and 
adjacent parts of southern Ethiopia, where Erlanger and Hilgert 
obtained examples at Dadab, Leila to Gildessa, and Felwa, Hawash 
Valley. The identification is somewhat open to question in the pres- 
ent case, as no authentic /avendulae material has been available to 
me for study and comparison. Specimens of tanganyika are much 
darker than this bird. 

The dimensions of the single example obtained by the expedition 
are: Wing, 49; tail, 88 mm. 

According to Lynes, the breeding season appears to be in January 
in southern Ethiopia, and in November and December in British 
Somaliland, but very little is known of its habits with any degree 
of definiteness. 


CISTICOLA ARIDULA TANGANYIKA Lynes 


Cisticola aridula tanganyika LyNes, Ibis, 1930, Suppl., p. 126: Morogoro, Tan- 
ganyika Territory. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 males, Athi Station, Uganda Railway, Kenya Colony, 
September 1, 1912. 

These two specimens have the dark fuscous-black marks on the 
upperparts more developed (or at least more conspicuous) than in 
the illustration given by Lynes*® but appear to be definitely of this 
race. Their dimensions are as follows: Wing, 49, 49; tail, 36, 36 mm, 
respectively. Both are in considerably abraded plumage. 

The range of tanganyika includes the drier parts of the northern 
half of Tanganyika Territory, and of Kenya Colony. Lynes writes 
that in northeastern Kenya Colony the birds become paler as one 
goes north, intergrading with lavendulae “towards S. Ethiopia and 
Somaliland, but whereabouts the mode of dress becomes seasonal 
there is as yet nothing to show. To the north-eastward, the Athi 
River seems near the limit of typical tanganyika.” Birds from the 
lower stretches of the Tana River and from Marsabit are more or 
less intermediate between the two forms. 

The breeding season is from April to July, and, to a lesser extent, 
during November and December. 


4 Ibis, 1930, Suppl., p. 128, pl. 4, fig. 14. 
* Ibis, 1930, Suppl., pl. 4, fig. 13. 


106220—37——_14 


198 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


CISTICOLA BRUNNESCENS BRUNNESCENS Heuglin 
Cisticola brunnescens HructLin, Journ. fiir Orn., 1862, p. 289: Godofelasi, Sera- 
weh Province, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, 1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 10, 1912. 
1 male, 2 females, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 14-17, 1912. 

These specimens are all in winter plumage, agreeing with the dates 
for this plumage given by Lynes.*® Their dimensions are as fol- 
lows: Males—wing, 52, 57; tail, 30, 833; culmen from base, 12.5, : 
Females—wing, 51, 53, 55; tail, 32, 32, 33; culmen from base, 12.5, 
12, 12 mm. 

Lynes does not give any details as to the altitudinal range of this 
warbler, but the limits must be very wide. Mearns recorded the 
altitude on the Arussi Plateau birds as 9,500 feet. On the other 
hand, Lynes records this form in western Somaliland, which is much 
lower. 

The breeding season in southern Ethiopia appears to be from 
May to September. 





CISTICOLA CHINIANA HUMILIS Madarasz 


Cisticola humilis MaparAsz, Orn. Monatsb., 1904, p. 168: Settima Mountains, 
Kenya Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 males (1=female), Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 
1 male, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 31, 1912. 

These three specimens are really intermediate between humdlis and 
ukamba but are nearer to the former race, with which they are here 
identified. The specimen from the Tharaka district, which I take 
to be a female in spite of the fact that the collector sexed it as a 
male, has a wing length of only 62.5 mm, tail 54 mm. The other 
two specimens have wings measuring 66 mm each. All three birds 
are in good fresh plumage. 

Lynes ‘7 records this bird from only as far north as Mount Elgon, 
Lake Baringo, Lake Hannington, Barsaloi, and the Northern Guaso 
Nyiro River. In the collections of the United States National Mu- 
seum there are two specimens of this race from the summit of 
Mount Lololokui (6,000 feet). This mountain, north of Mount Kenya 
by a very considerable distance, constitutes another far northern 
locality from which Awmilis is known. 

In a southerly direction the form is known all the way to the 
Tanganyikan border, always only in the high country. 


# Ibis, 1930, Suppl., p. 162. 
41 Tbis, 1930, Suppl., p. 267. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 199 


This is the largest race of the species and is a dark, heavily marked 
form with a perennial plumage of the “winter” type. 

I have examined a large series of this race, of wkamba, hetero- 
phrys, fischeri, bodessa, and simplex, and find the characters and 
distributional data given by Lynes to be wholly correct. 


CISTICOLA CHINIANA UKAMBA Lynes 


Cisticola chiniana ukamba Lynes, Ibis, 1930, Suppl., p. 267: Masongoleni, 
Ukamba Province, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

2 males, 2 females, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 13, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Tana River, Camp No. 3, Kenya Colony, August 16-17, 
1912. 

1 female, Tana River below Camp No. 4, Kenya Colony, August 17, 1912. 

1 female, Thika River, 20 miles above mouth, Kenya Colony, August 27, 
1912. 

2 males, Athi Station, Uganda Railway, Kenya Colony, September 1, 1912. 

This form differs from humilis in being lighter, more buffy, less 
grayish above, and smaller in size. It inhabits the semihigh country 
of Kenya Colony from the Taveta-Teita country north through the 
Masai area and Ukambani to Embu and the Tharaka district. 

Measurements of the present series are given in table 39. 

The first male bird listed and the two females from the Tharaka 
district are in molting condition. Lynes ** writes that “August, Sep- 
tember and October are the months during which the majority seem 
to moult.” 

The birds from the Thika and Athi Rivers are slightly duskier, 
more grayish above than those from the Tharaka and Tana areas 
and may be slightly intermediate between this race and humilis. 
Birds from Kikuyu and Nairobi are of this intermediate nature. 


TABLE 39.—Measurements of 10 specimens of Cisticola chiniana ukamba from 
Kenya Colony 






i Culmen 
Locality Sex Wing Tail ee 
ase 








Mm Mm Mm 


Tiaraka distriet=-s5-4333-- 3 Male: Bas 59.0 50.0 16.0 
BD gv sespie 2 Raley epg os Se ESM OY dosteres = 64.0 58.0 16.0 
Ay EULV OR nes Fh ge Ns doses = 63.0 56.0 16.5 


Athi Station: ose Nee. ees ene dor 61.0 55.0 15.0 








*Tbis, 1930, Suppl., p. 268. 


200 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Lynes writes that this form is abundant along the line of the 
Uganda Railway from Sultan Hamid to Makindu. The breeding 
seasons are as follows: Principal breeding season during the main 
rains, April to July; secondary breeding season during the lesser 
rains, November and December, “but not entirely confined to those 
periods.” 

CISTICOLA CHINIANA BODESSA Mearns 


Cisticola subruficapilla bodessa Mrarns, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 61, no. 11, 
p. 2, 1918: Bodessa, southern Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, 1 female, 1 unsexed, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 5-12, 1912. 
1 male, northeast Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 
1 male, White Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 20, 1912. 
1 male, Lake Abaya, southeast, Ethiopia, March 21, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 23-24, 1912. 
33 males, 8 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 27—May 11, 
1912. 
1 male, Bodessa-Tertale, Ethiopia, April 9, 1912. 
2 males, southeast Lake Stefanie, Ethiopia, April 30-May 11, 1912. 
7 males, 2 females, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 22-27, 1912. 
1 male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3, 1912. 

Soft parts: Adult male—iris light reddish brown; bill brownish 
black, plumbeous on the basal half of the mandible; feet brownish 
flesh color; claws dark brown; inside of mouth black. In the adult 
female the soft parts are similar, except that the inside of the mouth 
is yellowish. 

Two of the Bodessa males are juvenals with yellowish throats and 
underparts generally. 

The male from White Lake Abaya is the type of Cisticola sub- 
ruficapilla fricki Mearns, which is really the winter plumage of 
bodessa, one of the adult males from Bedessa is the type of bodessa. 

Lynes *® gives the size characters of bodessa to be: Wing, males, 
65-71; females, 55-59; tail, summer, 52-56, winter, 55-61, perennial, 
58-59 (all males). The present series indicates that the lower limits 
of variation are too high in Lynes’s figures. The dimensions of the 
adult birds collected by the Childs Frick expedition are shown in 
table 40. 

The plumages of the present series uphold Lynes’s conclusions 
that both the seasonal and the perennial modes of dress occur to- 
gether, at least in southwestern Ethiopia. In the Hawash Valley 
the seasonal mode appears to be the usual one, while in southern 
Shoa (Lake Abaya to the Kenyan border) the perennial mode seems 
to be the commoner one. A few of the birds taken in April and May 


# Ibis, 1930, Suppl., p. 270. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 201 


Table 40.—Measurements of 66 specimens of Cisticola chiniana bodessa from 
Ethiopia 


Females 


Locality 


Culmen Culmen 
Tail from i Tail from 


Northeast of Lake Abaya 
Gidabo River 

White Lake Abaya 
Southeast of Lake Abaya 
Black Lake Abaya 
Gardula 


15.0 50.0 
15.0 53.0 





202 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


are in a molting condition and are molting into a new plumage 
similar to the old one. 

This bird occurs from the Kenyan—Ethiopian boundary in Shoa 
and Arussi-Gallaland north across the Hawash Basin to the edge of 
the high Ethiopian Plateau. It does not inhabit the low plains of 
Abyssinian Somaliland or of Jubaland. It gets up to about 5,500 
feet, but not higher. Lynes writes that there are two breeding sea- 
sons in southwestern Ethiopia—the main one from May to Septem- 
ber, and a shorter one during January and February—but in the 
Hawash Valley there is only one breeding season—from May to 
September. 





CISTICOLA HUNTERI PRINIOIDES Neumann 


Cisticola prinioides NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1900, p. 304: Mau, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 17 males, 15 females, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, Septem- 
ber 4-10, 1912. 

Lynes *° has summed up the geographical variations of this species 
so well that there is nothing new to add. The present large series 
from Escarpment substantiates his action in synonymizing wambu- 
guensis and kilimensis with prinioides. I have seen the types of 
both of these names. 

This race occurs in the highlands of Kenya Colony, including 
Mount Kenya but not Mount Elgon, the lower parts of Mount Kili- 
manjaro (below the forest belt), and all of Mount Meru. On the 
summit of Mount Kenya the birds become more uniformly colored 
above, approaching the Elgon race masaba. Curiously enough, on 
the higher reaches of Mount Kilimanjaro a darker, more heavily- 
streaked-backed form, typical Aunteri, is found. 

The measurements of the present series agree with the figures given 
by Lynes. Most of the specimens are in fairly fresh plumage; a 
few are considerably worn; none show molting activity. 

The breeding season appears to be chiefly during the rains. 

This bird appears to be very numerous where it occurs; the mere 
fact that Mearns was able to collect 32 specimens in a few days of 
general collecting indicates the abundance of the species. 


CISTICOLA GALACTOTES LUGUBRIS (Riippell) 
Sylwia (Cisticola) lugubris RUpreLtt, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna Abys- 
sinien gehorig, etc., Vogel, p. 111, 1840: Gondar, Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911. 
3 males, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 24-28, 1912. 


In the regions traversed by the Childs Frick expedition, three races 
of the rufous grass warbler occur, as follows: 


STbis, 1930, Suppl., pp. 337-338. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 203 


1. C. g. lugubris: Ethiopia, from Tigre, Amhara, and Simien 
Provinces in the north to Arussiland and Shoa in the south. 

2. C. g. nyansae: The interior of Kenya Colony, Uganda, and the 
northeastern Belgian Congo; east as far as the Athi River. 
(Sclater * gives Naivasha as the eastern limit, but this is erroneous.) 

3. C. g. haematocephala: Coastal South Somaliland and Kenya 
Colony to the northeastern part of Tanganyika Territory. 

These three are readily identified by the following characters: The 
plumage is seasonal only in dugubris; lugubris and nyansae are large 
(wings—males, 60-66 mm), while haematocephala is small (wings 
—males, 55-59 mm); the last-named race is devoid of bright con- 
trasting colors so characteristic of the first two. The tail mirrors are 
large in the summer plumage of /ugubris and are absent in nyansae. 

The four specimens of lugubris obtained by the expedition are 
all in winter plumage; a male taken on February 28 is beginning to 
show signs of molt; the others are not. It may well be that the 
bird taken at Adis Abeba and one of those from Arussi Plateau may 
be females, as they are rather small, with tails 57 mm in length; the 
other two Arussi birds have tails measuring 60 and 62 mm, respec- 
tively. 

According to Lynes,** this bird is resident and common through- 
out its range and breeds from June to the end of October in northern 
Ethiopia and from about May to September in Shoa and southern 
Ethiopia generally. The altitudinal range of the species appears to 
be from 6,500 to 11,200 feet. 


CISTICOLA GALACTOTES NYANSAE Neumann 


Cisticola lugubris nyansae NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 13, p. 78, 1905: Sesse 
Island, Lake Victoria. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 1 female, Athi Station, Uganda Railway, Kenya 
Colony, September 1, 1912. 

The range and characters of this form have been given under the 
preceding race. 

Both these specimens are in new, freshly molted plumage. 

The female appears to be subadult, as it has the underparts notice- 
ably suffused with yellowish. It is also smaller than the male, and 
a little duller colored above. 

This bird prefers wet or damp places but occasionally occurs in 
dry areas removed from any water. The breeding season coincides 
generally with the rainy periods, and the majority of adults molt 
during August, September, and October. 


§ Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 559, 1930. 
*2TIbis, 1930, Suppl., p. 387. 


204 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
CISTICOLA ROBUSTA ROBUSTA (Riippell) 


Drymoica robusta RiPretL, Systematische Uebersicht der Végel Nordost-Afrika’s, 
p. 35, 1845: Shoa. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 2 females, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 9-10, 
1912. 

These specimens are in fresh winter plumage, having the top of 
the head with much black and the nape almost pure rufous. 

The male has a wing length of 76 mm, tail 59 mm; the females— 
wing, 64, 65; tail, 52,53 mm. One of the females shows signs of molt 
in the tail. 

The stout grass warbler (nominate form) occurs in Ethiopia from 
Simien, Gojam, and Amhara Provinces south to Shoa, but not to the 
drainage basin of the Omo River, where it is replaced by another, 
darker, more richly colored race, omo. In the highlands of central 
Kenya Colony, a smaller race, ambigua, is found. 

According to Lynes,** this bird is resident and common, although 
somewhat local, throughout its range. Erlanger ** found nests with 
eggs in April and May at Irna and Cunni. 


CISTICOLA NATALENSIS INEXPECTATA Neumann 
Cisticola natalensis inexpectata NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 268: Lake 
Abassi, South Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 21, 1912. 
2 males, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 16, 1912. 
4 males, 1 female, Anole, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 

Soft parts: Male—iris brownish yellow; bill and inside of mouth 
entirely black; feet pale brown, claws darker brown; of another male 
(from Lake Abaya) Mearns noted iris light grayish brown, bill 
brownish black above, grayish flesh-color below; feet and claws pale 
brown. Female—iris brownish yellow; bill blackish above, flesh- 
color on sides and below; inside of mouth yellow; feet and claws flesh- 
color. 

The male from Lake Abaya is the type of Cisticola robusta abaya 
Mearns. It is in winter plumage, commencing to molt into summer 
dress. All the other specimens are in summer plumage and are more 
grayish, less tawny-buffy above than the Lake Abaya bird. The fe- 
male from Anole is beginning to molt into winter plumage on the 
upper back; the others are in worn plumage. 

There are three races of the striped grass warbler in the general 
region covered by the present report. One of these, argentea, is con- 
fined to southern Somaliland and is but little known. The other 
two, nexpectata and kapitensis, were both collected by the Childs 


63 Tbis, 1930, Suppl., p. 420. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 720. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 205 


Frick expedition. The present subspecies has a seasonal mode of 
plumage, while kapitensis has the perennial type. The latter is also 
smaller in size, wings (males) 67 to 71 mm as opposed to 70 to 78 mm 
in inewpectata. 

The present race occurs from southern Eritrea to central Ethiopia 
and the western half of southern Ethiopia, east to longitude 40° E., 
but not beyond. It is resident and fairly common in the southern 
part of its range and, according to Lynes,®* is more local farther 
north. Its altitudinal range appears to be quite limited, 5,000 to 
§,000 feet. 

The males listed above have wings measuring 70 to 76 mm in 
length; tails, 55 to 61 mm. These figures agree with those given by 
Lynes. 

The breeding season is said to be from June to October in northern 
Ethiopia and from May to September in the southern part of that 


country. 
CISTICOLA NATALENSIS KAPITENSIS Mearns 


Cisticola strangei kapitensis Mearns, Smithsonian Misc. Coll, vol. 56, no. 25, 
p. 4, 1911: Potha, Kapiti Plains, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 


1 male (=female), Guaso Mara River, Kenya Colony, August 9, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Tana River, Camp No. 5, Kenya Colony, August 19, 1915. 
3 males, Thika River, 20 miles above mouth, Kenya Colony, August 27, 1912. 
1 female, Bowlder Hill, Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 28, 1912. 

The male from the Tana River is the type of Cisticola robusta tana 
Mearns. 

This race occurs in central Kenya Colony between the altitudinal 
limits of 3,000 and 5,000 feet. Liynes ** writes that it has a rather 
“restricted range consisting more or less of the western parts of the 
Machakos and Kitui Districts, the Fort Hall, Embu, Nyeri and 
Meru Districts, and the adjacent corner of the Northern Frontier 
Province.” It would appear from this that the present specimens are 
all from the eastern part of the range of kapitensis. 

All the present specimens are in the buff-striped nonbreeding plum- 
age. lLynes refers to adults “in the exceptional buff-striped non- 
breeding dress,” which would make it appear that the majority of 
these birds never assumed such a plumage but had merely the peren- 
nial dress. It is somewhat surprising, therefore, to find that all 
seven of the birds collected by Mearns should be of this type. It 
seems that there must be considerable local variation in molt, as Lynes 
definitely says that “some individuals—according to the present ma- 
terial, 2 very small proportion—revert to adult Winter dress after 
breeding, or in other words have the seasonal mode of dress * * *. 


& (bis, 1930, Suppl., p. 447. 
% Ibis, 1980, Suppl., p. 452. 


206 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The few adult specimens in the collections in Winter (off-season) 
dress were obtained in the months of August and October, that is, 
not during what is the principal breeding season for Cisticolae in 
Kenya Colony.” 

The males have wings of from 69 to 72 mm in length; tails, from 
53 to 56 mm. Lynes gives tail measurements of only 45 to 51 mm 
for summer (or perennial) plumages and 58 mm for a winter male. 

The breeding season appears to be during the rains, but it is not 
too definitely known. 


CISTICOLA BRACHYPTERA KATONAE Madarasz 


Cisticola katonae MApARASz, Ann. Mus. Hungar., 1904, p. 204: Boma Gombe, 
near Moshi, Kilimanjaro district, Tanganyika Territory. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 males, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 17, 1912. 


1 male, Thika River, 20 miles above the mouth, Kenya Colony, August 27, 
1912. 


1 female, between Thika and Athi Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 29, 1912. 
1 female, Indian Store, south Donio Sabuk, Kenya Colony, August 30, 1912. 
2 males, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 30-31, 1912. 


These nine specimens, taken within one month, show considerable 
variation in abrasion; some are very new, others quite worn. Lynes * 
notes that “the majority of adults seem to moult during August, 
September, and October,” a statement that fits in very nicely with the 
present series. 

The female from Donio Sabuk appears to be immature. The di- 
mensions of the adults are given in table 41. 


TABLE 41.—Measurements of eight specimens of Cisticola brachyptera katonae 
from Kenya Colony 





Locality Sex Wing Tail from 


TRaraka district 2ccees sk ts Lowes oi 53 Miale® 2523. i ae 55.0 40.0 12.0 

SD eae ee Me ents See ee tear | a doles 54.0 40.5 12.0 
IRE OMG Dena peers eek Ree Oo Re Ee Gomaiseeees 55.0 42.0 13.0 
hike, Rivetes- 2 a8 tne ch tyes we ore lleesss Gotz 53:5 42.0 12.0 
PANE TMU OM oe ao eee ee ee dons 54.0 44.0 12.5 

Does thes Rae SES fp k ell AAAS GO Aare 6540 40.0 12.0 
Tana. Riv eRcs i = Ba Bos oe nee Female___-_--- 47.0 40.0 12.0 
Between Thika and Athi Rivers__----|----- Couzens 48.5 42.0 12.0 





This race is larger than reichenowi and differs from zedlitz¢ in 
having a perennial, not a seasonal, mode of plumage. 


Ibis, 1930, Suppl., p. 479. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 207 


In the region traversed by the Frick expedition, three races of 
this grass warbler occur—zedlitzi of Eritrea and Ethiopia, the pres- 
ent race katonae, and the coastal form retchenowi, which ranges from 
northeastern Tanganyika Territory north across Kenya Colony to the 
Juba River, southern Somaliland. 

According to Lynes, the range of katonae includes the interior of 
Kenya Colony, both the midplateau and the highlands, south to and 
including the base and vicinity of Mount Kilimanjaro in northern 
Tanganyika Territory. Investigators with material from higher 
altitudes than any represented in the present series should note what 
Lynes has to say regarding variations in this form. 

Like most of the species of its genus, the present one breeds chiefly 
during the two rainy seasons. 


CISTICOLA NANA Fischer and Reichenow 


Cisticola nana FIscHER and REICHENOW, Journ. fiir Orn., 1884, p. 260: N’garuka, 
Arusha district, Tanganyika Territory. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

8 adult males, 1 immature male, 2 adult females, 1 immature female, 
Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 21-27, 1912. 

1 adult female, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 7, 1912. 

1 immature male, 1 immature female, east of Lake Stefanie, Ethiopia, 
April 30, 1912. 

2 adult males, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 5, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 immature male, 1 adult female, Tana River, camp 6, Kenya 
Colony, August 21, 1912. 

Lynes ** writes that this grass warbler has only one annual molt 
in adult life, “constantly in Kenya-Tanganyika, and, according to 
present material, also in 8S. Ethiopia, but irregularity there may still 
be suspected.” The present series from southern Shoa exhibits no 
irregularities; the female from Tertale is in molt, but this seems to 
be the regular, postnuptial molt. The breeding season in southern 
Ethiopia, however, is in May, June, and July (possibly longer), so 
the expedition was not in the region during the “winter” season. The 
Bodessa birds are all in rather worn plumage but show no evidence 
of molt. Those from the Tana River are in fresh feathering. 

Young birds have the upper back more reddish, more like the 
crown im color, than adults. I can find no difference in the color of 
the underparts in immature birds from Ethiopia and from Kenya 
Colony, thereby supporting Lynes’s conclusion that the degree of 
ventral sulphuring is an unstable, individual variation, not corre- 
lated with geography. 

The size dimensions agree with those given by Lynes. 


& Tbis, 1930, Suppl., p. 521. 


208 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


This warbler lives in the thornbush and savannah districts from 
central Tanganyika Territory north through Kenya Colony to 
Somaliland, southern Ethiopia, and northeastern Uganda. 

The breeding season in Ethiopia is probably very prolonged and 
indefinite, as Lynes records young birds taken in July at Sheikh 
Hussein, while Mearns obtained young on May 23 at Bodessa. In 
Kenya Colony, the nesting time appears to be chiefly, but not wholly, 
confined to the rainy periods. 


CISTICOLA CINEREOLA CINEREOLA Salvadori 


Cisticola cinereola SAtvapor1, Ann. Mus. Genova, vol. 26, p. 254, 1888: Farré, 
Hawash Valley, Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, February 3, 1912. 
3 males, Hawash River, Hthiopia, February 5-6, 1912. 

Lynes*® writes that the two races of this bird, cinereola and 
schillingsi, differ from each other “by little or no more than the mode 
of dress; that of the northern race, the seasonal; and that of the 
southern, the perennial, accompanied by the intermediate Winter/ 
Summer colour-pattern commonly associated with that mode of 
dress.” This does not agree very well with the small series of both 
races collected by the Frick expedition. The present series shows a 
distinct size difference, the typical birds being larger than schillings?. 
Furthermore, Lynes states that “Somali birds run a trifle the larger, 
viz. ¢ wing 64+2, and Ethiopian a trifle the smaller, viz. ¢ wing 
62+2,” while I find the present four males from the Hawash Valley, 
Ethiopia, to have wings measuring 62, 65, 68, and 70 mm, respec- 
tively! The tail measurements for winter males given by Lynes are 
54 to 60 mm, which agree very well with the present specimens (53, 
54, 57.5, and 60 mm, respectively). The dimensions of the present 
series of schillingsi agree with the figures given by Lynes. The dif- 
ference may not be so great as the present series show, as one of the 
topotypes of alleni (=schillingsi) in the Museum of Comparative 
Zoology is said to have a wing length of 67 mm. Furthermore, van 
Someren ® calls schéllingst “a larger * * * race of cinereola’; 
so it seems that considerable variation exists. 

Two of the present four examples of cinereola are in a molting 
condition, especially in the tail; the other two are very worn but 
show no signs of molt. 

This race occurs from British Somaliland and the Hawash Valley 
south to southern Shoa. 


& Ibis, 1930, Suppl., pp. 527-528. 
% Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 211, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 209 


CISTICOLA CINEREOLA SCHILLINGSI Reichenow 


Cisticola schillingsi RrticHENow, i Schillings’ Mit Blitzlicht und _ Bitichse 
‘ der Thierwelt von Aequatorial-Ostafrika, Appendix, p. 556, 1905: 
Doinyo Erok, Kenya Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

1 female, Wobok, Ethiopia, June 18, 1912. 
1 female, Malata, Ethiopia, June 22, 1912. 
2 males, 3 females, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 5-6, 1912. 

This race replaces the typical form in southern Ethiopia, Italian 
Somaliland, and the drier parts of Kenya Colony and of northern 
Tanganyika Territory. 

The Malata and Wobok specimens are very much abraded; those 
from the Lekiundu River are in much fresher plumage. The type 
of allent Mearns, taken in August, was a molting bird, a fact that 
is in keeping with the fresh plumage of the August birds in the 
present series. 

The breeding season is not definitely known, but Lynes“ writes 
that April to July are breeding months throughout its range. 


MELOCICHLA MENTALIS ORIENTALIS (Sharpe) 


Cisticola orientalis SHARPE, Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum, vol. 
7, p. 245, 1883: Pangani River, Tanganyika Territory. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, 15 miles east of Meru, Kenya Colony, August 11, 1912. 
i maie, 1 female, junction of Tana and Thika Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 


24-25, 1912. 
1 male, 20 miles above mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 27, 
1912. 


1 male, Bowlder Hill, Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 28, 1912. 
1 male, between Thika and Athi Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 29, 1912. 
1 male, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 30, 1912. 

Two races of the giant grass warbler occur in northeastern Af- 
rica—the present one and amaurora. Their ranges are as follows: 

1. M. m. orientalis: From Mashonaland and Nyasaland, north 
through all but the westernmost parts of Tanganyika Territory, to 
most of the southern half of Kenya Colony, except the Kavirondo 
region. 

2. M. m. amaurora: Southwestern Ethiopia and southern Anglo- 
Egyptian Sudan (Upper White Nile, Mongalla, ete.) to Uganda and 
the eastern Belgian Congo and to Kisumu, Kibigori, ete., in the 
Kavirondo area in southwestern Kenya Colony, intergrading with 
orientalis in the Mount Elgon region, although the majority of Elgon 
birds seem to be amaurora. Granvik ® considers birds from Mount 


®\ This, 1930, Suppl., p. 530. 
® Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 227--228. 


210 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Elgon amaurora, while van Someren records orientalis from that 
mountain. 

The two forms differ in color—orientalis is more richly colored 
below, with bright tawny breast, sides, flanks, thighs, and under tail 
coverts; the chin, throat, and middle of the abdomen white; while 
amaurora has the white areas lightly suffused with buff, and the rest 
of the underparts generally paler than in orientalis. On the upper- 
parts amaurora is the darker form, being grayer, more fuscous, less 
rufescent, as well as darker, than orientalis. Van Someren seems to 
have made a slip of the pen in this regard as he writes that orientalis 
is “very much richer below and darker above” than amaurora. Asa 
matter of fact, the former is more rufescent above and below, lighter 
above, than the latter form. Not infrequently, however, examples 
occur in the range of one that closely resemble typical examples of 
the other race, but on the whole the dorsal color characters hold good. 
That this observation is not peculiar to the material I have examined 
is evidenced by Granvik’s notes on his four Elgon birds (amaurora), 
two of which “recall orientalis in the light, pale colour of the under- 
parts, which is almost whitish in the centre. * * * The other 
two * * * are more uniformly yellowish brown on the lower 
surface.” Granvik suggests that there may be sexual dimorphism, 
the females paler than the males. This is not borne out by the 
material studied in the present connection. 

The males have wing lengths of 71-79; tails, 86-94; culmen from 
the base, 18-20; tarsus, 28-29.5 mm. The female—wing, 74; tail, 
92.5; culmen, 18; tarsus, 29.5 mm. One of the males (taken August 
28) was in molt when shot. 

This warbler inhabits bushy places, both swampy and scrub. 


SPILOPTILA RUFIFRONS RUFIFRONS (Riippell) 
Prinia rufifrons RUppriyt, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna Abyssinien gehorig 
etc., Vogel, p. 110, pl. 41, fig. 2, 1840: Abyssinian coastlands. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 29, 1912. 


Sclater °* puts this species in the genus A palis, a course for which 
I can see no reason. It is much closer structurally to Spiloptila cla- 
mans than to any other African warbler. Through the courtesy of 
Dr. Frank M. Chapman, I have been able to compare rufifrons with 
clamans, and I consider them to be clearly congeneric. I am not the 
first to put rufifrons in the genus Spiloptila; Madarasz ® described 
races of this bird as Spiloptila danakilensis and S. reichenowz?. 
Hither this bird is a Spiloptila, or Spiloptila can not be maintained as 
a genus. The South African Priniops appears to be a valid genus. 


&$ Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 206, 1922. 
% Systema Avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 527-528, 1930. 
*& Ann. Mus. Hungar., vol. 13, p. 300, 1915; and Orn. Monatsb., vol. 12, p. 179, 1904. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY att 


I have not enough material to attempt a revision of the forms of 
this scrub warbler and therefore adhere to the arrangement adopted 
by Sclater. It seems not improbable, however, that twrkana van 
Someren may prove to be a valid form and not a synonym of sméthii. 

The typical race inhabits the Red Sea Province of the Sudan, 
south to the Danakil coastal area of Eritrea, and to the Hawash 
Valley of Ethiopia, and west to Darfur. S. 7, smithii is found in 
British and Italian Somaliland, Jubaland, Ennia Gallaland, and the 
Rendile country of northern Kenya Colony, to northwestern Uganda 
(where the birds van Someren named turkana occur), intergrading 
in the region of Chanlers Falls on the Northern Guaso Nyiro River 
with the southernmost race, rufidorsalis. The latter occurs in the 
arid scrub country of Kenya Colony from the Tana River south to 
the Sotik, Teita, and Taveta districts and to the Litema Mountains, 
Tanganyika Territory. The race smthdi differs from the nominate 
one in having the rufous extending back on to the occiput and in 
having broader white tips to the rectrices; rufidorsalis is more 
rifescent on the back than either and has the rufous on the head 
restricted to the anterior portion as in rufifrons. 

Sclater considers rezchenowi Madardsz a synonym of smethi, but 
it really is the same as rufidorsalis, of which race it forms the south- 
ernmost record. Sclater assumes that the Litema Mountains are the 
Settima Mountains of Kenya Colony, but Reichenow °° shows them 
to be a range south of Kilimanjaro. 

Erlanger ® found this bird quite abundantly in northern Somali- 
land, where he found it breeding. The local form there is smethii. 

In Darfur, Lynes * found the typical race only in the “low sterile 
hills, sparsely grown with acacia-scrub and poor grass * * * in 
fact, much the same type of habitat as Spiloptila, but in the hills.” 
(He puts the bird in the genus Apalis.) It appears to breed there 
in summer. 

SPILOPTILA RUFIFRONS SMITHII (Sharpe) 


Dryodromas smithii SHARPE, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 4, p. 29, 1895: Shebelli 
River. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 female, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 1, 1912. 
8 males, 4 females, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 14-16, 1912. 
1 male, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 


The characters and distribution of this form have already been 
discussed. 


6 Die Végel Afrikas, Atlas, map e, 1905. 
“7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 726. 
% This, 1925, p. 97. 


212 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The birds vary considerably in the length of the wing, the extremes 
being 39.5 and 48.5 mm in the males and 42.5 and 46 mm in the 
females. They are in rather worn plumage. 

The breeding season in northern Somaliland is in January. 
Erlanger ® found a nest with four eggs at Dadab, British Somali- 
land, on January 25. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns observed this warbler as 
follows: Southeast of Lake Rudolf, July 11, 2 birds seen; 10 to 25 
miles southeast of Lake Rudolf, July 12, 2 noted; Nyero Mountains, 
July 13, 24 birds; Indunumara Mountains, July 13-18, 250; Endoto 
Mountains, July 18-24, 550; Er-re-re, July 25, 20 birds; Le-se-dun, 
July 26, 20 seen; 18 miles south of Malele, July 28, 30; river 24 miles 
south of Malele, July 29, 25 seen; 25 miles north of Northern Guaso 
Nyiro River, July 30, 50; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31- 
August 3, 60; Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 2 birds noted. 


PRINIA MISTACEA MISTACEA Riippell 


Prinia mistacea Rutprrrt, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna Abyssinien 
gehorig, etc., Vogel, p. 110, 1840: Gondar, Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911. 
2 males, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 20-24, 1912. 
1 male, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 
2 males, Ethiopia, March 6, 1912. 

The races of this long-tailed warbler have been reviewed several 
times by many investigators, such as Sclater and Mackworth-Praed, 
Gyldenstolpe, and Bates and van Someren, and all agree in recog- 
nizing several forms in northeastern Africa. I have examined about 
50 specimens from the ranges of typical méstacea, immutadilis, 
tenella, and graueri and find that the subspecies are rather poorly 
defined. Gyldenstolpe*° has cast some doubts on the validity of 
immutabilis van Someren. I find that ¢mmutabilis and tenella may 
be told apart by size characters but that the alleged color differences 
do not hold. The form that puzzles me the most (and which, for- 
tunately, does not, immediately concern us in this report) is grauer?. 
A female from Nyanza, on the west shore of Lake Tanganyika, is 
geographically referable to this race, but I can not separate it other- 
wise from immutabilis. On the other hand, a male from Kabare, 
on the Tanganyikan-Uganda border, fits the description of grauert 
very well, as it should by virtue of its geographic origin, but it 
hardly differs from another from the Thika River in Kenya Colony 
(¢mmutabilis). Still, in the absence of more adequate material from 
the eastern Belgian Congo, I admit graveri as a valid form. 


6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 726. 
 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad., Handl., 1924, pp. 151-152, 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 213 


The distribution and characters of the forms more particularly 
pertinent to the present report are as follows: 

1. P. m. mistacea: The nominate race occurs from the Eritrean— 
Ethiopian frontier south through Ethiopia to Arussi-Gallaland, 
southern Shoa, west through Kassala, Sennar, Upper White Nile 
and Mongalla Provinces of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, through 
Darfur to northern Cameroon, the Lake Chad area, Northern Nigeria, 
and the northern Gold Coast (in the Upper Guinean savannah belt). 

2. P. m. immutabilis: From the interior of northern Tanganyika 
Territory and from the Ukamba region in Kenya Colony, west 
through the highlands of the latter country, across Uganda, and, 
according to Sclater,7* to the southern part of Cameroon. Van 
Someren ™? merely states that this bird ranges west “to Elgon and 
Uganda.” This race differs from the typical one in that it has no 
seasonal plumage dimorphism (which is conspicuously present in 
mistacea), and has the interscapulars and back slightly more oliva- 
ceous and the rump a little more rufescent than in m7stacea. Recent 
authors have not commented on any dimensional differences between 
these birds and examples of mistacea, but I find that typical speci- 
mens of the latter, from Ethiopia, average a little larger than a 
series of immutadilis, but a specimen of méistacea from the White 
Nile is smaller than those from Ethiopia. I have not the material 
to investigate this point but wonder whether méstacea may not be 
a composite of two forms. It must be remembered, however, that 
together with the larger birds there cccur smaller ones (the so-called 
murina Heuglin, which so puzzled Neumann when working over 
his Abyssinian collections). 

3. P. m. tenella: The coastal districts of eastern Africa from east- 
ern Mozambique (Lumbo and Lower Zambesi Valley) north through 
eastern Tanganyika Territory (inland to Morogoro, Kilosa, the Ulu- 
guru and Usambara Ranges, and Mount Kilimanjaro) and eastern 
Kenya Colony (inland to Taveta and Changamwe) north to the Juba 
River and extreme southern Italian Somaliland. This form is some- 
what smaller than zmmutabilis (wings, male 45.5-50, female 45-47 
mm, as against male 49-53, female 47-52 mm in zmmutabdilis). I do 
not find the color characters to be of any reliable constancy. 

4. P.m. graueri: Extreme southwestern Uganda and adjacent por- 
tions of Tanganyika Territory, Urundi, Ruanda, and the eastern 
Ituri district of the Belgian Congo south to the Katanga, Northern 
Rhodesia, and the northern parts of Angola. This race is said to 
be easily distinguished by having dark cinnamon-rufous edges to the 


1 Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 570, 1930. 
@Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 218, 1922. 


106220—37——15 


214 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


remiges at all seasons. Hartert ™ says it also has a stronger bill than 
emmutabilis, but this is refuted by Gyldenstolpe’s material and by 
the few birds of this race that I have seen. I must confess that I do 
not see anything distinctive about the remiges of birds geographically 
referable to grauert. 

The present examples of the typical race show a great deal of 
variation in color, not accounted for by seasonal difference. The 
female is paler above than any of the males; it has the top of the 
head and the upper back uniform butfy-brown, while the males are 
darker, olive-brown with obscure fuscous streaks on the crown. This 
is not a constant sexual difference, however, as Zedlitz ™ has shown. 

The dimensions of the present six specimens are given in table 42. 

This species, like some forms of the allied genus C%stzcola, presents 
the curious phenomenon of having two seasonal plumages in the 
extreme northern and southern parts of its range and not in the 
intervening tropical area. The present race, and the South African 
forms affinis and pondoensis, have distinctly different breeding (sum- 
mer) and nonbreeding (winter) plumages. In méstacea the breed- 
ing plumage is more grayish than the more rufescent nonbreeding 
plumage, and the tail in the former plumage averages only 50 to 
55 mm, while in winter birds it measures about 60 to 70 mm in length, 
according to Sclater and Mackworth-Praed.”* It would appear from 
this that the present birds are all in winter plumage. They are con- 
siderably abraded and probably would have molted into breeding 
plumage in April or May. 


TABLE 42.—Measurements of six specimens of Prinia mistacea mistacea from 
Ethiopia 


Locality x i Tail | Culmen} Tarsus 





inline gid ae efnive Reel memalee toda! 1] 49, 65.0 13.5 22.0 


Gyldenstolpe collected birds with shorter tails in gray summer 
plumage in Mongalla Province of the Sudan in August. In Darfur, 
Lynes** found that the birds began “to assume the grey or dark 
short-tailed breeding-dress in June, by moult of body-, head-, and 


T Nov. Zool., vol. 27, pp. 457-458, 1920. 
™ Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 66. 

™ Ibis, 1918, p. 677. 

7% Tbis, 1925, p. 101. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 215 


tail-feathers; August, nest-building; September, eggs; October 
young abroad; November, complete moult of adults into the long- 
tailed rufous dress of winter.” 

Von Heuglin ™ found this species in central and southern Ethiopia, 
in Sennar, on the Sobat and the White Nile, and particularly abun- 
dant at Lake Tsana and at Gondar. He found it up to altitudes of 
as much as 10,000 feet above the sea. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns noted this bird as follows: 
Several seen along the Upper Hawash River during January and 
February; Aletta, March 7-18, 20 birds; Loco, March 13-15, 20 
noted; Gidabo River, March 15-17, 30; Abaya Lakes, March 18-26, 
200; between the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 20 birds 
seen. 

. PRINIA MISTACEA IMMUTABILIS van Someren 


Prinia mistacea immutabilis VAN SoMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 40, p. 98, 
1920: Lake Nakuru, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Meru Forest, Equator, Kenya Colony, August 10, 1912. 
1 female, Tharaka District, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 
1 female, junction of Tana and Thika Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 26, 
1912. 
1 male, 20 miles up the Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 27, 1912. 
1 male, between the Thika and Athi Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 29, 1912. 
1 male, Athi Station, Uganda Railway, Kenya Colony, September 1, 1912. 

The characters and distribution of this race have already been 
discussed and need not be repeated here. 

Three of the present specimens were molting the rectrices and 
remiges when collected ; two of the others are in fresh plumage, while 
the remaining one is still in abraded feathering. The males have 
the following dimensions: Wing, 51, 49, 52.5, 49; tail, 59, 63.5, 
65.5, ; culmen, 15, 14.5, 14, 14.5; tarsus 22.5, 22, 21, 20 mm, 
respectively. The females: Wing, 51, 47; tail, 62, 53; culmen, 14, 
13.5; tarsus, 21, 19 mm, respectively. 

Lénnberg * found this bird common in herbaceous thickets at 
Kutu, Kagio, Fort Hall, Meru, etc., and obtained a male with some- 
what enlarged gonads on March 30 at Kagio. Granvik ’ writes that 
it is one “of the most common birds occurring on the fringes of the 
forest, in the bush areas and acacia-country. * * * On Elgon 
the bird was common right up to about 8,000 feet.” He found it 
nesting in June and in July. 

The following observational records of this bird are taken from 
Mearns’s field notebook: Tana River at mouth of Thika River, 





“ Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, etc., vol. 1, pp. 239-240, 1869. 
78 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., vol. 47, no. 5, p. 123, 1911. 
® Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 241. 


216 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


August 23-26, 30 seen; east of Ithanga Hills, August 26, 10 birds; 
Bowlder Hill, 20 miles above the mouth of the Thika River, August 
27, 20 noted; Thika River, west of Ithanga Hills, August 28, 10 
birds; between the Thika and Athi Rivers, August 29, 80 seen; Athi 
River near Juja Farm, August 30-31, 75; Athi River Station, Uganda 
Railway, September 1, 20 birds noted. 


PRINIA SOMALICA ERLANGERI Reichenow 

Prinia somalica erlangeri REICHENOW, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 18, p. 24, 1905: Gurra 
country, southern Somaliland. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 


1 female, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 1, 1912. 


3 females, Nyero Mountains, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 
13-17, 1912. 


1 female, Marsabit Road, 25 miles north of Northern Guaso Nyiro River, 
Kenya Colony, July 30, 1912. 


This pale-colored longtail occurs across northern Kenya Colony 
from southern Italian Somaliland on the east to southwestern 
Ethiopia and to Turkanaland, northeastern Uganda, on the west, 
according to Sclater,®°° who gives merely the above region as its range, 
but van Someren *! obtained specimens at Tsavo and Campi-ya-bibi. 
He says that he— 


* %* * was surprised to find this bird in the Serengeti Plains east of Kili- 
manjaro and then again in the region of the Turkwell River, west of Lake 
Rudolf. I can see no difference between these birds, nor * * * any charac- 
ter for separating them from P. s. erlangeri from South Somaliland (N’gare- 
lewin). * * * The range would be from East Kilimanjaro Plains to South 
Ukambani, north to the Guasso N’yiro and Baringo district, also to Lake Rudolf 
and Turkana. 


The typical race, which I have not seen, is said to be paler above. 
It occurs in the lowlands of northern Somaliland from the Berbera 
Plain to the Zeila—Djeldessa region. 

The present specimens are all in worn plumage; one, taken on July 
1, was molting the rectrices when shot. Their dimensions are as 
follows: Wing, 47, 46, 46, 47, 43.5; tail, 54, 58, 51.5, 60, 56; culmen, 
11.5, 11.5, 10.5, 12, 10.5; tarsus, 18.5, 19, 18.5,19, 18mm. (The speci- 
mens are in the same order as in the above list.) 

Sharpe ®? puts this species in the genus Burnesia. Reichenow, 
Sclater, and others do not recognize Burnesia as a valid genus. I 
find that Prinia is a rather heterogeneous group, but inasmuch as 
there are species that fill practically all the stages from the very 
slender-billed lepida (type of Burnesia) to familiaris (type of 
Prinia) and to bairdii (type of Herpystera), it is difficult to separate 


8 Systema avium Acthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 570-571, 1930. 
8 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 219, 1922. 
82 Hand-list of the genera and species of birds, vol. 4, p. 241, 1903. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 217 


them. They ought to be kept as subgenera at least, in which case 
the present species would belong in the subgenus Burnesia. 

This warbler lives in the grassy acacia savannahs and is very 
abundant in southern Somaliland. According to von Erlanger,®* 
the breeding season is in April and May. He found a nest with four 
eggs at Haro-Ah, in Gurraland, on April 7, and another, also with 
four eggs, at Damaso, Garre-Lewin, on May 14. 


Family MUSCICAPIDAE, Old World Flycatchers 
MUSCICAPA STRIATA STRIATA (Pallas) 


Motacilla striata PALLAS, in Vroeg, Catalogus adumbratiunculae, p. 3, 1764: 
Holland. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 females, Gato River near Gardula, Hthiopia, April 3- 
May 2, 1912. 

The European spotted flycatcher is a common and regular migrant 
in northeastern Africa. In Kenya Colony many remain for the 
winter, but the bulk pass through to regions farther south. 

Both specimens are in new, fresh plumage. This bird has but 
one molt a year, which takes place in the winter quarters, from 
November: to March. 

Like many European migrants the present species is more numerous 
on either side of Ethiopia than in that country, owing to the natural 
migratory highways afforded by the Nile Valley and the Red Sea 
and to the high altitude of northern and central Ethiopia. 

Meinertzhagen ** found that the birds arrived in southern Kenya 
Colony late in September and left by the end of March. Van Som- 
eren and others have found it to be widely distributed in that 
country. 

ALSEONAX MINIMUS DJAMDJAMENSIS Neumann 


Alseonar murinus djamdjamensis NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 206: 
Gerbidjo, Djamdjam, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
3 males, 2 females, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 21-24, 
1912. 
2 females, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 2-38, 1912. 
1 male, Malke, Ethiopia, March 38, 1912. 
1 male, 2 females, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 7-9, 1912. 
1 male, Loco, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 13, 1912. 


In identifying the present series I have studied Grote’s revision **° 
and have examined 88 specimens representing 10 forms. Inasmuch 
as my conclusions do not entirely agree with Grote’s, the following 


§8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 724-725. 
“Ibis, 1921, p. 671. 
® Orn. Monatsb., vol. 28, pp. 112-115, 1920. 


218 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


statement may be of interest: I recognize two species (considered 
as one by Grote)—adusta with four geographic forms (adusta, sub- 
adusta, angolensis, and filleborni) and minimus with twelve races 
(minimus, pumilus, djamdjamensis, neumanniana, murinus, sub- 
tilis, roehli, albiventris, obscurus, okuensis, kumboensis, and grote?). 
The last five, all from various parts of Cameroon, I merely accept 
as valid in the absence of any material of four of them (and only 
one specimen of kwmboensis available). Though it is true that the 
adusta group and the minimus group are closely related, the former 
are grayish birds, the latter distinctly brownish birds. Further- 
more, the two overlap in the Usambara Mountains, where A. adusta 
fiilleborni and A. minimus roehli occur together. In other words, 
the main differences between my results and those of Grote are the 
division of the whole group into two specific aggregates, the recog- 
nition of fulleborni as a valid form (treated as a synonym of sub- 
adusta by Grote), and the inclusion of four forms (“oechli, neuman- 
niana, okuensis, and grotei) described since his review was pub- 
lished. The form poensis Reichenow * I have not seen, and Grote 
does not mention or dispose of it in his paper. It may be a thir- 
teenth race of A. minimus. Boyd Alexander *’ recorded obscurus 
from Fernando Po and had birds from Mount Cameroon to compare 
them with at the time. 

In northeastern and tropical eastern Africa there are five races 
of this bird, as follows: 

1. A. minimus minimus: Bogosland, northern and central Ethio- 
pia (south to Antotto and Ankober). 

2. A. minimus djamdjamensis: South Shoa, the Djamdjam coun- 
try, east to the Arussi Plateau. 

3. A. minimus murinus: From Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount 
Mero, in Tanganyika Territory, north through Kenya Colony to at 
least as far as Mount Kenya and Mount Uraguess and west to Mount 
Elgon, where it intergrades with pumilus. 

4, A. minimus pumilus: The Bukoba-Masaka district of Uganda 
north and east to Lake Albert and the eastern part of the Budu dis- 
trict. In western Uganda pumélus intergrades with subtilis. 

5. A. minimus roehli: The Usambara Mountains, Tanganyika Ter- 
ritory. 

6. A. minimus neumanniana: The Omo drainage basin, southwest 
Ethiopia. 

As is usually the case with subspecies based on rather slight (and 
somewhat variable) characters, it is not always possible to identify 


56 Orn. Monatsb., 1912, p. 46: Fernando Po. 
87 Tbis, 1903, p. 383. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 219 


a specimen by means of a key with no named comparative material 
available. However, the following key should help in the majority 
of cases: 


KEY TO THE FORMS OF ALSEONAX MINIMUS IN EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN AFRICA 


Geol not more thanvowmm swideratvibasene =.) ee ey eer minimus 
a’. Bill more than 5 mm wide at base. 
U2) Upperpartsswith a yellowish tones 22) eas ee djamdjamensis 
b%. Upperparts with no yellowish tone. 
e Crown darker, than thesback <2. 4 5:53 Uard th ee neumanniana 
c’. Crown not darker than the back. 
@: Underparts nearly as dark as the back _.-_-___ = roehli 
d@. Underparts much lighter than the back. 
e. Wings less than 60' mmm length. 22 +. ee ee pumilus 
eai Wings more than, 62,mmainJengthe 2k 308 yt st a murinus 


TABLE 43.—Measurements of 12 specimens of Alseonax minimus djamdjamensis 
from Ethiopia 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 

Mm Mim Mm Mm 

ATHSSIW PSCC RUE see ae eee ae Miagles=2= s====" 68.0 53.0 10.0 15.0 
OES ee ei Rese Ee ee lee Soest he |b ey dossstiets 66. 0 48.0 11.0 13.5 
TY) Eee a2 ea eg pie ae Oe ne 53 a dole == 5 65.5 61.5 11.0 15.0 
NAIK GS a vs ke st ee oe Sans Oe a ee do: eee 65.0 48.0 11.0 14.0 
Mietia-- 25.2 yess? Pe aerep ise |. Ae tele dows_Je.r_ 63.0 45.0 11.5 15.0 
WOCOPS Se =) Scns ee oe ee as doses. 64.0 46.0 10.0 14.0 
ATHSSIMPIALOde aos eee eee eens Female_-__-_-_- 63.0 47.5 11.0 14.0 
Peres eb 2e & Rseaeer 4558 Hoyt oS ge Sete doses 64.5 52.0 11.0 14,5 

GW fal ite Sart a coi a ae Gosse22 62.0 46.5 10.0 14.0 
1D) Oe rk Jers ee ROR Ee eee 2 | Mane does 60. 0 50.0 11.0 13.5 
Aletiath. tee ees! Aepceere tet ee eel 522s ona lee | 62.0 46.0 11.0 14.5 
ID) Oe We ee ee eee ee oe Sa eee Gone so0 62. 5 47.0 11.0 13.5 


Besides the differences indicated in the key, on the whole pwmilus 
is browner, less grayish above, than murinus, but the latter varies 
considerably in this regard. I have seen no material of roehli and 
merely assume the characters given by Grote ** are correct. 

The present series of djamdjamensis indicates that the birds of the 
high plateau of Arussiland are slightly larger than those of the lower 
Sidamo country north of the Abaya Lakes. The measurements are 
given in table 48. 

Two of the Aletta and one of the Cofali birds approach newman- 
niana in having the top of the head noticeably darker than the rest 
of the upperparts. Whether the two forms intergrade in the Sidamo 
area is an open question. For the present I prefer to consider all 
these specimens as djamdjamensis. 





Orn. Monatsb., vol. 27, p. 62, 1919. 


220 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Since this account was first written van Someren ** has described 
two more subspecies—marsabit, from the mountain of that name, and 
interpositus, from Molo. The former is smaller, more ashy brown 
above, and more, ochraceous-brown below than mwrinus, thereby 
somewhat resembling pumélis,; interpositus is like murinus but is less 
dark grayish above, more brownish, and not so grayish on the breast. 
I have seen no material of either. 


HYPODES CINEREUS KIKUYUENSIS (van Someren) 

Alseonax caerulescens kikuyuensis VAN SOMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, 
p. 102, 1921: Kyambu, Kenya Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Tana River (1,200 feet), Kenya Colony, August 
15, 1912. 

Unfortunately, I have been able to examine so little comparative 
material that I can add little to what is known of this flycatcher. 

Bates °° has straightened out the nomenclature of this bird and has 
shown that Hypodes Cassin (1859) has many years’ priority over 
Cichlomyia Oberholser (1905). I feel that the birds are generically 
distinct from Muscicapa, and hence Cassin’s name cinerea is the 
proper specific name. If, however, the bird be left in Wuscicapa, the 
name cinerea can not be applied, as Cassin’s name dates from 1856 
while P. L. S. Miiller named a Madagascan bird Muscicapa cinerea in 
1776; Gmelin did the same for a South American form in 1789 and 
McClelland used the name for an Indian bird in 1887. 

Sclater *! follows Bates’s conclusions as to the racial forms except 
that he does not recognize pondoensis Gunning and Roberts. Un- 
fortunately, neither of these writers makes any mention of Muscicapa 
cinereola Hartlaub and Finsch.*? Van Someren * has referred birds 
from Teita to cinereola so I assume that a specimen from Taveta 
(Abbott collection) is of that form. It is grayer, darker both above 
and below, than the specimen from the Tana River. Inasmuch as it 
differs from the latter in precisely the manner in which cinereola is 
said to differ from Atkuyuensis, I conclude that Mearns’s bird is of 
the latter form, which I have not otherwise seen. It appears to 
constitute the northernmost record for kikuyuensis. Judged by the 
locality from which it comes, it would not be surprising if it proved 
to be somewhat intermediate between this race and cinereola. Its 
measurements are as follows: Wing, 74; tail, 58.5; culmen, 14.5 mm. 
Tt is an adult in fresh plumage. 


© Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 37, pp. 198-194, 1931. 

9 Ibis, 1926, pp. 581-585. 

*1 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 401, 1930. 

Baron C. C. von der Decken’s Reisen in Ost-Afrika in den Jahren 1859-1865, vol. 4, 
Vogel, p. 302, 1870: Usaramo, Tanganyika Territory. 

58 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 96, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 221 


Erlanger ** records this species from southern Somaliland (Chon- 
golo, Solole, and Fanole) but does not identify his specimens beyond 
the species. Zedlitz ** similarly gives no clue as to their racial iden- 
tity, but it appears that these birds are probably cinereola, in which 
case the range of that race should be extended north to the lower 
Genale and the Bardera district, southern Italian Somaliland. 

Inasmuch as my conclusions differ from those given by Sclater, 1 
give a summary of the races and their ranges, as follows: 

1. H. ce. emereus: Cameroon to Gaboon, east to Uganda. 

2. H. c. kikuyuensis: The interior of Kenya Colony from the 
Kikuyu district north to the Tana River. 

3. H. ¢. cinereola: The coastal areas of Tanganyika Territory 
north to the plains east of Mount Kilimanjaro, the Teita and Pare 
Hills, and the Taru Desert, north along the coast to southern Somal- 
iland; south through Mozambique and Nyasaland; west through the 
Katanga and Northern Rhodesia to Benguella and Damaraland. 

4. H. c. caerulescens: Natal and Zululand to Swaziland and 
Amatongaland, southern Mozambique. 

5. H. c. pondoensis: Pondoland (doubtfully distinct). 

6. H. c. cinerascens: Gold Coast. 


PARISOMA PLUMBEUM PLUMBEUM (Hartlaub) 


Stenostira plumbea Harttaus, Journ. ftir Orn., 1858, p. 41: Casamanze River, 
Senegal. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 6, 1912. 
1 male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris brown; bill black above and on sides, flesh-color 
below; feet plumbeous, claws black. 

This species occurs throughout the African Continent from Sene- 
gal, the Sudan, to the White Nile and southwestern Ethiopia, south 
to South Africa (except the western part), exclusive of the heavy 
forest area of the Upper Guinea coast and of the Congo Basin. 
Throughout this enormous range it remains fairly constant in its 
size and color characters, the only geographic race described being 
orientale of Reichenow and Neumann from the Taru Desert region 
of Kenya Colony.** This race is said to differ in having the outer- 
most pair of rectrices white for only the distal third of their length, 
while in the nominate form these feathers are practically wholly 
white. Not having seen any birds from coastal Kenya Colony, I 

*€ Journ, fiir Orn., 1905, p. 683. 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, p. 43. 
*® Orn. Monatsb., 1895, p. 74. 


222 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


can not decide on the merits of orientale, but its characters do not 
appear to be well marked. Thus, van Someren % writes that “this 
race is quite good, being considerably darker above and below and 
possessing white under tail coverts, but its range is not definitely 
known.” He does not mention the supposedly main character, that 
of the outermost rectrices, and I find that birds from South Africa, 
West Africa, and Ethiopia have white under tail coverts, so this is 
not a racial character. Until orientale is definitely shown to be non- 
existent, I shall use a trinomial for the typical form. Van Someren 
finds that his Ugandan birds are grayer on the breast than Senegalese 
specimens and suggests that a sufficient series may show them to be 
separable. Sclater and Mackworth-Praed % also state that Uganda 
birds are grayer above and on the breast, but Gyldenstolpe *° finds 
that is not the case, with the breast at least, in the material seen 
by him. 

The present two specimens appear to be the first records for the 
species in Ethiopia. Both are in very worn plumage, and have the 
following dimensions: Wing, 70-71; tail, 62.5-65.5; culmen from 
base, 18-14; tarsus, 17-18 mm. 

Parisoma pulpum Friedmann? is very similar to P. plumbeum 
but has a much larger, more swollen bill and pale olive-green feet. 
At the time of description I wrote that it might prove to be the 
Portuguese Guinea race of plumbeum, but this is not so, as typical 
plumbeum has been taken in that country. It is possible that 
pulpum (the type of which is unique) may be a pathological form, 
but the differences are well marked. 

Parisoma holospodium Bates? is not a Parisoma at all, but a 
race of Muscicapa griseigularis. 


Genus BRADORNIS A. Smith 


Since Ogilvie-Grant’s review of the forms of this puzzling group ? 
a number of races have been described, usually with insufficient clues 
as to their relationship and based on such fine differences that it is 
exceedingly difficult to determine specimens of this genus. Needless 
to say, divergent opinions have been published on many of the forms, 
so that the literature is almost as mystifying as the birds themselves. 
In determining the specimens collected by the Frick expedition, I 


% Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 206, 1922. 

*Tbis, 1918, p. 705. 

* Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 197. 

2 Occ. Papers Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 5, p. 219, 1926: Gunnal, Portuguese Guinea. 
2 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 25, p. 27, 1909: Bitye, Cameroon. 

Ibis, 1913, pp. 632-637. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 223 


have taken the opportunity of reidentifying all the material of all 
the species and subspecies available to me, some 70 specimens in all. 
In the following list I have indicated the disposition of synonyms 
as far as I am able to do so. 

I recognize three species (in eastern Africa)—pallidus, bafirawari, 
and microrhynchus. I have not enough western material to do any- 
thing with tessmanni, nigeriae, sylvia, etc. The first two appear to 
be races (if valid) of pallidus; while sylvia is very small, and is a 
brownish bird.* 

The forms of eastern Africa are: 

1. Bradornis microrhynchus: Eritrea, Ethiopia, south Sudan, 
Somaliland, eastern Uganda, Kenya Colony, and Tanganyika Terri- 
tory to Mozambique and Rhodesia. This is the species called B. 
griseus in Sclater’s list. Four races are recognizable: 


(a) B. m. microrhynchus: From Mozambique, Nyasaland, and Rhodesia, north 
through Tanganyika Territory to Kenya Colony, from Magadi Lake to Kisumu 
and the Uganda border, north to Nairobi, and the Athi River. 

(b) B. m. taruensis: The semiarid thornbush country of the Taru Desert and 
the Serengeti Plains east of Mount Kilimanjaro, south into eastern Tanganyika 
Territory as far as Dodoma. 

(c) B. m. erlangeri: Northern Kenya Colony (south to the Lekiundu River 
and the Thraka district and the Luazomela River) north to southern Somali- 
land, Turkanaland, and southern Shoa (Tertale, Bodessa, and Gidabo River). 

(d) B. m. pumilus: Northern Somaliland, southern Sudan (White Nile), 
central and northern Ethiopia, and southern Eritrea. 


9. Bradornis pallidus: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Darfur and the White 
Nile districts of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, west to Nigeria and the 
Gold Coast, south to South Africa. This species breaks up into 
six races in eastern Africa: 


(a) B. p. pallidus: The Nile Valley from Kordofan and Sennar west to Darfur, 
east to Shoa and the Rendile country of Lake Rudolf, but not in southwestern 
Shoa. 

(b) B. p. bowdleri: Eritrea and northern Ethiopia, south to the vicinity 
of Adis Abeba. 

(c) B. p. granti: Southwestern Ethiopia, the southern part of the Upper 
White Nile (Mongalla, Gondokoro, etc.) to northwestern Uganda, and to Aba 
in the Uelle district, Belgian Congo. 

(d) B. p. subalaris: Coastal districts of East Africa from Mombasa to the 
Tana River. I have no material from Kordofan with which to compare 
coastal birds, but Rothschild® states that subalaris Sharpe (type locality, 
Mombasa) is a synonym of pallidus, which would indicate the identity of the 


4It should be noted, however, that Sassi (Ann. naturh. Mus. Wien, vol. 30, p. 243, 1916) 
states that sylvia is an Alseonar and not a Bradornis and that it may even be identical 
with Alseonaw olivascens (Cassin). Sclater (Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 400, 
1980) so disposes of the name. 

5 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 33, p. 65, 1913. 


224 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


coastal birds with topotypical pallidus. Van Someren,’ however, writes that 
birds from Mombasa, Changamwe, and Mazeros are “distinctly different from 
birds collected farther inland in the Taru district (B. griseus taruensis) and 
also from B. pallidus of Abyssinia or Nile districts. The series is constant and 
not damaged by wear.” For the coastal birds he uses Sharpe’s name suwbalaris. 
Although at first glance this seems contradictory to Rothschild’s observations, 
in reality it is not, as Abyssinian birds (from central and northern Ethiopia) 
are not pallidus but bowdleri, and the birds of the extreme southern part of 
the Upper White Nile basin are granti. It seems that van Someren must 
have compared his birds, not with topotypical pallidus, but with bowdleri and 
granti. Therefore, I am not certain of the validity of swbalaris, but in the 
absence of typical pallidus I prefer to adhere to Sclater’s arrangement. 

(e) B. p. suahelicus: The interior of Kenya Colony east to the Taru Desert, 
northern Tanganyika Territory, Uganda, and the eastern Ituri district, Bel- 
gian Congo, Urundi, and Ruanda. 


(f) B. p. murinus: South Africa north to Angola, Rhodesia, Katanga, Nyasa- 
land, Mozambique, and southern Tanganyika Territory. 


3. Bradornis bafirawari: Jubaland. A distinct species, possibly 
related to B. infuscatus. One seen by me. 

The following names are disposed of as indicated in each case: 

Bradornis griseus neumanni Hilgert 7 is a synonym of B. pallidus 
grant. 

Bradornis grisea Reichenow ® is a synonym of B. pallidus murinus. 

Bradornis parvus Reichenow ® is a synonym of B. microrhynchus 
erlangeri. 

Bradornis pallidus sharpei Rothschild ?° is a synonym of B. palli- 
dus bowdleri. Collin and Hartert! have shown sharpei Rothschild 
to be preoccupied by sharpez Bocage. 

Bradyornis muscicapina Hartlaub ? is not a Bradornis at all, but 
is a synonym of Muscicapa striata Pallas.¥ 

Because of the average, rather than absolute, value of the sub- 
specific characters and the slight color differences that appear to be 
of specific value in this group, it is difficult to write a key that will 
identify every specimen. The following key, however, has been 
carefully made and has been tested and found suitable with the 
series in the United States National Museum and some of the birds 
in the collection in the Museum of Comparative Zoology and in the 
Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia: 


* Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 95, 1922. 

™Katalog der Collection von Erlanger in Nieder-Ingelheim, p. 250, 1908: Are-Dare, 
Ganale. 

§ Journ. fiir Orn., 1882, p. 211: Irangi, Tanganyika Territory. 

® Orn. Monatsb., vol. 15, p. 171, 1907: Asholi, northern Uganda. 

10 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 33, p. 65, 1913. 

4 Nov. Zool., vol. 34, p. 52, 1927. 

2 Abh. naturw. Vereine Bremen, 1891, p. 9. 

18 See Rothschild, Bull, Brit. Orn. Club, vol, 33, p. 65, 1913. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 225 


KEY TO THE SPECIES AND SUBSPECIES OF BRADORNIS IN NORTHEAST AND EAST AFRICA 


a. Upperparts brownish, sometimes grayish brown, head not dis- 
tinctly streaked with darker. 
Bee Wanes SOLtOnOl, MMos aes eae ie eae microrhynchus microrhynchus 
b?. Wings averaging less than 80 mm. 
c’. Upperparts dark with practically no brownish tinge, wings 
MOR LORS20TOTS = Se ie oe ae oe ee ee m, pumilus 
c’. Upperparts with a brownish or buffy wash. 
ad. Throat and abdomen pure white; wings 70 to 80 mm; 
upperparts with a brownish wash--_~--_----_--____- m. taruensis 
@. Throat and abdomen lightly tinged with pale grayish 
buff; upperparts with a slight buffy tinge; wings 70 
TOP: SO patna nas sear See ew lS SE ee ae Se m, erlangeri 
a’. Upperparts brownish, sometimes grayish brown, head not dis- 
tinctly streaked with darker. 
b*. Upperparts grayish brown, throat pure white, contrasting 
with the pale grayish brown breast. 
c. Wings 90 to 100 mm; upperparts with but little gray. 
pallidus suahelicus 
c’. Wings usually less than 93 mm; upperparts with a notice- 
able degree of gray. 
ad’. Wings small, 80 to 89 mm, usually less than 86 mm_____ p. modestus 
d@. Wings not so small, 85 to 95 mm, averaging 90 mm______ p. murinus 
b?. Upperparts pure brownish (dull, but not grayish), throat 
and underparts whitish washed with pale buff. 


GsUnder Wile COVerts pure white. 22-22-02 ee bafirawari 
¢. Under wing coverts not pure white. 
GP eCLOWHMOALC™ DE OW! so ote seeee ae eek ae OE MS ee p. granti 
d. Crown not dark brown, not darker than back. 
es Wings (92 toy 96; mmhnlong- st eye srers ey ete ee ds p. bowdleri 
e’. Wings 80 to 86 mm long_-_________-____ p. pallidus and p. subalaris 


BRADORNIS MICRORHYNCHUS MICRORHYNCHUS Reinchenow 


Bradyornis microrhynchus REICHENOW, Journ. fiir Orn., 1887, p. 62: Irangi, 
Tanganyika Territory. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult female, Athi River, August 29, 1912. 
1 adult male, Athi River, September 1, 1912. 

Van Someren * records typical mécrorhynchus from Magadi Lake 
to Kendu Bay, while birds from Simba, Kitui, and Nairobi he refers 
to as “Bradornis griseus ? subsp.” and writes that they are “much 
more heavily built than the birds from Tsavo (¢arvens?s) and nearer 
to B. griseus and g. pumilus. Wings, 80-87 mm.” From the mate- 
rial examined it seems to me that birds from the area between Simba 
and Nairobi (which would include the present two birds from Athi 
River) are not separable from the birds inhabiting the country im- 


144 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 94-95, 1922. 


226 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


mediately to the south (Magadi Lake and country to the west to the 
Sotik district). Individual variation in this species is so nearly equal 
to geographic variation that even the races pumilus and erlangeri 
(which are far more distinct than are birds of the Athi River from 
those of the Sotik region) are difficult to identify. 

Lonnberg *® has also demonstrated the great individual variation 
of this species. 

The male is darker and larger than the female and is in fresh 
plumage, while the latter is in very worn condition. 


BRADORNIS MICRORHYNCHUS ERLANGERI Reichenow 


Bradornis griseus erlangeri REICHENOW, in Erlanger, Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, 
p. 680: Hanole, southern Somaliland. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
3 females, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 
1 male, Anole Village, Ethiopia, May 18, 1912. 
5 males, 3 females, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 20-26, 1912. 
1 male, 2 females, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 7-10, 1912. 
2 males, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 16, 1912. 
1 male, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 19, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 
1 female, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 
1 male, river 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 
3 males, 4 females, 1 unsexed, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 5-6, 
1912. 
1 female, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris brown. 

Inasmuch as size measurements are of systematic significance in 
this bird, and since such little harmony prevails among systematists 
concerning the validity of erlangeri, I give the dimensions of all 
these specimens in full (table 44). It may easily be seen that this 
form, like pumiélus, is definitely smaller than the typical race (in 
which the wing length varies from 80 to 91 mm, with an average of 
approximately 87 mm). 

On the whole, the birds collected in March, May, and June are in 
worn plumage, while those taken late in July and in August are in 
fresh feathering. This applies to the wings and tails as well as the 
other parts and therefore implies that the breeding season is prob- 
ably in March and April. It is satisfying to note that Erlanger’s 
observations on the breeding time in southern Somaliland are in 
agreement with this indirect evidence.1* Erlanger found nests with 
from two to three eggs on April 9 at Harbo-Gobassa, in Gurraland, on 
the Ganale River near Lagamardu on April 10, and a single egg at 
Malka-Re on the Daua River as late as May 3. 


4 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 80. 
16 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 680-681. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 2907 


TaBLE 44.—Measurements of 81 specimens of Bradornis microrhynchus erlangeri 








Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen] Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mim 
Amolekvillagesess2-se> =o ee ae eee Male s2 i. 24 81.0 64.0 13.0 20. 0 
Bodessat_< + -. 25-4. = see sles =e Goze -e¥ 81.0 63.0 13.0 21.0 
DO io e= 2 Sada soso sa sess tetas ae pao dows =—4|) 7850 60.0 12.0 21.0 
02 oe ee be oe ee dol | 8130 66. 0 13.0 21.0 
WOlsa aos secossseceensessese ee |eesee GOs ee 79.0 62.0 12.0 21.0 
DOr. ces bees Sasso ees ote eae doseera. 79.0 62.0 12.0 20.5 
Montale.seee sae eke Rete ese ks Gos2 2 2% 78.0 62.0 1255 19.5 
Kenya COLONY: 
Indunumara Mountains-_--_-------|----- don 5-2 72.0 59.5 11.5 20.0 
WOAssi cen cee estes we See eee os Goke- see 73.0 61.0 285 20. 5 
Hndoto) Mountains!222s4— 2. =--25|2- Gossee Se 76.0 61.5 13.0 21.0 
be-se-dunees. ---. ee Se Gose Sexe 77.0 65.5 1285 21.0 
24 miles south of Malele___---------|----- Goss 74.0 59.0 125 20.0 
DekiunduRivert 2222 3---2 --2=2--2 22) sks do. 3.4 77.0 58.0 13.0 20.0 
1 D0) Se ee ee eae ee pee dos sare. 79.0 65.5 13.0 20.0 
ID OS 22 =e Sao oe oe ee ee ee Goss 77.0 59. 5 12.0 20.0 
D OY. = Fe ae sets re eee ee en es 81.0 65.0 13.0 21.0 
ETHIOPIA’ 
Gidabol River: <2 2-- --ts22- S222. Female__-_.--_- 80.5 67.5 12.0 20.0 
ID O32 22 2ce5 oo os = SE ee See. dot. bese 81.0 64.0 1245 20.0 
DO0tt. seth ee 2b nee ee dos ee 78. 5 67.0 12.5 19.5 
Bod @SSaie see nace na eee oes omen’ dozz222 2-2 73.0 600" ||Pzee22s=" 20.0 
WD OS: = es; oes tee = 2 Same sot es dortz.. 33%. 76.0 59.0 13.0 20. 5 
ID) Oe = ae eee eee Ce ee dons = 75.0 62.0 12.5 20.0 
Martial ee ste ce eee oe ere ee eee Gotae sae 78.5 66. 5 13.0 20.0 
1B Xa er ot es nee ey ee eee eee GOs=s2 = 77.0 60. 0 12.0 20.0 
Kenya COLONY: 
Wes6-duness sees oa ieee eS a doses 78.0 62.0 12.0 19.0 
18 miles south of Malele_--_--------|----_ Gotzse-e-=- 77.5 61.0 11.0 19.0 
ekiundw River==.2222-s=sss-----4|--s-— GOEne see O10 63. 5 12.0 20.0 
OY Ee ES PAAR 2 See Eee UES Gor ssatt =. 80.0 65.0 11.5 20. 5 
W022 seas see aesewce cess esa eee dot = 79.0 58.5 12.5 20.0 
DOL bbe Re hee sath hes GOs aes 75.0 61.0 12.0 18.5 
yinarakaGistriche ses. sae aoe doze 76.5 60.5 12.0 21.0 





Little appears to be known of the immature plumage of this bird, 
hence the following observations may be worth recording: Two of 
the males taken at Bodessa are in an advanced stage of the post- 
juvenal molt, the new (adult) remiges and rectrices being well de- 
veloped. Both birds have the pectoral area streaked with dark earth 
brown, the color being restricted to the shafts of the feathers and to 
the innermost barbules. The old (juvenal) scapulars, interscapulars, 
and feathers of the upper back have large subterminal white spots 
terminally and laterally edged with dark earth brown, the over- 
lapping featherings producing a condition between true squamation 
and coarse spotting. The feathers of the cheeks and postocular area 
are laterally margined with whitish, and the crown, nape, and upper- 
parts in general are slightly darker in hue than in the adults. 

In fresh plumage, the margins of the upper greater wing coverts 
and of the remiges vary from pure white to light buffy or even light 


228 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


tawny, but in worn specimens these margins, while much reduced, are 
always whitish, indicating a certain degree of bleaching or fading as 
well as abrasion. 


BRADORNIS MICRORHYNCHUS PUMILUS Sharpe 


Bradyornis pumilus SHARPE, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1895, p. 480: Hargeisa, 
Somaliland. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
4 males, 6 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 1-19, 1911. 
1 female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 12, 1912. 

All these specimens are in worn plumage. The four males have 
the following dimensions: Wing, 78-83 (average 81); tail, 61-65 
(63); culmen, 12-13 (12.5); tarsus, 20-21 (20.8 mm). The seven 
females: Wing, 75-80 (79.2); tail, 59.5-65 (63); culmen, 11-13 
(12.1) ; tarsus, 19-20.5 (19.9 mm). 

As pointed out by Zedlitz*’ Witherby’s record of “Bradyornis 
pumilus” from Galkayu '® probably refers to B. m. erlangeri, although 
the bird from Eil Dab may well be true pumélus. 

This race appears to be rather uncommon, or, at least, decidedly 
local in the northern part of its range as it was not met with by 
Zedlitz, Jesse, Blanford, and other collectors who traveled in Eritrea 
and northern Ethiopia. 


BRADORNIS PALLIDUS SUAHELICUS van Someren 


Bradornis murinus suahelicus VAN SOMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, 
p. 104, 1921; Londiani, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 19, 1912. 
1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 25, 1912. 

The two specimens collected have the following dimensions: Wing, 
93; tail, 71; culmen, 14; tarsus, 20 mm. They are in fairly fresh 
plumage. A series of Kenyan birds examined shows that the molt 
comes in April and May, a fact that suggests that the breeding season 
is probably in February and March and possibly earlier. 

This flycatcher, according to Granvik?® is quite common in the 
scrub and bushy country, but does not live in densely wooded areas, 
although found outside the edges of forests. 

One of these specimens is browner above than the other and is 
difficult to identify positively. It may be a hybrid between murinus 
and pallidus. 


17 Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, p. 42. 
18 Tbis, 1905, p. 520. 
1 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 120. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 229 


DIOPTRORNIS FISCHERI FISCHERI Reichenow 
Dioptrornis fischeri RricHeNow, Jeurn. fiir Orn., 1884, p. 53; Meru Mountain, 
Tanganyika Territory. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 31, 1912. 
1 male, 2 females, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 4-8, 
1912. 

One of the females (U.S.N.M. no. 244566) was prepared by a native 
skinner and is therefore not too reliably sexed. 

This flycatcher has a surprisingly wide range altitudinally when 
compared with its relatively limited geographical distribution. Al- 
though known from altitudes of as little as 2,500 feet and as much 
as 11,000 feet, nevertheless its range extends for only 7° of latitude 
and 5° of longitude. Its geographical limits are as follows: Mount 
Kenya and Mount Elgon west to the eastern province of Uganda, 
southeast to the Taveta district, south into northern Tanganyika 
Territory as far as the Kilimanjaro-Meru highlands and the Uluguru 
Mountains. As far as I know, it has not been recorded from the 
Paré or the Bura Mountains, but the chances are that it is to be 
found there as well. In the Usambara Mountains a small, pale form, 
amani, takes its place. 

All four specimens are adults in fine, fresh plumage, apparently 
birds that only recently finished their postnuptial molt. The breed- 
ing season is from January to June. The nest is made of dry 
leaves, moss, fiber, and hair, and is placed in a fork of a tree, usually 
fairly high up (30 feet or so). The usual clutch is two eggs. 

In his field notebooks Doctor Mearns made entries of what he 
called “Bradyornis fischeri” from as far north as the Endoto Moun- 
tains. Unfortunately, no specimens were taken there, and inasmuch 
as his notes on D. chocolatinus are entered in his books as “D. 
fischeri,” it is unsafe even to assume that the present flycatcher occurs 
as far to the north as the Endoto Mountains. 


DIOPTRORNIS CHOCOLATINUS CHOCOLATINUS (Riippell) 


Muscicapa chocolatina Riprety, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna Abyssinien 
gehorig, etc., Végel, p. 107, 1835: Simien, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, 2 females, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 20-22, 1912. 
4 females, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 1—2, 1912. 
1 male, Malke, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 
1 male, Ethiopia, March 1, 1912. 
4 females, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 7-11, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Loco, Ethiopia, March 18, 1912. 


This flycatcher occurs throughout the highlands of Ethiopia from 


the Simien Mountains, the Tigre district, and the Bogosland frontier 
106220—37-—_16 


230 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


south to the Abaya lakes. In the drainage basin of the Sobat River 
it is replaced by the little-known D+» reichenowi Neumann, said to 
differ from D. chocolatinus by its darker, almost blackish, not brown- 
ish, gray upperparts, and darker breast. Over a quarter of a century 
ago Neumann *° wrote that it was not clear whether this was a distinct 
species or a geographical race of chocolatinus, and so little has been 
found out since that its status is still unsettled. It appears, however, 
that the two are geographically complementary and may therefore 
be looked upon as subspecifically related. 

The present form is one of the characteristic birds of the temperate 
faunal zone of the Ethiopian highlands, its altitudinal range being 
from about 6,000 to 10,500 feet. Neumann states that he never saw 
it in the valleys. Erlanger found it in the “cypress” forests of 
the mountains, and Mearns collected it in the juniper woods of the 
Arussi Plateau. 

The breeding season is from January to late in March. Erlanger 
found a nest with two small nestlings and one addled egg on March 
21 near Gara Mulata. The present specimens are largely in worn 
plumage, and, in fact, four of them are commencing to molt; all 
of which is in agreement with what has been stated by Neumann and 
Erlanger as to the breeding season. It appears that the birds 
obtained by the Frick expedition had finished breeding not long 
before they were collected. 

Inasmuch as this species is rather uncommon in American collec- 
tions, I give the measurements of these 15 birds (table 45). 


TABLE 45.—Measurements of 15 specimens of Dioptrornis chocolatinus chocola- 
tinus from Ethiopia 


Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
Mm Mm Mm Mm 

Mal keen 22 Soe Mies aie oe eee Maley se 82.0 71.0 12.0 20. 5 
FATUSST blatesusecce = nee Se eb Sees doz22.22322 89.0 80.0 13.5 23. 5 
TOC nS so ee eI ee ess Bee Gets Gorse ss 85.0 74.0 12:5 22.0 
pt ha Wet is 2 te Sl een Se eee Boel Le Gows2s12Sts 86.0 71.0 13.0 23.0 
AMMISS! PIStealty. 228 aco Oo ee Female-_-_._-_-- 87.0 73.0 13.0 23.0 
DOSS Li CLG ee Sena ee ee | ae Gos 2s 87.0 74.0 14.0 23.0 
Cofaliees: oe ee oe ee eee Goze 2s 82.0 66.0 12.5 21.0 
Qe e a eke ee ee Ee oe (ene eS 87.0 75.0 12.0 21.5 

DOF 2 ee ae eps ee Gos. 22222 87.0 75.0 12.0 21.0 

SD OSS Peo aie ice ae ee AOz45826 26 89.0 75.0 13.0 22.0 
7012) ee a ar ee le |B ea Oss see sae 8arO 69.0 13.0 22.0 
Doe ees ee ee dose 83.0 70.5 13.0 22.0 

ID OR SE ee BB a Be hee Ee a ee Gol erste 86.0 77.5 12.5 21.5 

WOE 2asa2s eA ee ee |e doses. ee 87.0 71.0 12.5 22.0 
OCP ranean ea Sacer e Za Or sea ae 81.5 71.0 12.5 22.5 





2 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 205. 
21 Tbid., p. 682. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 231 


Of all the species of Dioptrornis the present one is the nearest in 
structural characters, although not in color, to Cichlomyia, but still 
it is nearer to the other species of Dioptrornis than it is to Cichlomyia 
caerulescens. 

Mearns noted this bird frequently along the Hawash River, espe- 
cially on the upper stretches, January 26—-February 13. 


MELAENORNIS EDOLIOIDES LUGUBRIS (Miiller) 


Muscicapa lugubris von MULLER, Beitrage zur Ornithologie Afrikas, Lief 1, pl. 
2, 1853: Kolla, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 males, 1 female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 15, 1912. 
10 males, 7 females, 1 immature female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethi- 
opia, April 1-27, 1912. 
1 female, Sagon River, north side, Ethiopia, May 19, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris brown; bill, feet, and claws black. 

The literature of this bird is unfortunate in that it is concerned 
chiefly with what to call the species rather than with any attempt 
to find out anything about the bird itself. First, we may briefly 
examine the nomenclature, and then pass on to the facts of its life 
history and distribution. 

Until recently this species has been referred to as Melaenornis 
pammelaina (Stanley), but van Someren has examined Stanley’s 
type and found it to be a glossy blue-black bird (the bird then cur- 
rently known as I. ater tropicalis, now correctly named M. pamme- 
laina pammelaina). He then made a hasty survey of the available 
names for the grayish-black birds and concluded that von Miiller’s 
name Jugubris was the oldest one and was therefore the one to be 
used. 

As Gyldenstolpe,?? however, has pointed out, Swainson’s name 
Melasoma edolioides ?* is really the name to be used as it antedates 
lugubris by 16 years. The species, then, becomes Melaenornis edoli- 
oides (Swainson). 

The disposition of subspecific names depends on what races are 
considered valid. Here again great diversity of opinion prevails. 
I have examined a series of 35 specimens from Kenya Colony, 
Uganda, Belgian Congo, Ethiopia, and Senegal, and after carefully 
reading the conclusions and evidence given by Reichenow,* Ogilvie- 
Grant,?> Sclater and Mackworth-Praed,?* van Someren,?’ Gyldenstolpe, 
and others, I find myself in complete agreement with only one of these 


22 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 194. 

23 The natural history of the birds of western Africa, vol. 1, p. 257, 1837: Senegal. 
24 Die Végel Afrikas, vol. 2, p. 442, 1903. 

5 Tbis, 1913, p. 638. 

26 Tbis, 1918, p. 701. 

27Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 93, 1922. 


232 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


investigators—Doctor van Someren. There are three recognizable 
subspecies—(1) a dark, long-tailed bird with dark ashy-gray inner 
edges on the remiges, occurring in Senegal; (2) a grayish-black 
(lighter than No. 1) bird, smaller in size, with whitish inner margins 
on the remiges, found in Ethiopia; and (3) an intermediate form 
nearer to No. 2 than to No. 1 in size but with the inner margins of 
the remiges ashy gray. The names to be used are as follows: 

1. Melaenornis edolioides lugubris (Miller) : Ethiopia and the Su- 
danese provinces of Sennar, Kassala, Bahr el Ghazal, and Lado En- 
clave; and northern Somaliland. This is the bird that van Someren 
ealls UM. lugubris schistacea Sharpe and that has commonly been called 
M. pammelaina Stanley in literature. Sclater ** considers schistacea 
a valid race inhabiting southeastern Ethiopia. 


TaBLe 46.—Measurements of 21 specimens of Melaenornis edolioides lugubris 
from Ethiopia 











Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen! Tarsus 
Mm Mm Mm Mm 

Gidaho Rivers. 2 oats. ee ae eee Mialoss= cases 105.0 | 103.0 14.0 22.0 
NE) yt Se eo eee lee Bd en Sy ha Goss eee 106.0 106. 0 14.0 22.0 
Gato, River. ase = 444 - $5 cese eb oct doze =e 96.0 95:0. |e 22. 0 
DO 2 Bee ee eee ee eect eee eee | ore GOnese ae 102.0 97.0 14.0 22.0 

DO eee 2 ahs See ere SE IS Jose iL as doses 23 103.0 101.0 14.0 23.5 

DO. ei eS et ek ect ket dol ee) 10440 100.0 14.0 24.5 

TD) ORs ee ee ee ee he aks coe douse 101.0 98.0 15.0 22.0 

Dos bt sesh sek. Ae Fe hs eel Py Goulet 97.0 96.0 15.0 2345 
WO). 2 ALE = en fee et eee et Ee do. = 10240) 99.0 14.0 23.0 
DO! 28 eens ee Se cee Saar say (tee GOs! see 103.0 100.0 14.0 22.0 

) OR ESF TU GELS RUA STE ER doit til 104.0 100. 0 15.0 22.5 

D0: 8 ee ee oR eet es cue ea cB oe eS dos-=--25 |r 4100.0 100.0 15.0 23.0 

DOH ee ae en eae ee ee eee Female----_---- 97.5 96.0 15.0 23.0 

PD O80 a ee oak eee beawes Gotesese= 95.0 89.0 15.0 22. 5 

TP) Oita oeeg Ee Seti opt Be ll te Gots 103.0 99.0 14.5 23.0 

STS) ye ea ae ie ee Sa OE ea Gorse 2 ae 98.0 OZ 00 | pees 23.0 

DOs i£4 coh. Lesh eA hs. SSEER EES OE do. 448% 98.0 91.0 14.0 21.0 

Oe Shs od oie Sa ee CO one 98.0 97.0 15.0 21.5 

DD 0 Se Pe es Pe es Se, || A do ee 96.5 96.0 14.0 23.0 
(GidabouRivert2e2 tee a ae eae ee eee Gores eee 97.0 92.0 15.0 23.0 
SAzOne hiv ebe cess ae ole aa See ee Cot ee OTD 90.0 15.0 23.0 





2. Melaenornis edolioides ugandae (van Someren) : Kenya Colony, 
Uganda, eastern Belgian Congo, south to Mwanza, Tanganyika Ter- 
ritory. 

3. Melaenornis edolioides edolioides (Swainson) : Senegal, Gambia, 
Dahomey, Gold Coast, and Cameroon. This form has a much longer 
tail than wgandae (107-116 mm in edolioides, 94-103 mm in ugandae). 

The present race, Zugubris, is a denizen of the valleys and lower 
reaches of the mountains of Ethiopia, where, according to Neumann,”® 
it appears to occur up to, but not above, altitudes of 8,000 feet. In 


*% Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 410, 1930. 
® Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 205. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 233 


northern Somaliland, Erlanger *° found it not uncommon both in the 
acacia thornbush country and in the sparse forests of mountains. 

Judging from the condition of the plumage of the immature bird 
collected on April 7, it would appear that the nesting season prob- 
ably falls between October and February. The bird is nonmigratory, 
according to von Heuglin.** 

Inasmuch as size variations are the materials on which so many 
opinions on the systematics of this bird have been based, I give the 
dimensions (table 46) of the adults collected by the Frick expedition. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns noted this bird as follows: 
Gibado River, March 15-17, 10 birds seen; Abaya Lakes, March 18- 
26, 10 noted; near Gardula, March 26-29, 2 birds, Gato River near 
Gardula, March 20-May 17, 500; Gato River crossing, May 17, 25 
seen; Anole, May 18, 4 birds; Kormali village, May 19, 25 observed; 
Bodessa and Sagon River, May 19-June 6, 180; Tertale, June 7-12, 
33 birds. 

MELAENORNIS PAMMELAINA TROPICALIS (Cabanis) 


Melanopepla tropicalis CaBants, Journ. fiir Orn., 1884, p. 241: Ikanga, Ukamba, 
Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 males, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 23-24, 1912. 
1 male, 35 miles south of Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, 
July 29, 1912. 
1 female, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 7, 1912. 
8 males, 1 female, 1 unsexed, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 
13-14, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 immature male, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 17-20, 
1912. 
1 male, Athi River, Kenya Colony, August 29, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris brown; bill, feet, and claws black. 

The glossy black flycatcher ranges from South Africa to Angola, 
Rhodesia, through Tanganyika Territory to Uganda and north-cen- 
tral Kenya Colony, and possibly Ethiopia. In its entire range it has 
been differentiated into two races as follows: 

t. M. p. pammelaina: Natal, Zululand, Swaziland, west through 
the Transvaal and northern Cape Province to Damaraland, Nama- 
qualand and Ovampoland, north to Angola, the Zambesi River, south- 
ern Nyasaland and southern Mozambique. This form is the larger 
of the two; wings, 105-115 mm. 

2. M. p. tropicalis: Central Mozambique and Nyasaland north 
through Tanganyika Territory to central Uganda (west to Ankole) 
and to the Endoto Mountains in Kenya Colony. 

This is the form that has been called M. ater tropicalis by most 
writers, as pammelaina was thought to be a grayish-black bird. Van 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 682. 
= Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s. vol. 1, p. 428, 1869. 


234 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Someren, however, found the latter to be a glossy blue-black bird 
and suggested that the name pammelaina must be used instead of 
tropicalis. It has recently been found, however, that Stanley’s type 
came from Mozambique, not Ethiopia, so pammelaina replaces ater, 
not tropicalis. 

The characters of this race are: (1) Smaller size, wings 96-109 mm; 
and (2) much more bluish sheen on the whole body than in the 
nominate form. 

The dimensions of the present series are as follows: Males—wings 
100-105 (average, 102.5) ; tail 84-91 (average, 88.4) ; culmen 12.5: 15 
(average, 13.9 mm). Females—wings, 99; tail, 86-88 (average, 87), 
culmen, 13-14 (average, 13.5 mm). 

The immature bird collected on August 17 is in an early stage of 
the postjuvenal molt. The adults taken at the same time (August 
13-29) are not molting but are in fairly worn plumage. Inasmuch as 
the breeding season in Kenya Colony is from March to June, it ap- 
pears that the juvenal plumage is worn for only a few months. The 
adults molt just after the nesting season and are through by the end 
of June. 

This flycatcher was met with in many places. I find the following 
entries in Mearns’s diary: Plains south of, and at base of Endoto 
Mountains, July 19-24, 40 birds noted; Er-re-re, July 25, 10 seen; 
Le-se-dun, July 26, 2 birds; 18 miles south of Malele, July 28, 4 
noted; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31, 10 birds; Lekiundu 
River, August 4-8, 40; Meru and Kilindini, Equator, August 9-10, 
14 seen; Tharaka district, August 12-14, 200; Tana River, August 
15-23, 166 noted; Thika River, August 23-26, 2 seen; west of Ithanga 
Hills, August 28, 4 birds; between the Thika and Athi River, August 
29, 30 noted; Athi River near Juja Farm, August 30, 20 birds 
observed. 

CHLOROPETA NATALENSIS SIMILIS Richmond 


Chloropeta similis RicHMoND, Auk, vol. 14, p. 163, 1897: Mount Kilimanjaro. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 
10; 1912. 

In the study of this specimen and those collected by the Smith- 
sonian—Roosevelt expedition, I have examined a series of 15 birds, 
including 2 of the typical, southern form, and the type and 3 para- 
typical topotypes of stmlis, and 7 topotypes of kenya. I have no 
hesitancy in declaring that CAloropeta kenya Sharpe * is a synonym 
of similis. Furthermore, on the basis of Gyldenstolpe’s notes ** and 
those of Sassi ** I am equally confident that Chloropeta schubotzi 


%3 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 12, p. 35, 1901: Mount Kenya. 
34 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 206. 
% Ann. naturh. Hofmus. Wien, vol. 30, p. 249, 1916. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 235 


Reichenow * is also identical with stmdlis. The recent authors who 
have used Sharpe’s name kenya, such as van Someren,*’ have invaria- 
bly lacked typical material of simélis to compare with their Mount 
Kenya specimens (kenya). 

The range of similis, as far as known at present, is from the 
Uluguru Mountains ** and Mounts Meru and Kilimanjaro, to Mount 
Kenya, Escarpment, Aberdares, Molo, Mount Elgon, Ruwenzori, and 
the Birunga Volcanoes (Mounts Muhavura, Sabineo, Mikeno, and 
Karissimbi) to the mountains west of Lake Tanganyika (6,500 feet). 
The present species is a mountain form and in regions where it and 
C. massaicus both occur, they are altitudinally separated. This so 
impressed Mackworth-Praed that he wondered whether the two 
might not be considered conspecific, asking if it is “possible to main- 
tain a ‘geographical’ race on a difference of 1000 ft. or so in eleva- 
tion? I should personally consider it a better division than mere 
distance; but it is a point of interest.” On Mount Kilimanjaro 
similis is known from 8,000 to 11,500 feet; on Mount Elgon, 11,000 
feet; Mount Kenya, 8,500 feet; the Birunga Volcanoes, 9,000 to 11,500 
feet; Ruwenzori, 6,000 to 10,000 feet. It is not known from the 
Usambara Mountains. 

This suggests a reason why the species does not occur in Ethiopia, 
namely that many of the high mountains in that country are more 
grassy, and are without true mountain forest to the edge of which 
the species is ecologically restricted. The species of the lower coun- 
try, C. massaicus, ascends to 8,500 feet in Ethiopia, apparently owing 
to the fact that no barrier in the form of a true mountain forest 
prevents it from spreading into the higher reaches of the mountains. 

Gyldenstolpe points out that though in his original description of 
the type of sémilis Richmond states that the sides of the face and 
the ear-coverts are like the upperparts in color, this is not always the 
fact and that the sides of the face and the auriculars are usually 
slightly more yellowish, less greenish, than the upperparts. I have 
examined the type and topotypes with this in mind and find that 
Gyldenstolpe is correct, that is, the cheeks and auriculars are very 
slightly yellower, less greenish than the back and the upperparts 
generally. 

The present specimen has the following dimensions: Wing, 58; 
tail, 56; culmen, 13; tarsus, 22 mm. 

Little is known of the breeding season. Van Someren ** found it 
nesting at Nairobi and procured nestlings on June 10. 

The genus Chloropeta is a link, in many ways, between the Musci- 
capidae and the Sylviidae. 


8° Orn. Monatsb., 1908, p. 119: Rugege Forest, east of Lake Kivu. 
8™ Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 98, 1922. 

88 Cf. Friedmann, Ibis, 1928, p. 84. 

®Tbis, 1916, p. 380. 


236 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


BATIS MOLITOR PUELLA Reichenow 
Batis puella REICHENOW, Jahrb. Hamburg wiss. Anst., vol. 10, pt. 1, p. 125, 1893: 
Bussisi, Tanganyika Territory. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
3 males, 1 female, Tana River near mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, 
August 23-27, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 31, 


1912. 

As far as the total comparative material available indicates, the 
conclusions reached by Sclater *° seem correct. There are three valid 
races of B. molitor, as follows: 

1. B. m. molitor: Demaraland, Bechuanaland, the eastern Cape 
Province, the Transvaal, and Natal. 

2. B. m. soror: The lower Zambesi Valley, the Shiré drainage 
basin, southern Nyasaland, through Mozambique, to eastern Tan- 
ganyika Territory, north to Zanzibar. According to Sclater, B. 
molitor littoralis Neumann ** and B. soror pallidigula van Someren ** 
are synonyms of B. m. soror. I have seen no Zanzibar birds and can 
not therefore form an opinion, but it may be that the birds of the 
coastal districts of Tanganyika Territory are separable, as two 
female specimens from Morogoro and Kilosa have darker brown 
throat spots than a female from Lumbo. If further material bears 
out this difference, these Tanganyikan birds would have to be sepa- 
rated under Neumann’s name /ittoralis. 'This, I believe, will have 
to be done. In this event, the range of littoralis would be from 
Zanzibar and Morogoro south at least to the mouth of Rovuma 
River. Schuster ** collected a pair of birds in the mangroves at 
Kingani in the delta of the Rovuma, and found them to be best 
identified as Uéttoralis. Whether this form extends farther south is 
not known. 

3. B. m. puella: From the Kivu area and Ruwenzori east through 
Uganda to Kenya Colony, north to Mount Elgon and the Northern 
Guaso Nyiro River, south through the interior of Tanganyika Terri- 
tory to Lake Nyasa, the Katanga, Northern Rhodesia, the Upper 
Zambesi, and Angola. Again, owing to lack of adequate material, 
I follow Sclater in assuming that B. m. taruensis van Someren ** and 
B.m. montana Sjostedt *° are not oP ame from puella. The former 
race, at least, may be valid. 

The dmeeise by which the races may be identified are as fol- 
lows: B. m. soror differs from molitor in having a narrower black 


40 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 45, p. 52, 1925. 

41 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 856: Zanzibar. 

42 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, p. 103, 1921: Lumbo, Mozambique. 

43 Journ. fiir Orn., 1926, pp. 712-713. 

“ Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, p. 103, 1921: Maungu, Kenya Colony. 

45 Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der schwedischen zoologischen Expedition nach dem 
Kilimandjaro . . . Deutsch-Ostafrika, 1905-6, etc., vol. 3, p. 109, 1908: Mount Kilimanjaro. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY J3e 


breast band in the male, and a much paler throat spot and pectoral 
band in the female. The northern race pvedla is similar to molitor 
in the male (the breast band is only slightly narrower in the former 
than in the latter) but the females of puel/a have the throat spot 
and breast band dark chocolate-brown, darker than in molitor, and 
very much darker than in soror. 

A series of 27 specimens of puella have the following dimensions: 
Males—wing, 57-62; tail, 39-45; culmen, 12-14; tarsus, 16-19 mm. 
Females—wing, 56-62; tail, 41-48; culmen, 12-14; tarsus, 16-17.5 mm. 

Mearns noted that this flycatcher has a nasal, honking note similar 
to that produced by a nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis. 


BATIS MINOR ERLANGERI Neumann 


Batis minor erlangeri NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 352: Gara Mulata, 
near Harrar, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 11, 1912. 
1 adult male, 2 adult females, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 15-16, 1912. 
1 adult female, northeast Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 16, 1912. 
2 adult males, 1 subadult male, 2 adult females, Gato River, near Gardula, 
Ethiopia, April 10-May 9, 1912. 
2 adult females, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 25-27, 1912. 


The races of Batis minor have been dealt with by Neumann,*® 
Sclater and Mackworth-Praed,*’ and by Sclater.** The main differ- 
ence between the first two is the question of the proper name for the 
species. Neumann uses mnor and Sclater and Praed use bella. Much 
ink has been spilled over the question, and I do not intend to add 
any to it, as Gyldenstolpe *® has shown that Elliot’s description of 
bella does not fit the birds currently known as minor. Sclater ex- 
amined Elliot’s type and found *°® that it was the same as Aatis 
orientalis somaliensis Neumann, over which Elliot’s name has priority. 

Furthermore, in answer to an inquiry of mine, John T. Zimmer 
has kindly reexamined the type of bel/a and finds that the under wing 
coverts and axillars are black, with no white except on the edge of 
the wing. The white superciliary stripe is present but much reduced 
in width over the eye, so that, in certain arrangements of the fea- 
thers, it is entirely concealed except over the lores, where it is very 
much broader; hence Elliot’s failure to observe it. The measurements 
of the type are: Wing (flattened), 57.5; tail, 42.5; culmen from base, 
15.25; tarsus, 17 mm. 


46 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 352-855. 

47 Ibis, 1918, pp. 708-709. 

48 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 45, pp. 50-57, 1925. 
# Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 209. 
5o Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 45, p. 55, 1925. 


238 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The subspecies found in northeastern and eastern Africa are as 
follows: 

1. B. m. ménor: Southern Somaliland. Characters: Small size, 
wings, 51-54 mm. As pointed out by Neumann, the female type of 
minor is really a female of Batis perkeo. 

2. B. m. erlangeri: Ethiopia, from the mountains near Harrar 
southwestward to the lake district of southern Shoa and the Djam- 
djam country, probably also to the drainage basin of the Omo River, 
south to the north end of Lake Stefanie. Characters: Similar to 
minor but much larger, wings 60-67 mm. The female has a darker, 
duskier bay-brown pectoral band. 

3. B. m. chadensis: From Lake Chad through the upper Ubangi- 
Shari region to Darfur and Kordofan and the northwestern Bahr el 
Ghazal to the Lower White and Blue Niles and to the Red Sea 
Province of the Sudan, intergrading with erlangeri on the Sudan- 
Ethiopian border in the valleys of the Sobat, Blue Nile, and Baro 
Rivers. Characters: Wing, 55 mm. The back in this race (which 
I have not seen) is gray, washed with reddish. Grote,®! however, 
writes that the color character is more characteristic of young birds 
than of adults. Furthermore, Lynes*? suggests that “seasonal 
changes and first plumages will explain certain differences in colour 
which have been related to geography.” 

4. B. m. nyansae: From Malakal and Lake No on the Upper 
White Nile, and through the central and southern parts of the Bahr 
el Ghazal Province, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, south through Uganda 
to Lake Victoria, east to extreme western Kenya Colony (Kisumu, 
Kaimosi, Kakamega, and the slopes of Mount Elgon). Characters: 
Wings, 55-58 mm; the crown of the male with more metallic sheen 
than in the last two, the breast band of the female lighter than in 
erlangeri, but darker than in minor; the back of the female not 
pure gray, but lightly washed with olive-brown. 

5. B. m. suahelicus: The coastal districts of southern Kenya 
Colony and northern Tanganyika Territory (Mombasa to Dar es 
Salaam and the Pangani River, inland to the Taru desert, the east- 
ern Serengetti plains, and the Morogoro area). Characters: Similar 
to erlangeri but smaller; wings, 55-58 mm. 

The western races have been reviewed by Bannerman ** and need 
not concern us here. 

Some authors have attempted to use the white on the outer rec- 
trices as a systematic character, but the present series is very vari- 
able in this regard. The two extremes in the width of the white 
tips are 4.5 and 11 mm. In one specimen the white area does not 

31 Journ. fiir Orn., 1994, p. 515. 


52 Ibis, 1925, p. 124. 
5 Rey. Zool. Africaine, vol. 9, pp. 415-416, 1921. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 239 


extend completely across the imner web of the outermost rectrix. 
The outer web is usually wholly white except basally. 

The size variations of the present series are shown in table 47. 

I have not been able to discover anything of the breeding season 
of erlangeri, but van Someren ** found nyansae nesting in June and 
November in Uganda, and Lynes found chadensis breeding in spring 
in Darfur. 

According to Zedlitz,°> this bird is a mountain species and is 
replaced in the lowlands of Eritrea and northern Ethiopia and 
Somaliland by B. orientalis, but the two occur together at altitudes 
of from 3,000 to 4,000 feet. He assumes the breeding season of 
erlangeri to be in February. 


TABLE 47.— Measurements of 12 specimens of Batis minor erlangeri from Ethiopia 














Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 
Mm Mm Mm Mm 

SAGA 9 t5= eee o  a  e IMialet=2 sae a2 67.0 51 12.0 16.0 
GidabopRivense. 222 oe ye ee ee be oe Ont ees 61.5 46 13.0 15.0 
GatouRiver see 23 esse Tee ee Fee dos .-t 22 61.5 43 12.0 16.0 
Tyas: Seb SS a ee eee: eee es do. === 59.5 43 13.0 16.0 

bt) EA see eee eae eg Pee anne Seen eee Le | ee Oa Oseo 46 13.0 16.0 
GidaborRiverttees sons eka tie ae Female_._.__--| 64.0 47 12.0 16.5 
BD) Qe Pen ee ee ee ts eee te dos 6185 45 13.0 16.0 
Abaya Lake; northeast. . 222. 2-22 == | 222 dort eet 57.0 45 12.5 16.0 
GatopRiver----.2- 2) ee ee a ee doa 64.0 46 13.0 17.0 
BID) ae ee eo ee ee | es Ol === 62,0 42 13.0 17.0 
IBOGESSRE == ee ee See EE EE eS dost. te~ 59.5 45 12.5 16.5 
ID) OA NAb Re AB es Beg, Ne I oh ey Gos sys 61.0 47 12.5 17.0 





BATIS ORIENTALIS BELLA (Elliot) 
Pachyprora bella E.tiort, Field Columbian Mus. Publ. Orn. Ser., Publ. 17, vol. 1, 
no. 2, p. 47, 1897: Hullier, Somaliland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
5 males, 3 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 1-21, 1911. 
1 male, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 30, 1912. 

Batis orientalis somaliensis Neumann is a synonym. 

This species may be told from B. minor, which occurs together 
with it, in the following way: The females of orientalis have a wide, 
broad, brown pectoral band; those of minor have a narrow, much 
darker brown breast band; males of orientalis have bluish-gray 
crowns, while those of ménor have blackish crowns. Furthermore, 
the races of minor are all correspondingly larger than those of orien- 
talis, quite the opposite of what the name implies. 

Batis orientalis inhabits Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somaliland. I 
know of no instance of its ranging into the Sudan or northern Kenya 
Colony. It breaks up into two races, as follows: 


Ibis, 1916, p. 381. 
& Journ. fiir Orn., 1910, pp. 792—793. 


240 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


1. B. o. orientalis: Eritrea, Bogosland, south to the western part 
of the Hawash Valley and into northern Shoa. 

2. B. o. bella: Northern Somaliland, the eastern part of the Ha- 
wash Valley, south to eastern Arussi-Gallaland and Gurraland to the 
northern part of Italian Somaliland. This form is similar to orien- 
talis but has the crown lighter in both sexes, and is also larger, but 
the size variations of this form completely include those of the typical 
race. Wings—orientalis, 52-56; bella, 52.5-59 mm. 

The dimensions of the present series are as shown in table 48. 


Taste 48.—Measurements of eight specimens of Batis orientalis bella from 











Ethiopia 

| 

Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

Sadi Malka ss-28? 2-2 42-0t t pee ee Maletss2s 284 59.0 41.5 12:5 15.5 
Dire yD AOuas sen eee ee eee Come Sa O6s0 39.0 L210) Sse 252 

DOW AC A eee es Pe Peed Oe. =. eel OTeO 39.0 11.5 15.0 

SOY Ret Seas Sei EA cl eon BE Danby eat fey dos =. Bee 565 40.0 12.0 15.5 

ED) eee ae od a Pee ee ee oe metal eee Cp eee ee ope 40.0 12.0 16.0 

PD On ee See Se ee Re ee eee Female_______- 54.0 40.0 12.0 15.5 

Ostet Ee eee SLs Bee Rees | ate GOES TN 54.0 40.0 12.0 15.0 

SB) an a ee ee Ree | ee (5 (9 eer aes 56. 0 40.0 12.0 17.0 


The birds vary considerably in the extent of white on the nape 
and upper back, and also in front of the eyes, but these differences 
are wholly individual. One of the males, which is apparently sub- 
adult, as it has some reddish-brown feathers on the lateral ends of 
the black pectoral band, is peculiar in that the rectrices, instead of 
being bluntly rounded terminally, are noticeably attenuated, the 
white tips on the outermost pair are three times as wide as in any 
of the other specimens, and it has the inner web narrowly margined 
with white, as well as having the whole of the outer web white. 

Erlanger ®° found a nest with two eggs in northern Somaliland 
on February 21. This is the only indication of the breeding season 
of which I know, but the season is probably fairly prolonged. 

Mearns found this bird to be common along the Hawash River 
and from Dire Daoua to Gada Bourca. 


BATIS PERKEO Neumann 

Batis perkeo NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 352: Darassam, southeast of 

Lake Abaya, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS. COLLECTED : 

1 adult male, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 17, 1912. 

1 adult male, 40 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 30, 1912. 

Van Someren ** has considered perkeo to be a race of Batis soror. 

The females of soror (and its geographic form pallidigula), how- 


*6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 685. 
57 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 101, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 241 


ever, have a brown spot on the upper throat above the brown breast 
band, while, to judge from Neumann’s notes,** females of perkeo 
have no spot above the pectoral band. I have seen no females of 
perkeo, but Neumann,® in stating the characters of the species of 
the genus Batis, writes that this brown throat spot is diagnostic of 
B. molitor and its races, while perkeo is said to be very close (almost 
conspecifically) to orientalis, In fact, if a specimen of B. orientalis 
somaliensis had not been collected at the same time and place as 
several of perkeo, Neumann writes that he would have called the 
latter only a small subspecies of B. orientalis. If van Someren’s 
series of perico have brown throat spots, they are wrongly identified. 
The females have only a slight yellowish wash on the throat in 
perkeo, 

This, by far the smallest species of the genus, ranges from southern 
Shoa, southern Arussi-Gallaland, Gurraland, Garre-Lewin, and 
Somaliland, south to north-central Kenya Colony, and_ possibly 
along the subcoastal plain to the Taru Desert and the Serengetti 
Plains near Kilimanjaro. Liénnberg © records birds from Njoro, on 
the northern side of the Northern Guaso Nyiro River as Batis 
orientalis somaliensis but writes that they are intermediate in size 
between that form and perkeo, “and with regard to the rusty tint on 
one of the females they may resemble ‘perkeo’ perhaps even more than 
‘somaliensis. The question is, however, if the difference is constant 
for at the type locality for ‘perkeo’? * * * ‘somaliensis’ is said to 
occur as well. The fact that of the two females in my collection from 
the same locality one has that rusty tint * * * but the other not, 
speaks against its value even as a subspecific characteristic.” It is 
obvious from the above quotation that Lonnberg was attempting to 
make perkeo a race of orientalis and assumed that because he found 
two types of birds together they were the same, rather than two 
specific aggregates. In other words, his experience was just the 
same as Neumann’s, but the conclusions of the latter seem to be the 
correct interpretation of the facts. Zedlitz" correctly questioned 
Loénnberg’s notes and first connected the latter’s Njoro records with 
Neumann’s Ethiopian ones by putting in print the capture of two 
specimens at Marsabibi in the Rendile country east of Lake Rudolf. 

Both specimens collected are in molt (apparently the postjuvenal 
molt, as the old remiges are dark brown, the new ones much blacker). 
Their dimensions are as follows: Wing, 47.4—48; tail, 29-31; culmen, 
11-12; tarsus, 16 mm. 


88 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 352. 

® Tbid., p. 349. 

© Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., vol. 47, no. 5, pp. 83-84, 1911. 
6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, pp. 43—44. 


242 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Erlanger * found a nest, with eggs, of perkeo (called B. orientalis 
minor in his paper) on February 21 at Darassam, Gurraland, 
Ethiopia. This is all I have been able to discover about the breeding 
season of this flycatcher. 


PLATYSTEIRA CYANEA AETHIOPICA Neumann 

Platysteira cyanea aethiopica NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 210: Banka, 
Malo, Ethiopia. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 7, 1912. 
1 male, Loco, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 13, 1912. 

In the identification of these 2 specimens I have examined a series 
of 18 birds representing 3 of the 4 valid races, and I find that this 
material corroborates the results arrived at by Neumann. Gylden- 
stolpe ** states that albifrons (the one of which I have seen no ma- 
terial) is probably a distinct species and not a geographic form of 
cyanea. 

Two forms occur in eastern Africa. They are: 

1. P. cyanea nyansae Neumann: The countries to the west and 
north of Lake Victoria (Bukoba, Masaka, Ankole, Unyoro, and cen- 
tral provinces of Uganda) west to the eastern Ituri district, Belgian 
Congo, east to the north Kavirondo, Kakamega, and Elgon districts 
in western Kenya Colony, south to the Kivu area, and north to the 
southern Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. This race is like the typical, west- 
ern form (described from Senegal) but has less gloss on the feathers 
of the back, and has a faint white line on the forehead. Wings— 
males, 64-70; females, 64-68 mm. 

2. P. cyanea aethiopica: Shoa, the Omo region, the drainage areas 
of the Blue Nile and the Hawash River, Ethiopia. Similiar to 
nyansae but smaller; wings—male, 59-63 mm (no females seen). 

The measurements of the present two specimens are: Wing, 
62-62.5 ; tail, 47-48; culmen, 13-14.5; tarsus, 17-18 mm. 

According to Neumann, this bird lives in dense woods but not in 
the high mountains. Its altitudinal range appears to be from 6,500 
to 8,300 feet. 


PLATYSTEIRA PELTATA JACKSONI Sharpe 


Platysteira jacksoni SHARPE, Ibis, 1891, p. 445: Sotik, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 immature female, Meru Forest, Equator, Kenya Colony, 
August 10, 1912. 

This specimen agrees with two similarly immature birds from 
Mozambique and Tanganyika Territory and is therefore identified 
with them as P. peltata. I have seen no young specimens of 
Platysteira cyanea, however, and can not see (from literature) how 


® Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 685. 
6 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 214. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 243 


to tell the two species apart in this plumage. Although there is, then, 
a possibility that the present bird may be cyanea, it is rendered very 
unlikely, as cyanea has not been recorded from Mount Kenya and 
the adjacent Meru Forest as far as I have been able to learn. The 
subspecific identification as jacksoni is based solely on geographical 
grounds. 

Platysteira cryptoleuca Oberholser (not Mearns, as stated by van 
Someren *‘) is a synonym. I have examined the type and paratypes 
of cryptoleuca and can find no constant character to support its 
validity. When he described this bird, Oberholser * had no com- 
parative material to study, and he was misled by the fact that the 
published descriptions of peltata failed to mention the presence of 
a hidden white patch on the cervix. All specimens of peltata have 
this character. 

The Angolan race mentalis I have not seen. 

The present race (no adults seen) is said to differ from typical 
peltata in having the throat and head of the female blue-black in- 
stead of green-black. It occurs in western Kenya Colony from Mount 
Elgon and Meru (near Mount Kenya) southwest to the Katanga. The 
nominate form occurs along the eastern coast as far north as the 
Tana River. 

Van Someren suggests that the birds of the coastal plain may be 
separated from those of the interior on the basis of the larger size 
of the latter. This is not corroborated by the small series I have 
been able to examine. 


TERPSIPHONE VIRIDIS FERRETI (Guérin-Méneville) 


Tchitrea ferreti GUERIN-MENEVILLE, Rey. Zool., vol. 6, p. 162, 1848: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 male, Duletcha, Ethiopia, January 24, 1912. 

1 female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 11, 1912. 

1 female, near Loko, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 6, 1912. 

1 female, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 9, 1912. 

1 male, Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 19, 1912. 

3 males, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 28-29, 1912. 

4 males, 4 females, 1 juvenal male, 1 unsexed, Gato River, Ethiopia, March 

30-May 8, 1912. 

2 males, 2 females, 1 juvenal male, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 22—June 1, 1912. 

1 female, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 

1 female, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 238, 1912. 

1 male, Athi River, Kenya Colony, August 29, 1912. 


Soft parts: Eye wattles, bill, feet, and claws blue. 
The generic names 7'erpsiphone and Tchitrea have replaced each 
other in such an endless series of cycles of opinion that it appears 


* Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 101, 1922. 
6 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 28, p. 913, 1905: Useri River, Mount Kilimanjaro. 


244 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


that the definite solution published in 1910 has been overlooked and 
hence may well be quoted here. Stejneger,®° in a footnote in Jouy’s 
paper on the paradise flycatchers of Japan and Korea, writes: 

The generic term Terpsiphone (Gloger, 1827) is here used in preference to 
Tchitrea (Lesson, 1881) for the following reason. Terpsiphone, as already 
stated by Oberholser (Proc. U. 8S. Nat. Mus., vol. 22, 1900, p. 245), is only a 
substitute for “Muscipeta Cuyv.,” and the type of the latter is of necessity also 
the type of the former. Cuvier instituted the genus Muscipeta in 1817 (Regne 
Animal, vol. 1, p. 344) for a number of ‘‘moucheroles”, the first species enu- 
merated being Todus regius Gmelin. This fact probably accounts for Ober- 
holser’s statement that this species is the type of Muscipeta. The first species 
rule not having been incorporated in the Rules of Nomenclature of the Inter- 
national Zoological Congress, the type has to be ascertained according to article 
30 of this code. Dr. C. W. Richmond has kindly called my attention to the 
fact that Vigors, as early as 1830 (Mem. Raffles, p. 657), consequently even 
before Lesson’s T'chitrea appeared, designated Muscicapa paradisi Linnaeus as 
the type of Muscipeta. This species then becomes also the type of Terpsiphone 
(1827) which takes the place of Muscipeta Cuvier, because the latter is pre- 
occupied by Muscipeta Koch, 1816. 

Terpsiphone viridis is a bird of striking plumage variations and 
has, as a consequence, been much studied. The latest review is that 
by Stresemann,” who recognizes four forms—vridis, plumbeiceps, 
perspicillata, and suahelica. In a later publication * he states that 
plumbeiceps is a distinct species, a conclusion with which all recent 
investigators agree. There are left, then, three races of 7’. viridis. To 
these three I find it possible (and natural) to add at least two and 
probably three more. The races and their ranges are as follows: 

1. 7. v. viridis: The Upper Guinean region from Senegal east 
through the Sudan to the Bahr el Ghazal and the West Nile district 
of Uganda and the White Nile. 

2. T. v. speciosa: Lower Guinea from Cameroon and Gaboon and 
Loango east through the Belgian Congo to central Uganda, where 
it intergrades with swahelica and viridis. Very similar to viridis 
(perhaps only doubtfully separable) but generally darker (where 
not white) and with the sheen extending caudally to the upper 
abdomen, whereas in viridis it is confined to the chin, throat, and 
upper breast; the least distinct of all the forms. Both this and the 
typical race have white-backed, white-tailed adult males, but long- 
tailed brown birds occur as well. It appears that it usually takes 
three years to acquire the white stage. I follow Sclater ® in using 
Cassin’s name for this race. I am not convinced, however, that 
melampyra Verreaux is a different bird, as Sclater considers it. 

3. 7’. v. ferreti: Eritrea, Bogosland, Ethiopia, and Kenya Colony 
south to the Tana River, south of which it intergrades with suahelica. 


6 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 37, p. 652, 1910. 

67 Journ. fiir Orn., 1924, pp. 89-96. 

6 Orn. Monatsb., vol. 34, p. 87, 1926. 

Systema avium Athiopicarum. pt. 2, p. 433, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 245 


Occasionally specimens best identified with ferreti are found as far 
south as the Athi River. This race is like vzridis, but, in the great 
majority of cases assumes the white-backed, white-tailed plumage 
in the second (not the third) year, so that long-tailed (i. e., adult) 
brown birds are scarce. 

4. T. v. harterti: Southwestern Arabia (Yemen district). Simi- 
lar to ferreti but with noticeably larger bills (in males only), 
measuring 20 mm as against 18 mm in the latter. 

5. TZ’. v. suahelica: Southeastern Uganda, the Sotik and southern 
Kikuyu and Ukamba districts east to the Taveta Forest in Kenya 
Colony, south through Tanganyika Territory intergrading with 
perspicillata in the valley of the Rovuma River. This race never 
assumes the white plumage found in the above three, but has white 
edges on the secondaries in adult birds. 

6. 7. v. perspicillata: South Africa from Cape Town east to Pondo- 
land, north to Natal, the Transvaal, Zululand, Swaziland, Nyasaland, 
and Mozambique, merging with swahelica along the Mozambique— 
Tanganyikan boundary. Occasionally specimens of perspicillata are 
found in central Tanganyika Territory, the northernmost locality 
known to me being Bagilo in the Uluguru Mountains, but such cases 
are uncommon. This race never gets any white, even on the edges 
of the remiges. I think Sclater is wrong in considering this form 
specifically distinct from viridis; and plumbeiceps is clearly a dis- 
tinct species from both. 

Of the long-tailed birds in the present series three are brown- 
backed and brown-tailed, five are brown-backed and either wholly 
white-tailed or with brown outer and white inner rectrices, and only 
two are white-backed and white-tailed. The five with white tails 
and brown backs have much white on the wings and are freshly 
feathered except on the brown backs. It therefore appears that in 
molting into the white plumage the tail is affected before the back. 
I have seen no specimen of this or any other race in which the reverse 
is true, 1. e., with a white back and brown tail. The white rectrices 
vary in that some have black shafts (and even in one case broad 
shaft streaks) while others are wholly white. 

That the species breeds in its second year is shown by ee fact that 
one of the brown-backed, long white-and-brown-tailed males was 
observed with its mate and nest and young at Gato River. 

Males have wings of from 78 to 88 mm in length, females from 
74.5 to 85 mm. The tails in adult males (with fully developed 
elongated middle rectrices) vary from 320 to 400 mm, the extent of 
the central pair of rectrices beyond the ends of the lateral ones 
measuring from 220 to 294 mm. 

A nestling male, taken from the nest on May 1 at Gato River, is 
partly clothed in the juvenal plumage—black crown and occiput, 

1062203717 


246 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


reddish-brown back, dark fuscous wings and tail, and light smoky- 
gray feathers on the sides and flanks. A band of dusky brownish- 
gray feathers crosses the breast, but the middle of the abdomen, the 
chin, and the throat are bare. The feather tracts are well indicated 
on the chin and throat and, as they are rather unusual, may be briefly 
described. A malar band extends from the chin caudally as far as a 
perpendicular dropped from the auriculars. A median line of feath- 
ers extends from the chin down the upper throat to a point in line 
with the middle of the eyes. Two oblique, transverse bands connect 
this with the ends of the malar bands. 

A nest and three eggs were collected at Gato River on April 13. 
The nest is a compact, deep cup 60 mm in diameter (outside measure- 
ments) and 33 mm deep (inside dimension). It is made of dry plant 
fibers, fine rootlets, and dead grasses, abundantly hung on the outside 
with white, papery seed pods (8 and 9 mm long and 5 or 6 mm wide), 
grayish “leaf skeletons,” and pieces of dead leaves. The support is 
from beneath, the nest being saddled in a crotch formed by four 
small twigs. The eggs are whitish suffused somewhat with pinkish, 
chiefly at the large pole. A circle of large, dull, clouded grayish- 
brown spots and blotches is present near the large pole, and a few 
blotches are present on each side of this band. Measurements—20.5 
by 15.5 mm. According to Mearns, a male white-tailed bird was seen 
in the same tree as the nest. 

Along the Hawash River, Mearns saw this species occasionally, 
usually in pairs. The call note is recorded as a long single note, 
softly whistled. In another entry Mearns writes that “the long, 
white-tailed flycatcher is one of the shiest birds; but when the old 
male fancies himself alone and secure, he bursts forth in loud cries 
of pee—wee—weé, often repeated. The alarm note is a chirp, and it 
also utters a soft, round, single note, probably a call to the female.” 


Family MOTACILLIDAE, Wagtails, Pipits 
MOTACILLA ALBA ALBA Linnaeus 
Motacilla alba Linnanus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 185, 1758: Europe; Sweden 
(Hartert). 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, 1 female, Djibouti, French Somaliland, November 22, 1911. 
3 males, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 4-19, 1911. 
1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, December 20, 1911. 

The white wagtail is another European bird that winters in Africa, 
south as far as Gambia, northern Nigeria, the northern Belgian 
Congo, southern Uganda, and south-central Kenya Colony. The 
Indian race, dukhuensis, characterized by its lighter grayish upper- 
parts, is said to migrate to Arabia, southern Ethiopia, and northern 
Kenya Colony, but this is not definitely known as yet. The present 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 247 


specimens are all typical alba. They are all in the white-throated 
winter plumage. 

Von Heuglin met with this wagtail in winter in Ethiopia and 
adjacent parts of the Nile Valley in the Sudan, and Blanford found 
it fairly common in the former country, both in the highlands and 
in the coastal plains, and noted it as late as the beginning of May 
at Lake Ashangi. Zedlitz 7° writes that in the Eritrean—Ethiopian 
border it is an abundant winter visitor, especially in the highlands, 
where it is to be found along the little streams until early in March, 
when it leaves. 

MOTACILLA AGUIMP VIDUA Sundevall 


Motacilla vidua Sunpevatt, Ofv. Kongl. Vet.-Akad. Firhandl., vol. 7, p. 128, 
1850: Type in the Stockholm Museum from Syene, i. e., Assouan, Upper 


Egypt. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 female, no locality, March 3, 1912. 
2 females, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 31, 1912. 

The pied wagtail of Africa was met with only toward the end of 
the journey made by the Frick party, as it does not occur in the 
highlands of Ethiopia, where most of the field work was done. It 
occurs along the Nile from Assouan southward, and in eastern Africa 
from Gurraland and southern Somaliland through Kenya Colony, 
etc., to the eastern Cape Province. In the west it occurs from Liberia 
to southern Angola, but in the area between the Orange and the 
Vaal Rivers, it is replaced by typical aguamp. 

I am not at all certain that there are two recognizable forms of 
this species, but in the absence of material of the nominate race, I 
prefer to follow Sclater’s list rather than to decide otherwise. 

In Gurraland and southern Somaliland the breeding season ap- 
pears to be over by the end of April, or at least it is past its height 
by then, although Erlanger * found a pair feeding a fledgling cuckoo, 
Lampromorpha klaasi, on June 7 in that region. In Uganda and 
Kenya Colony the majority of the birds nest from April to July. 


MOTACILLA CLARA Sharpe 


Motacilla clara SHARPE, Ibis, 1908, p. 341; nom. nov. pro M. longicauda Riippell 
(nee Gmelin), Neue Wirbelthiere, ete., Vogel, p. 84, pl. 29, fig. 2, 1840: Simien, 
Ethiopia. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

2 unsexed, 1 male, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911—January 10, 
1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Aletta, Sidamo Prov., Ethiopia, March 7, 1912. 

2 males, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 30, 1912. 


7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 44. 
7 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 336, 1930. 
7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 35. 


248 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The mountain wagtail is the African counterpart of the gray wag- 
tail of Europe (J/. cinerea) and is its ecological representative in 
the former continent. It ranges from Ethiopia and Liberia south to 
the Cape Province, but seems to be abundant nowhere, its status 
being that of a widespread, but local, species. It does not appear 
to vary geographically, and consequently it has not been divided into 
racial forms. 

One reason for its absence in many localities within its range is 
the fact that it is altitudinally somewhat restricted, the hmits being 
approximately from 5,000 to 9,000 feet, except in extreme southern 
Africa, where the increase in latitude counteracts a decrease in alti- 
tude. In Zululand, for example, the species occurs even at altitudes 
under 2,500 feet. 

The four males have wing lengths of from 82 to 88 mm; the 
female, 80 mm. Granvik™ records wing lengths of 78 and 80 mm 
for the males and 77 and 78 mm for females. 

The December and January birds are in molt; the March speci- 
mens are in fresh plumage. The birds taken at Aletta on March 7 
were a mated pair, according to the collector’s notes. 

Granvik found a nest on Mount Elgon on June 6. It was built in 
a little hut and was placed on a beam a couple of meters from the 
ground and resembled the nest of the white wagtail, Mf. alba. Inci- 
dentally, Granvik misquotes Neumann” as to the altitudinal range 
of this bird. The figures are meters, not feet. 


MOTACILLA CINEREA CINEREA Tunstall 


Motacilla cinerea TUNSTALL, Ornithologia Britannica, p. 2, 1771: Great Britain, 
ex Pennant. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 unsexed, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 1, 1912. 
2 males, 1 female, Arussi Plateau, 9,000-10,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 
21-29, 1912. 
1 female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 30, 1912. 

One of the males from the Arussi is in summer plumage and has 
the throat mottled blackish and white; the other specimens are still 
with the pure white throats of the winter dress. 

The typical race of the gray wagtail winters in Africa south to 
Gambia, the eastern Congo, and the Kavirondo district of south- 
western Kenya Colony. In northeastern Africa it appears to be 
largely, though not entirely, restricted to the drainage basin of the 
Nile and its Abyssinian tributaries, and to be wholly lacking east of 
Shoa in Ethiopia, and likewise absent from the Galla-Somali coun- 
tries and from northeastern Kenya Colony. It does, however, occur 


738 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 196. 
7% Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 230. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 249 


occasionally in British Somaliland, as Lort Phillips obtained it on 
Wagga Mountain. 

When the fact is considered that this bird is a winter visitor in 
Africa, the altitudes up to which it occurs are rather higher than 
might be expected. Thus, Mearns found it up to 10,000 feet, Lort 
Phillips at 7,000 feet, and I know of no record from a locality lower 
than 4,000 feet. Mearns found the species living in the juniper zone 
in Arussiland. 

BUDYTES FLAVUS FLAVUS (Linnaeus) 


Motacilla flava Linnagus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 185, 1758: Europe, south Sweden 
(Hartert). 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Gada Bourea, Ethiopia, December 25, 1911. 
1 male, 1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911. 
1 male, 1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, December 20, 1911-January 28, 1912. 
1 female, northwest Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 
1 male, Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 20, 1912. 
1 female, southeast Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 23, 1912. 

The European blue-headed wagtail is a regular winter visitor in 
Ethiopia and Kenya Colony. In Ethiopia it appears to be less nu- 
merous, however, than feldegg or cincereocapilla, while in Kenya Col- 
ony luteus seems to be the commonest race. All the forms are found 
together in mixed flocks, often of very considerable size. The whole 
species appears to be rare or lacking in Somaliland, especially in 
Italian Somaliland. 


BUDYTES FLAVUS CINEREOCAPILLA (Savi) 
Motacilla cinereocapilla Savi, Nuovo Giorn. Lett., vol. 22, p. 190, 1831; also 
Ornitologia Tuscana, vol. 3, p. 216, 1881: Tuscany. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 female, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 10, 1912. 
1 male, Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 22, 1912. 

These two specimens appear to belong to the Italian race of this 
wagtail, although they are in poor plumage for subspecific determina- 
tion. 

Sclater 7® writes that it winters “in Uganda and perhaps elsewhere 
in Africa.” Nearly 20 years before, Zedlitz’® found cinereocapilla 
in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia and collected six specimens there. 
He observed it during the latter part of March and found one as 
late as May 12 at Cheren; an unusually late date for a European 
migrant. Blanford™ obtained a specimen in breeding plumage at 
Lake Ashangi in the beginning of April. These records appear to 
have been overlooked by Sclater. 


™% Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 339, 1930. 
7% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 45. 
™ Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, etc., p. 381, 1870. 


250 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


BUDYTES FELDEGG FELDEGG (Michahelles) 


Motacilla feldegg MIcHAHELLES, Isis, 1830, p. 812: Spalato, Dalmatia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, mouth of Sigale River, Black Lake Abaya, 
Ethiopia, March 24, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris dark brown; bill black, plumbeous at base of 
mandible; feet and claws black. 

The black-headed wagtail is a common and widespread winter 
visitor in Eritrea, Ethiopia, the Sudan (west through Darfur), 
Uganda, Kenya Colony, Somaliland, and southern Arabia. 

Blanford ** found this wagtail “common everywhere during the 
winter, and I suspect many remain and breed on the highlands of 
Abyssinia, for birds of this species were still abundant around Lake 
Ashangi at the beginning of May, although they had then assumed 
the nuptial plumage more than a month.” 

Zedlitz *° found it only on the inland plateau, not in the low coastal 
plain, and did not see it after the last of March. He found it around 
the streams and river banks, a fact that may explain its absence in 
the arid, coastal Somali area. 

Blanford’s supposition as to the breeding of this bird in Ethiopia 
has not been confirmed or in any way supported by more recent 
observations. 

Meinertzhagen ®° records it as a “common winter visitor to the 
Sudan and Abyssinia from December to May. Fairly common in 
Kenya Colony and Uganda in winter, especially on the Victoria 
Nyanza from January to early April.” 

The single specimen collected is in full, fresh plumage. 

This specimen has a few small whitish-yellow feathers hidden 
among the black ones over the eyes but not enough to constitute even 
an indistinct superciliary stripe. It therefore can not be considered 
as B. feldegg superciliaris of Brehm. Domaniewski*! has delved 
into the forms of the black-headed wagtail, which he considers is 
specifically distinct from B. flavus (in spite of what Hartert and 
others have concluded), and I follow him in considering the present 
bird typical feldegg. I have not seen enough material of kalenic- 
zenskiti to judge its validity. 

Sushkin *? apparently inclined to the opinion that feldegg was more 
than subspecifically distinct from flavus, as he limited himself to the 
gray-headed forms only, although not committing himself definitely, 
on this point. 

7 Idem. 

% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 45. 

Ibis, 1921, pp. 667-668. 


1 Ann. Zool. Mus. Polon., vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 103-107, 1925. 
® Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist.. vol. 38. p. 30. 1925. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 251 


ANTHUS CAMPESTRIS CAMPESTRIS (Linnaeus) 


Alauda campestris LINNAEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 166, 1758: Europe; Sweden 
apud Hartert. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 females, 1 unsexed, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 
8-9, 1912. 

The tawny pipit winters regularly in northeastern Africa as far 
south as Tsavo in southern Kenya Colony, and west through Darfur 
to the Lake Chad region. 

Blanford ** met with it only in the highlands of northern Ethiopia, 
where it was “abundant in grassy meadows. A. cervinus appeared 
to replace it on cultivated land.” However, it occurs lower down as 
well, but chiefly to the west rather than to the east, of the highland 
region. It may be that occasional individuals of the eastern race, 
griseus, occur in the Ethiopian-Somali lowlands, as the form has 
been taken at Aden, Arabia. The present three individuals are 
clearly of the typical race, as their size measurements show: Wing, 
90-94.5; tail, 70-71; culmen, 19.0—-19.5; tarsus, 25-26 mm. 

One of the females is much paler than either of the other birds. 
It is in fresher plumage, but all three are abraded. 


ANTHUS NICHOLSONI HARARENSIS Neumann 


Anthus nicholson hararensis NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 233: Abu Bekr, 
near Harrar. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Gada Bourca, Ethiopia, December 25, 1911. 
1 adult female, no locality, March 2, 1912(?). 


Hartert,** Sclater,®> and others have claimed that the correct name 
of the present species is Anthus sordidus and not A. nicholsoni, as 
Neumann ** and van Someren ** have concluded. However, all pre- 
vious workers appear to have overlooked the fact that Anthus 
sordidus Riippell** is preoccupied by Anthus sordidus Lesson *° 
which, in turn, is a synonym of Centrites niger (Boddaert). The 
oldest name available for the group is nicholsoni Sharpe. The 
northern Ethiopian race, hitherto known as sordidus, is thus without 
a name, but inasmuch as it is said to be only doubtfully distinguish- 
able from hararensis, I do not care to propose a substitute name for 


83 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, etc., pp. 383-384, 1870. 

8 Nov. Zool., vol. 24, pp. 457-458, 1917. 

% Systema avium A®thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 341, 1930. 

6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 232. 

37 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 180-181, 1922. 

88 Neue Wirbelthiere, etc., Vogel, p. 103, pl. 39, fig. 1, 1840: Simien Province. 

8 Voyage autour du monde... la Coquille; pendant les annés 1822-25, Zoologie, 
vol. 1, pt. 2 (livr. 15), p. 664, 1830: Near Talcahuano, province of Concepcion, Chile. 
Type in Paris Museum. 


252 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


it. I have seen five specimens from northern Ethiopia and am of the 
opinion that the northern form may prove to be a distinct, darker 
race. 

This race of the long-billed pipit (assuming that the form 
hitherto called “sordidus” is distinct) occurs in the south-central 
part of the Ethiopian highlands (northern Shoa, Adis Abeba, etc.) 
east to the Hawash Valley at least to the Harrar region and to 
northern Somaliland. 

The total quantity of material available for study leaves me some- 
what unconvinced as to the distinctness of ‘“‘sordidus”, hararensis, 
and newmannianus. It is unfortunate that the last named was de- 
scribed from southern Shoa rather than from central or southern 
Kenya Colony, as topotypes are really intermediate in nature be- 
tween the northern forms and the Kenyan race. 

The two specimens collected are in worn plumage. Their meas- 
urements are as follows: Wing, 96—97.5; tail, 76.5-77; culmen, 19; 
tarsus, 24-25.5 mm. 


ANTHUS NICHOLSONI NEUMANNIANUS Collin and Hartert 


Anthus nicholsoni neumannianus CoLLIn and HaArrert, Noy. Zool., vol. 34, p. 50, 
1927; nom. nov. pro A. n. longirostris Neumann, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 13, p. 
77, 1905: Gardula, southern Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 
1 adult male, southeast of Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 21, 1912. 
1 adult female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 30, 1912. 
1 adult female, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 
1 adult female, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 31, 
1912. 

This race of the long-billed pipit is darker above than hararensis, 
but the difference is not great. It occurs from southern Shoa to 
Kenya Colony (south to Naivasha, Nakuru, Kedong, Kisumu, etc.) 
and to Ruanda and to Bukoba, northwestern Tanganyika Territory. 
In the latter two regions it intergrades with nyassae. 

The dimensions of the present series are as follows: Male—wing, 
96; tail, 77; culmen, 19; tarsus, 24 mm. Females—wings, 89-95; 
tail, 63-73.5; culmen, 17.5-19; tarsus, 25-27 mm. 

The birds collected in March and May are in worn plumage; the 
June specimen is in molt; and the August bird in fresh plumage. 

Sclater °° suggests that Anthus latistriatws Jackson *! is founded on 
a young specimen of nyassae, in which case Jackson’s name would 
have to be used for the race. However, nyassae does not occur in the 
Kavirondo country, but only newmannianus, so if any name has to 


° Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 341, 1930. 
%Tbis, 1899, p. 628: Kavirondo. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 253 


be synonymized, it would be that of the present race. Furthermore, 
Shelley *? writes that Jackson’s pipit probably “inhabits Southern 
Abyssinia as well as Kavirondo”, thereby giving it the range of 
neumannianus. However, latistriatus, as its name implies, is a bird 
with distinctly streaked sides and flanks, a character not present in 
any plumage (as far as known) of any race of A. nicholsoni. With- 
out having seen any material of Jackson’s form, I can not form a 
definite opinion. 


ANTHUS RICHARDI CINNAMOMEUS Riippell 


Anthus cinnamomeus RUPPELL, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna Abyssinien 
gehorig, etc., Vogel, p. 103, 1840: Simien Province, Ethiopia. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, 3 females, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 31, 1911-January 10, 1912. 
6 males, 3 females, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 14-20, 1912. 

The male from Adis Abeba is smaller than any of those from Arussi 
Plateau and is probably wrongly sexed. 

There is considerable variation in color in the present series, the 
Arussi birds being slightly more grayish, less rufescent above, than 
those from Adis Abeba. All, however, are more rufous than lacwum 
of Kenya Colony. 

Meinertzhagen * has shown that the rufulus group and the richardi 
group are conspecific, and his revision is followed by more subsequent 
workers. Van Someren® has apparently missed the point, as he 
records richardi as a winter visitor in Kenya Colony, and rufulus 
cinnamomeus as a breeding bird there. Both are probably referable 
to A. richardi lacuum. 

It is an open question whether dacuwwm is really distinct from 
raaltenit of South Africa, but the limited material I have been able 
to examine of the latter does not enable me to judge this point de- 
cisively. Therefore, for the present at least, I follow Sclater’s list %° 
and keep them distinct, although I am not unmindful of the fact that. 
Neumann, Granvik, and others have united them. Gyldenstolpe 
does not consider the point at all, but uses the name Jacuwwm for his 
birds from the eastern Congo. 

The size variations of the present series are given in table 49. The 
measurements agree with those given by other writers. 

In the regions traversed by the Frick expedition, two races of this 
pipit occur, as follows: 

1. A. r. cinnamomeus: The inland plateau of southern Eritrea and 
of Ethiopia south to southern Shoa and Arussi-Gallaland. Sclater 


* The birds of Africa, etc., vol. 2, p. 305, 1900. 

°8 Ibis, 1921, p. 651. 

* Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 180, 1922. 

*® Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 343, 1930. 
* Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 80. 


254 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


suggests that it occurs in winter in the northern part of the Anglo- 
Egyptian Sudan, which, if true, would indicate an altitudinal, sea- 
sonal migration. 

2. A. r. lacuum: Kenya Colony, Uganda, northern Tanganyika 
Territory, Ruanda, Urundi, and the eastern Belgian Congo. This 
form is grayer, less rufous, than cinnamomeus. According to van 
Someren, the birds of Uganda are more rufescent than those of Kenya 
Colony, somewhat intermediate between lacuum and cinnamomeus. 
This, however, is not substantiated by a comparison of two Ruandan 
specimens with a series from Kenya Colony and Tanganyika 
Territory. 

The present birds are in somewhat worn plumage. 


TapLE 49.—Measurements of 13 specimens of Anthus richardi cinnamomeus from 





Ethiopia 

Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

Adis} Albebat22c22ee2 2 12 eee See Male: 222222. 85.0 62.5 14.0 28.0 
JATTISSIpe ate il= es oe Sea ee eee Sears domes 23 79150 67.0 14.0 27.5 
BY a iE eg | ee dosee.=2=-|| 19630 73.0 15.0 30.0 

STO) 2 bens oe Boe Rar oe ee eee 68.0 15.0 28. 5 

Dons8aete os 8S eee ee es Gose255-—--legcon0 66.0 14.0 29.5 

DY 0S Se a 2 A NS ee dol=2---=-|| 394.0, 70.0 15.0 28. 5 

Ob Sa See Saale Sek OEE ee Ce OR eee G0: Fe kote 90.0 66.5 14.0 27.5 

1D) Oe a Ee a a Female-_-_------ 86.5 65.0 14.0 28.0 

1D) Oboes on oe Poe ee ee ee ee 0252223224 87.0 61.0 14.0 27.0 

or sse lace Setar Fe eth Ee edOno ses. = ae 87.0 64.5 13.5 28.5 
IAGISSAID eb ae ae ta eh aie | Gol 2-32 | 8655 63.5 14.0 28.0 
1D Yosh oat eaten i Ses J aes Se yea ys) |e GO2= ees 92.0 70.0 14.0 28.0 

DOs Sab) Sore See Sao Pe eee doi-= = 87.0 GB35) yk ek Sa 28.0 





Zedlitz°*’ writes that this bird is chiefly an inhabitant of the moun- 
tains, from 2,200 meters upward, although he notes that the form is 
known from near Kismayu, at sea level. 

Erlanger ** found a nest of this pipit near the Hakaki River, two 
days’ journey from Adis Abeba, on July 7. It contained four half- 
grown nestlings. 


ANTHUS GOULDII TURNERI Meinertzhagen 
Anthus gouldi turneri MEINERTZHAGEN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, p. 24, 1920: 
Kituni, northwestern Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 10, 1912. 


This specimen is in molt and neither the wings nor tail affords sig- 
nificant measurements. It agrees very closely with a specimen from 
Mitiyana, Uganda, and with another from the west shore of Lake 
Tanganyika. 


7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, pp. 46—47. 
8 See Reichenow. Journ. fiir Orn.. 1907. pp. 37-38. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 255 


Sclater®® does not include southern Ethiopia in the range of 
turneri, but Meinertzhagen? writes that “birds from southern Abys- 
sinia and the Sudan provinces of Mongalla and Bahr el Ghazal appear 
to belong to this race.” It is otherwise known to inhabit western 
Kenya Colony, Uganda, the eastern Belgian Congo (Ituri district), 
south to Nyasaland. In the south-central Katanga, it is replaced by 
a much darker form, bohndorffi, which is a valid race. Sclater writes 
that the latter is known only from the type and is probably identical 
with ¢urneri, but in both matters he is mistaken. I have seen one 
specimen of bohndorffi, taken by Neave near the Lufupa River, and it 
is very different from turneri, being darker above and especially so 
below. 


ANTHUS GOULDII OMOENSIS Neumann 


Anthus leucophrys omoensis NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 235: Ergino 
Valley, between Gofa and Doko, southwestern Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 1 female, Loco, Ethiopia, March 14, 1912. 


I have not sufficient material to attempt a study of the races of this 
pipit, and have identified these specimens as omoensis partly on geo- 
graphic grounds. They may not be wholly typical of that form, how- 
ever. Sclater? considers gowldii and its races conspecific with 
leucophrys, but this appears to be a doubtful conclusion. In keeping 
the two groups separate, I follow Meinertzhagen’s review,? which 
seems to be the most satisfactory one. 

Though it is true that a dark race of the leucophrys group, such as 
zenkeri, closely approaches gouldzi, yet the two groups are geographi- 
cally coincident in parts of West Africa and must therefore be main- 
tained as specific entities. Bannerman‘ has recorded both from 
southern Nigeria. 

Both specimens are in worn plumage. Their dimensions are as 
follows: Male—wing, 99; tail, 74; culmen, 18; tarsus, 26 mm. Fe- 
male—wing, 93; tail, 66; culmen, 16.5; tarsus, 26 mm. 

Erlanger * found the closely allied race saphirot nesting near Har- 
rar from early in April until the middle of May, while in the Arussi- 
Gallaland he found a nest with eggs on June 21. If we judge by 
the extremely abraded condition of the plumage of the present birds, 
it would appear that they were just about finished breeding (i. e., 
were ready to begin the postnuptial molt), which, in turn, would 
indicate that the breeding season in southern Ethiopia may start 
earlier than Erlanger’s observations suggest. 


* Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 344, 1930. 
1Ibis, 1921, p, 662. 

?Systema avium A!thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 345, 1930. 
* Ibis, 1921, pp. 658-663. 

‘Rev. Zool. Africaine, vol. 9, pp. 323-325, 1921. 

5 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 38. 


256 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


ANTHUS RUFOGULARIS Brehm 
Anthus rufogularis BreHM, Lehrbuch der Naturgeschichte europidischen Vogel, 
vol. 2, p. 963, 1824: Nubia, Egypt, and southern Europe. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 8, 1912. 
1 male, Alaltu, Ethiopia, January 17, 1912. 
1 male, 3 females, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 14-15, 1912. 
1 male, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 2, 1912. 
2 females, southeast of Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 22, 1912. 

The European red-throated pipit is a regular and common mi- 
grant and, winter visitor in Ethiopia and Kenya Colony as well as 
in the Sudan and Uganda. Von Heuglin found it common in various 
parts of Nubia and Ethiopia; many ornithologists have recorded it 
from Kenya Colony; and the species has been noted abundantly along 
the Nile from lower Egypt to Uganda. 

Although the birds begin to arrive in October, the inception of the 
molt is usually delayed until January or February and sometimes even 
later. Thus, of the present series, some of the last birds taken (as 
well as the earliest one) are still in winter plumage, some are in molt, 
and some are almost finished molting. Liynes* found that in Darfur 
the birds arriving from the north in October and November were in 
worn plumage; “some of these began to show a few red throat 
feathers early in November, and the wintering juveniles evidently 
acquired their first summer red throats gradually during the winter, 
while the adults grew theirs in April and May, just before, or with, 
departure.” 

TMETOTHYLACUS TENELLUS (Cabanis) 
Macronia tenellus CaBaANnis, Journ. fiir Orn., 1878, pp. 205, 220: Teita, Kenya 
Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, south end Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 8, 1912. 


4 immature males, 2 adult females, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, 
July 14, 1912. 


5 adult males, 5 adult females, 1 immature male, Northern Guaso Nyiro 
River, Kenya Colony, July 31—August 1, 1912. 
2 adult females, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 5-7, 1912. 

This extraordinary bird, thought by Madarasz’ entirely to contra- 
dict the currently recognized characters of the Passeriformes, is found 
in eastern Africa from the Pangani River, in northern Tanganyika 
Territory, north through Kenya Colony to the Ogaden area of Ethi- 
opian Somaliland, and to British Somaliland. 

When he redescribed this pipit as Charadriola singularis, Madarasz 
was under the impression that the collector, Coloman Katona, saw 


® Ibis, 1925, p. 708. 
™Ann. Mus. Nat. Hungar., 1904, p. 400. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 257 


the bird wading in the shallow waters of Lake Jipe, which fact, to- 
gether with the unfeathered condition of the lower half of the tibiae, 
led him to consider it as a passerine shorebird. However, the species 
is now known to be a denizen of arid thornbush country, and it prob- 
ably does not come near water to any extent. There is no reason to 
believe that it does not bathe when an opportunity presents itself, and 
it was probably on such an occasion that Katona got his specimen. 

The plumage of the adult male is unique among pipits in combin- 
ing the general preponderance of yellow of the genus Budytes with 
the black gorget and rectricial and remigial areas of the genus Mota- 
cilla, while the plumage of the female and of immature males is like 
that of the genus Anthus. The genus 7’metothylacus has often been 
considered as closely related to Macronyx, but I can see no good rea- 
son for this. The color combination of yellow underparts with a 
black pectoral band is certainly not sufficient to warrant any such 
conclusion. If we examine the plumages of the golden pipit from a 
biogenetic viewpoint, it appears that Anthus is more primitive than 
Budytes or Motacilla, a conclusion that is supported by distributional 
evidence as well as by plumage characters. 

The sequence of plumages in this species is still rather poorly 
understood. Taking the present series as a basis, and also utilizing 
the valuable notes recorded by Reichenow,’ van Someren,® and others, 
I come to the following results: 

The male goes through a sequence of three plumages; the female 
of two. The two sexes may therefore be considered separately. 

1. Males.—Juvenal plumage: Upperparts, head, back, upper wing 
coverts, rump, and upper tail coverts fuscous medially, laterally 
broadly edged with pale grayish brown; rectrices fuscous, externally 
and internally margined with yellow, the innermost secondaries with 
whitish instead of yellowish borders; outermost pair of rectrices 
yellow, next pair yellow on the inner web, fuscous on the outer web, 
remainder of tail feathers fuscous; chin and upper throat white, 
lower throat and breast buffy with small fuscous streaks; rest of 
underparts buffy white, washed with yellow on the middle of the 
abdomen. 

Immature plumage: Similar to the juvenal plumage on the upper 
parts, but slightly darker; chin and upper throat white with a 
few yellow feathers; the lower throat pale buffy white, the breast 
with a broad black band, not so perfectly developed as in adults; 
rest of underparts, wings, and tail as in adult birds. 

Adult plumage: Feathers of forehead, crown, occiput, nape, upper 
back, inner upper wing coverts, back, and rump with fuscous-black 


® Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 41. 
®Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 182, 1922. 


258 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


median stripes, bordered laterally with yellowish green; upper tail 
coverts bright yellow; outer upper wing coverts, fred the remiges 
bright yellow broadly tipped with black; pad pair of rectrices 
fuscous-black, the rest of the tail feathers aie yellow with a little 
black on their distal parts, the black decreasing centrifugally, there 
being no blackish on the two outermost pairs; underparts bright 
yellow, with a broad black pectoral band. 

2. Females—Juvenal plumage: Similar to that of the male. 

Adult plumage: Similar to the juvenal stage but slightly darker 
above and with the tawny-buff on the breast more pronounced, 
thereby tending to obliterate the small pectoral streaks or spots 
present in the younger birds. 

Inasmuch as this bird is not too common in collections, I give the 
measurements of the adults (table 50). 

The specimen taken on July 8 at the south end of Lake Rudolf is in 
an early stage of the postnuptial molt. One of the females col- 
lected on August 1 on the Northern Guaso Nyiro River is likewise 
in molt. On the whole, July birds are in fresher plumage than 
August ones, but the difference is not great. 

Van Someren has found this pipit nesting in May and July in 
southeastern Kenya Colony, and Erlanger’ found nests with eggs 
during May in the Garre-Lewin districts of Somaliland. According 
to Erlanger, the nest is made of such material as dry grasses and is 
always placed near, but not quite on, the ground. Three to four eggs 
constitute a clutch. They are white with a rosy or greenish wash, 
much speckled and dotted with dirty clay color, and average about 
20 by 15 mm in size. 


? 


TABLE 50.—Measurements of 15 specimens of Tmetothylacus tenellus from Kenya 





Colony 

Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen} Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

South end of Lake Rudolf_-.-_---------- Malez.2--t. S3s0" \tssteee 15.0 25.5 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River----------|----- donee 85.5 55.0 15.0 26.0 
ON ee ee eee eee a a eee eee eae dos ase2zs 83.0 61.0 16.5 24.0 

Dose osietccusesssesti veces dome 82. 5 55.0 16.0 26. 5 

D0) 22 ns see ss see nee eee ee eee Gore 80.0 54.0 15.0 26.0 

D0. tee 2 ee a oo See as do2.43247 82. 5 57.0 15.0 25.0 
Indunumara Mountains-..---.--------- Female_-__-_---- 78.0 55.5 16.0 25. 5 
DO nis oh ease cteetocc cose sseseresaee anne doe ss225= 80.0 56. 5 15.0 25.5 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River---.-------|----- dors 78.0 53.5 16.5 26.5 
DOns2se asec secede oer ee ae ee dost fe uous 77.0 56.5 16.5 26.0 

One wea ee see sao eee see eee dose 252 Mae 54.0 16.0 25.0 
Mornsorstississes ieee does 80.0 56.0 16.5 26.5 

WM Owes sessed. oaks seceded do: 5.2 2 Wie 60. 5 17.0 26.0 
MekiundwRivers ses. o se ae een GOs2s.4eee2 26s .Dil | =seeee 16.0 25.5 
DO sree sel tebe e ee caee teens ee lesone doze 79.0 56. 0 16.0 26.0 





10 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 41. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 259 


MACRONYX CROCEUS CROCEUS (Vieillot) 

Alauda crocea ViEILLoT, Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., vol. 1, p. 365, 1816: Java!; 
Senegal (Swainson). 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 1 female, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya 
Colony, August 31, 1912. 

Gyldenstolpe*t has given a detailed account of the variations of 
this longclaw, and partly as a result of his notes and partly on the 
basis of material examined, I separated the birds of southeastern 
Africa as a recognizable entity under the name vultwrnus.? 

Since the publication of that paper, I have seen more material, 
which upholds the validity of vulturnus, but I have come to the 
conclusion that fiilleborni is a distinct species with two races, the 
nominate one and ascensi. The juvenal plumages of M. croceus and 
M, frilleborni are much more dissimilar than are the adult stages. 

The present female is not fully adult and has the black gorget 
poorly developed. The male has a rather small gorget, and, inas- 
much as both specimens are rather small, it appears that they are 
year-old birds or younger. Both are in fresh plumage. 

The yellow-throated longclaw inhabits open grassy areas and, in 
the area covered by the Frick expedition, is not very widely dis- 
tributed. It is unknown north of Tana River, and is most abundant 
in western Kenya Colony (Naivasha, Laikipia, Kavirondo, Elgon, 
Nandi districts, etc.) west of where the expedition worked. It is 
found up to about 7,000 feet, but the limiting factor in its alti- 
tudinal range appears to be the presence of circling bands of dense 
forests on the higher mountains in equatorial East Africa, which, 
quite naturally, act as a barrier to a savannah bird. 

The breeding season is very prolonged. Nests with eggs have 
been found in western Kenya Colony and in Uganda from March 
to the end of June, and very young birds in December as well. 


MACRONYX AURANTIIGULA Reichenow 
Macronyr aurantiigula REIcHENOow, Journ. fiir Orn., vol. 39, p. 222, 1891: Pan- 
gani River, Tanganyika Territory. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12, 
1912. 

The female is similar to the male, but with the posterior half of 
the superciliary stripes white instead of yellow and with a band of 
white running from the bill under the eye just dorsal to the black 
margin of the yellow throat patch. In the male this area is yellow. 
In size the two sexes are alike. 

Of all the species of the genus Macronyw perhaps the least well 
known is M. aurantiigula. This form is of interest in that it serves 
to connect two such diverse types as UM. croceus and M. flavicollis. 


4 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Hand., 1924, pp. 80-82. 
2 Occ. Papers Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 5, p. 263, 1930. 


260 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Hitherto I. aurantiigula has been recorded only from the coastal 
districts of East Africa from the Pangani River in northern Tan- 
ganyika Territory north to Malindi in Kenya Colony, and inland to 
Lake Manyara and the plains east of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tangan- 
vika Territory and to the Athi River in Kenya Colony. Conse- 
quently, it was interesting to find that the Childs Frick expedition 
procured a specimen in the Tharaka district north of the Tana River 
and east of Mount Kenya, an extension of range of some 150 miles. 
Furthermore, Donaldson Smith collected another many years before 
on the Tana River, but this record has apparently remained unpub- 
lished. His specimen is now in the collections of the Academy of 
Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, to which institution I am indebted 
for the privilege of examining it. 

The present specimen is in very fresh plumage and has the margins 
of the feathers of the crown and back brighter tawny, less grayish 
sandy, than any of a series of slightly worn examples of typical 
aurantiigula. Whether this difference is geographical or due to wear 
can not be decided without more material. 

The present specimen is the type of Macronyx aurantigula sub- 
ocularis Friedmann. At the time I described it I had only material 
collected and sexed by native collectors, and I confused a sexual 
difference with a geographic character. The subspecies is not valid. 

MACRONYX FLAVICOLLIS Riippell 
Macronyz flavicollis Rispprit, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna Abyssinien 
gehorig, etc., Végel, p. 102, pl. 38, fig. 2, 1840; Simien, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
3 males, 3 females, 2 unsexed, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911- 
January 10, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Hakaki, Ethiopia, January 15, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 23-28, 
1912. 

The Abyssinian longclaw is wholly restricted to the highlands of 
Ethiopia from Simien and central Ethiopia south to Kaffa, Shoa, 
and Arussi-Gallaland. Nicholson?* has listed all the localities for 
this species known to him, from which it appears that the present 
birds from the juniper zone at 9,000 feet on the Arussi Plateau are 
not at all unusual. The altitudinal range of the species is from 4,000 
to more than 10,000 feet, and the bird is commoner at the upper 
than the lower limit of its range. Thus, von Heuglin found it from 
8,000 to 10,000 feet in the Simien, Wogara, and Begemeder regions, 
and Blanford never observed it below 10,000 feet. 

Zedlitz 14 considers Reichenow’s form aurantiigula as a race of 
flavicollis, but all other authors agree in considering them specifically 


13 Mem. and Proc. Manchester Lit. and Phil. Soc., vol. 53, pt. 3, p. 5, 1909. 
144 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 58. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 261 


distinct. It seems to me that it is better to keep the two as species 
as they are very distinct, although it is true that they are more closely 
related to each other than to any other members of the genus. 

Several investigators have maintained that the sexes differ in size, 
the females being noticeably smaller than the males. I do not find 
this to hold for the present series, and therefore, if the birds are 
correctly sexed, the measurements (table 51) may be of interest to 
those whose specimens indicate some sexual dimorphism. All the 
present birds are in fine, fresh plumage. 

There is considerable variation in color. Thus, the throat patch 
is light cadmium yellow in one bird, aniline yellow in another, and 
mars yellow in a third. Some specimens have the underparts very 
much whiter than others, especially around the posterolateral margin 
of the black gorget; some have the margins on the feathers of the 
upperparts paler brown than others. 

Erlanger found this longclaw breeding in July and August near 
Adis Abeba, while Neumann obtained nestlings in February at Doko. 
According to Erlanger, the eggs, usually three in number, are quite 
glossy pale greenish white abundantly flecked and scrawled with clay 
color. 


TABLE 51.—Measurements of 12 specimens of Macronyx flavicollis from Ethiopia 


Hind 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen! Tarsus eine 


AGIs Atbeba. = at. Sean. 4 Males. #_ > 86.5 Bes Di eae oct 31.5 15.0 
DQ Ree ee oo on ee Mee (i (eee 86.0 64.0 18.0 29.0 16.5 
Ost. Fel NF EITT 38 |e dos. .£21- 95.5 66. 5 17.5 32.0 18.0 
ATUSSY Plateaus. 4-2 = a ee dens = 92.5 67.5 U7 Sy bout be 15.0 
Peaks Ss eee SP eee S| Se dost fte=: 93.0 68.0 18.5 32.0 14.5 
PGS AL ee EEO Fo Female___-___- 89.5 60.0 15.5 31.0 15:5 
ATTISSIEP latent Wee. EE 8 ee 2 doves 35. 91.0 67.0 17.0 30.0 13.5 
PAUISVA DODDS Soe ee eae eee aS ee C0css eo 88.0 62.0 17.0 28.0 14.5 
WOS.2 23 Fee ia ee. NZ E dottet . 24) 86.5 56.5 16.0 31.5 18.0 
DIE SSAC Pees 58 do we 8 88740 60.0 16.5 30.0 14.0 
DO 2a ee sees eee ete Wnsexed 2225-= 92.0 63.0 Wfet5 31.0 15.0 
DOLE SEh es soe et eee Go FIs 98.5 63.0 16.0 32.0 17.5 





Family LANIIDAE, Shrikes 
LANIUS EXCUBITOR PALLIDIROSTRIS Cassin 


Lanius pallidirostris Cassin, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 5, p. 244, 
1852: “Hastern Africa.” 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 1 female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 7-8, 
1912. 


The subspecific identification of these two specimens is rendered 
somewhat uncertain by the fact that I have had very little compara- 


2° Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 40. 
106220—37. 18 





262 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


tive material to study. In northeastern Africa there are three possi- 
bilities: Z. e. leucopygos, L. e. pallidirostris, and L. e. aucheri, while 
it is just within the limits of possibility, but hardly probable, that the 
southwestern Arabian race Z. e. buryi might get over to eastern 
Ethiopia. Aside from the present two birds, I have seen no speci- 
mens of any of these four. Going by the descriptions and data given 
by Hartert,’® we may eliminate leucopygos because of its small size 
(wings 99-102 mm, while the present birds measure 112.5 and 114.5 
mm, respectively), and likewise bury? may be ruled out on the basis 
of size. This leaves awchert and pallidirostris to be considered. 
The former is said to have a grayish wash on the breast, which, in 
the latter, is white, with or without a rosy tinge. The present speci- 
mens have a very faint pinkish buff wash on the breast, but no gray, 
and consequently I consider them best identified as pallidirostris. 
Both have pale bills, but this is not a subspecific character, merely a 
subadult one. 

The outer two pairs of rectrices are notoriously variable in all the 
forms of Lantus excubitor, but, on the whole, they tend to be more 
uniformly white, less marked with black, in pallidirostris than in 
some of the others. In the female collected by the Frick expedition 
the outermost are wholly white, the second pair white with a small 
black oval on the inner web near the base; the male has the outer- 
most pair similarly pure white, but has lost the next pair. 

Sclater and Mackworth-Praed 7 report that Z. e. elegans breeds in 
the Red Sea Province of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. This suggests 
that elegans might occasionally wander south into eastern Ethiopia, 
but so far it has not been found to do so. It may be told from 
pallidirostris by its smaller size (wings, 104-107 mm). 

L. e. pallidirostris breeds in 'Transcaspia and winters in the Upper 
Nile Valley, Eritrea, and southeastern Ethiopia, but it is rare (or at 
least has been rarely recorded) in the two last-named countries. 
Zedlitz #® obtained a specimen at Asmara, Eritrea, in March, while 
Sclater 1° notes that in the British Museum there is a young bird from 
Buggali, Arussiland, collected by Degen on March 3, and that the 
Tring Museum has another young bird from Gallaland. 

According to Brehm,” this bird arrives in Sennar in October and 
leaves in spring. It may be that Zedlitz’s Eritrean bird (taken on 
March 8) is a migrant from Sennar on its way to its breeding 
grounds. 


16 Die Vogel der paliiarktischen Fauna, vol. 1, pp. 428-433, 1907. 
17 Tbis, 1918, p. 628. 

1% Journ. fiir Orn., 1910, p. 805. 

12 Jn Shelley, The birds of Africa, etc., vol. 5, p. 271, 1912. 

2 Journ. fiir Orn., 1854, p. 146. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 263 


The measurements of the two specimens are as follows: Male— 
Wing, 114.5; tail, 105; culmen, 19.5; tarsus, 31.5 mm. female—wing, 
112.5; tail, 108; culmen, 19; tarsus, 31 mm. 


LANIUS COLLARIS HUMERALIS Stanley 
Lanius humeralis STANLEY, in Salt, Travels in Abyssinia . 
p. li [=51], no. 4, 1814: Chelicut, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 female, Harrar, Ethiopia, November 24, 1911. 
1 female, Gada Boureca, Ethiopia, December 26, 1911. 
1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 9, 1912. 
1 male, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 24, 1912. 
1 male, near Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 6, 1912. 
1 male, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 16, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 9, 1912. 
1 male, Kormali, Ethiopia, May 18, 1912. 
1 male, Kilindini, Meru district, Kenya Colony, August 11, 1912. 
5 adult males, 4 immature males, 2 adult females, Escarpment, Kenya 
Colony, September 4-9, 1912. 

In the study of the variations of this shrike, I have examined 
nearly 100 specimens representing the following recognized races: 
collaris, smithi, humeralis, congicus, and subcoronatus. I have not 
seen any material of the south Tanganyikan race marwitzi. I have 
also not seen enough Cameroon material to settle the validity of 
cameroonensis, but I accept Bannerman’s pronouncement *! that it is 
a synonym of smitht. Roberts*? apparently considers pyrrhostictus 
a valid form, differing from humeralis in being larger than the latter, 
but this seems somewhat doubtful. A specimen of humeralis from 
“Umzila’s Kingdom” (= Gazaland) is no larger than others from 
Ethiopia, Kenya Colony, or Tanganyika Territory. Roberts records 
pyrrhostictus from the high veld region of the Transvaal, an area 
that is certainly different ecologically from the Gazaland district, but, 
as far as I know, no other student recognizes pyrrhostictus. 

The revision given by Bannerman (loc. cit.) is correct as far as 
my material goes, and there is no need to repeat it here. Only one 
race other than hwmeralis occurs anywhere near northeastern 
Africa—smithi, which gets to western Uganda and intergrades with 
the former in that country. Consequently, some Ugandan specimens 
are difficult to identify to one or the other race, but typical smithi 
has more black on the outermost pair of rectrices than does 
humeralis. 

Reichenow’s supposed form uropygialis 8 is not separable from 
humeralis. This race was said to differ from Aumeralis in having 


.., Appendix, 


21 Rey. Zool. Africaine, vol. 9, p. 350, 1921. 
22 Ann. Transvaal Mus., vol. 8, pp. 245, 249, 1922. 
33 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 560; “Ostafrika von Uganda bis zum Niassasee.” 


264 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


the anterior, shorter upper tail coverts pure white, forming a white 
transverse band. The present series amply demonstrates that this 
character is very inconstant and that it can not be relied upon as a 
systematic character. 

Sassi has confused the issue somewhat by supposing his birds 
to be wropygialis when they are probably congicus. The characters 
of congicus are those of the more sooty dorsal coloration, rather than 
the rectrix pattern, a fact that Sassi appears to have overlooked. 

Inasmuch as not a few birds occurring in both Ethiopia and in 
tropical East Africa differ in size from the Equator northward, it 
may be stated that while Ethiopian birds average slightly larger than 
those from Kenya Colony, the difference is so small and the overlap- 
ping so extensive that it is not possible to divide the race into two 
size groups. Thus, 11 male birds from Ethiopia and very high alti- 
tudes in Kenya Colony (Escarpment, etc.) have wings measuring 
from 91 to 101 mm, the average being 94.4 m; 14 males from south- 
ern Kenya Colony have wings of from 87 to 96 mm in length, aver- 
aging 91.5 mm. If the two groups were separated, the average 
specimen of the southern aggregate would be indistinguishable from 
the northern form. It follows, then, that such splitting would be 
impossible. The size variations of the present series are given in 
table 52. 

The present subspecies occurs from Eritrea, Bogosland, all of 
Ethiopia, Kenya Colony (except the northern coastal strip), eastern 
and central Uganda, all of Tanganyika Territory (not including 
Ruanda), Mozambique, Nyasaland, eastern Rhodesia, Swaziland, Zu- 
luland, and Natal. It does not appear to have been recorded from 
southern Somaliland, and but a few times from British Somaliland. 
The only “Somali” record given in Shelley’s Birds of Africa” is 
not a Somali record at all, but one from Kikuyu, Kenya Colony. 

Its absence from the low, arid Somali region corroborates Blan- 
ford’s observations ** that it is very common in the highlands of 
Eritrea and rare in the lowlands of the Anseba Valley. Neumann 
found it only in the middle and high altitudes up to 10,000 feet in 
Shoa, and noted its absence in the deep, hot valleys. He found it 
chiefly in the bushy growth around the edges of the forests, and also 
in more open country on the mountainsides. Erlanger ** found it 
abundant in Ennia and Arussi Gallaland, where it was often seen 
in the cultivated plots of the natives. 


24 Ann. naturhist. Hofmus., Wien, 1925, p. 22. 

25 Vol. 5, pt. 2, p. 249, 1912. 

26 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, a. p. 838, 1870. 
27 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 227. 

8 Ibid., p. 700. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 265 


The young birds have the top of the head, occiput, and nape brown- 
ish gray barred with black; the back more brownish, less grayish, 
also narrowly barred with black; the upper wing coverts pale rufous- 
tawny with concentric black lines; the remiges and the rectrices 
fuscous, edged with tawny-rufous; the scapulars white barred with 
black; the underparts white tinged with buff and lightly barred with 
fuscous on the breast, sides, and flanks. 

The male collected at Kormali on May 18 had nesting material 
in its bill when shot. The nest was in a bush against the trunk of a 
large tree. Neumann recorded the breeding season in Shoa and 
Djamdjam as February to April, and Erlanger found nests in the 
last part of March and early in April near Harrar. The date re- 
corded by Mearns is therefore an extension of the known reproduc- 
tive season. 


TABLE 52—Measurements of 17 specimens of Lanius collaris humeralis 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
‘Arussi Plateau’ 2s 222 SAPs. ees Maletiitt .*2 101.0 | 131.0 14.0 24.5 
INearfAlettas t= 2284s ne. ey eee ss Monee fas 93.0 116.0 14.5 23.5 
Gidaho Riverton sss: wae eee es eee. doe es 94.0 | 122.5 15.0 24.0 
Gato -Riversssttes hs MAR) ALLA do tee 93.0 | 113.0 14.5 25.5 
Kormali 7325. ssqeiseer nts Vo sen, [Ee Gone 2 =. 91,0 | 113.5 16.0 23.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
Kilindini, near Weru 222. 38422225. )L52L8 do. 2.2... 92.0 | 111.5 1555 23.0 
Escarpment eye 242. 6a Ete dex Sets 95.0 | 122.0 15. 5 24.5 
I) Qe se EE vig | ag COL ase see: 95.0 124, 5 16.0 25.0 
OES - ARFI, OR AALED 0 SEDI A do? 222-2 ft: 95.0 128.0 16.5 26.0 
Dod etesere ae BEN SW a? Case Sek. 92.0 122.0 15.5 25.0 
FR) Sie ee as oes oe re ee Gos. as 98.0 | 126.5 16.0 24.0 
ETHIOPIA: 
FT agrayse. nt Gussie! ort ee es Female-__-_-_--- 95.0 | 118.0 14.0 22. 5 
GadalBoureaten. = = 230s 2ee ee Sse ee do¥s.-222% 93.0 | 118.0 14.5 23. 5 
AGIS*Ateba 7st eh Lees th SE kk dolvtlt 5 95.0 121.0 14.5 22.5 
Gato River. -..-.__--- She Shit eos 1) oe 88.0 | 105.0 16.0 23. 5 
KENYA COLONY: 
Escarpment’: =e. 42° 225 S82 FE dott 21243 89.0 95.0 15.0 24.5 
Op eegsl as Sha ba ae He dott Bar 89.0 122.0 15.0 25.0 





LANIUS SOMALICUS SOMALICUS Hartlaub 
Lanius somalicus HARTLAvB, Ibis, 1859, p. 342: Bender Gam, Red Sea. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, 1 female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 19-23, 1911. 
1 male, Z females, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 5-8, 1912. 

Lanius antinori Salvadori is a synonym. 

The Somali fiscal shrike occurs from the Danakil country through 
Somaliland and the southern half of Ethiopia (the Hawash, Webi, 
Galla, and Shoan areas) to northeastern Uganda (Turkwell country) 
and the Rendile country of Kenya Colony, and Jubaland. 


266 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Neumann ” described a southwestern race, mauritii, based on a 
single specimen from Karoli Mountains, southeast of Lake Rudolf 
(not western Somaliland as often stated). This form is said to 
differ from typical somalicus in having the black of the head and 
mantle sharply demarcated from the gray of the back; in having the 
axillars grayish, not black; and in having the rump and upper tail 
coverts pure white. Neumann assumed that the specimens taken by 
Donaldson Smith at Lake Stefanie and Gorili probably belonged to 
this race. Sclater *° examined the Gorili specimen and was unable 
to distinguish it from typical Somaliland birds. The next author to 
deal with this shrike was Zedlitz,?1 who recognized the two races. 
Hartert ** writes of the type of mauritii that “it was daring to de- 
scribe this form from one specimen, and it is desirable to have a 
series to confirm its validity, but the differences pointed out by Neu- 
mann are obvious, so that the new subspecies appears to be very 
distinct.” Van Someren ** obtained specimens from Meuressi on the 
upper part of the Turkwell River and found them to agree exactly 
with Neumann’s type, “except that the black of the head is not 
sharply differentiated from the grey of the mantle. The general 
coloration is like F. somalicus, but in this form the rump and upper 
tail coverts are white and the under wing-coverts dark ashy grey, 
not jet black. My specimens are in full clean plumage.” 

I have seen no material of mawriti and therefore do not care to 
synonymize it with somalicus, although the present series of the lat- 
ter suggests that the characters of mawritii are sexual. Van Some- 
ren’s skins were made by native collectors, and their sexing may be 
therefore occasionally none too reliable. Of the present five birds 
sexed by Doctor Mearns, the axillars are jet black in the two males, 
brownish ashy gray in the three females. The black of the head 
and mantle is more sharply defined in the two males than in the 
three females. Inasmuch as van Someren’s birds had grayish axillars 
and had the black of the mantle not very abruptly defined, I suggest 
that his birds were females. The character of the color of the 
rump and upper tail coverts, as far as I can judge by the present 
series, depends upon feather wear. The rump is practically pure 
white in somalicus as in mauritii, but the upper tail coverts in the 
former are pale dull gray. When fresh, however, these feathers are 
laterally and terminally margined with white, and since their median 
grayish areas are hidden by the overlying, more anterior feathers, 
they may on casual inspection appear to be white. If mauriti has 


29 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 595. 

30 In Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 5, p. 260, 1912. 
21 Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, p. 67. 

% Nov. Zool., vol. 27, p. 452, 1920. 

% Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 122. 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 267 


these feathers wholly white, it may be a valid subspecies, but, at 
any rate, its range is wholly restricted to the country west and south- 
east of Lake Rudolf, as the Gorili bird appears to be typical 
somalicus. 

Neumann gives the wing length of the type of mauritii as 105 
mm. Size can hardly be used as a subspecific character because of 
the great extent of individual variation. Thus, the two males have 
the following dimensions: Wing, 99-108; tail, 94-106; culmen, 15-16; 
tarsus, 26.5-27 mm. The three females: Wing, 95.5; 101, 103; tail, 
93.5, 96, 99; culmen, 16; tarsus, 26-27 mm. 

Sclater ** states that in the immature plumage the remiges, with 
the exception of the innermost one, are blackish with the same dis- 
tribution of white as in the adult. The females collected are all in 
a late stage of the molt, and in two of them the old remiges are 
fuscous-brown, not black. The inference is that the fuscous ones 
are of the immature plumage. 

Sclater has shown, to my satisfaction at least, that Hartlaub’s 
name somalicus is identifiable, and therefore available for this shrike, 
and as it antedates antinori it must be used instead of the latter. I 
notice that as late as 1920 Hartert continued to use antinorii. 

Erlanger ** found this bird to be very numerous in northern 
Somaliland, where it lives in the barren steppe country of the low- 
lands. Sclater, paraphrasing Erlanger’s notes, writes that the latter 
“found it in great abundance in northern Somaliland, where it was 
apparently arriving from the Abyssinian highlands in January and 
February.” What Erlanger wrote, however, was merely that “as 
soon as we came to the outliers of the Abyssinian mountains, this 
bird disappeared” (translation mine, the original being “Sobald wir 
die Ausliufer der abessinischen Gebirge erreichten, hérte sein 
Vorkommen auf”). The fact of the matter is that this shrike does 
not occur in the highlands at all, and its range occupies the low 
country east and south of the Ethiopian inland plateau and moun- 
tain ranges. Furthermore, inasmuch as Erlanger found nests with 
eggs in northern Somaliland on January 24, the species could hardly 
have been just “arriving from the Abyssinian highlands.” As far as 
known, the bird is nonmigratory. A number of writers, impressed 
by the apparent close similarity between somalicus and dorsalis, and 
therefore wishing to consider them conspecific, have relied on a hypo- 
thetical migratory movement to account for the fact that specimens 
of both have often been taken in the same or near-by places, but, as 
Zedlitz has shown,** this would imply that dorsalis “winters” to the 


84—In Shelley, The Birds of Africa, vol. 5, p. 259, 1912. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 701. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, p. 66. 


268 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


north of its breeding range, and somalicus to the south, a condition 
that, in a limited area from 5° to 10° north of the Equator, is 
hardly likely. If the birds were equatorial, such a condition might 
be possible, but well to the north or south of the Equator no such 


case is known. 
LANIUS DORSALIS Cabanis 


Lanius (Fiscus) dorsalis CaBAnis, Journ. fiir Orn., 1878, pp. 205, 225: Ndi, 
Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 10, 1912. 
1 adult male, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 
1 adult female, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 28, 1912. 

The saddled fiscal shrike ranges from northeastern Tanganyika 
Territory (Usambara and Kilimanjaro districts, north through 
Kenya Colony (Teita to Sotik districts) to the Suk and Turkwell 
country and thence to the Rendile country, Lake Stefanie, and ex- 
treme southern Shoa, while along the coastal belt it occurs north 
through the Somali regions to the Haud and northern Somaliland. 

Zedlitz*7 has investigated the distributional and nomenclatural 
problem presented by Z. dorsalis and what he refers to as L. antinorii 
(which is the same as Z. somalicus of the present paper) and has 
shown very well that while the two species are very similar, they 
are quite distinct and occur together in much of their range. For one 
thing, the sexes are similar in somalicus, while in dorsalis the female 
has a mahogany brown spot on the sides which the male lacks. Those 
who hold that Yiseus and Lanius are recognizable generic groups 
would, to be consistent, have to put somalicus in the latter and dor- 
salis in the former genus. Sclater ** separates Fiscus and Lanius be- 
cause in the former “the sexes may be generally easily distin- 
ouished by the colouring of the flanks”, but keeps somalicus in Fiscus, 
although he admits that it has no sexual plumage dimorphism. In 
my opinion there is little to be gained in keeping Fiscus separate 
from Lanius; it does not appear to be a natural group, and is not 
even a subgenus. Its only characters are those of color, and, as in 
the present case of dorsalis and somalicus, this character can not be 
used. 

This species may be easily told from somalicus by the fact that 
the secondaries are entirely black in dorsalis and are very broadly 
tipped with white in somalicus. 

The two specimens from Ethiopia appear to be the first ones re- 
corded from that political area, although the species had previously 


37 Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, pp. 64-67. 
88 Jy Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 5, p. 231, 1912. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 269 


been taken to the south and east of it. The chances are that dorsalis 
also occurs in southern Gallaland as well. 

These two birds are in molt; the specimen from south of Malele, 
taken some 6 or 7 weeks later, is in worn plumage but has not begun 
to molt. The two males have the following dimensions: Wing, 103- 
104; tail 90, 90; culmen, 17.5-18, tarsus, 28-28.5 mm. The female: 
Wing, 94.5; tail, 84.5; culmen broken; tarsus, 26 mm. It may be that 
longer series will show northern birds to be constantly larger than 
southern ones, but with the meagre material available I cannot de- 
termine this point. A southern male in fresh plumage (from the 
Sotik district) is smaller than either of the two Ethiopian birds 
(wing, 100; tail, 92.5; culmen, 16; tarsus, 16 mm). 

Nothing has been recorded of the breeding habits or season of this 
shrike. It appears to be somewhat migratory, as Erlanger *° wit- 
nessed a great movement of these birds on the Juba River from 
Kismayu to the Garre-Lewin country during May, June, and the 
first half of July. This, together with the fact that the present June 
specimens are in molt, suggests that this movement was a postnuptial 
and not a prenuptial migration. The molt affects the rectrices and 
remiges, and in no shrike (at least of the genus Zanius) is there a 
prenuptial molt that extends beyond a few of the body feathers. 

In his field notes Doctor Mearns made a number of entries of a 
“stout shrike, gray back, first seen at Tertale,” which, by elimination 
and by the fact that he definitely refers this description to the 
Tertale specimen, seem to apply to Lantus dorsalis. Inasmuch as 
relatively few records exist for northern Kenya Colony, these ob- 
servations are of very definite value even though their identification 
is not so exact and certain as might be desired. At the Chaffa 
villages, just north of the Ethiopian-Kenyan boundary, June 23-25, 
24 birds were noted; at Hor, in Kenya Colony, June 26-30, 4 were 
seen; at a dry river 18 miles south of Hor, July 1-2, 4 birds; Dussia, 
July 3-4, 2 seen; east of Lake Rudolf and at the south end of the 
lake, July 5-8, 4 birds; southeast of Lake Rudolf, July 9-10, 4 noted; 
plains north of Endoto Mountains, July 19-20, 2 birds; Malele and 
country south to the Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 27-30, 22 
birds; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31-August 3, 14 seen; 
Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 6 birds observed. 

Recently, van Someren *** has recorded this shrike from a number 
of northern Kenya localities—Juba River at Serenli and Jebeir; 
Kulal, Isiola; Northern Guaso Nyiro; Matthews Range; Ngombe 
Crater; and Kismayu. 


%* Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 701. 
39a Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 312, 1932. 


270 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


LANIUS CABANISI Hartert 


Lanius cabanisi Hartert, Nov. Zool., vol. 13, p. 404, 1906: Mombasa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, Tana River, camp no. 5, Kenya Colony, August 19, 1912. 
1 immature male, 1 adult female, junction of Tana and Thika Rivers, 
Kenya Colony, August 23, 1912. 

This shrike is the eastern counterpart of L. ewcubitorius and ranges 
from southern Italian Somaliland south through Kenya Colony east 
of the Rift Valley to northeastern Tanganyika Territory (to Dar es 
Salaam, Morogoro, and Kilosa). 

As Schiebel has shown,*® this species is phylogenetically closely 
related to excubitorius, but as it is so very distinct from the latter 
in color, it seems better to use a binomial for the present bird. 

This species lives in the thorny scrub of the relatively low plains 
of coastal and subcoastal eastern Africa, getting inland as far as 
Nairobi, but chiefly confined to the area known zoogeographically 
as the southern extension of the Somali region. Inasmuch as the 
members of the Frick expedition did not enter this faunal area 
until near the end of their journey, only a few specimens were pro- 
cured—at the Tana River, while others were noted on the Athi 
River as well. 

The immature bird is molting into adult plumage. The molt is 
farthest advanced on the head and nape and underparts, least so 
on the upper back, wings, and tail. The adult male is also in molt; 
the female is in fresh plumage. 

The breeding season is indicated by the reports of nests in north- 
eastern Tanganyika Territory late in January, in the Teita district 
in September, and in southern Somaliland in May and June. 


LANIUS EXCUBITORIUS INTERCEDENS Neumann 
Figure 16 


Lanius excubitorius interccdens NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 228: 
Hawash, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
3 males, Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 5-20, 1912. 
1 female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 18, 1912. 
1 “male” [=female], Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 23, 1912. 
1 male, 3 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 8-18, 1912. 
1 male, no data. 

The African great gray shrike occurs throughout eastern Africa 
from the north end of Lake Nyasa north through Tanganyika Terri- 
tory, Kenya Colony, and Uganda, to Ethiopia and the Sudan, west in 
the latter country to Lake Chad and northeastern Northern Nigeria. 
Throughout its range it has become differentiated into four races. 


# Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, pp. 174-179, 200. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 2a 


The nomenclature of two of these is somewhat confusing, as it has 
resulted in an unfortunate and erroneous transposition of names that 
renders the literature somewhat difficult. 

Prévost and des Murs *! described Lanius excubitorius from “Nubia 
and Abyssinia.” In 1905 Neumann described intercedens from the 
Hawash region under the assumption that birds from the White Nile 
were typical excubitorius. However, in 1912 Sclater *? claimed that 
Abyssinia was the type locality of excubitorius and that consequently 
intercedens was a pure synonym of that name, and he described the 
White Nile birds as a distinct race, princeps Cabanis. All workers on 
African birds followed Sclater until very recently, when Neumann ** 
once more investigated the systematics, and this time the nomen- 
clature, of this shrike. He notes that Sclater’s citation of the type 
locality of excubitorius as “Abyssinia” is only partly correct, and 
says: 

* * * as Prevost et des Murs did not describe it from “Abyssinia” but 
from “Nubia and Abyssinia,” adding, that the types were not collected by 
Lefebvre, but sent to the Paris Museum by Mons. d’Arnaud. Now, everyone 
who has studied the history of the ornithological exploration of Africa knows 
that d’Arnaud never collected in what is now called Abyssinia, but only on the 
White Nile. He was one of three French elephant-hunters and ivory-traders— 
d’Arnaud, de Maizac, and Burn-Rollet, who often went up the White Nile * * * 
collecting zoological specimens. * * * In fact, the province where d’Arnaud 
and Werne, who sent the type of L. princeps to the Berlin Museum, collected is 
practically the same, and the types of L, excubitorius and L. princeps might 
have been shot on the same tree. There is no race of LZ. excubitorius in northern 
Abyssinia and the Blue Nile region. * * * Riippell did not know the bird 
at all, and Heuglin mentions the species only from the eastern Sudan. It was 
not till Antinori founded the Italian zoological station of Let Marefia near 
Ankober in the Hawash region in 1882 that a race of L. excubitorius was found 
there and that is * * * J. e. intercedens. 

It therefore follows that princeps is a synonym of excubitorius, 
while the Ethiopian and west Kenyan records of excubitorius really 
refer to intercedens. 

The subspecies of this shrike are outlined as follows: 

1. L. e. excubitorius: The Upper White Nile, Lado Enclave, and 
Bahr el Ghazal districts of the Sudan west to Darfur, and south to 
Uganda and the eastern Ituri district of the Belgian Congo (Ruwen- 
zori) ; migrates in great numbers to Kenya Colony, especially to the 
Rift Valley (Lakes Nakuru and Naivasha), where, however, it does 
not breed. This race is rather small (wings, 105-115 mm). 

2. L. e. ntercedens: Ethiopia from the Hawash region and Ankober 
south through Shoa to the Omo district and through northwestern 
Uganda to the Elgon and Kavirondo countries in Kenya Colony. 


“ In Lefebvre, Voyage en Abyssinie, etc., pt. 4, pp. 99, 170, pl. 8, 1850. 
42 In Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 5, p. 265, 1912. 
4S Tbis, 1927, pp. 506-508. 


272 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Not known from Somaliland or southern Gallaland. This form is 
larger than the nominate race (wings, 116-130 mm). 

3. L. e. bdhmi: Tanganyika Territory, north through the Kivu 
district and Ruanda to Ankole and Masaka districts, southwestern 
Uganda, to the Buddu Kingdom, south-central Uganda. In the 
eastern Ituri district of the Congo (Beni) this form appears to inter- 
grade with excubitorius. In size this subspecies is intermediate be- 
tween eacubitorius and intercedens (wings, 115-125 mm) and differs 
from both in being darker above, less pure grayish, more earthy gray. 

4. L. e. tschadensis: Northwestern Northern Nigeria and northern 
Cameroon to Lake Chad and to western Darfur, in the eastern part 
of which province of the Sudan it intergrades with eacubitorius. 
This form is very similar to éntercedens but slightly paler above, es- 


FIGuRn 16.—Right outermost rectrix of Lanius excubitorius intercedens showing variation. 





AK , 


» 


pecially on the forehead and crown. Of this form I have seen no 
material and therefore can not judge its validity. Neumann admits 
that “the difference between ¢schadensis and the race from the White 
Nile * * * is very slight, and I should have hesitated naming 
it, if it had not come from the limit of the range and been still 
somewhat paler than the race from the White Nile and eastern 
Sudan.” 

All the 10 birds listed above are in worn plumage. The extent 
and shape of the black subterminal mark on the outermost rectrices 
are very variable. A few of them are indicated in the diagram 
(fig. 16). ‘There seems to be no correlation between this variation 
and sex or age. The size variations are shown in table 53. 

This shrike lives in the thorny scrub of the semiarid acacia savan- 
nahs, where it goes about in small bands of from 5 to 15 individuals, 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 273 


except in the breeding season when the flocks disband and, the birds 
pair off. 

On April 8 at Gato River near Gardula, Mearns found a nest of 
this bird with two eggs. The nest was a loosely constructed affair 
of small sticks or twigs. One egg was pipped, with the young ready 
to emerge. The other egg measured 25 by 18.5 mm. The ground 
color was olive-buff, with rounded spots and specks of dark brown 
only on the large end, and mostly forming a circle near that end, with 
paler underlying spots. The female bird was sitting very closely 
when approached, and it was only when Doctor Mearns came very 
near that she left the nest. Both parent birds were collected, as well 
as the nest and eggs. 

Apparently the eggs of this shrike are rather variable, or are 
different in the different subspecies, for van Someren ** describes the 
eggs of L. e. excubitorius in Uganda as “creamy pink with red-brown 
spots and greyish underlying markings, all towards the larger end.” 

Besides the actual specimens collected Mearns noted this shrike as 
follows: Gidabo River, March 15-17, 10 seen; Abaya Lakes, March 
18-26, 250; between the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 20 
birds; Gato River near Gardula, March 29—May 17, 500 noted; Anole 
village, May 18, 2 seen. 

TABLE 53.—Measurements of 10 specimens of Lanius excubitorius intercedens 
from Ethiopia 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

Wake ADaya toe ee oe ete Miaiel7. Meee ss 120.0 | 138.0 19.0 29.0 
Doi thn BF 7g ile ee reer ESE do__.-----| 126.0 | 149.0 17.5 30.0 
Woe aes ee hd eae es eae do 121.0 | 145.0 19.0 30.0 
Black? Lake’ Abayart. 2 722-. 22-2882 Sot tie 2h do: 42te22 116.0 139.0 18.0 29.0 
No locality st 2000). 2s 2st eb eee do-it 119.0 | 134.0 17.5 29. 5 
Gato eiven: esas a ses Se ee es dose = 116.0 | 136.0 1.5 30.0 
Gea a hes Y SPARE AION DP RARE Female. -_--_-_-- 121.0 | 141.0 16.5 29.0 
DDO Sei Je a eee ek dG. 2 esses 117.0 140.0 16.5 30.5 
BIS) Ce ee eee ag ae Set dosnieosss 119.0 | 1338.0 16.5 30.0 
GidabouRivert: 2529228 ALLE ved Se LES do _--| 122.0 | 143.0 17.5 30.0 





LANIUS SENATOR NILOTICUS (Bonaparte) 


Enneoctonus niloticus BONAPARTE, Rey. Mag. Zool., 1853, p. 4389: White Nile. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

1 female, Chobi, Ethiopia, December 23, 1911. 

1 male, 1 female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 12, 1912. 

The woodchat shrike is a wide-ranging palearctic species that oc- 
curs in Africa only as a migrant and winter visitor. It contains 
three races, as follows: 

1. LZ. s. senator: This form has the central pair of rectrices black 
to the base and has the primaries white basally. Breeding range— 


“ Tbis, 1916, p. 395. 


274 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


the Mediterranean countries from Spain to the Caucasus and Asia 
Minor (Turkey and Mesopotamia). Winter quarters—western Africa 
from Senegal to the Gold Coast and Northern Nigeria east to the 
western slopes of the divide range in Darfur. One record for the 
Bahr el Ghazal.*® There is also a record from the Mabira Forest, 
western Uganda,**® but I am inclined to doubt if it is correct, as no 
mention is made of niloticus, the form that normally occurs there. 

2. L. s. badius: Characters—like senator but with no white on the 
primaries. Breeding range—Balearic Islands, Corsica, Sardinia and 
Capraia, and near Lazio (Italy), according to the authors of “A 
Practical Handbook of British Birds” (vol. 1, p. 272). Winte 
quarters—western Africa; Gold Coast and Nigeria. One record for 
Eritrea.‘ 

3. L. s. niloticus: Characters—easily told from the other two races 
by virtue of the fact that it has the middle pair of rectrices white 
basally. Breeding range—Palestine to southern Persia. Winter 
quarters—northeastern Africa generally, but particularly the drain- 
age basin of the Nile and its tributaries, south through Uganda, 
where, however, it is less numerous than in the Sudan, to Mount 
Elgon. One record for Kenya Colony—a pair collected in the Mara- 
goli Hills by Meinertzhagen.*® It also occurs in the Somali low- 
lands. 

The present race does not occur to any extent in the highlands 
and is therefore scarce in parts of Ethiopia, the majority of records 
being from the lower areas adjacent to Somaliland and Eritrea. I 
know of no records in Shoa west or southwest of Gada Bourca on 
the Hawash River, where Lovat shot a specimen. Mearns noted the 
woodchat shrike along the Hawash River from Sadi Malka to Gada 
Bourca and found it abundant in cultivated fields, from January 
26 to February 13. When he left the Hawash basin for the highlands 
of Shoa and Arussiland, he left this bird behind him. Donaldson 
Smith obtained specimens near Lake Rudolf,*® which are the only 
ones I know of from directly south of the Ethiopian highlands. 

This bird molts in its winter quarters and is ordinarily finished 
molting by the first few days in February, when some individuals 
start northward on their return journeys. Others linger a little, 
but by March the migration is well under way. Heuglin found it 
to leave in April. Blanford,° strangely enough, met this bird but 
once, and then in the highlands at 8,000 feet. Sclater records this 


45 Sclater and Mackworth-Praed, Ibis, 1918, p. 629. 

46 Van Someren, Ibis, 1916, p. 396. 

4 Angelini, Boll. Soc. Ital., vol. 3, pp. 161-162, 1916. 

4 Ibis, 1921, p. 668. 

49 Cf. Sclater, in Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 5, p. 289, 1912. 

50 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, p. 340, 1870. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 275 


specimen and also another “collected by Jesse at Ambra in August. 
As this is quite a young bird, it may quite well be that this species 
breeds in the Abyssinian highlands.” Reichenow*™ in treating of 
this form (under the name rufus Gmelin) gives its range as “Siid- 
westliches Asien, Nordostafrika, hier anscheinend Standvogel :” 
etc. There is no real evidence, however, to support the contention 
that this shrike nests anywhere in northeastern Africa. 


LANIUS CRISTATUS PHOENICUROIDES Severzow 


Lanius phoenicuroides SEvERzow, Journ. fiir Orn., 1873, p. 347, nom. nud.; 
NEUMANN, Journ. ftir Orn., 1905, p. 229; Shoa. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 adult female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, 
April 17, 1912. 

This bird is phoenicuroides and not zsabellinus, or else is a very dark 
specimen of the latter race. The identification is supported by the 
fact that phoenicuroides is commoner in northeastern Africa than is 
tsabellinus, although both forms are known to winter there. 

This shrike breeds from Transcaspia to Persia, Turkestan, and 
Afghanistan, and winters in southern Arabia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, 
Somaliland, Kenya Colony, and to Uganda and the adjacent south- 
ern part of the Sudan. In most of the Sudan (Red Sea, Berber, 
White Nile, and Upper Nile Provinces) the pale race zsabellinus is 
the common form. Apparently the latter migrates down the Nile 
Valley, while phoenicuroides follows the Red Sea coastline. It is 
therefore rather puzzling that Zedlitz** records only isabellinus 
from southern Somaliland. Of course, both forms mix to some 
extent during the winter; thus, van Someren*? obtained both in 
Kenya Colony, and Zedlitz** procured both in Eritrea and extreme 
northern Ethiopia. According to Neumann,” isabellinus is a resident 
breeding bird in Arabia, which would account for its getting to 
Somaliland. 

The present specimen is in new, fresh plumage. It was taken on 
what appears to be a rather late date for southern Shoa. 


LANIARIUS FUNEBRIS FUNEBRIS (Hartlaub) 


Dryoscopus funebris HARTLAvUB, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, p. 105: Maninga, 
Unyamwesi district, Tanganyika Territory. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
4 males, 1 female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 8-22, 1911. 
1 female, Errer River, Ethiopia, December 138, 1911. 
1 male, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 29, 1912. 


51 Die Vogel Afrikas, vol. 2, p. 627, 1903. 
Sia Journ, fiir Orn., 1915, p. 67. 

52 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 124, 1922. 

58 Journ. fiir Orn., 1910, p. 806. 

% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 229. 


276 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


1 male, Iron Bridge, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 5, 1912. 

1 male, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 12, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Serre, Ethiopia, February 13, 1912. 

1 immature male, Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 25, 1912. 

1 male, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 30, 1912. 

9 males, 9 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 31—May 11, 
1912. 

1 immature female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 23, 1912. 

1 male, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 30, 1912. 

1 female, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 4, 1912. 

1 female, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 

1 immature male, Malata, Ethiopia, June 22, 1912. 

2 females, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 21, 1912. 

1 adult female, 1 immature female, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, 
July 29, 1912. 

1 immature male, Tharaka District, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris dark brown; bill, feet, and claws black. 

I have examined 74 specimens of this species in the present study 
and have come to the conclusion that there are three subspecific forms, 
all of which, while recognizable, are rather poorly defined. In other 
words, the slight differences in size and color are appreciable only in 
series. Furthermore, as Reichenow * pointed out, not only is there 
extensive individual variation to be taken into consideration, but 
also females are usually smaller and paler than males from the same 
locality. I recognize three forms, as follows: 

1. LZ. f. funedris: Eastern Africa from the Nyasa—Tanganyika 
Plateau north through the interior of Tanganyika Territory and of 
Kenya Colony to eastern Uganda and to southern and central 
Ethiopia (Shoa northeast to the Hawash Basin). This is the darkest 
of the three races and it is also large in size (although not larger 
than atrocoeruleus) ; wing, in adult males, 85-97 mm (very rarely 
81 mm), in adult females 81-93 mm. Of this race, the following are 
synonyms: Laniarius bergert Reichenow * and L. funebris rothschildi 
Neumann.*” 

Zedlitz ** considers rothschildi a valid form, although he admits 
that its status is none too secure. Hartert,®® in his comments on the 
avian types at Tring, considers it valid also, but the fact remains 
that no worker who had a really extensive series to study has been 
able to uphold the supposed Ethiopian form. ‘The character on 
which rothschildi was based is the absence, either entirely or nearly 
so, of white, subterminal spots on the long rump feathers. When 
describing this race, Neumann listed five specimens from Tertale 


* Journ. fiir Orn., 1909, p. 235. 

66 Orn. Monatsb., 1911, p. 84: Lake Baringo, Kenya Colony. 
7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 595: Sagon River, southern Shoa. 
58 Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, p. 59. 

5° Nov. Zool., vol. 27, p. 450, 1920. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY Dare 


and Sagon River as his available material. However, out of some 
36 specimens from southern Shoa examined by me, 24 have well- 
developed white spots, 6 have these spots faintly developed, and 
only 6 lack them entirely. Furthermore, not a few birds from 
southern Kenya Colony (which are undoubtedly typical funebris) 
are without any white rump spots. Van Someren® has examined 
“the type and cotype of LZ. rothschildi, and considers that they are 
not separable. The characters given by Neumann are not exhibited 
in the specimens. * * * Ohne has lost all its rump feathers, and 
they are specimens which have been mounted and sadly maltreated.” 

2. L. f. atrocoeruleus: Northern Somaliland west into northeast- 
ern Ethiopia east of the eastern Ethiopian Escarpment. Similar 
in size to funebris but distinctly paler in color. 

3. L. f. degener: Southern Somaliland south through the Taru 
Desert to northeastern Tanganyika Territory (the plains east of 
Kilimanjaro south to Dodoma). Intermediate in color between 
funebris and atrocoeruleus, nearer to the latter, but smaller than 
either; wings, in the males, 79-86 mm; in the females, 77-83 mm. 
Of this form, the following is a synonym: Laniarius funebris lugu- 
bris (Cabanis) Hilgert.*t This name is based on the assumption that 
Rhynchastatus lugubris Cabanis * was founded on @ small pale bird 
like degener. Though it is true that the original description states 
that lugubris is smaller than fwnebdris, it is also said to be deep 
blackish like the latter. Furthermore, the type has no data other 
than “East Africa,” and it is known that the collector, Baron von der 
Decken, traveled throughout country inhabited by at least two of 
the subspecies. Hence, it appears that the name is not wholly iden- 
tifiable, and as such it may best be left as a synonym of the dark 
typical race. Reichenow states that Hilgert was wrong in his use 
of the name Jugubris, as the type is a really dark bird. 

The size variations of the typical race may be judged from table 
54 (adults only). 

The young birds have grayish-brown edges on the upper wing 
coverts and have the middle of the belly pale grayish buff narrowly 
barred with dark grayish black. Otherwise, they are generally sim- 
ilar to adults but are duller on the throat, head, and upperparts. 

This somber-hued bush shrike is a common and widespread deni- 
zen of the dry acacia savannahs and thorny tangles of tropical 
eastern Africa. Like its crimson-breasted relative L. erythrogaster, 
it usually goes about in pairs and has a loud, clear, whistled note. 


8 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 117, 1922. 
61 Katalog der Collection von Erlanger in Nieder-Ingelheim, p. 272, 1908. 
© Journ. fiir Orn., 1868, p. 412. 


106220—37. 19 





278 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The breeding season in Ethiopia is in April and May according to 
the observations made by Erlanger * and probably earlier as well, 
for one of the birds in juvenal plumage was collected on March 25. 
Some of the birds taken in April and May are in molt, which sug- 
gests that the nesting season does not extend much beyond the latter 
month. 


TABLE 54.—Measurements of 36 specimens of Laniarius funebris funebris 











Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 

Dire Daoua-=-.-2---22- 52 ee2 aes Mia lene stezc= cs 85.0 86.0 20. 5 29.0 
DOS ALES ew tye te a es Ee dot#eat ts 87.5 86.0 21.0 32.0 

DOSS ees so Soka ee ee ke Gos=+--"-* 88. 5 88.5 22.5 29.0 

DD) O22 Se Se be ees ees eas |e donee! 84.0 86.5 20.5 31.0 
Sadi Malka wer - settles = beer ar ae dose. vt 95.0 88.5 23.0 31.0 
Hawash Rivers si-2-+ 25-225 24222 ss|so— 32 @ol2st-<. 92.0 93. 5 Ae 30.0 
Ota eee cae eee ee ee see donne 93.0 90.5 23.0 31.0 
Serrevshees = 2 a eh Be ees Pete S Gok Ayes2t 93. 0 87.0 22.5 30.0 
NeariGardulatz. i 2222252225 esas dose 2- 224 85.0 80.5 24.0 31.5 
Gatowivelsn a: tees ese esse e notes |p eee doses. -s— 81.0 78.5 22.5 30.0 
Doses Bee Se let Fee os eel eee S douse 3 87.5 78. 5 22.0 32.0 

DD Oe 2 ee ee ee Sa ee ae a do 2282 22 86.5 80.0 23. 5 29.5 

1 Oe eee ae eee ee nS ose ay 92.0 85.5 23.5 30. 0 

DO 2i2c2 He 38S eres 2 ee pe |) os done seers"! 82.5 78.5 22.0 32.0 

DOA. ose ce ek 5) ee re el do=s.c23 83.0 84.0 23.0 28.0 

DOS Laks eb SESE shee Me See eS dos 87.0 82.0 22.0 31.5 

WD OseWret San sees sory ee | ke Go eres 93.0 89.5 22.5 31.5 

DOs ee Pa | do.aeess= 88.0 84.0 23.0 29.5 
Bodessaee: eee Se ee ee eee doLt2e 91.0 87.0 25 31.0 
Dire. aoualss- =~ spose =. ee 2 Female-_-___-- 90. 5 86.5 22.5 30. 5 
IBTTOr Rivers 2222 542-255 22 as ae St |e don ass 87.0 82.0 22.0 30.0 
BOLT Oss ee es. a RE ee SA Se dosekoe So 86.5 83.0 22.0 28. 5 
GatouRivers.. 27oF 28 he ol eee es Goze 22232 84.0 80.5 21.5 32.0 
DOs24 22 ase Jie ose |2oS8 dos ss: 82.0 79.5 21.0 31.5 

Dol. 23228 24 eee ee sake dot 86.0 80.0 21.5 30.0 
WO. .2-52252 we Peet eee oe ewes ced do sso S: 86.0 81.5 22.0 31.5 

Dat Bees ee he ee ad G0esssea-t 92.0 85.0 22.0 30.5 

nD Yee LE ef aoe see ee oe | emt do. 2-5.22 84.5 74.0 21.5 28. 0 

Woh eee hake ah ee al ces dou acest 85. 5 77.5 20.0 28. 5 

1D) ON erase eee ae eke. eae dose 85.5 79.0 21.0 30.0 

Ip) OPER ey ed Fees ee doss25- 86.5 78.0 22.0 27.5 
Savon River. -* 22. so = sae cae een oe d0to22- 86.0 76.0 22.0 30.5 
MariMoraisn casos nts ss ae ae |e doshas 83.0 83.0 21.5 31.0 

KENYA COLONY: 

Endoto Mountains_-___.----------]----- dos == 85.0 81.5 23.0 30.0 
gO Ye eee ee ee | eee dona22-- 4 87.0 85.0 24.0 32.0 
South of Malelew. 222225 _ ee tee Saas do. 222 86.0 87.0 22.5 31.0 


On May 11, at Bodessa, Mearns collected a pair of these birds with 
their nest and two eggs. The nest was placed on a horizontal lower 
limb of a large tree growing in the middle of a thicket of bushes and 
vines. It was partly supported by twigs, but there was no underlying 
foundation of coarse twigs. It is a well-made, firmly constructed, 


*3 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 696. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 279 


cup-shaped structure of dried grasses and measures 80 mm in depth 
and 60 mm in diameter (inside measurements). The two eggs were 
fresh. They are pale blue, finely and sparingly dotted with earth 
brown, the dots concentrating at the large pole to form an almost 
solid brownish-gray patch. They measure 22 by 17 and 21 by 17.5 
mm, respectively. Doctor Mearns noted that “both parents came to 
the nest and uttered catlike cries and hissing sounds” as he came near. 

To judge from Mearns’s field notes, this shrike appears to be much 
commoner in northern Kenya Colony than in Shoa, for while he 
collected practically all the specimens he saw in the latter country, 
his records for Kenya Colony are as follows: The plains at the base 
of Endoto Mountains, July 19-24, 200 birds seen; Er-re-re, July 25, 
10 noted, Le-se-dun, July 26, 10; Malele, July 27, 10 seen; 18 miles 
south of Malele, July 28-29, 75 observed; 40 miles south of Malele, 
July 30, 20 seen; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31, 20 noted; 
Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 6 birds seen. From that point south- 
ward the species was commonly observed, but as these records appear 
to refer to the subspecies degener, they are incorporated in the discus- 
sion of that form. 

LANIARIUS FUNEBRIS DEGENER Hilgert 
Laniarius funebris degener HitcEert, Nov. Zool., vol. 18, p. 606, 1912: Darassum, 
Gurraland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 4 females, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 
14-17, 1912. 

The characters and distribution of this form have been stated in the 
discussion of the nominate race. As already intimated, the charac- 
ters of degener do not stand out on casual examination, but are fairly 
constant in series. The dimensions of these five specimens are pre- 
sented in table 55, and on comparison with the figures given for 
funedris it may be seen that the present race is noticeably smaller in 
size, 

In its habits this form is similar to funebris. 

Doctor Mearns noted this race as follows: Tana River, August 
14-23, 500 birds seen; mouth of Thika River, August 23-26, 10. 


TABLE 55.—Measurements of five specimens of Laniarius funebris degener from 
Tana River, Kenya Colony 


Culmen | Tarsus 





280 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


LANIARIUS FERRUGINEUS AETHIOPICUS (Gmelin) 


Turdus aethiopicus GMELIN, Syst. Nat., vol. 2, p. 824, 1788: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

3 unsexed, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 3—-October 13, 1911 (A. Ouellard 

coll.). 

1 ae Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, December 20, 1911. 

2 males, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 29, 1912. 

1 female, Loku, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. 

2 males, 1 female, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 6-10, 1912. 

3 males, Escarpment, 7390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 6-9, 1912. 

Sclater and Mackworth-Praed ** have briefly reviewed the races of 
this bush shrike. They recognize eight forms and remain non- 
committal as to the southern Somaliland subspecies somaliensis of 
Reichenow. However, they consider all these birds of northeastern, 
eastern, central, and western Africa specifically distinct from fer- 
rugineus of South Africa, a procedure that seems to be wrong. I 
have examined a series of 75 skins and conclude that the group 
treated by Sclater and Praed as Laniarius aethiopicus is conspecific 
with L. ferrugineus and that there are in all 10 valid races. I have 
not seen enough South African material to attempt to study the races 
pondoensis, natalensis, transvaalensis, and limpopoensis proposed by 
Roberts,® and consequently the absence of these names in the fol- 
lowing list does not necessarily imply that they are not valid. For 
the present, we can not do otherwise than treat all South African 
birds as belonging to one form—the typical one. The races, then, 
are as follows: 

1. L. f. ferrugineus: South Africa north to the Limpopo River 
and to Inhambane district, Mozambique. This form has the flanks, 
abdomen, and under tail coverts strongly tinged with tawny. Ac- 
cording to Roberts, there is considerable geographic variation in the 
extent of the tawny color, and it is partly on this basis that he differ- 
entiated several races. 

2. L. f. guttatus: From the Cunene River and the Portuguese 
Congo east to Bechuanaland and Lake Ngami, and along the Zam- 
besi to the Victoria Falls. This form, like the nominate race, has 
a white band on the wings formed by the middle coverts and the 
outer margins of some of the secondaries, but has the whole under- 
parts pure white. Roberts uses the name strictwrus Hartlaub for 
this form, but gattatus is earlier and therefore has priority. 

3. L. f. mossambicus: Eastern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, and central 
Mozambique north to southern Tanganyika Territory. Characters— 
the white wing mark as in the two above-mentioned races, but with 
a faint rosy wash on the underparts; wings, 90 mm. 


* Ibis, 1918, pp. 633-634. 
® Ann. Transvaal Mus., vol. 8, p. 246, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 281 


4. L. f. ambiguus: Tanganyika Territory and Kenya Colony west 
of the coastal belt and east of tha Rift Valley. The white on the 
wing is confined to the middle upper coverts and is often concealed 
by overlying feathers in the folded wings of ordinary bird skins. 

5. L. f. somaliensis: Southern Somaliland. Similar to ambiguus, 
but smaller; wings, 80-85 mm, as against 85-97 mm in the latter. 

6. L. f. major: Kenya Colony west of the Rift Valley, Uganda, the 
southern Anglo-Egyptian Sudan (Upper White Nile and Bahr el 
Ghazel) west to Cameroon, Nigeria, Gold Coast, and Sierra Leone. 
Sclater °° lists specimens from southern Nigeria, but Bannerman ° 
does not mention it in his work on the birds of that country. This 
form resembles mossambicus, but is larger; wings, 95-105 mm. 

7. L. f. aethiopicus: Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the Kassala Province 
of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, south on isolated highlands to the 
Kikuyu Escarpment in Kenya Colony. This race has no white on 
the edges of the secondaries, but the white area extends on to the 
longest secondary coverts; size large; wings, 100 mm. 

8. L. f. sublacteus: The coastal districts of East Africa from Dar 
es Salaam to the mouth of the Tana River. This race has no white 
on the wing at all; size fairly small; wings, 80-85 mm. 

9. L. f. turatii: Portuguese Guinea to Senegal. This form, which 
I have not seen, is said to resemble swb/acteus in having no white mark 
on the wings, but is larger (wings, 105 mm); and the under-parts 
washed with a rosy tinge. 

10. L. f. bicolor: Gaboon. This race, of which no material has 
been available for study, is said to resemble guttatus, but to lack the 
white on the inner secondaries. 

In the case of the East African races, several factors have contrib- 
uted to render the distributional facts confusing. Chief among these 
is the matter of erroneous identifications. For example, van 
Someren ** considers sublacteus specifically distinct because both it 
and ambiguus occur on Kilimanjaro. He writes, “whether this race 
(ambiguus) interbreeds with Z. suwblacteus in the Kilimanjaro area, 
I am unable to say, but they both occur there.” Sclater °® in writing 
of sublacteus states that it does not extend “very far into the interior ; 
though met with by Fischer at Komboko and Gros Aruscha, both 
localities not far from Kilimanjaro; but the Boubous which I have 
examined from that neighborhood obtained by Johnston and Hunter, 
must be referred to LZ. aethiopicus ambiguus.” Sjéstedt ™ obtained 
only ambiguus in the Kilimanjaro region and records sublacteus 


& Jn Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 5, p. 308, 1912. 

87 Rey. Zool. Africaine, vol. 9, fasc. 3, 1921. 

8 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 118, 1922. 

6° Jn Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 5, p. 318, 1912. 

7 Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der schwedischen zoologischen Expeditien nach dem Kili- 
Mandjaro . . . Deutsch-Ostafrika, 1905-6, etc., Végel, p. 115, 1908. 


282 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


only on the basis of Fischer’s, Johnston’s, and Abbott’s specimens. 
The last-named explorer obtained three birds identified as sublacteus 
by Oberholser.** These specimens have been accessible to me in the 
present connection and are all ambiguus. It appears, therefore, that 
while swblacteus occurs in the lowlands near Kilimanjaro (Great 
Arusha, Lake Jipe, etc.), the form inhabiting the higher ground of 
the mountain mass itself is the race of the interior plateau of East 
Africa, ambiguus. This example, together with the fact that 
aethiopicus occurs in high altitudes near the Equator (Kikuyu 
Escarpment), again serves to emphasize the great importance of in- 
terpreting distribution in a tridimensional way. This has been done 
with notable success in North America and in mapping the bird life 
of the South American Andes, but hitherto it has been much neglected 
in works on the birds of Africa. 

Aside from the question of altitudinal distribution, feather wear, 
especially in those races characterized by white outer edges on some 
of the secondaries, is of much importance. A specimen of major in 
worn plumage might easily pass as aethiopicus. Furthermore, aethi- 
opicus varies somewhat, some specimens having a narrow whitish 
margin on the inner secondaries. One of the males from Escarp- 
ment is of this type, and van Someren has found similar examples 
among Ethiopian specimens. 

It may well be that the aggregate known as Laniarius ferrugineus 
aethiopicus may be separable into a larger northern, and a smaller 
southern group. Zedlitz’? writes that his birds from Eritrea and 
extreme northern Ethiopia have wing lengths of 97, 100, 103, 103, 109, 
and 110 mm, respectively. I have personally seen no north Ethi- 
opian birds, but the present series measure much smaller, as may be 
seen from table 56. 

Blanford * found this bird to be abundant in the pass leading to 
Senafé between 3,000 and 6,000 feet, in January and February, and 
says: “In May they were common at a much greater elevation, even 
at 8,000 and 9,000 feet near Senafé, where none were met with three 
months before. * * * They thus appear to have a considerable 
range in altitude, being, however, most common at all periods of the 
year in the subtropical regions.” 

The breeding season in the Hawash district is in April. Er- 
langer “* found a nest just finished, with the female sitting on it, on 
April 9 near Harrar. According to Zedlitz,”> the race somaliensis 
breeds in May and June. 


71 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 28, p. 928, 1905. 

72 Journ. fiir Orn., 1910, pp. 798-799. 

73 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, p. 341, 1870. 
7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 697, 

7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, p. 60. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 283 


Dr. Mearns first met with this bird, which he refers to as the 
“bell shrike”, on account of its clear, bell-like notes, at Sadi Malka, 
and observed it from there along the Hawash River as far as Gada 
Bourca. It was not found in the Arussi highlands, which he next 
traversed, and it was not until he came to Aletta, March 7-13, that 
he saw it again. There he noted about 100 individuals; at Loco, 
March 13-15, he saw 20; Gidabo River, March 15-17, 20; the Abaya 
Lakes, March 18-24, 60 birds; near Gardula, March 26-29, 10 birds; 
at Gato River the species was almost wholly lacking, as from March 
29 to May 17 only 4 individuals were seen; at Sagon River, June 3, 
1 was noted. None was seen between that point and the Lekiundu 
River in central Kenya Colony, where 10 were observed on August 8. 
These birds and the subsequent records probably refer to the race 
major, but unfortunately no specimens were procured. The records 
are as follows: Meru Forest near Mount Kenya, August 9, 50 seen; 
Meru, August 10, 100 birds; east of Meru (20 miles) on trail to the 
Tana River, August 11, 10 seen; Tana River, August 16-18, 8 noted. 
On the Kikuyu Escarpment, September 4-12, 50 birds were noted. 
The form of this high land mass is the same as that of Ethiopia— 
the race aethtopicus. 


TABLE 56.—Measurements of 14 specimens of Laniarius ferrugineus aethiopicus 


Locality i Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 


ETHIOPIA: 





KENYA COLONY: 


Wscarpmient=2*=--=-—— 4+ ssn se eee GOS. sao e oe 96.0 96.0 22.0 32.0 

Oe eae _ ELK ee 8 ee eae doctsia 102.0 96.0 23.0 34.5 

Gee ee Se doses 2s 102. 0 97.0 23.0 33.0 
ETHIOPIA: 

Sadi Malka ripest ety ft. ee Female_--_-_--- 100.0 | 101.0 23.0 31.5 

OR ee oe ee 2 ree Be do-3 89.0 92.0 20. 5 30.5 

PA OUL Ae a ne ene ene wo eee dete: 93.5 92.0 21.0 29. 5 


DRYOSCOPUS CUBLA HAMATUS Hartlaub 
Dryoscopus hamatus HartTLavus, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1863, p. 106: Kazeh, 
Unyamwesi district, Tanganyika Territory. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 “male” (= female), Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 
2 females, Athi River, near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 31, 1912. 
1 female, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 10, 1912. 


The little puff-back shrike, so called because of its long silky rump 
feathers, which it erects to form a fluffy ball when displaying, ranges 


284 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


from South Africa to northern Angola, Rhodesia, and through East 
Africa to the Tana River and the vicinity of Mount Kenya. In this 
vast territory it varies less than some other bush-shrikes, such as 
Laniarius ferrugineus. Four races have been described. Of these 
only two appear to be constant enough in their characters to be worth 
maintaining. They are, first, the typical race inhabiting South 
Africa north to the Limpopo River; characterized by having the 
rump patch in the females somewhat tinged with buffy (of this form, 
Neumann’s Angolan occidentalis ™ is a synonym) ; and the tropical 
East African race hamatus, which occupies the rest of the range of 
the species, and in which the female has the rump feathers pure gray, 
with no buffy wash. Of this form swahelicus Neumann™ is a syn- 
onym. This race is said to comprise two groups, differing in size, 
in East Africa. Thus, van Someren*® writes that birds from the 
interior of Kenya Colony have wings from 84 to 87 mm in length, 
while coastal specimens measure 75 to 82 mm. If this difference were 
constant, Neumann’s name suwahelicus would be available for the 
smaller coastal group. However, an examination of 30 skins of 
hamatus from both the coast and the far interior fails to show so 
definite a size difference. The wing length of coastal birds is not 
always less than that of inland ones. It is true that the minimal 
measurements of the two groups uphold van Someren’s contention, 
but their respective maximal figures are practically the same. Thus, 
coastal males have wings of from 76 to 84 mm, while inland males 
measure 77 to 86 mm; coastal females measure 73 to 80 mm, as against 
77-84 mm in the inland females. Thus, even if we ignore the males 
(and this may be done since the races of most species of Dryoscopus 
differ only in the females), the overlapping is too extensive to allow 
for a division of hamatus into races. Van Someren also writes that 
the coastal females have the underparts whitish; the inland ones have 
a buffy tinge on the breast. I find a buffy wash on the breast pres- 
ent in two out of seven inland females, and in no coastal ones. 
Therefore, this character, too, seems to be individual and sporadic, 
not constant and geographical in nature. Furthermore, the buffy 
color is an immature character, not found in fully adult birds. 

It seems as if the coastal birds are almost a blending of hamatus and 
D. affinis. In fact, since this paper was first written, van Someren ” 
has made a similar observation and presented his data in detail. 

Sclater ®° considers erwint a race of D. cubla, but I believe that 
Sassi was correct in placing it as a subspecies of D. gambensis. 


* Journ. fiir Orn., 1899, p. 413. 

™ Tbid., p. 414. 

™% Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 120, 1922. 

7 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 309, 1932. 

80 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 622, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 285 


This bird lives in open woods, not in the very dense forests, and 1s 
common in most parts of its range. In the southern part of Kenya 
Colony the breeding season is in December and January. Van 
Someren ® found a nest in the forest at Kikuyu in December. It was 
composed of rootlets and fibers, decorated externally with bits of 
lichen and cobwebs. The eggs are said to be grayish white, spotted 
and streaked with brownish gray. 


DRYOSCOPUS GAMBENSIS ERYTHREAE Neumann 


Dryoscopus malzacii erythreae NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1899, p. 413: Salamona. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 male, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 10, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 16, 1912. 

1 immature male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3, 1912. 

1 female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 31, 1912. 

Soft parts (immature male): Iris grayish brown, bill olivaceous- 
black, paler on basal half below; feet plumbeous, claws grayish black. 

I have not sufficient material to attempt a revision of the races of 
this bush-shrike, but as far as it goes the series available supports the 
validity of the currently recognized forms gambensis, malzacii, 
nyanzae, erythreae, and erwint. Of the other two, sextus and congicus, 
I have seen no specimens and therefore accept the latter because of the 
fact that all workers who have studied it have pronounced it valid, 
and the former because of the high degree of probability that the bird 
of the grasslands of “Neukamerun” is different from that of Adamaua. 
The subspecific characters of all the races are shown only by the 
females; the males of all are practically indistinguishable. The races 
are, then, as follows: 

1. D. g. gambensis: Senegal to Northern Nigeria and to Lake Chad 
and Adamaua, intergrading with malzacii in the Darfur region.*? 
Female with back ashy earth brown, the top of head noticeably 
darker—dayk ashy gray. 

2. D. g. sextus: The grasslands of “Neukamerun,” that is, the 
extreme eastern part of Cameroon (south of Adamaua, and east of 
the high Cameroonian Plateau and northeast of the forest area). 

3. D. g. congicus: Portuguese Congo to Gaboon. Female with the 
top of the head darker than in gambensis; underparts, especially the 
breast, more strongly washed with rufous-tawny. 

4. D. g. erwini: Eastern Ituri district of the Belgian Congo south 
to the forests west of Lake Tanganyika; the Kivu Volcanoes, Ruwen- 
zori, southwestern Uganda, Urundi, Ruanda, and the Bukoba district 
of northwestern Tanganyika Territory. Female similar to gambensis 


1 Tbis, 1916, p. 394. 
82 Cf. Lynes, Ibis, 1925, p. 76. 


286 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


but smaller, wings 80-83 mm, as against 89-96 mm in the nominate 
form. In this race the male is recognizable too on account of its 
small size. 

5. D. g. malzacii: The Upper White Nile Valley west through the 
Bahr el Ghazal and the “Lado Enclave” to the Shari River; merging 
with gambensis in Darfur. Females with the back earth brown, with 
dark sepia brown head; therefore browner, less grayish than the 
typical subspecies. 

6. D. g. erythreae: Ethiopia and Eritrea, west to Sennar and the 
valley of the Sobat. Female very dark on the head and upper back, 
deep fuscous; the underparts only lightly tinged with buffy. 

7. D. g. nyanzae: Uganda (except southern and western Ankole) 
and Kenya Colony west of the Rift Valley (Elgeyu, Nandi, etc.). 
Female similar to that of erythreae but with the back less blackish, 
more brownish; underparts more tawny. 

The arrangement given by Sclater and Mackworth-Praed ** is in 
close agreement, as far as it goes, with the above, but the characters 
of gambensis and malzacii as given by them are wrong, a point 
arrived at independently by Lynes ** and myself. 

Neumann ®* suggests that with more extensive series it may be 
possible to divide erythreae into a north Ethiopian and Eritrean race, 
and a Shoan form differing from the former (typical erythreae) in 
having the head and upper back darker. This seems somewhat doubt- 
ful, as wear and age have much to do with the blackness or brownness 
of these areas. 

The immature male and the female from Bodessa are very similar, 
except that the latter has the upper back slightly more brownish than 
the former. Both have the underparts lightly suffused with buff. 
The female from Gidabo River has the underparts whitish with no 
buffy wash, and the crown, nape, and mantle even browner than in the 
other female. It is, however, more abraded than the latter, 

The measurements of the present specimens are rather uniform. 
The wings measure 85-86 mm in the males, 85.5-87 mm in the 
females; tail, 77-78 mm in the males, 78-79 mm in the females; 
culmen, 18-18.5 mm in the males, 18-19 mm in the females; tarsus, 
22.5-23 in the males, 22.5-23 mm in the females. 

Von Heuglin ** records this bush-shrike as a permanent resident in 
the lower parts of Ethiopia, and Sennar, 6,000 feet appearing to be its 
upper altitudinal limit. Neumann found it at somewhat greater 
altitudes and gives 8,500 feet as the limit of its range. The breeding 
season is not known. 


83 Tbis, 1918, pp. 635-637. 

5 Ibis, 1925, p. 77, footnote. 

& Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 223-224. 

§§ Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, ete., vol. 1, p. 457, 1869. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 287 


DRYOSCOPUS PRINGLII Jackson 
Dryoscopus pringlii JAckson, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 3, p. 3, 1893: Between 
Tsavo and Kufumika, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male (= female), Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, 
August 6, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris yellow. 

This uncommon little shrike occurs in the arid, thorny desert belt 
of Kenya Colony from the Tanganyika border east of Mount Kili- 
manjaro, north through the Taru Desert to Jubaland and southern 
Italian Somaliland. It appears not to have been recorded before 
from north-central Kenya Colony, and its appearance on the Leki- 
undu River is another confirmation of the westward extension of 
the coastal-Somali fauna in northern Kenya Colony and suggests 
that the species may yet be found in the Rendile country and south- 
ern Gallaland. 

Of all the species of Dryoscopus the present one has the plumage 
most dimorphic sexually. I have seen no males, but, to judge from 
the description, it is totally different in color from the female. The 
present specimen, although sexed as a male, is undoubtedly a female, 
as it has the entire upperparts ashy brown and agrees absolutely 
with the plumage characters of the female as given by most authors. 

Nothing is known of the habits of this bird. Zedlitz *’ notes, how- 
ever, that of the eight specimens collected by Erlanger in southern 
Somaliland ** there are two juvenal males taken on May 7 and 25, 
respectively, which indicates a very early nesting season. 

The measurements of this specimen are as follows: Wing, 69; 
tail, 66; culmen, 17; tarsus, 20 mm. 

Since the above account was written, van Someren *** has recorded 
this bird from a number of places in northern Kenya Colony— 
Northern Guaso Nyiro; Archers Post; Moyale; Mandera; Juba River. 


POMATORHYNCHUS AUSTRALIS LITTORALIS (van Someren) 


Harpolestes australis littoralis vAN SoMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, 
p. 102, 1921: Changamwe, Kenya Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 adult male, Tana River, below Camp No. 4, Kenya 
Colony, August 17, 1912. 

The present specimen is clearly referable to littoralis and not to 
minor or dohertyi. It is small, having a wing measurement of 70, 
tail 82, culmen 17, and tarsus 24.55 mm. It agrees in color with 
coastal specimens (Dar es Salaam, etc.) in being very white below. 


87 Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, pp. 61-62. 
§ Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 699. 
88a Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 309, 1932. 


288 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


In studying this and other collections, I have examined a series of 
40 skins, representing most of the races, and find that the conclusions 
arrived at by Neumann * are correct on the whole, but I differ from 
him in considering doherty inseparable from minor. I suspect that 
with more extensive series eminz would prove to be likewise insep- 
arable, but it so happens that the few birds of this race examined 
have been whiter below than minor. I have seen no birds from south- 
western Africa or Angola, and therefore can not judge the validity 
of damarensis Reichenow ® or of ansorget Neumann.*! These two 
forms and /ittoralés do not figure in Neumann’s revision, as they were 
described since 1907. 

In studying the geographical variations of this shrike it is impor- 
tant to keep in mind the fact that young birds of all the races are 
browner on the sides and flanks than the adults, which are less ful- 
vous, more grayish. Young birds may be told by their lighter, 
brownish (not blackish) bills and by the incompleteness of the black 
stripes above the pale superciliaries. 

In the general region covered by the present report, three subspecies 
occur: 

1. P. a. littoralis: The coastal area of eastern Africa from Dar es 
Salaam to southern Kenya Colony, inland in the dry country to the 
Tana River (1,200 feet). . Previously this form was known only from 
the coast, and the bird listed above is the first indication that /- 
toralis, like not a few other coastal forms, ranges inland along the 
Tana River. This race has the underparts whiter than in menor and 
emini and is smaller (wings 63-73 mm, as against 75-85 mm in the 
latter two). In Tanganyika Territory this form extends inland to 
Kilosa, but skips the Usambara and Kilimanjaro mountain masses. 

2. P. a. emini: Western, central, and southern Uganda north to 
Meridi in the Bahr el Ghazal Province of the Sudan, east to the 
Kavirondo district of western Kenya Colony, south to northwestern 
Tanganyika Territory (Bukoba), Ruanda, Urundi, and to Beni in 
the eastern Belgian Congo. Similar to /ttoralis, but with the under- 
parts slightly tinged with ashy. 

3. P a. minor: North-central Tanganyika Territory from the 
Usambara and Kilimanjaro region to Ukambani, Unyamwesi, 
Unyamyembi, and Mwanza districts, north through the Ikoma dis- 
trict to Kenya Colony (Ukamba, Kikuyu, and Sotik districts) north 
to the Northern Guaso Nyiro River, intergrading with littoralis on 
the east and with eméné on the west. This form is more fulvous be- 
low than eménz, but the difference between them is not great. 


89 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 371. 
80 Orn. Monatsb., vol. 23, p. 120, 1915. 
61 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 23, p. 53, 1909. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 289 


Van Someren * lists eminz, minor, dohertyi, and kivuensis as doubt- 
fully distinct. This is quite true for the first three, but kzvwensis is 
said to be a synonym of frater by Gyldenstolpe.®”* 

Grote ®t writes that minor occurs at Mikindani, southeastern Tan- 
ganyika Territory, but that the Mozambique—Nyasaland race congener 
replaces it on Cape Delgado. He states that Mikindani is the south- 
ernmost locality for ménor, but it appears more probable that his 
specimens are really littoralis. If this be found to be true, the range 
of littoralis as given above would have to be extended southward 
from Dar es Salaam to Mikindani. Because of the uncertainty at- 
tached to the birds of the latter place, I have not definitely placed 
them with one race or another. 

This bird, like all the races of the species, is a denizen of the 
thornbush country. Its breeding season and habits have not been 
recorded, but the inland form of East Africa (ménor) nests from 
May to July and also in January in the Kikuyu district of Kenya 
Colony. 


POMATORHYNCHUS SENEGALUS ERYTHROPTERUS (Shaw) 
FIGURE 17 


Lanius erythropteruws SHAaw, General Zoology, vol. 7, p. 201, 1809: “Senegal” 
(= South Africa). 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 males, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 238, 1912. 
1 female, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 
1 male, Tana River, Camp No. 5, Kenya Colony, August 19, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, 20 miles above mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, 
August 27, 1912. 
1 male, Bowlder Hill, Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 28, 1912. 
1 female, between Thika and Athi Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 29, 1912. 


The two specimens from south of Endoto Mountains are somewhat 
intermediate between erythropterus and catholeucus, but nearer the 
former. The specimen from the Tana River and the one from 
Bowlder Hill are rather light and begin to approach orientalis, 
although nearer to typical erythropterus than to the coastal form. 

There has been considerable shifting of names in this race, and 
inasmuch as I have had to go into this matter, I present the follow- 
ing brief summary so that others may be spared the work of digging 
it out. Lanius erythropterus was described by Shaw on the basis of 
the “Pie-grieche rousse a tete noire du Senegal,” of Buffon ** and on 
“Le Tchagra” of Levaillant.% 


®2 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 110, 1922. 

°3 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Hand., 1924, p. 122. 

* Journ. fiir Orn., 1913, p. 128. 

® In Daubenton, Planches enluminées, pl. 479, fig. 1. 

°6 Histoire naturelle des oiseaux d’Afrique, vol. 2, pl. 70, 1805. 


290 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Neumann * pointed out that Shaw states that his new bird “is 
accurately described by Monsr. Levaillant. * * * It appears so 
nearly allied to the Senegal Shrike as to make it doubtful whether 
it may not in reality be the same species.” Neumann therefore con- 
cludes that erythropterus must be the South African and not the 
Senegalese bird. Before Neumann’s paper appeared, Oberholser,®* 
assuming that erythropterus was based on a bird from Senegal, named 
a form from East and South Africa armenus. The type locality of 
armenus is Taveta, near Mount Kilimanjaro, and while some investi- 
gators consider East African birds distinct from those of South 
Africa, and therefore use armenus for the former, I can find no tangible 
differences between specimens from the two regions. Oberholser’s 
armenus therefore becomes a synonym of erythropterus. In 1922, 
van Someren * declared that Neumann was mistaken in using Shaw’s 
erythropterus for the South African form— 

“*t * * because Shaw founded this name on Daubenton’s (Buffon’s) 
Pianche Enluminée, 479, which distinctly depicts a bird with a black head, and 
the locality is given as “Senegal”! Shaw states that possibly his bird is the 
same as the Senegal Shrike of Linnaeus, H. senegalus, and in this he is cor- 
rect. His further remarks to the effect that Levaillant had accurately de- 
scribed “erythropterus” in Hist. Natur. (1799), no doubt referred to the second 
part of the general remarks made by Levaillant and not to his diagnosis. 
Now, turning to Levaillant’s plate 70 (1799), we find that the bird there 
depicted is one with a brown crown and a long slender bill, i. e., undoubtedly 
the bird now known as H. longirostris, the Tshagra Shrike. The first descrip- 
tion, which we must accept, says that the bird has the top of the head black- 
brown with olive wash—not black, and further describes a white line from the 
base of bill to nape * * * and the whole of the underside “ashy”. That 
fits undoubtedly H. longirostris, not senegalus. In further remarks it appears, 
no doubt, that the black-headed South African bird was confounded with the 
brown-headed; but this does not alter the first description, nor the plate of 
an “adult male and female.” 

On the basis of this line of argument, van Someren, feeling that the 
South African birds differ from those of Senegal and of East Africa, 
proposes the name confusus, based on a bird from Umfalozi, Zulu- 
land. Now, as already intimated, I can see no difference between 
South and East African birds, so whatever the status of erythropterus 
it is clear that confusus is nothing but a synonym of armenus. ‘The 
question, then, is whether armenus or erythropterus is the correct 
name of the South African birds. I have carefully examined the 
figure in Levaillant’s work and find that van Someren has mis- 
identified it. It represents not the brown-headed Pomatorhynchus 
tschagra (which van Someren calls longirostris), but a subadult 
black-headed P. senegalus. The top of the head is much blacker than 


*T Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 367. 
* Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus., vol. 30, 1906, p. 809. 
*® Noy. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 112-113, 1922. ’ . 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 291 


P. tschagra ever attains, and the bill is too short for ¢schagra and 
exactly matches specimens of senegalus, in spite of van Someren’s 
statement to the contrary. The description that the crown is black- 
brown with an olive wash exactly fits subadult senegalus, but by no 
stretch of the imagination could tschagra be said to have anything 
darker than an olive-brown crown, and not very dark brown at that. 
The underparts as shown in Levaillant’s plate are too pale for 
tschagra and match the flank color of senegalus very well. The white 
superciliaries are probably individual in character, as I have seen 
series of birds of single races with superciliaries ranging from white 
to deep buff. It follows then, that Neumann was correct in his appli- 
cation of Shaw’s name, and that armenus Oberholser and confusus 
van Someren are synonyms of erythropterus. 

The present race is perhaps the most variable of all the forms of 
P. senegalus, a fact that is in keeping with its relatively much greater 
geographic range. Its ecological range is also more varied than that 
of any of its geographical representatives, comprising many types 
of country and having an altitudinal range of from 2,500 to 8,500 
feet. 

The series collected by the Frick expedition are in fairly fresh 
plumage. In western Uganda it breeds in May and June; in north- 
eastern Tanganyika Territory nests have been found in January and 
February. 

Mearns recorded this bird in his field notebooks as follows: Tharaka 
district, August 12-14, 18 seen; Tana River (camps 1-6), August 
15-23, 86 birds noted; Tana River at mouth of Thika River, August 
23-26, 20 observed; on the Thika River, August 27-28, 50; between 
the Thika and Athi Rivers, August 29, 100 seen; Athi River near 
Juja Farm, August 30-31, 40 birds; Athi River Station, Uganda 
Railway, September 1, 4 seen. 


POMATORHYNCHUS SENEGALUS ERLANGERI (Neumann) 


FIGURE 17 


Telophonus senegalus erlangeri NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 373: East 
shore of Lake Abaya, south Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 unsexed, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, September 27, 1911 (A. Ouellard coll.). 
3 males, 1 female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 5—21, 1911. 
1 male, Gada Bourca, Ethiopia, December 24, 1911. 
1 male, Duletcha, Ethiopia, January 24, 1912. 
1 female, Iron Bridge, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 5, 1912. 
1 unsexed, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 12, 1912. 
1 female, Lake Abaya, southeast Ethiopia, March 21, 1912. 
7 adult males, 1 immature male, 5 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, 
Ethiopia, March 27—May 13, 1912. 


292 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


3 males, 3 females, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 21-31, 1912. 
1 male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3, 1912. 

1 female, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 10, 1912. 

1 female, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris bluish gray; bill wholly black; feet pale gray, 
claws black. 

The specimens from Dire Daoua, Gada Bourca, Duletcha, and the 
Hawash River are not typical examples of erlangeri but are some- 
what intermediate between it and habyssinicus. The subspecies of 
this bush-shrike are exceedingly difficult to make out, for not only 
are the differences between many of them very slight, but also a 
worn plumage of a darker form may be practically indistinguish- 
able from a fresher example of a paler race, and in many cases the 
individual variation is so great that, without enormous series, it be- 
comes impossible to differentiate racial aggregates. The forms of 
northeastern Africa are more distinct than most of the others. Inas- 
much as many of the forms are so poorly defined, it is not surprising 
that the results arrived at by the investigators who have attempted re- 
visions of this species are far from uniform. Neumann? recognized 
13 races, 5 of them new at that point. The next reviewer, Zedlitz,? 
admits all these and another described in the meanwhile. Sclater ? 
considers all the West African forms as a single race and casts doubt 
on the validity of those found in the eastern, part of the continent. 
Hartert * considers the birds of all of Africa except the northeastern 
part as typical senegalus, as does also Reichenow ® and also Sclater 
and Mackworth-Praed.° 

Van Someren’ lists four races from tropical East Africa, and 
Grote ® finds three valid races in Cameroon. All in all, some 24 names 
have been proposed for as many races of this shrike, and while I 
have not seen enough material of all of them, the following notes may 
be of use to future workers. First of all, we may list the names: 

1. Lanius senegalus LINNAEUS, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, p. 137, 1766: Senegal. 

2. Lanius erythropterus SHAw, General zoology, vol. 7, p. 301, 1809: “Senegal” 
(=South Africa). 

3. Lanius coronatus ViE1LLoT, Nouy. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., vol. 26, p. 140, 1818: No 
locality. 


4. Lanius senegalus var. habyssinica HremMpricH and EHRENBERG, Symbolae 
physicae, vol. 1, fol. e, 1828: Abyssinian coastlands. 


1 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 371-379. 

2 Journ. ftir Orn., 1915, pp. 54—55. 

8 In Shelly, The Birds of Africa, vol. 5, pp. 363-864, 1912. 

* Die VOgel der paliiarktischen Fauna, vol. 1, pp. 452-453, 1907. 
5 Die Vogel Afrikas, vol. 2, pp. 548-549, 1903. 

6 His, 1918, p. 638. 

TNov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 111-113, 1922. 

8 Jour. fiir Orn., 1024, p. 508. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 293 


5. Lanius cucullatus TEMMINCK, Manuel d’ornithologie, ed. 2, vol. 4, p. 600, 1840: 
“Adalusia,”’ error, probably Morocco (fide Hartert, Die Vogel der paliark- 
tischen Fauna, vol. 1, p. 452, 1907). 

6. Pomatorhynchus orientalis CABANIS, in von der Decken, Reisen in Ost Afrika, 

ete., vol. 8, p. 27, 1869: Mombasa. 
7. Telephonus remigialis FINScH and HarrLaus, Die Vogel Ost-Afrikas, p. 340, 
1870: Abyssinia. 
8. Pomatorhynchus galtoni FINScH and HartLaus, Idem: White Nile (nomen 
nudum). 
9. Telophonus trivirgatus (not A. Smith) PrLzeLn, Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, 
1881, p. 612: Mabero, Lado Enclave. 
10. Laniarius blanfordi SHARPE, in Layard, The birds of South Africa, ed. 2, 
p. 237, 1882: Anseba. 

11. Telephonus percivali OGILVIE-GRANT, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 10, p. 50, 
1900; and Nov. Zool., vol. 7, p. 251, 1900: Lahej, southwestern Arabia. 

12. Pomatorhynchus senegalus armenus OBERHOLSER, Proc. U. 8S. Nat. Mus., vol. 
30, p. 809, 1906: Taveta, Kenya Colony. 

13. Telophonus senegalus erlangeri NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 873: 
Lake Abaya, south Ethiopia. 

14. Telophonus senegalus pallidus NEUMANN, Ibid., p. 875: Accra, Gold Coast. 

15. Telophonus senegalus camerunensis NEUMANN, Idem: Yaunde, Cameroon. 

16. Telophonus senegalus rufofuscus NEUMANN, Ibid., p. 876: Ngungo, Angola. 

17. Telophonus senegalus catholeucus NEUMANN, Ibid., p. 877: Karo Lola, 

southern Somaliland. 
18. Telephonus senegalus miillerit ZEpLiTz, Journ. fiir Orn., 1910, p. 798: Middle 
Mareb River, Eritrean-Abyssinian border. 

19. Tschagra senegala sudanensis ScLATER and MACKWoRTH-PRAED, Ibis, 1918, 
p. 688: Mongalla, Sudan. 

20. Pomatorhynchus nothus REIcCHHNOW, Journ. fiir. Orn., 1920, p. 399: “Lake 
Chad region” (lower Shari River [Grote, Journ. fiir Orn., 1924, p. 508]). 

21. Tschagra senegala warsangliensis CLARKE, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 40, 
p. 50, 1919: Mush Haled, eastern British Somaliland. 

22. Tschagra senegala chadensis BANNERMAN, Rey. Zool. Africaine, vol. 9, p. 
355, 1921: Lake Chad district of Northern Nigeria. 

23. Harpolestes senegalus mozambicus VAN SoMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, 

vol. 41, p. 103, 1921: Lumbo, Mozambique. 

24. Harpolestes senegalus confusus VAN SOMEREN, Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 118, 

1922: Unfalozi, Zululand. 


Of these some may be immediately disposed of. Thus, Lanzus 
coronatus, being without locality, is a synonym of either senegalus 
or erythropterus, probably the latter. Likewise, Pomatorhynchus 
galtont and Telophonus trivirgatus are synonyms of sudanensis, the 
first named being a nomen nudum, and the second being preoccupied 
by trivirgatus Smith® which, in turn, is a synonym of australis. 
Laniarius blanfordi is a synonym of habyssinicus; armenus, like- 
wise, goes into the synonymy of erythropterus (see under the dis- 
cussion of the latter race) as does also confusus. This leaves 18 
forms, of which 1 (cucullatus) is a bird of palearctic Africa and 6 


®Tllustrations of the zoology of South Africa, pl. 94, 1849. 
106220—37. 20 





294 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


(senegalus, pallidus, camerunensis, rufofuscus, nothus, and chaden- 
sis) are West African and need not concern us here. 

The 11 forms of southern and eastern Africa (and southwestern 
Arabia) present some difficulties, in that some of them are admit- 
tedly intermediate between two other races, and the material avail- 
able for study has not been adequate in all cases to decide definitely 
on all the points. To simplify matters we may begin by elimination. 
Zedlitz’s form miillert appears to be indistinguishable from habys- 
sinicus. Not only is the original description a little vague, but in 
his comments on the type, Gyldenstolpe *° writes that the “lack of 
material makes it impossible at present to ascertain whether this 
form is separable from * * *. habessinica,..* * * Another 
form, viz * * * blanfordi * * *. the terra. typica of which 
is the Anseba valley * * * is regarded * * * as a synonym 
to * * * habessinica.” If there is anything in the characters 
of miilleri, the birds of the Mareb River can not be considered as 
anything but intermediates between habyssinicus and percivali, but 
nearer to the former. Similarly, Clarke’s warsangliensis seems to be 
another intermediate between habyssinicus and percivali, in this case 
also nearer to the former. I have seen no pertinent material of it. 
Sclater recognizes it, but, judging by its description, I hesitate to 
include it here. 

The recognizable East African forms are as follows: 

1. P. s. erythropterus: South Africa north through Rhodesia and 
the interior of Mozambique to Nyasaland, the Katanga and the in- 
terior of Tanganyika Territory and of Kenya Colony to the Endoto 
Mountains, and through southern, eastern, and central Uganda, be- 
ing replaced in the southern Sudan by sudanensis. This race (from 
which rufofuscus of Angola is only doubtfully distinct) has the 
upper back rather dark brown with a strong rufous wash and has 
the underparts grayish; wings, 79-96 mm. 

2. P. s. orientalis: The coastal strip of northern Tanganyika Ter- 
ritory and southern Kenya Colony (from Pangani River to Lamu, 
inland to Morogoro, and the Uluguru Mountains, in the former 
country, to Maungu, Changamwe, Mazeras, and Samburu in the 
latter). Similar to erythropterus, but the underside more whitish, 
less grayish, the upper back paler, more sandy olive-brown; size 
averaging very slightly smaller, but extreme measurements the same 
as in erythropterus. ‘The type of armenus is an intergrade between 
orientalis and erythropterus but nearer the latter. 

3. P. s. mozambicus: Lumbo, Mozambique; probably the coastal 
belt of northern Mozambique. Nearest to orientalis but paler above 
and below; the rump grayish, not brownish, the superciliaries whiter. 


1 Arkiy fér Zool., vol. 19A, no. 1, pp. 38-39, 1926. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 295 


4. P. s. catholeucus: Southern Somaliland and the immediately 
adjacent parts of southeastern Ethiopia and northeastern Kenya 
Colony, intergrading in northern Kenya Colony with erythropterus. 
Paler above than erythropterus, even than orientalis, the underparts 


=) 


RIT, 


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is 


ARABIA 


HM 
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il 


SA CPP 

REY W 

EAA 
LRQA) 


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° 100 200 390 400 £00 MULES 
- SCALE: 
Ficurp 17.—Distribution of Pomatorhynchus senegalus in northeastern Africa. 
1, P. 8. remigialis. 5. P. 8. erlangeri. 
2. P. s. percivali. 6. P. 8. catholeucus. 
3% P. 8s. habyssinicus. 7. P. s. erythropterus. 
4. P. 8. sudanensis. 8. P. 8. orientalis. 


the purest white of any of the races, the gray being wholly restricted 
to the sides and flanks; wings, 84-90 mm. (None seen by me.) 

5. P. s. remigialis: The Nile Valley from Khartoum to Dongola 
and Halha, west through Khartoum and Darfur to Lake Chad, where 


296 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


it is replaced by chadensis. This form is so distinct as to be almost 
a species. The underparts are creamy white, with or without a 
slight grayish-buff tinge; the superciliaries are very broad and are 
pure white anteriorly, pale tawny posteriorly; the hind neck and 
upper back sandy tawny; the inner as well as the outer webs of the 
remiges wholly rufous basally, whereas in the other races the inner 
webs are fuscous basally with a narrow rufous margin; wings, 
87-97 mm. 

6. P. s. sudanensis: The Lado Enclave, Mongalla, Upper Nile, 
Bahr el Ghazal, and Sennar districts of the Sudan, to central Ethi- 
opia (east to the region between Lakes Tsana and Zwai; in other 
words, the Ethiopian regions drained by the tributaries of the Nile 
system). This form is characterized by its dark back, which is 
distinctly grayish brown with no rufous; the underparts are clear 
gray; wings, 77-88 mm. Sclater has recently claimed that this name 
is a synonym of erlangeri, but I find sudanensis to be constant in its 
characters. 

7. P. s. habyssinicus: Eritrea, northern Ethiopia, and most of 
British and French Somaliland, intergrading with swdanensis near 
Lake Tsana and with erlangert in the Hawash Valley near Harrar 
and Dire Daoua. This form is dark-backed, but has the back more 
rufous, less grayish than in swdanensis; underparts gray as In suda- 
nensis; size smaller; wings, 78-85 mm. 

8. P. s. percivali: Southwestern Arabia. Similar to habyssinicus 
but darker below, and somewhat smaller; wings, 78-80 mm. (None 
seen by me.) 

9. P. s. erlangeri: Southern Ethiopia (the Shoan Lakes region, 
Gallaland, and the Omo district) south to the neighborhood of Lake 
Rudolf. Similar to habyssinicus but slightly larger; wings, 81.5- 
89.5 mm; the nape slightly lighter than the back. 

Sclater ™ states that erlangeri, habyssinicus, and percivali differ 
from the other forms in having no dusky cross bands on the central 
tail feathers. This character does not hold at all well. I find that 
erlangeri, for example, has these markings just as well developed as 
does erythropterus. 

The size variations of the present series are shown in table 57. 
Although erlangeri is, on the whole, slightly larger than habyssinicus, 
the northern specimens (from the Hawash Basin) are not smaller 
than others from southern Shoa but, on the contrary, have longer tails. 

In color the variations affect all parts of the bird. The super- 
ciliaries vary from wholly white to white anteriorly and yellowish 
buff posteriorly; the middle rectrices from earth brown barred with 
dusky fuscous to almost pure fuscous. The latter character varies 


4 Jn Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 5, p. 361, 1912. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 297 


with age; younger birds have paler central rectrices, older specimens 
darker ones. According to Neumann and Sclater and Mackworth- 
Praed, erlangeri has a distinct tinge of rusty brown on the under- 
parts, which are not pure gray. This the present series fails to 
confirm, as some individuals have, and others have not, this rusty 
tinge. 


TABLE 57.—Measurements of 32 specimens of Pomatorhynchus senegalus er- 
langeri from Ethiopia 











Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 

Mm Mm Mm Mm 

DireywVAGUae.-— se ee Malou ie te se 86.0 104. 5 20.0 30.0 
WO eee Set ee ee aa a ene oon GOs oe 85.5 101.5 20.0 28.0 

By s52 38h USS 0. yt e 8s tees do.22 res 89.0 100.0 21.0 30.0 
GadasBourcan 225 3. ee ee do: 3 +-.. 89.0} 101.5 20.0 29.0 
De CC Na eee ee tee ee eae ener een ino cae dose 82.0 101.0 21.0 28.0 
awash Rivers: 34.9 F eo 2 ei ee Sat 3 Gowkes ft: 43 86.0 103. 5 21.0 29.5 
Gato wRivers.= vp t oie een Sa Ee GOs =s~-5. 83.0 87.5 aed 28.0 
ND) ee ee ie ee ee Se eee epee d@s=2--42= 89.5 102.0 20.0 31.0 
DOS: oss sss Sy so Sa oeh seen se ae sos | ee doze Ett st 85.0 95.0 20.0 28.5 
DO i eye ee et es Se ee ee dos. 22. 85.0 97.0 19.0 29.0 

1) ORE eee ae ee soe eens nae neces aes doses 84.0 94.0 19.5 28.0 
DG tt 28d she Sp yyy es Baer Tee oe ig U2h Peete Pat FR Se oS ee ESSA. See 

DO eee a ee = see So a Sessa | does = ss 84.0 89.0 20.0 30.5 
WDOnscs seee See eter e a eees eee ee 0 ena 80.0 82.0 20. 5 30.0 
BOGeSSALEE EES 573 Sete seep yes. ee Popes ee doe: Sats 85.0 99.0 20.0 29.0 
DOt5 3 iss 5. ea Soe 8 2 SE a et dos 2 oe 85.0 93.0 22.0 29.0 

1) Ogee eee eee ee eee ee eee eee dots. = 85.0 97.0 20.0 29.0 
Sagon Rivers 22228 peer ey _ asi iees Gove 2S 85.0 92.5 21.0 30.5 
Dire Waouae == 25-= 2 3 ee. pe eS Unsexed __-_--- 85.0 98.0 21.0 27.0 
SD ee Senet ee a ea oe Female__-----| 89.0 96.0 19.0 202.0) 
Iron Bridge, Hawash River------------|----- Gos £2221 | SeRs0 97.5 20.5 27.5 
key Alls yas ie eS ee do. #52 80.0 89.0 21.0 30.0 
ALG MEV Ole en = eee ae as Seen cnc se ee |oae oe dos. ----4|  8220 98.0 20.0 28.5 
(DO Bees ss Se bee. BS hs oe ee ET Ss as dopit te! 85.5 94.0 21.0 28.5 
De Se eee Pe GO. -# 83.0 93: Of |e sees 28.0 

1) Gee ae eee Se eo) Penn Ce eae ae G02 222-2], Sas0 89.0 21.0 30.0 

Dosey he as. 2 SS eps fe be) ee do_.-.----| 88.0] 100.0 19.0 30.0 

SO GeSSae es oe eee Se re a eS =. 2/09. Pree 80.0 92.5 21.5 28.5 
nee ee eae LOR SUN eee eae pease dOnee. sei acne eens eke Sone ata 

Dobe. yy eee Tee ee ee dos ores 81.5 91.0 20.0 28.0 
Merial es or a ee | dose see 84.0 98.0 20.5 30.5 
Purtiro. 22.2 eee ee eee eM eae GQOnt ees 83.5 91.0 20.5 29.5 





1 Immature. 


A juvenal bird, collected on May 25 at Bodessa, when about 10 days 
out of the nest, resembles adults generally, but differs in having the 
crown patch deep fuscous instead of black, in having the entire super- 
ciliaries buffy, and in having the upper wing coverts broadly edged 
with rufous-buff, lighter than the rufous on the remiges. 

The majority of the present series are in rather worn plumage, 
while a few, taken in April and May, are in molt. The freshest: 
plumages are those of birds taken in December and January. 


2998 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Mearns recorded the color of the iris in this bird as bluish gray, but 
several other observers agree in stating that it is brown, with 3 to 6 
white spots arranged around the dark center. 

The breeding season is in April, May, and June. Erlanger *? found 
two nests near Harrar on May 7 and 9, while Zaphiro found another 
in the same region in June. Mearns collected three nests with eggs, 
as follows: 

1. Nest and three eggs, taken at Gato River, on April 21, 1912. The 
female was seen sitting on the nest and was shot as she flew from it. 
Dissection of the bird showed that the last egg had been laid. 

2. Nest and two eggs, taken at Gato River, May 138, 1912. The nest 
was found on May 11 and had two eggs in it. Two days later it still 
contained only two eggs, which were slightly incubated. The nest 
was in a leafy bush near a small thicket in open grassy country. It 
was 2 feet above the ground. Mearns notes that near by on May 9 he 
found another nest, with two fresh eggs, about 3 feet up in a thorny 
solanaceous shrub. The next time seen, the nest had been torn from 
the bush and the eggs had disappeared. 

3. Nest and two eggs, about 6 feet up in a small spreading tree, at 
Bodessa, May 31, 1912. The male parent was shot as it flew from the 
nest, making the identification positive. 

The nests collected are fairly compactly constructed cups of root- 
lets, tendrils, fine twigs, and grass stems, with a scattering of dead 
leaves on the outside. They measure approximately 100 mm in 
diameter (outside measurements, the inside dimensions being about 
75 mm) and 85 mm in depth. The eggs, as exemplified by the three 
clutches collected, are extraordinarily variable. The first set listed 
above are very long, and rather pointed at the small end, and measure 
25 by 19.5, 26.5 by 18.5, and 27 by 18.5 mm. The second set are 
rounder, more bluntly elliptical, and much shorter. They measure 
21 by 18 and 22.5 by 18 mm. The third set are intermediate in size 
and shape, and measure 23.5 by 18 and 23.6 by 18.1 mm. The long, 
large eggs of set No. 1 are more heavily marked than the others, the 
small, rounded eggs of set No. 2 being the most lightly marked. All 
are white, with purplish-brown and grayish spots and specks. In the 
large, heavily marked eggs, there is a well-defined ring of dark, heavy 
spots around the large pole; in the small, lightly marked ones, the 
spots are replaced by fine hairlike lines distributed quite evenly all 
over the eggs. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns noted this bush shrike as 
follows: Aletta and Loco, March 7-13, 10 seen; Loco, March 13-15, 
10 noted; Gidabo River, March 15-17, 10 birds; the Abaya Lakes, 
March 18-26, 100 noted; between the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, 


12 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 692. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 299 


March 26-29, 20 seen; Gato River near Gardula, March 29-May 17, 
1,000; Gato River crossing, May 17, 25 seen; Anole village, May 18, 
10 noted; Sagon River, May 19, 15 birds; Bodessa, May 19-June 6, 
120; Sagon River, June 3-6, 200; Tertale, June 7-12, 100; El Ade and 
Mar Mora, June 12-14, 40 seen; Turturo, June 15-17, 100; Anole, 
June 17, 25 birds; Wobok, June 18, 6 seen; near Saru, June 19, 10 
noted; Yebo and Karsa Barecha, June 20-21, 20 birds seen. 


POMATORHYNCHUS JAMESI JAMESI (Shelley) 
FIcurE 18 


Telephonus jamesi SHELLEY, Ibis, 1885, p. 403, pl. 10: Somaliland (high plateau 
of the interior south of Berbera). 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, 1 immature male, 3 adult females, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 
20-26, 1912. 
adult males, 1 adult female, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 9-11, 1912. 
adult male, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 
adult female, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 
adult female, Malata, Ethiopia, June 22, 1912. 
adult males, 1 adult female, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 
14-16, 1912. 
1 adult male, camp near Endoto Mountain, Kenya Colony, July 19, 1912. 
1 adult male, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 3, 1912. 
1 adult male, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 5, 1912. 


Doe eH eR ly 


This shrike occurs from the interior plateau country of British 
Somaliland south (through Ogaden?) to the Gurra and Garre-Lewin 
countries to extreme southern Shoa (north to the Abaya Lakes) west 
to the Turkwell River and south through Kenya Colony (in the 
arid semidesert country) from the Rendile district to the Kerio 
River, to the Northern Guaso Nyiro and Lekiundu Rivers, to the 
Taru Desert (Tsavo, etc.) and the plains east of Kilimanjaro (Teita, 
Mbuyuni), and to Maungu (inland from Mombasa). It breaks up 
into three races, the distribution of which is nearly unique among 
the birds of northeastern Africa. The typical race occurs from 
British Somaliland to Ethiopia and northern Kenya Colony to the 
Taru Desert and the Kilimanjaro Plains, while on the coast around 
the mouth of the Juba River (extending northward into Italian 
Somaliland and southward into Kenya Colony) is another form, 
kismayensis, which, in turn, is replaced at the mouth of the Tana 
River by still another, mandanus. The unusual feature is that the 
form of the low-lying Somali coastlands is not the race that extends 
westward through the Garre-Lewin and Gurra countries to Lake 
Rudolf, but is wholly restricted to the coastal belt. Ordinarily the 
race inhabiting the Taru Desert also occurs in the Somali lowlands, 
but in this case it is the form of the interior plateau of western 
Somaliland that ranges south to the Tsavo and Teita countries. In 


300 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


his elaborate treatise on the zoogeography of southern Somaliland, 
Zedlitz** also notes the remarkably restricted range of the coastal 
birds. 


S 
—— 
— 
a 
= 


<< 
> 


TANGANYIKA 
TERRITORY 





oO 400 ___200 390 400 _ SOOMILES 


- SCALE- 
Fiegurn 18.—Distribution of Pomatorhynchus jamesi. 


1, P. j. jamesi. 
2. P. j. kismayensis. 
8. P. j. mandanus. 


The races differ only in coloration, and as I have seen no material 
of kismayensis and mandanus, I can only repeat what others have 
said of their subspecific characters. The form mandanus is said to 
differ from jamest in having the brown of the upperparts more 
sandy, less ashy in hue and in having the sides of the crown much 
paler. The race kismayensis resembles mandanus but differs from 


18 Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, p. 56. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 301 


it and from james? in lacking any olive wash on the sides, flanks, 
and abdomen. The three races have been upheld by all workers 
who have had satisfactory series to study and are therefore probably 
valid. In regard to the color of the sides and flanks, however, the 
present series exhibits great variation, which, in turn, suggests that 
extensive series of coastal birds may minimize the distinctness of 
kismayensis and mandanus. A male from the Indunumara Moun- 
tains has no olive wash at all, but has the sides and flanks pure gray; 
a male from Tertale has only a slight extent of olive, while another 
male from the latter locality has the olive color so strongly developed 
that, if it be compared with an extremely grayish bird like the one 
from the Indunumara Mountains, it looks almost distinct enough to 
be subspecifically separated. There is also some variation in the 
lightness or darkness of the sides of the head. The size variations 
of the adults are presented in table 58. 


TABLE 58.—Measurements of 16 specimens of Pomatorhynchus jamesi jamesi 











y 
Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen |} Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Bodessa: £25222 8) 2 pe eee | Malate. eek eee AAR ed 20.0 22.5 
Tertale- 2: ea Sa Soo ee BE Gol == = 70.0 75.0 20.0 24.0 
OME et oe ke = Pt SRE ee doett se 72.0 88.0 19.5 25. 5 
WrariMiorat: 2225. be eek 35k fps SRE Ee. dorsi: 23 64.0 87.5 20.0 25.5 
KENYA COLONY: 
Indunumara Mountains-_-_------_-|----- dopstess 5 70.5 87.0 20.0 24.0 
DORE ot Oe SAE 2 SUSE ee oa dows te 70.0 85.0 19.5 23.0 
Near Endoto Mountains-_---_-_---__!_---- dost2-F -2 71.0 87.0 21.0 25.0 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River----__|----- Goslkc eee 68.0 SOS0n (bse eee 25.0 
Lekinndu Mivers Sess ae. Cee Olt 2 ee 69.5 82.0 19.5 24.0 
ETHIOPIA: 
odessa ieee eet ee ee eS Female__-_---| 73.0 85.0 19.0 23. 5 
OS SUSE eT Ree eS ee See bE) Le doi = 68.0 82.0 19.5 24.0 
Tae SN ee ne ee Nes doef. te = 79.0 85.0 21.0 24.0 
hertalete- pease te see PERS SSeS: GOES Sasee 72.0 80.0 20.0 24.0 
rg ee ENP EL Fa Sete gad Se ee ee: dor 4-524 69.0 86.5 20.5 24.5 
WMidlatico= soe ee eae ee dO! ee =a 65.0 87.0 19.0 24.5 
KENYA COLONY: 
Indunumara Mountains___--------|---__ dose fee: 68.0 80.0 20.0 22.0 





The immature bird taken at Bodessa on May 20 was still attended 
by its parents and is therefore obviously a juvenal individual. It 
is not quite fully grown, all the rectrices being still inclosed in their 
sheaths basally. Inasmuch as the juvenal plumage has never been 
described, the following notes are of interest: This specimen resem- 
bles the adults on the upperparts, even to the black median crown 
stripe and the ocular stripes, but the upper back is slightly darker, 
more olive-brown than in older birds; the underparts are conspicu- 
ously darker in the young bird, especially on the breast, upper 
abdomen, sides, and flanks, which are very dark brownish gray, the 


302 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


upper throat and chin, and the middle of the abdomen being whit- 
ish. The tail feathers are similar to those of the adults but more 
pointed. 

Erlanger ** found this shrike to be rather numerous in the Ginir 
district of southwestern Italian Somaliland but did not meet with it 
north of that region. He found it breeding during March and April 
and discovered nests with eggs. As noted above, Mearns found a 
juvenal bird a few weeks out of the nest, with its parents, at Bodessa 
on May 20. On May 18 at the same place, he found a nest containing 
one egg. Three days later it contained three eggs. Doctor Mearns 
visited the nest on May 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26, and it was not until 
the last date that he was able to see the bird on the nest and ascer- 
tain its identity. He shot the bird (U.S.N.M. no. 245584) and found 
it to be a male. The nest contained only a single egg, the other two 
being smashed under the bush. The nest was 3 feet above the ground 
in a bush in heavy grass. He notes: “Parents exceedingly shy. The 
nest as preserved is entire, there being no coarse outer structure. It 
was set down between four rather stout branches to which it was 
firmly attached by spider webs.” The egg measures 23.8 by 18.1 mm, 
“and differs from that of P. s. erlangeri in having the spots less red- 
dish brown, more smeary or less sharply defined, and in having many 
purplish or lilac-brown ones. * * * distribution of spots * * * 
scattered over the entire egg, most sparse at the little end and mostly 
aggregated in a circle close to the great end * * * ground color 
buffy white, pinkish before blown.” The preserved nest is a com- 
pactly built cup of fine tendrils, grasses, stems, and leaf ribs, and 
measures 100 mm in diameter, outside measurement (70 mm inside) 
and 35 mm in depth. 

Aside from the specimens collected, Mearns observed this bird on 
several occasions. On the Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31- 
August 3, 10 birds were noted; Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 18 seen ; 
Meru and Kilindini, August 10, 4 birds; 20 miles east of Meru on 
the trail to the Tana River, 10 seen; Tharaka district, August 13-14, 
8 birds; Tana River, August 15-17, 12 birds noted. 


CHLOROPHONEUS SULFUREOPECTUS FRICKI Friedmann 


Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus fricki FRIEDMANN, Occ. Papers Boston Soc. Nat. 
Hist., vol. 5, p. 252, 1930: Sadi Malka, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, December 21, 1911. 
1 adult female, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 28, 1912. 
9 adult males, 6 adult females, 4 immature males, 1 unsexed, Gato River 
near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 1-26, 1912. 
1 immature male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3, 1912. 


144 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 694. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 303 


Soft parts: Iris hazel; bill and claws black; feet plumbeous. 

The geographic races of the orange-breasted bush-shrike are ren- 
dered somewhat obscure by the relatively great individual non- 
geographic variations of this bird, but, on the whole, five forms 
appear to be recognizable. In each case the characters are average 
ones, and it is therefore not surprising that several investigators 
have decided against them and recognize no subspecific groups. 
Gyldenstolpe *° and Sclater and Mackworth-Praed ** are among those 
who conclude that the individual is greater than the geographic 
variation in this species. The forms that I find tenable are as 
follows: 

1. C. s. sulfureopectus: Senegal to the Gold Coast and Togoland 
east to the White Nile and Bahr el Ghazal districts of the Anglo- 
Egyptian Sudan, the Uelle district of the Belgian Congo, and to 
southwestern Kenya Colony (Nandi, Elgeyu, etc.). This form is 
characterized by having blackish auriculars. Gyldenstolpe tenta- 
tively admits the distinctness of this form from the birds of southern 
and eastern Africa, although he refrains from trinomials. In the 
eastern part of its range (Uganda and southwestern Kenya Colony) 
this form has a tendency to average paler, a fact that led van 
Someren 7” to call his Ugandan series modestus of Bocage. 

2. C. s. similis: South Africa from the eastern part of the Cape 
Province northward through Natal and the Transvaal to southern 
Mozambique and Southern Rhodesia (Gazaland). © Characters— 
auriculars grayish or grayish black; the orange color on the breast 
very strongly developed, the area involved being larger and the color 
deeper than in sulfureopectus, the forehead orange-yellow. 

3. C. s. modestus: Northern Angola, east through the Katanga to 
the Marungu plateau, eastern Belgian Congo. This race is paler 
on the breast than any of the others and has no black beneath the 
eyes, the auriculars being grayish. 

4. C.s. suahelicus: Eastern Africa from central Mozambique north 
through Tanganyika Territory and southern Kenya Colony east of 
the Rift Valley, and along the coast to southern Somaliland. Occa- 
sionally west of the Rift Valley (specimen from Kakamega ex- 
amined). This form is similar to s¢mlis, but differs from it in that it 
has the forehead and the inner margins of the rectrices yellow, not 
orange-yellow; size slightly smaller; wings, 88-92 mm, as against 
89-99 mm. 

5. C. s. fricki: Southern Ethiopia (Shoa and Arussi-Gallaland) 
to northern Kenya Colony south approximately to the Northern 
Guaso Nyiro River. Similar to swahelicus but with the green color 


% Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 115-116. 
16 Tbis, 1918, p. 632. 
™ Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 114, 1922. 


304 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


on the forehead much more extensive, in adult males always reaching 
beyond the middle of the eyes, and not infrequently to the occiput; 
the yellow frontal stripe broader, hghter, and brighter than in 
suahelicus. As I have already pointed out in another paper ** the 
extent of the green on the forehead and crown has been said by some 
investigators to be very variable and, consequently, not a reliable 
subspecific character. The point that seems to have been overlooked 
is that in all the forms it is more extensive in males than in females, 
and care should be taken to compare only correctly sexed birds with 
others of the same sex. Then the difference between fricki and 
suahelicus becomes apparent. Another difficulty is that the region 
in Kenya Colony in which perhaps more collecting has been done 
than in any other—the Ukamba and Kikuyu country north to Mount 
Kenya—is inhabited by intermediates between these two races, and, 
like all intergrades, the birds there are very variable and taken by 
themselves appear to successfully repudiate the validity of geographic 
races. 

The present series indicates that the pectoral band averages darker 
in fricki than in suahelicus. In immature birds it is rather faint 
and often has wavy, narrow blackish bars running transversely across 
it. Immature birds likewise lack, or almost lack, the greenish on 
the forehead and crown. 

Three of the Gato River specimens show a melanistic tendency, 
having the ordinarily blue-gray occiput, nape, and upper back 
sprinkled with blackish. The birds in fresh plumage were collected 
between December 21 and April 24; a freshly plumaged bird just 
finishing the tail molt was taken on April 9; birds in abraded condi- 
tion were taken from April 2 to June 3. 

The size variation of this subspecies may be seen from table 59. 

In his notes on the labels, Mearns records that on April 1 and 
April 26 he collected mated pairs, an indication that the birds were 
in breeding condition. Erlanger ’® writes that the breeding season 
appears to be over by the middle of May, and that newly fledged 
young may be seen from then until July. Stoneham °°? found a nest 
in northeastern Uganda in February. The nest was in process of 
building and was in a tall thornbush about 12 feet from the ground. 
I have seen no birds from northeastern Uganda and can not say 
whether they are fricki or modestus or intermediate between the two. 

In addition to the specimens collected, Mearns recorded this bird 
as follows: Loco, near Lake Abaya, March 13-15, 2 seen; Gidabo 
River, March 15-17, 10 birds; North or “Black” Lake Abaya, March 
18, 20 noted; South or “White” Lake Abaya, March 24-26, 4 seen; 

18 Oce. Papers Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 5, p. 252, 1930. 


29 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 695. 
2 Tbis, 1928, pp. 269-270. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 305 


between the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 10; Gato River 
near Gardula, March 29-May 17, 300 noted; Sagon River, June 3-6, 
20 seen; Tertale, June 7-12, 10 birds; Mar Mora and Turturo, June 
12-17, 36 seen; Wobok, June 18, 2 birds; near Saru, June 19, 2 noted. 


Taste 59.—Measurements of 25 specimens of Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus 
fricki from Ethiopia 


Locality 3 i Tail | Culmen 


Lake Zwai 
Lake Bakate 
Sadi Malka 
Gato River 








1 Type. 2 Immature. 
CHLOROPHONEUS SULFUREOPECTUS SUAHELICUS (Neumann) 


Cosmophoneus sulphureopectus suwahelicus NEUMANN, Journ. ftir Orn., 1899, p 
395: Kakoma, south of Tabora, Tanganyika Territory. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 unsexed, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 
1 female, Tana River, camp 6, Kenya Colony, August 21, 1912. 


1 male, 1 female, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, 
August 24, 1912. 


2 males, 1 female, Thika River, 9 to 20 miles above mouth, August 27, 1912. 
1 female, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 31, 1912. 
The range and characters of this race have been discussed under 
the northern form frickt. Two of the above-listed specimens (the 
males from Thika River, August 27) are intermediate in coloration 
and may be matched by Ethiopian examples (typical frickz), but, 
because of the fact that the majority of south-central Kenyan birds 
are true suahelicus, I refer them to this race also. Both of them are 
molting the rectrices. 


306 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The three specimens from the Tana River and the female from 
the Thika River are either immature or subadult. They are not 
juvenal birds, however. An extensive series of this race shows that 
there are three plumages as follows: 

1. Juvenal plumage: In this stage the forehead, crown, occiput, and 
nape are dark grayish (not blue-gray as in older birds), each feather 
broadly tipped with whitish giving a barred appearance to these 
parts; the cheeks and auriculars like the crown; lores whitish; back 
and rump greenish gray barred broadly with contiguous black-and- 
white marks; the wings and tail as in adults, except that the outer 
upper middle and greater wing coverts are terminally banded with 
yellowish white, then black, and then yellowish white, while in sub- 
sequent plumages the black band dividing the light margin is want- 
ing; the entire underparts are light yellowish white (yellowest on 
the abdomen) finely barred with dusky gray, the bars narrow and 
close together on the chin and throat, wider and more broadly spaced 
on the breast, upper abdomen, and flanks, the middle of the belly 
unbarred. This plumage is replaced by a complete postjuvenal molt, 
which brings on the next feathering. 

2. Immature plumage: Forehead, crown, occiput, nape, and upper 
back bluish slate-gray, a whitish loreal line present, but no yellow 
or greenish on the forehead as in adults; lower back, rump, and upper 
tail coverts green as in adults; wings and tail as in adults, but with 
the margins of the coverts with a black line as in juvenals; under- 
parts halfway between the juvenal and adult condition—chin whit- 
ish, throat, lower breast, and abdomen bright yellow, the upper breast 
with a pale orange wash; the breast, upper abdomen, sides, and flanks 
barred with dusky, the bars more widely spaced than in younger 
birds. This is finally replaced by the adult plumage. 

3. Adult plumage: Characterized by the absence of any bars on the 
underparts and the presence of a yellow frontal stripe, yellow super- 
ciliaries, and a greenish wash on the forehead. 

The breeding season in southern Kenya Colony appears to be un- 
known; in north-central Tanganyika Territory it is in December and 
early in January. 

TELOPHORUS DOHERTYI (Rothschild) 
Laniarius dohertyi RoTHSCHILD, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 11, p. 52, 1901: 
Kikuyu, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 8, 1912. 


Soft parts: Bill black, feet and claws gray. 

This beautiful bush-shrike is an inhabitant of the dense mountain 
forests of western Kenya Colony and of the highlands of the eastern 
Belgian Congo. It has been taken on the Kikuyu Escarpment at 
6.500 to 8,000 feet, in the Nyeri-Aberdare Forest at 7,000 feet, on 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 307 


Mount Elgon at 6,500 feet, and Kijabe, Molo, Elgeyu, Chepalunga 
Forest, Sotik, Kericho, Mibeneen Kegezi, Maraquet, and Kakamega in 
Kenya Colony. It seems not to occur in Uganda, the country being 
too low, but reappears in the Kivu district. Nor does it reach as far 
northeast as Mount Kenya, and I know of no records from 
Ruwenzori. 

Van Someren notes that the Kivu birds may prove to be separable 
on the basis of larger size and deeper red on the throat and forehead. 
This would not be surprising, as the two groups are geographically 
isolated, all of Uganda intervening between them. Granvik’s sug- 
gestion *! that the Elgon birds may be separable from those of the 
Kikuyu Escarpment is, as he himself admits, quite improbable. 

The present specimen is molting in the tail but is otherwise in good 
plumage. Its dimensions are as follows: Wing, 80; tail, 73; culmen, 
17; tarsus, 29.5 mm. 

Nothing is known of the habits of this bird other than that it is 
entirely restricted to dense bushes and thickets in fairly high 
altitudes. 


MALACONOTUS POLIOCEPHALUS APPROXIMANS (Cabanis) 


Archolestes approxzimans CABANIS, in von der Decken, Reisen in Ost-Africa in 
1859-61, etc., vol. 3, p. 27, 1869: Dalaon River, Usambara, Tanganyika 
Territory. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 adult unsexed, Tana River, 1,200 feet, Kenya Colony, 
August 15, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris yellow; bill brownish black shading to horn color 
on the sides and below; feet and claws pale bluish gray. 

The systematics of this bush-shrike have been investigated by 
Neumann,” and, as the limited material available to me substantiates 
his conclusions, I assume that his work is correct in regard to some 
of the other races which I have not seen. He recognizes six forms 
of Malaconotus poliocephalus, to which a seventh, interpositus, has 
been added subsequently by Hartert.?? Other workers, especially 
Zedlitz and van Someren, have since added to our knowledge of the 
distribution of these forms, not, in all cases, with harmonious results, 
and the following summary represents the present consensus of 
opinion: 

1. M. p. poliocephalus: Western Africa from Senegal to Cameroon. 
This race has the underparts uniform sulphur-yellow with a rather 
faint, indistinct chestnut patch on the breast; wings, 122 mm. 

2. M. p. catharoxanthus: The eastern Sudan from Darfur and 
Kordofan to the Bahr el Ghazel (south to the Niam-niam country) 

21 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 136-137. 


22 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 225-227. 
23 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 29, p. 36, 1911. 


308 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


and Sennar, and to Uganda, east to Eritrea, Bogosland, and the 
drainage basin of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia. Said to occur in north- 
ern Kavirondo on the Uganda-Kenya border as well. Slightly larger 
than the nominate form (wings, 127 mm) and without even a trace 
of chestnut on the breast, agreeing in this respect with the Angolan 
form monteiri. 

3. M. p. schoanus: Ethiopia and northern Kenya Colony, from the 
Hawash region and the Shoan lake region, to the Omo Valley and 
the Upper Webi Schebelli region, south through the Rendile country 
to the Northern Guaso Nyiro River in Kenya Colony and to Turkana- 
land in northeastern Uganda. This race has a very distinct, deep 
chestnut pectoral band sharply marked off from the yellow throat 
and abdomen; wings, 117-122 mm. 

4. M. p. approvimans: From southern Somaliland and coastal 
Kenya Colony inland along the Tana River to the southern Ukamba 
and Kikuyu districts, south to northeastern Tanganyika Territory 
(Pangani River and Dar es Salaam). Very much like schoanus but 
smaller; wings, 95-112 mm. 

5. MU. p. interpositus: The country northwest of Lake Tanganyika, 
Belgian Congo. Said to be intermediate between approximans and 
catharoxanthus and very similar to poliocephalus, from which it 
differs only in having the chestnut band on the breast more distinct 
and less extensive, that is, more narrowly confined to the pectoral area. 
Hartert ** writes that this form must be confirmed by further research. 
Van Someren” records four birds from Mount Moroto and Meuressi, 
Turkwell, Uganda, as belonging to this form, and says: “One cannot 
distinguish my four birds from typical If. interpositus, yet as they 
occur in the same locality as J/. p. schoanus, it seems to me that they 
must rank as a species or be united. I prefer for the time being to 
keep them separate.” I can not help but doubt the correctness of van 
Someren’s identification and suspect, from the localities, that his birds 
are intermediates between catharoxanthus and schoanus, their geo- 
graphical neighbors. 

6. W. p. blanchoti: Tanganyika Territory from Dar es Salaam 
inland to Mwanza, south through Mozambique, Nyasaland, eastern 
Rhodesia (Gazaland, etc.) to the Transvaal, Zululand, Natal, and 
Pondoland. This form differs from approximans in having the chest- 
nut color on the breast much paler, but still distinct, that is, not faint 
as in poliocephalus; wings, 110 mm. 

7. M. p. monteiri: Angola, probably east to the Katanga. This 
form differs from all the others in that it has a white patch behind the 
ear coverts and has the eye completely surrounded by white. It lacks 


74Nov. Zool., vol. 27, p. 452, 1920. 
23 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 121, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 309 


the chestnut on the breast. Van Someren considers this as a distinct 
species with catharoxanthus as a race. Sclater ** also inclines to con- 
sider it as a full specific form. This may be, but catharoxanthus is 
nearer to the poliocephalus group and isto be kept with that aggregate. 

Several writers have claimed that schoanus and approwimans were 
not constantly different in size and that the two could not be main- 
tained as subspecific entities. However, those writers who advocated 
“Jumping” the two made the mistake of assuming that birds from 
extreme northern Kenya Colony were typical approwimans, while, as 
a matter of fact, they are really schoanus. Needless to say, there are 
many intermediate birds in the northern half of Kenya Colony, but 
this is just what one should expect. Lynes*" has found the same con- 
dition in the Sudanese catharoxanthus, as his birds from western 
Kordofan and Darfur— 

* * * agree with specimens from the Bahr el Ghazal, Upper White and 
Blue Niles, and it must also be said with a good many from the reputed ranges 
of monteiri and poliocephalus. It is clear that while the three races are distin- 
guishable in the aggregate, there is much inconstancy in their distinctive char- 
acteristics, even in the remoter parts of their respective ranges. If, as is 


probable, the range of the species is continuous throughout the savanna belt, 
there must in any case be intermediates. 


Sclater ?* uses the name hypophyrrhus Uartlaub for the southeast 
African race. I have followed Neumann’s evidence and conclusions *° 
in calling this form blanchoti. 

The East African gray-headed bush-shrike is a widely distributed, 
but not abundant, bird. It is never found in numbers in any one 
locality. 

The single specimen collected has the following measurements: 
Wing, 97; tail, 112; culmen, 28.5; tarsus, 34.5 mm. It is in fairly 
fresh plumage. 


MALACONOTUS POLIOCEPHALUS SCHOANUS Neumann 


Malaconotus poliocephalus schoanus NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., 1903, p. 89; 
Hawash district, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 unsexed, Errer, Ethiopia, September 1, 1911 (Ouellard eoll.). 
1 unsexed, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 11, 1911 (Ouellard eoll.). 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 
11-14, 1912. 
1 adult male, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 24, 1912. 


The range and characters of schoanus have been dealt with in the 
discussion of approwimans and need not be repeated here. Inasmuch 
as this race is based on size, the measurements are recorded in table 60. 


76 In Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 5, pt. 2, p. 414, 1912. 
7 Tbis, 1925, p. 75. 

% Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 636, 1930. 

2° Orn. Monatsb., vol. 11, pp. 87-91, 1903. 


106220—37 21 





310 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Like all the races of Malaconotus poliocephalus, the present one is 
a denizen of the acacia scrub, where it lives in the denser thickets. 
Practically nothing has been recorded of its habits other than that it 
is shy and has a loud flutelike call. 


TABLE 60.—Measurements of five specimens of Malaconotus poliocephalus 
schoanus 


Locality j Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 


ETHIOPIA: 





RHODOPHONEUS CRUENTUS CRUENTUS (Hemprich and Ehrenberg) 


Lanius cruentus HempricH and HurRenserc, Symbolae physicae, folio C, pl. 3, 
figs. 1, female, 2, 8 males, 1828: Arkiko near Massowa. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
3 adult males, 2 adult females, 1 immature (female?), Ourso, Ethiopia, May 
25-October 12, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 
1 adult male, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 6, 1912. 

The rosy-patched shrike occurs from southern Eritrea and, along 
the Red Sea coast, from Port Sudan, west to western Kordofan (but 
not to Darfur), south through Ethiopia and Somaliland to Kenya 
Colony and northern Tanganyika Territory, south as far as northern 
Ugogo. It divides into four races, as follows: 

1. R. ec. cruentus: The Red Sea Province of the Anglo-Egyptian 
Sudan, Eritrea, Bogosland, south to north-central Shoa (Ourso and 
Hawash River). In this race both sexes have the upperparts grayish 
with very little of a reddish tinge, the latter color being confined 
largely to the crown. 

2. R. c. kordofanicus: Western Kordofan. Similar to eruentus but 
paler, more grayish above. I have seen no birds from the White Nile 
and cannot say which form occurs there. The White Nile birds 
might be expected to be intermediate between this and the nominate 
form. 

3. 2. ¢. hilgerti: Somaliland, west through Ennia and Arussi- 
Gallaland and extreme southern Shoa, south through Jubaland and 
Kenya Colony as far as the Tsavo and Athi Rivers, where it meets 
with the fourth form, cathemagmenus. This race differs from either 
of the first two in having the upperparts darker, with a strong crim- 
son wash, which is not confined to the crown but extends over the nape 
and upper back as well. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY dll 


4. R. c. cathemagmenus: Southern Kenya Colony from the Tsavo 
district through the Taru Desert and the Serengeti Plains east of 
Kilimanjaro to northern Ugogo in Tanganyika Territory. This race 
differs from the first three in that the black gorget is not confined to 
the females, but is present in the males as well. Females of this form 
are very similar to those of Aélgerti, but, like the males, have the 
dorsum darker, more of a deep crimson-brown, than in hzlgerte. 

Usually subspecies merge insensibly into each other at the periphery 
of their respective ranges, and, consequently, when we find one that 
does not, but maintains its distinctive characters in undiminished 
strength to the very limits of its range, we may well wonder if it be 
not more than subspecifically distinct. This is the case with cathe- 
magmenus. The males are strikingly different from those of any of 
the other three forms, the black gorget being a large, well-developed 
mark in this race and utterly absent in the others. It is worthy of 
note that at the Tsavo station on the Uganda Railway Adlgerti and 
cathemagmenus meet, but specimens of both are wholly typical of 
their respective races. It is true that the females of the two are very 
similar, and, without their mates, are often extremely hard to identify. 

Recently, Hellmayr *° has given examples among the Neotropical 
avian family Formicariidae, of what he calls “heterogynism,” which 
term is intended to cover variations, both specific and subspecific, 
which affect only the females, the males of the allied forms being 
indistinguishable from each other. This is not peculiar to the For- 
micariidae, as it is also known in some of the Icteridae, such as 
the red-eyed cowbirds, Tangavius aeneus aeneus and T. a. involu- 
cratus, and in some of the grackles as well. In Rhodophoneus, how- 
ever, the opposite is true; the males are very distinct and the fe- 
males very similar (that is, in Aélgerti and cathemagmenus), show- 
ing that the difference in plumage may occur solely in either sex 
and that it may be better to change Hellmayr’s term to one covering all 
cases where the difference is confined to one sex, regardless of which 
one that is. 

All the seven specimens listed above are extremely abraded, and 
two of them are molting in the tail and wings. As far as I have 
been able to ascertain, nothing definite has been recorded of the 
breeding season of this shrike, but it| probably is during May and 
June. Thus, Blanford ** writes that this bird “was not rare around 
Annesley Bay, and was occasionally seen in Samhar and Habab, up 
to an elevation of about 3,000 feet, never, however, above the range 
of tropical flora and fauna. In December and January small fami- 
lies were met with, hopping along the ground, * * * in May 
and June, all met with were in pairs.” 


® Journ. fiir Orn., 1929, Ergiinzungsband 2, Festschrift Ernst Hartert, pp. 41-70. 
1 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, pp. 842-343, 1870. 


312 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Of the western Sudanese race kordofanicus, Sclater ** states that 
two eggs were taken by Major Dunn at Ogayeh Wells, but gives no 
clue as to the date. However, Sclater and Mackworth-Praed ** list 
three specimens of kordofanicus “collected by Capt. W. H. Dunn, 
at Ogayeh Wells, in western Kordofan, on November 18, 1902,” 
which may or may not suggest that the nesting season in Kordofan 
may be quite different from that in Ethiopia, or that the season is 
prolonged in both regions. As is noted below, the race hélgerti is 
known to breed in May in Ennia Gallaland. 

This handsome shrike lives in the rather dry thornbush country 
where its bright coloration, shrill chirping notes, and general rest- 
less activity render it quite conspicuous in spite of its shyness. 

The dimensions of the adult specimens obtained are given in 
table 61. 


TABLE 61.—Measurements of six specimens of Rhodophoneus cruentus cruentus 
from Ethiopia 


Locality } i i Culmen | Tarsus 





RHODOPHONEUS CRUENTUS HILGERTI (Neumann) 


Pelicinius cruentus hilgerti NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., 1903, p. 182: Sheikh Hus- 
sein, Somaliland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
ladult male, 1 adult female, 1 immature female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 
25-29, 1912. 
1 adult male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 6, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 female adult, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 11, 1912. 
1 adult female, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 14, 1912. 
1 adult male, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 3, 1912. 
1 immature female, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 5, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris dark brown. 

As already mentioned, this race is found in Somaliland, Gallaland, 
southern Shoa, and most of northern and central Kenya Colony, 
where it lives in open thornbush savannahs, going about either in 
pairs or in small groups, apparently more numerous in the northern 
than in the southern parts of its range. 


32 In Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 5, pp. 898-394, 1912. 
% Ibis, 1918, p. 633. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 313 


The present series are in fresher plumage than the specimens of 
the preceding race but, with two exceptions, are not very fresh at 
that. Their dimensions are given in table 62 (adults only). 

Hilgert ** suggests that Aélgerti may be a compound aggregate 
containing two races, a northern Somali form and the typical hi/- 
gerti group, the former being noticeably paler above. As Zedlitz *® 
has shown, however, age, wear, and season can account for the appar- 
ent differences noted by Hilgert. 


TABLE 62.—Measurements of seven specimens of Rhodophoneus cruentus hilgerti 





Locality yi i Culmen | Tarsus 

ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 

13 (06 (och wae Sa ee ee Malez: - 2.05.52 97.0 | 123.5 19.5 30. 5 

BagonvR iver. a = ae oe ee os | oe eee 101.0 | 126.0 21.0 34.0 

Nertalezsesne= oo tee eens oes ree ee ee Goss eeee 91.0 118.0 19.0 32.5 
KENYA COLONY: 

Northern Guaso Nyiro River_-------|----- doses. 91.0 } 111.0 19.0 31.0 

Indunumara Mountains---__--.------ Female____---- 90.0 | 113.0 18.0 29.0 
ETHIOPIA: 

BS OC OSS Bae ea ee ok a ee ee ee donss-2=5 94.0 117.5 19.0 31.0 

Tertalo: 282 eee so ee ae eee ae dose 90.0 | 112.5 20.0 32.0 


This race appears to have a wider altitudinal range than the typical 
form. Lort Phillips ** “found this * * *  shrike plentiful from 
the Berbera Plains up to about 8,000 feet on Wagga Mountain.” 

Erlanger ** found a nest on May 26 at Gobele in Ennia-Gallaland. 
It contained three eggs, pale green in color, spotted with earth brown, 
and measuring 24 by 18 mm. The nest was a rather flimsy, flat plat- 
form, something like a dove’s nest, and was built in a thick bush. 
The breeding season is apparently more extensive than this one nest 
record would indicate, as on January 8, in Arussi-Gallaland, Erlanger 
saw a pair of these shrikes with newly fledged young. 

Mearns shot what he assumed to be a mated pair at Tertale on June 
11, while on May 25 at Bodessa, he killed an adult female and a young 
bird with the same shot and entered the latter in his notes as possibly 
the progeny of the adult. 

As the juvenal plumage of this bird appears not to have been 
described, the following notes may be worth recording: The young 
bird from Lekiundu River is a juvenal bird with the tail only three- 
quarters grown. It resembles the adult on the upperparts, even to 
the possession of the pinkish-red rump patch but is grayer generally 
and differs in having the remiges and their greater coverts edged with 


*“ Katalog der Collection von Erlanger in Nieder-Ingelheim, p. 270, footnote, 1908. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, pp. 57-58. 

% Tbis, 1898, p. 405. 

st Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 695-696. 


314 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


tawny-buff. It has the superciliary stripe and loreal spot only indis- 
tinctly developed, not contrastingly whitish as in the adult. On the 
underparts it differs from the adult in lacking the black gorget and 
the red median band. The pectoral region is somewhat duskier than 
the rest of the underparts and is grayish buff; the chin and upper 
throat pure white; the sides, flanks, and under tail coverts buffy; the 
middle of the abdomen whitish. 

The young bird from Bodessa is older and has the crown and 
upperparts generally as reddish as in fully adult birds. It is just 
beginning to show the black gorget and the reddish median band. 
The distribution of the latter color is unusual in that it extends to 
the sides of the breast, which are a mixture of tawny and pinkish. 
It takes two years to acquire the fully adult plumage, but more 
observations and data are needed on this point. 


NICATOR CHLORIS GULARIS Finsch snd Hartlaub 


Nicator gularis FinscH and Hartriaus, Die Vogel Ost-Afrikas, p. 360, 1870: 
Tete, Zambesi. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 “male” (=—female), 1 unsexed (=female), Tana River, 
Kenya Colony, August 15-16, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris grayish brown; eye ring greenish yellow; bill 
brownish black shading to grayish on sides and below; angle of 
mouth greenish yellow; feet plumbeous; claws brownish gray. 

Nicator chloris has two well-marked races, the typical one, with 
yellowish auriculars and with a grayish wash on the throat and 
breast, and the present form, with buffy ear coverts, throat, and 
breast. The distribution of these races is as follows: 

1. NV. c. chloris: Western Africa from Senegal, Portuguese Guinea, 
Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gold Coast, Southern Nigeria, Cameroon, 
Gaboon, and the Belgian Congo eastward to the Katanga and across 
Uganda to the western slopes of Mount Elgon. 

2. VN. c. gularis: Eastern Africa, chiefly the low coastal plain from 
southern Jubaland south to northern Zululand, inland to Gazaland 
and to Nyasaland. It may be that gularis really consists of two 
races, a lighter, more greenish-backed, southern form and a norther 
race. The latter has not been separated from the former nomen- 
claturally as yet, but I find that the present two birds and another 
from Mount Garguess are darker, less greenish above than two from 
Morogoro, Tanganyika Territory. Furthermore, van Someren ** 
writes that while he has no typical (Zambesi) birds for comparison, 
his series from Lamu, Sagala, Mombasa, and Bura, are “not as green 
on the back as depicted in the plate in Shelley, vol. v, pt. 2.” With- 


33 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 114, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 315 


out topotypical material I prefer to let the matter rest and hope that 
someone else will look into it. 

Chapin *® has discussed the relationships of this curious genus and 
has come to the conclusion that it is one of the links between the 
Laniidae and the Pycnonotidae. In this he is probably correct, but 
the birds stand out pretty well from the members of any other genus. 

This species is a denizen of dense bush and is difficult to observe, 
not only because of the rather impenetrable nature of its habitat, but 
also on account of its exceedingly timid disposition. It is a rather 
silent bird, except when breeding. 

As far as I know, the nest of this bird has not been found in Kenya 
Colony, but at Beira, Mozambique, Sheppard discovered one with 
three eggs on December 17, and Boyd Alexander shot a breeding male 
on the Zambesi in December. 

The typical race is known to nest in June in Uganda. Thus, van 
Someren *° writes that chloris is— 

* * * a common forest-species. It frequents the undergrowth and the 
lower branches of the taller trees. A nest was obtained in June, composed of 
rootlets and fibres, and contained two eggs of a dirty cream-pink spotted and 
freckled with lilac-grey and darker grey, the surface glossy. Young birds were 
taken in July and September. 

The two specimens collected are probably females, as they are 
small, having the following dimensions: Wing, 89-92.5; tail, 94-96; 
culmen, 18; tarsus, 29 mm. 


Family PRIONOPIDAE, Wood-shrikes 
PRIONOPS POLIOCEPHALUS POLIOCEPHALUS (Stanley) 


Lanius poliocephalus STANLEY, in Salt, Travels in Abyssinia . . ., Appendix, p. 1 
(= 50), 1814: “Abyssinia,” errore, Mozambique (vide Neumann, Journ. ftir 
Orn., 1905, pp. 216-217.) 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 unsexed, Tana River, camp 3, Kenya Colony, August 16, 1912. 
1 adult male, Tana River, at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 
24, 1912. 
1 male ?, 1 adult female, Tana River at Bowlder Hill, Kenya Colony, 
August 28, 1912. 

Soft parts: Adult male—iris and eye wattles yellow; bill black; 
feet orange-red; claws brownish black. 

This helmet-shrike occurs from the Transvaal, Zululand, Swazi- 
land, Bechuanaland, Damaraland, and Namaqualand north to Angola, 
the Katanga, and to southwestern Uganda and the Ukambani, Loita, 
Kitui, Teita, and Mombasa districts of southern Kenya Colony. The 


9 Amer. Mus. Nov., No. 17, pp. 9-11, 1921. 
# Ibis, 1916, p. 390. 


316 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


typical race occurs in East Africa south to Zululand and the eastern 
Transvaal, while the western part of the range (Angola, Namaqua- 
land, Damaraland, Bechuanaland, and the western Transvaal) is 
inhabited by talacoma (if that form be valid). Roberts *! writes 
that talacoma is distinct. Grote *? considers a specimen from Obab, 
northern Southwest African Protectorate, as typical poliocephalus. 

In Cameroon two closely related forms, martenst and adamauae, 
occur. These two seem to be only subspecifically distinct from polio- 
cephalus; in fact, adamauae was described as a race of the present 
species. ‘These two forms I have not seen, and, at any rate, they need 
not concern us here. 

The unsexed bird listed above is a subadult specimen and has the 
bluish-gray area restricted to the occiput, the crown being white like 
the forehead. It is in very worn plumage and shows but little white 
on the upper aspect of the wings. 

The adult male has the following dimensions: Wing, 107; tail, 87.5; 
culmen, 16; tarsus, 22 mm. The adult female: Wing, 105; tail, 81; 
culmen, 19; tarsus, 22.5 mm. 

This species occurs rather sparingly and somewhat sporadically in 
the southern part of Kenya Colony, being absent from large tracts of 
apparently suitable country. It was not represented in van Someren’s 
almost complete collection of south Kenyan and Ugandan birds,*? and 
it has been either missed or overlooked by most collectors. Van Som- 
eren ** did record this species from Gondokoro, but the specimen in 
question was probably wrongly identified and was most lhkely P. con- 
cinnatus, the form he later *° recorded from that area. 

I have found no published data on the breeding season of this bird 
in Kenya Colony, but B6hm found a nest with two eggs on March 18 
at Kakoma, Tanganyika Territory.*® and Schuster observed newly 
fledged young on July 22 in the Unyamwesi district.7 Doggett pro- 
cured a female with a brood of young at Mulema, Uganda, during his 
stay at that place from March to May. 

Besides the actual specimens collected, Mearns noted this helmet- 
shrike as follows: Tana River, August 15-16, 20 birds; Thika River, 
August 23-28, 30 seen. 

Since the above was written van Someren ‘™ has reported this hel- 
met-shrike from the Machakos area; Loita; Nairobi; and the Tsavo- 
Masongoleni district. 


41 Ann. Transvaal Mus., vol. 10, p. 86, 1924. 

“ Journ. fiir Orn., 1922, p. 44. 

48 Reported on in Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 1-246, 1922. 

“4 Tbis, 1916, p. 387. 

4 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 108, 1922. 

46 Vide Reichenow, Die Végel Afrikas, vol. 2, p. 529, 1903. 
47 Journ. fiir Orn., 1926, p. 714. 

472 Noy. Zool., vol. 37, p. 302, 19382. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 317 


PRIONOPS CRISTATA CRISTATA Riippell 


Prionops (Lanius) cristatus RtpretL, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna Abys- 
sinien gehérig, ete, Vogel, Lief. 183, p. 30, pl. 12, fig. 2, 1837: Coast at 
Massawa. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 unsexed, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 11, 1911 (A. Ouellard coll.). 

1 adult male, Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 26, 1912. 

4 adult males, 4 adult females, 2 immature females, Bodessa, Ethiopia, 
May 19-22, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 immature male, 1 adult female, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 
1912. 


Soft parts: Adult male—iris grayish white; eye wattles yellow; feet 
orange, claws olive tipped with black; bill black. Another adult 
male—iris grayish blue with an outer ring of yellow; still another— 
iris and eye wattles yellow. Adult female—iris gray to bluish gray 
with an outer ring of yellow; bill black; feet orange, claws dark gray- 
ish brown. Another adult female—iris and eye wattles yellow. 
Immature female—eye wattles black. 

I consider P. c. omoensis Neumann“? a synonym. In his notes on 
the types in the Tring Museum, Hartert *° tentatively synonymizes 
omoensis with cristata. The former is said to have the occiput and 
nape darker than in birds of northern Ethiopia (typical cristata). 
However, Hartert writes that of Neumann’s two specimens of 
omoensis— 


* * * the nape is much darker in one specimen, and a specimen from Sala- 
mona (G. Schrader leg.), as well as another from Mulu (Saphiro leg.), have it 
quite as dark as the one of Neumann’s two specimens. * * * In no case were 
two specimens sufficient to establish such a closely allied subspecies, and we must 
await further material from the Omo * * * to establish Neumann’s 
“omoensis.” (A series collected by Dr. van Someren seems to confirm omoensis, 
but we shall hear more about this from him before long.) 


Turning to van Someren’s discussion ®° we find that of his series— 


seven birds agree absolutely with the type of Neumann’s omoensis, except that 
they are larger, wings 115-120 mm.; in other words, they are very dark grey on 
the posterior parts of the head and hind part of crest tinged gray, throat dark. 
Thus we have seven birds collected south of Neumann’s type locality agreeing 
with his bird. His birds were compared with a series of nine birds * * #* 
from Eritrea and South-east Hthiopia, which are all pale-headed with whitish 
throats, except two, one from Eritrea and one from South-east Ethiopia, which 
approach very closely the southern birds. Thus the typical birds vary, and in 
so doing render the validity of P. c. omoensis questionable. Five other birds, all 
collected at one spot to the southwest of Lake Rudolf on the Turkwell River 
differ from the dark-headed birds by having the hind part of the crest cream- 
colour, the hind part of the sides of the head and the nape brownish ashy, and 
in having the throat tinged brownish. Wings, 121-128 mm. They are fully 
adult and in fresh plumage. If, therefore, birds from the type locality differ, 


48 Journ. ftir Orn., 1905, p. 216: Omo River between Malo and Koscha. 
48 Nov. Zool., vol. 27, pp. 452-453, 1920. 
50 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 109, 1922. 


318 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


and southern birds from a comparatively small area also vary, it is not 
unreasonable to suggest that P. c. omoensis is not a good race. 

Dr. Hartert, in fact, is inclined to this view, but I am not in agreement with 
this. I suggest that omoensis is a good race, and that possibly there is another 
race inhabiting the south end of Rudolf and Baringo districts, with characters 
as given above. 

Recently, van Someren *+ obtained seven more skins from Kaptirr, 
Turkwell, which he compared with his previous series, and found 
that the color of the hind crown and nape is variable. 

I have examined 15 adult birds from southern Ethiopia (Ourso, 
Abaya Lakes, Bodessa, and Turturo) and Uganda, and find that the 
color of the occiput and nape varies from neutral gray to a slate- 
gray, with some plumbeous feathers mixed in. These all ought to be 
omoensis, with dark, that is, slate-gray, napes. Other recent in- 
vestigators have also found “omoensis” to vary. Thus, Stoneham * 
notes that birds from Kitgum, Uganda, have much darker gray 
napes than a specimen from Karamoja (a locality nearer to the Omo 
drainage basin). He suggests that wear may account for the dark- 
ness of the Kitgum birds. In this he appears to have hit upon the 
correct solution. I have gone over my material and have found that 
the birds in fresh plumage have paler napes, those in abraded condi- 
tion, darker, more slate grayish. Although I have examined no birds 
from Eritrea or northern Ethiopia, I feel confident that if due allow- 
ance be made for the condition of the plumage, the alleged differ- 
ences between cristata and omoensis will disappear. 

With regard to the buffy-naped birds from south of Lake Rudolf, 
a similar type of variation occurs in P. concinnatus, especially in 
western Kordofan. Lynes** described the Kordofan birds as dis- 
tinct (ochracea), but later °* he found the variation to be inconstant. 
This seems to be the case with P. cristata as well. 

The species, then, contains three races, as follows: 

1. P. c. cristata: Eritrea, Ethiopia, except the eastern part of the 
Harrar district and southern Gallaland, south through Shoa and 
Arussiland and the Omo region to Uganda through Turkanaland 
and northern Uganda to Kisingo and Kigomma, and to the north- 
western part of Kenya Colony (Lake Rudolf to Lake Baringo and 
to Mount Elgon). The last part of its range may be inhabited by 
a recognizable race, but in spite of van Someren’s assurance of the 
maturity of his birds, the characters he gives are suspiciously juvenal 
in nature, much like those of the type of vinaceigularis, the adult 
plumage of which was later described as intermedius. 


51 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 302, 1932. 

52 Ibis, 1928, p. 264. 

> Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, p. 18, 1920. 
*{ Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 43, p. 98, 1923 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 319 


This race has long crest feathers, the posterior of which are curled 
slightly inward and forward; wings, 110-125 mm. 

2. P. c. melanoptera: Western Somaliland, west to Harrar in Ethi- 
opia, south through the Garre-Lewin country and southern Gallaland 
to the Juba River and, in the west, to the Endoto Mountains, in 
Kenya Colony. Differs from cristata in having a much shorter 
frontal crest, hardly longer than in P. poliocephala, the occipital 
crest also shorter and not curled inward and forward; wings, 
102-118 mm. 

3. P. c. vinaceigularis: The Taru Desert, Teita and Taveta dis- 
tricts of Kenya Colony, south to the Kilimanjaro region, Tangan- 
yika Territory. Similar to melanoptera but slightly smaller, wings 
100-114 mm, and young with the occiput, nape, chin, and upper 
throat washed with vinaceous. 

P. concinnatus is specifically distinct. 

The series collected by the Frick expedition contains several young 
birds that are of interest because of their plumage variations. It 
appears that the juvenal feathers are worn but a short time and 
are then replaced by a set that resembles those of the adult, except 
that the birds do not develop the long occipital crest feathers until 
the second adult plumage. Juvenal birds are dark fuscous-brown 
on the back, the feathers edged with whitish, and are white on the 
entire head and nape. One of the young birds examined has the chin 
and throat either stained or lightly washed with pale vinaceous- 
gray and has a dark vinaceous-gray band across the occiput, re- 
calling some of the features of the corresponding stage of vinacergu- 
laris. 

The birds may breed in first adult plumage, that is, without the 
occipital crests, but the evidence for this is not too good. Mearns 
collected a young bird at Turturo on June 15 and also an older 
female (in first adult plumage) and wrote on the label of the lat- 
ter “parent of young specimen.” However, this species usually stays 
in small flocks, and inasmuch as the young bird is in postjuvenal 
molt, the two specimens may have merely been shot from the same 
flock and not been otherwise related. 

Several of the adults taken at Bodessa, as well as the male from 
Black Lake Abaya and the one from Turturo, are in molt, the 
ecdysis affecting the remiges and rectrices. The series is not suffi- 
cient to prove the point, but it suggests that the caudal molt begins 
with the middle and the outermost rectrices and proceeds from those 
two centers. The wing molt begins at the wrist joint and presents 
no unusual features. 

The size variations of the adults may be seen from the following 
figures: Males have wing lengths of from 110 to 118.5 mm (average, 
115.6) ; females, 112-121 mm (average, 118.5). 


320 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Zedlitz®*> found the breeding season in Eritrea and northern 
Ethiopia to be in the northern spring. Antinori recorded the mating 
season to be in March. 


PRIONOPS CRISTATA MELANOPTERA Sharpe 


Prionops melanoptera SHARPE, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 11, p. 46, 1901: Fer 
Libah, Somaliland. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 adult males, 2 adult females, 1 immature male, 1 imma- 
ture female, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 21-24, 1912. 


These specimens are referred to melanoptera more by a process of 
elimination than by any characters. Still, the identification is prob- 
ably correct, as the birds agree with the descriptions in literature of 
this race, which I have not otherwise seen. As far as I have been 
able to discover, melanoptera has not been recorded before from 
Kenya Colony, and the present examples indicate that this bird is 
another member of the Somali avifauna that extends westward across 
southern Gallaland to the Rendile country and thence southward to 
the Endoto Mountains. 

‘The adults vary in the color of the occiput and nape just as in 
cristata. The two males have wings 108 and 113 mm in length, and 
the females 112 and 115.5, respectively. 

The young male is in the postjuvenal molt and shows that the 
back is brown in the first pennaceous plumage in this form as in the 
nominate one. 

SIGMODUS RETZII GRACULINUS (Cabanis) 


Prionops graculinus Capanis, Journ. fiir Orn., 1868, p. 412: Mombasa (cf. 
Finsch and Hartlaub, Die Végel Ost-Afrikas, p. 368, 1870.) 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, Tana River, 1200 feet, Kenya Colony, August 15, 1912. 
1 adult male, 2 immature males, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, 
Kenya Colony, August 26, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris orange-red; eye wattles and basal half of bill red, 
terminal half of bill yellow, shading into the red base; feet red, 
claws yellowish brown. The eye wattles are brownish and the feet 
paler red in immature birds. 

Zedlitz ** has reviewed the races of the red-billed helmet-shrike 
and recognizes six forms. I have not sufficient material available to 
decide for myself, but as far as it goes the series upholds Zedlitz’s 
conclusions. According to him the typical race occurs in Southwest 
Africa north to Benguella; nigricans replaces it in northern Angola; 
tricolor in southern and central Tanganyika Territory; intermedius 
in the districts immediately adjacent to Lake Victoria; graculinus 


5 Journ, fiir Orn., 1910, pp. 795-796. 
6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, pp. 51-53. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY oal 


in northeastern Tanganyika Territory and southern and central 
Kenya Colony; and newmanni in southern Somaliland. The last- 
named form is said to be like graculinus in color, but smaller in size. 
I have seen no undoubted Somaliland birds, but one specimen in the 
United States National Museum from the collection of A. Donaldson 
Smith, without data, may have come from southern Somaliland, as 
it has a wing length of 124 mm, as large as that of graculinus. If 
it came from Somaliland, it is important in that it casts doubt on 
the validity of newmanni, but it may have been part of a collection 
bought by Smith in East Africa to fill out his own series. It is note- 
worthy that in his account of Smith’s Somaliland collection, 
Sharpe °? does not list Sigmodus retzii. 

These six races may be told as follows: graculinus and newmanni 
differ from each other chiefly in size, the latter having a wing length 
of from 114 to 120 mm as against 120 to 130 mm in the former, and 
both differ from all the other races in that neither of them has a 
broad white band on the inner webs of primaries, while refz?z, 
nigricans, tricolor, and intermedius have this band well developed. 
(It is noticeable only on the underside of the wings.) These four 
subspecies differ in the color of the back, inner remiges, and upper 
wing coverts. These feathers are dusky grayish brown in refziz; 
more grayish, rather brownish ashy gray in nigricans; hair brown 
in intermedius; and pale drab in tricolor. 

The two adults collected by the Frick expedition are very similar, 
but one has a very narrow, short white line on the margin of the 
inner web of each primary, while the other has no white. Both the 
young birds have a narrow white band on the inner webs of the 
primaries, the band being considerably more prominent in one bird 
than in the other, but in neither is the band even a third as wide as 
in a corresponding specimen of ¢vzcolor. Van Someren ** found that 
in his series of 14 birds from Kenya Colony “some adults show traces 
of white on the inner webs of the primaries, and all the young and 
immature birds exhibit this character, indicating a very close rela- 
tionship to S. r. intermedius and tricolor.” 

Roberts *° has proposed a genus Hressornis for Sigmodus retzti 
on the basis of the longer rictal bristles. “In the typical Sigmodus”, 
he says, “the base of the bill is exposed; but in S. retziz (Wahlberg) 
the base of the bill is hidden by the frontal bristles, the longer of 
which extend over the nostrils, and * * * would therefore place 
it in a new genus under the name Hressornis.” I have compared 
this species with caniceps, the genotype of Sigmodus, and find that 


57 Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1895, pp. 457-520. 
58 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 109, 1922. 
59 Ann. Transvaal Mus., vol. 8, p. 248, 1922. 


322 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


the difference is by no means so great as a perusal of Roberts’s 
diagnosis would indicate. I do not recognize H’ressornis as a valid 
genus. 

Nothing appears to have been recorded of the breeding habits of 
this bird. It is a denizen of dense forests, where it is usually found 
in pairs or small groups of from three to seven birds. 


EUROCEPHALUS RUPPELLI RUPPELLI Bonaparte 


Eurocephalus riippelli BONAPARTE, Rey. Mag. Zool., 1853, p. 440: White Nile (vide 
Zedlitz, Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, p. 47). 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
10 males, 3 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 3—May 9, 1912. 
1 male, east of Lake Stefanie, Ethiopia, April 26, 1912. 
1 female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 22, 1912. 
1 male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 10, 1912. 
1 male, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 23, 1912. 
1 male, Marsabit Road, 25 miles north of Northern Guaso Nyiro River, 
Kenya Colony, July 30, 1912. 
1 male, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 4, 1912. 
1 male, 5 females, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 14-28, 1912. 
1 male, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 30, 1912. 
1 male, Indian Store, south of Donio Sabuk, Kenya Colony, August 30, 1912. 

EL. r. deckenit Zedlitz and EF. r. fischeri Zedlitz are synonyms. Van 
Someren °° considers these two names as synonyms of £. 7. erlanger, 
a conclusion in which he is mistaken. 

Zedlitz * reviewed the variations of this species and concluded that 
there were six valid races, four of which are new at that point. First 
of all, he considered ruppelli and anguitimens conspecific and, as the 
latter is the older name, used it for the species. According to his 
arrangement, anguitimens, the only form with a brownish rump and 
brown upper tail coverts, inhabits South Africa, which is correct, and 
the other five, with white rumps and upper tail coverts, range from 
southwestern Tanganyika Territory north through East Africa and 
Uganda to the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somaliland. 
I find not the slightest sign of intergradation between anguitimens 
and any of the white-rumped races, and keep them specifically dis- 
tinct. Sclater and Mackworth-Praed * and van Someren have also 
reached this conclusion. 

We may restrict our attention to the white-rumped birds, for 
which the name rippelli is the oldest and must be used. Zedlitz ° 
splits this group up as follows: riippelli, a form of rather small size, 
wings 119-126 mm, the underparts washed with pale brownish, in- 
habits the Mongalla and Upper White Nile regions of the Anglo- 


69 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 108, 1922. 

®1 Orn. Monatsb., vol. 21, pp. 58-59, 1913. 
®2 Tbis, 1918, p. 640. 

®% Journ. fiir Orn., 1915, pp. 46-50. 








BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 323 


Egyptian Sudan and the West Nile Province of northwestern 
Uganda; erlangeri, a darker-backed, larger bird, wings 127-135 mm 
in the male, 122-132 mm in the female, and with the underparts 
pure white with very distinct dark-brown side patches, occurs in 
northern Somaliland and throughout Ethiopia; deckeni, the smallest 
of the races, wings 116-122 mm, similar to erlangeri in color on the 
underparts, but lighter on the back, is said to live in southern 
Somaliland and the coastal districts of Kenya Colony south to the 
mouth of the Tana River; fischeri, a race with the dorsal coloration 
of deckeni, the ventral color of ~ippelli, and larger than either, 
wings 126-185 mm in the males, 124-127 mm in the females, in- 
habits northeastern Tanganyika Territory north to the Ukamba dis- 
trict of Kenya Colony; while the last form, ddhmi, which is like 
fischeri, but paler above, is known from southwestern Tanganyika 
Territory. 

Of the so-called forms of riippelli, I have examined 56 specimens 
from the ranges of all five and find it possible to identify and recog- 
nize only three—riippelli, erlangeri, and bdhmi. Sclater and Mack- 
worth-Praed and van Someren likewise find deckeni and fischeri 
untenable, but they differ in their disposition of these names. Ac- 
cording to the latter, erlangeri is the race inhabiting all of Ethiopia, 
Somaliland, Kenya Colony, and northeastern Tanganyika Territory, 
and of this form deckent and fischeri are synonyms. Of riippelli 
van Someren states that it is smaller than “the other more southern 
forms”, meaning, I presume, deckeni, fischeri, and bdhmi. TI have 
examined enough material of riéippelli from near Gondokoro to 
satisfy myself that it is not smaller than any East African birds, 
and, on the other hand, I find that Ethiopian birds are uniformly 
larger than examples from Kenya Colony. Therefore, I consider 
birds from the latter country to be the same as Gondokoro birds and 
different from those of Ethiopia. This is essentially the same de- 
cision as that made by Sclater and Mackworth-Praed, who find, as I 
do, that— 

* * * the coloration seems to vary considerably with the time of year, 
and the size is also not a reliable guide. * * * We, therefore consider 
that H. r. riippelli ranges from Mongalla through British Hast Africa, and 
from Victoria Nyanza to the mouth of the Tana River to the eastern half of 
German Hast Africa. On higher ground, as, for instance, near Kilimanjaro 
and Kenia—the birds have a tendency to be slightly larger and darker. 

The range of erlangeri as given by Zedlitz is correct; that of 
rippelli should be extended to include the area he assigns to fischert 
and deskeni and to extreme southern Shoa, while that of bdéhinz 
should be extended northeast to Dodoma, whence I have seen two 
specimens (Loveridge collection). 


324 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The present specimens from Gato River near Gardula and from 
Bodessa and Tertale appear to be the first typical rtippelli recorded 
from Ethiopia since the description of evlangert. Though records 
previous to Zedlitz’s paper were referred to ruppellz, the name was 
used in a much wider sense. Neumann,** however, met with the 
species at Suksuki River, Mole River, Lake Zwai, and Lake Abaya 
and stated that there was no difference between these birds and 
others from East Africa. The typical form appears to be the domi- 
nant one in southern Shoa, but erlangeri occasionally occurs there 
as well, or at least large individuals occur that are more like er- 
langert than rippelli. 

The measurements of the present series are given in table 63. 


TABLE 63.—Measurements of 27 specimens of Eurocephalus riippelli riippelli 

















Wing Tail Tarsus 


Locality Culmen 





ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Gato River’ as s> SS eee eee Maleessceret 121.0 92)0) joeteet 22 3- 22.0 
DD Ose ese LS oe Se Eee ee doa 124.0 95.5 17.0 22.5 
WO nae acnosaeese ee eee ear ene eee dose sere 122.0 96.0 16.0 22.0 
Dol. 23222255 3 2k 52 tema ee Ee dos 122. 5 95.0 18.0 22.0 
Dota eee een ee oooes do.sss- 120.0 93.0 17.0 20.5 
HD) Oe en Soa ee ae Se EN eee naiea tears | ere does 2 125.0 96.0 17.5 23.0 
DY GA IG Late Sel Oe Fa ey does 123.0 98. 5 18.0 22.0 
MOLL esc chee SUS ee Boe oe (0 Ko a 123.0 97.5 18.0 23.5 
TD Oe ee eee ees rela | een CO oe es 125.0 95.0 17.0 21.0 
ID Oe 2 SE ES oe SG! eT S| aE Gowsree Zee 123.0 103.0 18.0 23.5 
Mast of take Stefanie 2-22-52 s see don ee: 121.0 91.5 17.0 20.0 
ORGAO Sse ee ee er ree a ee Gos ee 121.0 92.5 16.5 22.5 
KENYA COLONY: 
Endoto Mountains, south_---------}----- doe shevse 118.5 86.0 17.0 22.0 
IWarsabitpRoadse asses anne eee oo eoeee dosz2e=.2e" 122.0 92.0 18.0 21.5 
ekiunduRiver®)—-- 222-2 Seo 2 aL es dos. tse3 123.0 91.0 17.0 22.5 
ManalRivers2 2222 sak 2a te eee doze 122.0 90.0 17.0 22.0 
PAG HIGR DV GR e ae nee ee ee eee eee dozens 123. 5 95.0 16.0 22.0 
South of Donio Sabuk--.-----------|----- doe ees 128. 5 99.0 17.0 22.5 
ETHIOPIA: 
GatovRivert.2s- 222-4 2-s--54e74 Set Female-_------ 127.0 99.0 17.0 23.5 
DDOl22e < eee 25 eer eon eee dows. 23 126.0 98.0 18.0 22. 5 
ON os ee a Sea eS a doxetec8 126.5 96.5 18.5 23.0 
BOG GSS sa ed es et es Goes 126.0 98.0 17.0 23.0 
KENYA COLONY: 


Tana MRiver = aaocee ect eae een (ee domes 121.0 92.5 1705 22.0 


el eee i ae a OE se aaa 129.0 | 101.0 18.0 21.5 
Le eee Siete | 2 dow ss oe 122.0 88.0 17.0 22, 5 
BEA eS eee see eee ek Oke ssece5 128.0 | 101.0 18.0 23.0 
eee Me ere eee OO a aeons 119.0 90.0 18.0 22.5 


Like all the forms of this genus, the present bird is a denizen of 
the acacia-mimosa thornbush country and also of the rather sparse 
woodlands. 

Eight of the birds taken at Gato River are in molt in the wings and 
tail, as are also three others from east of Lake Stefanie, the Marsabit 


6% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 215. 


BIRDS OF ETFIIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 325 


Road, and the Tana River. The others are in rather worn plumage. 
The molting bird from the Tana River is an immature specimen in 
an advanced stage of the postjuvenal molt. Only a few of the brown 
juvenal feathers are left on the forehead and crown, but being sur- 
rounded by the new white ones they are rendered very conspicuous. 

The breeding season is in March in Kenya Colony, in April and 
May in Ethiopia. 

In Mearns’s diary I find the following entries referring to this bird: 
Endoto Mountains, July 19-24, 150 birds seen; Er-re-re July 25, 50 
noted; Le-se-dun, July 26, 50; Malele, July 27, 50 individuals; 18 to 
45 miles south of Malele, July 28-80, 30 birds; Northern Guaso Nyiro 
River, July 31-August 3, 75 seen; Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 100; 
Meru, on the equator, August 9, 25 seen; Tharaka district, August 13, 
20 birds; Tana River, August 14-17, 250 observed. 


EUROCEPHALUS RUPPELLI ERLANGERI Zedlitz 


Eurocephalus anguitimens erlangeri ZeDLitz, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 21, p. 58, 1913: 
Dire Daoua. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
3 males, 4 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 29-December 19, 1911. 
2 females, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 31-February 2, 1912. 
2 males, 1 female, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 7-12, 1912. 
1 female, Gato River near Gardula, Hthiopia, April 7, 1912. 
1 male, Gato River near Gardula, May 9, 1912. 

The characters and distribution of this subspecies have already been 
dealt with in the discussion of the nominate form. 

Most of the specimens listed above are in rather worn plumage, 
while three from Dire Daoua are molting the remiges and rectrices. 
In connection with the size data given for rippelli, the dimensions 
of erlangeri (table 64) are significant, showing as they do, the very 
real difference between the two races. 

It resembles 7iippelli in its general habits, being one of the most 
conspicuous birds, both to the ear and the eye, of the thornbush 
country. According to von Heuglin® it breeds in February and 
March. This is corroborated by the observations of several natural- 
ists. Erlanger * found a nest with four eggs near Harrar on May 16 
(not March as stated by Shelley *) and another with three eggs at 
Darassum, in Gurraland, on April 8. In northern Somaliland Lort 
Phillips ** watched a pair building a nest early in March. The nest, 
he says, “was built almost entirely of spiders’ webs with a foundation 
moss, and looked like a magnified nest of a Humming-bird. It was 


® Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, etc., vol. 1, pp. 487-488, 1869. 
6 Journ. ftir Orn., 1905, pp. 670-689. 

*™ The birds of Africa, vol. 5, pt. 2, p. 449, 1912. 

8 Tbis, 1896, p. 78. 


106220—37——_22 


326 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


stuck against the side of a tallish tree, about 12 feet from the ground, 
and at a little distance could scarcely be distinguished from the bark.” 
Some years later ® he obtained a nest with four eggs at Gedais, on 
March 2. 


TABLE 64.—Measurements of 14 specimens of Eurocephalus rtippelli erlangeri 
from Ethiopia 


Locality i i Tarsus 


Mim Mm 
102.5 18. 5 
101.5 18.0 
99.0 17.5 
98.0 17.0 

100. 0 17.0 
97.0 17.0 

102.0 

100. 0 

104.5 

108. 5 

100. 0 

101.0 

104.0 

101.0 





NILAUS BRUBRU MINOR Sharpe 


Nilaus minor Sharpe, Proce. Zool. Soe. London, 1895, p. 47%: Okoto, central 
Somaliland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 6, 1911. 
3 males, 2 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 8-24, 1912. 
1 female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 22, 1912. 
2 males, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 7, 1912. 
1 male, Yebo, Ethiopia, June 21, 1912. 
1 male, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 
2 males, 2 females, 1 immature female, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, 
August 4-7, 1912. ; 
1 female, Tharaka district, 2000 feet, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 
1 female, Tana River, Camp No. 6, Kenya Colony, August 21, 1912. 
1 male, 20 miles above mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 27, 
1912. 


I consider this form a race of the South African Nilaus brubru, 
from which it differs only in size, the latter being somewhat larger. 
Most writers have either kept minor as a distinct species or assumed 
it to be a race of afer, to which species it certainly seems not to 
belong. In connection with the present study I have examined a 
series of 46 specimens of ménor and find no grounds for maintaining 
Hilgert’s form erlangeri,’? which therefore becomes a synonym of 
minor. The race erlangeri is said to be somewhat smaller and to 


® This, 1898, p. 406. 
707 QOrn. Monatsb., 1907, p. 63. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 327 


have paler chestnut sides and flanks than ménor, and the range is 
said to be southern Gallaland east through southern Somaliland to 
the coast, and possibly south to the Taru desert. I have seen no 
topotypical material of erlangeri, but find that minor from Ethiopia, 
Kenya Colony, and British Somaliland varies considerably in color 
and in size, and I note that while Neumann” refers a bird from the 
Taru Desert to erlangeri, van Someren ” finds no difference between 
Taru birds and ménor. It appears, therefore, that erlangeri is based 
on inconstant characters and can not be maintained. 

There are, then, two races of this species, as follows: 

1. NV. 6. brubru: Southern Africa from Natal, the Transvaal, and 
the Orange River, north to Benguella and Southern Rhodesia (to 
the Zambesi River in Mashonaland) ; wings, 80-90 mm. 

2. V. b. minor: Southern Eritrea (southern Danakil area), south 
through Somaliland and the eastern lowlands of Ethiopia (eastern 
Harrar to Ogaden), southern Gallaland west to Shoa, south through 
Kenya Colony to northeastern Tanganyika Territory (the Kiliman- 
jaro region west to the Natron Lakes). Similar to brubru but 
smaller; wings, 67-81 mm. 

The size variations of the present series are shown in table 65. 


TasLE 65.—Measurements of 18 specimens of Nilaus brubru minor 


Locality Wing i Culmen | Tarsus 


ETHIOPIA: 
Dire Daoua 
Gato River 


Onze. aes 
gosiisfs) 








A few of these birds are molting, but the majority are not and 
are in good fairly fresh plumage. The breeding season in Somali- 


7” Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 363. 
7 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 110, 1922. 


328 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


land is in April; in Kenya Colony in March. At Haro-Gobana in 
Gurraland Erlanger ™* found a nest with two eggs on April 8. 

Like the other members of its genus, this bird lives in the thorn- 
bush country and is usually found singly or in pairs. 

Sclater “* considers massaicus and ruwenzorii as subspecies of minor. 
I see no reason for this and feel that the facts are more accurately 
expressed by putting them (ruwenzori is a synonym of massaicus 
anyway) in the afer group. 


Family STURNIDAE, Starlings 
CREATOPHORA CINEREA (Meuschen) 


Rallus cinereus MEUSCHEN, Museum Geversianum sive index rerum naturalium, 
ete., p. 40, no. 17, 1787, based on der Capsche Strandlaufer, Tringa caruncu- 
lata capensis, Naturforscher, vol. 11, p. 9, tabl. 2, 1777: No definite locality 
mentioned ; Cape of Good Hope implied. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, 1 female, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 
2 males, 1 female, Malata, Ethiopia, June 22, 1912. 
2 males, 1 female, Chaffa, Ethiopia, June 23, 1912. 
1 male, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 1, 1912. 
2 females, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 5, 1912. 

Mathews > has pointed out that Meuschen’s name is earlier than 
carunculatus Vieillot, and so must be used for this bird. 

One of these specimens, the femaie from Chaffa, has the wattles 
somewhat developed on the throat, but aside from the circumocular 
area, the head is feathered, and no sign of frontal or capital wattles 
is visible. 

The males are all in the brownish plumage of immaturity and are 
much abraded. One of them, taken at Malata, June 22, is molting 
into the grayer adult plumage. All of them, like the females too, have 
the eye encircled by a bare space and have two bare gular stripes run- 
ning posteriorly from the posteroventral ends of the mandibular rami. 
The female with the developing gular wattles has them growing out 
of each of these two bare lines. Inasmuch as the figure given by 
Stark 7° indicates but a single throat wattle, it would seem as if the 
midventral throat feathers are subsequently shed and the two wattles 
grow into a single fused structure. The bare throat spaces are 
yellow in young birds and in summer specimens; black in breeding 
birds. 

Recently, de Schauensee 7? has shown that the denudation of the 
head and the synchronous development of the wattles is not a matter 


7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 691-692. 

™ Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 602, 1930. 

7% Austral Avian Rec., vol. 5, no. 4, p. 83, 1926. 

7% The birds of South Africa, vol. 1, p. 23, 1900. 

7 Auk, 1928, p. 217. . 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 329 


of age, as previously thought, but a seasonal one. Van Someren,’® 
however, found that “the state of the wattles in no way indicates the 
condition of the reproductive organs.” Some of his birds in breeding 
condition had the heads still covered with feathers, although wattles 
were present. According to de Schauensee, his bird (a captive indi- 
vidual) had the head completely bare, with the wattles well developed, 
in May. It remained this way until the end of October when feathers 
began to sprout about the throat wattles. “At this point”, he says, 
“the wattles began to shrink and the feathers spread slowly back- 
wards to the crown and occiput, and by the beginning of December 
the head was completely feathered. The bird continued in this 
plumage until May. The feathers of the head then began to fall out 
and the wattles to swell and by the middle of June the head was 
exactly as it had been the summer before.” 

Van Someren kept birds in captivity for two years at Nairobi and 
failed to find any seasonal change in them, but it has been suggested 
that molt is often irregular in equatorial regions. 

Finally, to bring the evidence to a close, it may be mentioned that 
the United States National Museum has a completely gymnocephalic 
male, shot on February 14, at Ledgus, on the Sudan-Uganda border, 
which has no sign of wattles either on the throat or the crown. 

The phenomenon of gymnocephaly in Creatophora makes one want 
to compare it with some of the honey-eaters of the Australian region, 
such as Philemon argenticeps and Tropidorhynchus novae-quinea; 
with Allocotops calvus of Borneo; with its nearer relative Mino 
dumonti; with some of the birds of paradise, such as Paradigalla 
carunculata and Schlegelia wilsoni; and with Picathartes of West 
Africa. In some notably gymnocephalic birds, such as vultures, 
guinea-fowls, and some storks, cephalic nudity appears to be a matter 
of age (in some storks even the nestlings have bare areas on the head, 
however). In the Meliphagidae the condition appears in the first 
plumage and seems not to alter with age; in the babbler Allocotops 
gymnocephaly is said to be wholly an age character; in the Para- 
diseidae the data are too meager to help us much; in the glossy star- 
lings, Wino, Sarcops, and F'ulabes, the bare spaces are present in the 
young but may be slightly larger in the adults. Again, the available 
information is not sufficient to allow a comparison with some of the 
tropical American cotingas, such as Gymnocephalus, Gymnoderas, 
and Chasmorhynchus. In the European rook, bareness comes with 
age. 

Though the data on gymnocephaly are not even nearly satisfactory 
as yet, it appears that, if de Schauensee’s bird was acting in a 
natural way, Creatophora is the only bird known to possess seasonal! 
gymnocephaly other than the ruff, Machetes pugnax. In the light of 


7% Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 128, 1922. 


330 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


van Someren’s notes, I cannot see that this is so. The scarcity of 
bald-headed specimens in collections argues against the purely 
seasonal nature of this phenomenon. 

Both van Someren and de Schauensee appear to have overlooked 
Neumann’s notes 7° to the effect that he found a large breeding colony 
at Ngare Longai, north of ‘Taveta, and that it did not contain a single 
gymnocephalic male. He even suggests that gymnocephaly is pro- 
duced only in South African birds and hints that the birds of north- 
eastern and eastern equatorial Africa may be racially separable on 
this basis. This last is negatived by the bare-headed male from the 
Sudan-Uganda border, but it shows the great scarcity of gymnoce- 
phalic individuals. 

The question is partly a matter of age—young birds do not have 
large bare spaces or wattles; the problem is then a matter of seasonal 
change among adults, or one of extreme age. 

The wattled starling is widely distributed over eastern Africa 
from central Shoa, the Blue Nile, and Kordofan southward. It is 
not known in the very high country of Ethiopia. It is a nomadic 
species, following the swarms of locusts, and is known to change its 
breeding place (it is gregarious in its nesting) from year to year. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns noted this bird as follows: 
Chaffa villages, June 23-25, 1,000 birds; dry river 18 miles south- 
west of Hor, 50 seen; Nyero Mountains south of Lake Rudolf, July 
13, 40 noted; Endoto Mountains July 19-24, 600; Er-re-re, July 25, 
50 birds; river 24 miles south of Malele, July 29, 100; 40 miles south 
of Malele, July 30, 500; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31, 200; 
Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 1,500 birds; Guaso Mara River, August 
9, 200 birds seen. 

The breeding season in Kenya Colony is in the rainy seasons; at 
least to a large extent. Neumann found a breeding colony north of 
Taveta in the middle of December; van Someren * obtained a molting 
young bird in October. 


CINNYRICINCLUS LEUCOGASTER FRIEDMANNI Bowen 


Cinnyricinclus leucogaster friedmanni Bowen, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 
vol. 82, p. 166, 1980: Near Gardula, southern Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, October 3, 12, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 
1 adult male, Loco, Ethiopia, March 13, 1912. 
1 adult male, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 29, 1912. 
1 immature male, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 24, 1912. 


Bowen * has recently reviewed the races of this starling and con- 
cluded that there were four valid forms, two of which, including the 


7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 237. 
This, 1916, p. 400. 
81 Proc, Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 82, pp. 165-167, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 331 


present one, were new at that point. I have examined a series of all 
four races, and my findings support those recorded by Bowen. 

The present race and the nominate form have no white on the outer 
tail feathers; the other two—verreauwi and. lawragrayae—have white 
on the outer webs of the lateral pair of rectrices. The present sub- 
species differs from typical leucogaster in being larger; wings, 105— 
113 mm as against 97-104 mm. Therefore, C. 7. friedmanni may be 
characterized briefly as a large form with no white in the tail. 

The specimen from near Gardula is the type. 

The Loco male is much darker and more bluish than the Ourso and 
Gardula specimens. When held away from the light, it is fluorite 
violet above, while the others are madder violet suffused with auricula 
purple. The Loco bird is also distinguished from the others by having 
a slenderer bill. 

The four adults have wing lengths of 105, 106, 109, and 109.5 mm, 
respectively. The Ourso birds are in worn plumage; the Gardula and 
Loco specimens are fairly freshly feathered. 

Neumann *? records males in breeding plumage in December and 
February, birds molting into breeding plumage in the same months, 
and young birds in February, April, and May, in southern Ethiopia. 
T am not aware of any more definite information as to the breeding 
season of this bird in Ethiopia. 

Bowen, Sclater, and others give Ethiopia as the northern limit of 
the distribution of the violet-backed starling in eastern Africa, but it 
has been reported from Bogosland in southern Eritrea as well. It has 
recently been found to occur in southwestern Arabia ** and at Sinkat, 
Red Sea Province, Sudan.** The latter is typical leucogaster, the 
former is probably the same. 

In Ethiopia, the species is found in the river valleys and in the 
middle highlands, but not above 8,300 feet. That it is somewhat local 
may be inferred from the fact that Mearns did not see it in his journey 
through the Hawash Valley, and Arussi-Gallaland. Erlanger ** found 
it only very seldom, except to the south of Ginir, where it was more 
numerous. 

Mearns recorded 20 of these starlings at Loco March 13, and 1 
between the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26. 


CINNYRICINCLUS LEUCOGASTER LAURAGRAYAE Bowen 


Cinnyricinclus leucogaster lauragrayae BowEn, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadel- 
phia, vol. 82, p. 166, 1930: Meru, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 2 females, Meru Forest, Kenya Colony, August 
10, 1912. 


® Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 237-238. 

83 Sclater, Ibis, 1917, p. 140. 

* Bowen, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 83, p. 68, 1931. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 707. 


332 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


This race is the opposite extreme from friedmanni. It is a small 
form with white on the outer webs of the outermost pair of rectrices, 
just as the latter is a large race with no white. Bowen gives 102-109 
mm as the range of variation in wing length of lawragrayae, while in 
verreaugzi, the other race with white in the tail, the wings measure 
from 110 to 114 mm. The present birds have wings of 104, 106, and 
107 mm, respectively. 

Van Someren *° finds the characters of /awragrayae to be inconstant, 
and as his series is considerable his findings must be taken into ac- 
count. All the material I have seen, however, supports this race. 

The two females differ in the color of the crown, nape, and upper 
back. One, in fresh plumage, has all the feathers of these parts mar- 
gined with rufous-tawny, deepest and most rufescent on the head, 
palest and least so on the back; the other, in more abraded condition, 
has the edges of the head feathers paler, more tawny, less rufous, 
and the feathers of the upper back have completely lost their bright 
edges. The male is in rather fresh plumage. 

Mearns observed 20 of these birds at Meru. 

PHOLIA SHARPII (Jackson) 
Pholidauges sharpii JAckson, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 8, p. 22, 1898: Nandi 
(but type in the British Museum from Ravine, Mau Plateau). 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 males, near Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 6, 1912. 
1 female, Loco, Ethiopia, March 18, 1912. 

Sharpe’s starling occurs in the highlands of eastern Africa from 
the Rungwe country northwest of Lake Nyasa, through Tanganyika 
Territory and the eastern Belgian Congo to the Kaffa, Sidamo, and 
Djamdjam districts of southern Ethiopia. 

According to Neumann,*’ this bird lives in thick jungle at alti- 
tudes of from 8,200 to 9,600 feet. 

The three specimens obtained are in fresh plumage. Their di- 
mensions are as follows: Males—wing, 98, 100.5; tail, 60, 63; culmen, 
12.5, 13; tarsus, 20,20 mm. Female—wing, 98; tail, 61.5; culmen, 
13; tarsus, 20 mm. 

SPECULIPASTOR BICOLOR Reichenow 
Speculipastor bicolor REICHENOW, Orn. Centralb., 1879, p. 108: Kipini, Kenya 
Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 14, 1912. 
1 immature male, Anole, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 

The present two specimens constitute the first record for this star- 
ling in Shoa and extend the known range of the species westward 
about 250 miles. 


8 Noy. Zool., vol. 37, pp. 313-314, 1932. 
87 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 238-239. 





BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY saa 


Erlanger *®* found it at Daua, at Garre-Lewin, and at Kismayu. 
Van Someren ®**® found it at Mombasa; near Nairobi; and in the 
dry country around Mount Moroto in Turkana, Uganda. He writes 
that this species is the most nomadic of all the glossy starlings in East 
Africa. 

Recently, van Someren ® has recorded this starling from Jubaland 
west to Turkana and Karamoja, Elgon, and Sotik, and from central 
Kenya Colony to the coast. 

The young bird is dark grayish brown above, and is paler grayish 
brown on the throat and upper breast. The rest of the underparts are 
white. As van Someren says, it resembles adults of Spreo fischeri, 
but has a white wing speculum. 

The adult is in fairly fresh plumage, and has the following dimen- 
sions: Wing, 112.5; tail, 76; culmen (broken) ; tarsus, 27 mm. 

The breeding season in Somaliland and adjacent parts of Galla- 
land is in April and May. Erlanger found a nest with six eggs at 
Dolo on the Daua River on April 30, and another near by on May 1. 


LAMPROCOLIUS CHALYBEUS CHALYBEUS (Hemprich and Ehrenberg) 


Lamprotornis chalybeus HrmMpricH and EHRENBERG, Symbolae physicae, folio y, 
pl. 10, 1828: Ambukol, Dongola. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Ourso, Ethiopia, undated (Ouellard coll.). 
1 male, 1 female, 1 unsexed young, Ourso, Ethiopia, October 21-28, 1911 
(Ouellard coll.). 
3 males, 4 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 3, 1911—January 3, 1912. 
1 male, Gada Bourea, Ethiopia, December 24, 1911. 
3 males, 1 female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 3-8, 1912. 
1 male, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, February 2, 1912. 
1 male, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 12, 1912. 
2 females, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 21—29, 1912. 
2 males, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 8, 1912. 
6 males, 4 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 30—April 21, 
1912. 
1 male, Anole village, Ethiopia, May 18, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 19-20, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris orange in male, yellow in female; bill, feet, and 
claws black. 

Stresemann ™ has recently reviewed the races and variations of this 
starling, and the material examined in the present study bears out his 
conclusions. 

The present subspecies is the only one occurring in the areas 
traversed by the expedition. The form is commonly and widely dis- 
tributed throughout Ethiopia and Kenya Colony, being replaced in 
southern Kenya Colony by an allied smaller form sycodius. Its 


88 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 707-708. 

89 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 128-129, 1922. 
89 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 314, 1932. 
Journ. fiir Orn., 1925, pp. 154-158. 


334 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


abundance is indicated by the fact that Mearns noted from 10 to 1,000 
daily on the journey from Aletta (March 7) to the Athi River (Au- 
gust 30). There is no point in transcribing each day’s notes, as they 
are monotonously similar. 


LAMPROCOLIUS SPLENDIDUS SPLENDIDUS (Vieillot) 
Turdus splendidus VietLuotT, Encyclopédie Méthodique, vol. 2, p. 653, 1822; 
Malimbe, Portuguese Congo. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Loco, Ethiopia, March 138, 1912. 


The single specimen of this glossy starling obtained by the expe- 
dition agrees perfectly with specimens from Kenya Colony and 
Gaboon. It is in good, fresh plumage and is fully adult. 

Neumann” first recorded this bird from within the political 
boundaries of Ethiopia. He obtained specimens at Uma River in 
Konta; at Anderatscha in Kaffa; at Gadjin in Benescho; and at 
Schekho on the upper Gelo. As far as I know, Mearns’s specimen, 
here recorded, is the only other one on record from Ethiopia. Loco 
is the northeasternmost locality from which the species is known. 
That it is not accidental or even uncommon there is indicated by 
the fact that Mearns noted about 50 of these birds there March 13-15. 

Unlike the common glossy starlings of northeastern Africa (LZ. 
chalybeus and L. chloropterus), the present species inhabits dense 
jungle. It is a bird of the highland country at altitudes of from 
6,600 feet to 8,000 feet. 

The breeding season in Ethiopia is not known. In Uganda van 
Someren ** found eggs in March and molting birds in August. 


LAMPROTORNIS PURPUROPTERUS PURPUROPTERUS Riippell 


Lamprotornis purpuropterus RUPPELL, Systematische Uebersicht, pp. 64, 75, pl. 
25, 1845: Shoa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Ourso, Ethiopia, October 13, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 
1 male, Moulu, Ethiopia, December 17, 1911. 
1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 28, 1912. 
2 males, Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 18-21, 1912. 
2 males, 1 female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 21—April 18, 
1912. 
female, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 5, 1912. 
male, 1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 17, 1912. 
2 males, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 23-24, 
1912. 


Soft parts: Iris yellowish white; feet, claws, and bill jet black. 

Riippell’s long-tailed glossy starling occurs throughout the regions 
visited by the expedition and south to the Ufipa district in Tan- 
ganyika Territory. In Bogosland and west through Sennar to Kor- 


et ee 


62 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 240-241. 
% Ibis. 1916, p. 402. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY JOD 


dofan it is replaced by a slightly larger race aeneocephalus. Scla- 
ter °* considers the birds of Uganda and the southern Sudan (Upper 
White Nile and Bahr el Ghazal) as typical purpuropterus. I have 
examined a good series of specimens from these areas and find them 
to be generally smaller than Ethiopian and Kenyan birds and sug- 
gest that it may be well to recognize Sharpe’s name brevicaudus for 
the Uganda and south Sudanese birds. Table 66 shows clearly the 
differences in size exhibited in the material available for study in 
this connection. 


TABLE 66.—Measurements of 82 specimens of Lamprotornis purpuropterus 
purpuropterus 


Locality i Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 


ETHIOPIA: 


KENYA COLONY: 
Tana River 


Rhino Camp 

Lokko Zegga 
SUDAN: 

Gondokoro 


ETHIOPIA: 

Sadi Malka 

Gato River 

Sagon River. 
KENYA COLONY: Tana River 
UGANDA: 


Rhino Camp 

Tombeki River 

Uma River 
SUDAN: 





Van Someren * collected a series in Uganda and adjacent parts of 
southwestern Kenya Colony and found the wing dimensions to be 


% Systema avium A°thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 661, 1930. 
% Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 181, 1922. 


336 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


149-160 mm in the males and 135-150 mm in the females. These 
figures have higher minima than those afforded by the series at hand, 
and because of this difference I feel it better not to recognize 
formally brevicaudus, but merely to call attention to it for the benefit 
of future workers in Uganda. 

The birds collected at Gato River in March and April, and two 
shot on the Tana River in August, are in a molting condition; the 
birds taken at Ourso and at Lake Abaya, in October and March, are 
in worn plumage; the one from Moulu, December 17, and one from 
the Tana River, August 17, are in fresh feathering. Abrasion tends 
to reduce the reddish-violet sheen on the upper back to bluish, and 
that on the middle rectrices to bronzy. 

The Ourso specimen is subadult and has the entire head blackish 
with a dull violaceous sheen. 

Van Someren ** writes that birds from Jubaland do not have so 
well marked a purple collar as is found in specimens from Uganda. 
I am unable to corroborate this and find that the extent of the purple 
appears to vary both individually and with wear. Erlanger ** found 
that in a large series from Ethiopia some individuals had the back 
steel-blue with only the nape and upper tail coverts purplish, while 
others had the entire upperparts decidedly purplish. 

According to Neumann,®* this species lives in the acacia scrub 
country of the warmer valleys and does not ascend into the highlands 
above 6,600 feet. 

Erlanger found two juvenal birds early in June in southern Somali- 
land. Van Someren *® found a nest with eggs in April in Uganda, 
and shot some young birds there in June. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns noted this species as fol- 
lows: Tana River, August 15-23, 85 birds seen; Thika River, August 
23-28, 850; near Athi River, August 29, 20 birds. 


COSMOPSARIS REGIUS MAGNIFICUS van Someren 


Cosmopsaris regius magnificus VAN SoMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 44, 
p. 71, 1924: Tsavo, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 juvenal unsexed, Ourso, Ethiopia, October 8, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, Errer River, Ethiopia, December 13, 1911. 
i juvenal female, Saru, Ethiopia, June 18, 1912. 
3 adult males, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 
1 juvenal female, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 
1 adult female, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 4, 1912. 


% Journ. Hast Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 55 (181), 1930. 
7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 710. 

8 Ibid., p. 243. 

* Ibis, 1916, p. 403. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY Sar 


Soft parts: Iris yellowish white; bill, feet, and claws black. 

No material of typical regiws has been available for study, and 
therefore I follow Sclater*+ in considering all the present specimens 
as of van Someren’s race magnificus. Certainly they do not differ 
inter se, and they agree with two examples from the plains east 
of Mount Kilimanjaro. 

The young birds from Ourso and Saru are just beginning to molt 
into adult plumage; a few glossy greenish feathers are sprouting 
on the throat, crown, nape, and upper back; the Malele bird is less 
advanced, having only a few green feathers posterior to the eyes 
and two on the throat. One of the adults from Le-se-dun is just 
finishing the molt and is in full fresh plumage, but has the middle 
rectrices still inclosed in their sheaths basally although fully grown 
in length. 

The adult males have wings measuring 130, 132, 186.5, and 140 mm, 
tails 212, 221, 223, and 236 mm, respectively. The adult females— 
wings, 122 and 123 mm; tails, 184 and 188 mm, respectively. 

This beautiful bird occurs from southern Ethiopia and the Ogaden 
region south through the interior of Kenya Colony to the Kiliman- 
jaro district. It lives in the acacia savannahs and is usually found 
in small flocks of 6 to 10 individuals. It seems to be really numer- 
ous nowhere but perhaps reaches its greatest abundance in Somali- 
land (where, of course, the nominate race is the local form). Erlan- 
ger ? found it common near Ginir. 

The golden-breasted glossy starling has been taken only a few 
times in Ethiopia. Hawker saw it near the western frontier of 
Harrar; Pease obtained specimens at Errer Gota; and Erlanger shot 
examples in Arussi-Gallaland and Gurraland. 

Erlanger found nests with eggs in the Ginir district on April 4 
and 5. He notes that as early as the beginning of May, one often 
sees fledged young and that the breeding season appears to be very 
definite and brief. Lonnberg* shot a male on March 10 north of the 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River in Kenya Colony. He says: “This 
specimen had the testicles much swelled which proves that the bird 
in question breeds in the thornbush country north of Guaso Nyiro 
below Chanler Falls at that time of the year.” 

Mearns observed this species in the following places: Saru, June 
19, 20 birds; Endoto Mountains, July 19-20, 4 seen; Le-se-dun, July 
26, 25 seen; Malele, July 27, 25 birds; 18 to 24 miles south to Malele, 
July 28-29, 25 noted; Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 4 birds seen. 


1 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 663, 1930. 
2 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 711. 
® Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 99. 


338 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


ONYCHOGNATHUS WALLERI WALLERI (Shelley) 
FIGURE 19 


Amydrus wallert SHELLEY, Ibis, 1880, p. 335, pl. 8: Usambara highlands. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 4 males, 1 female, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 
5-6, 1912. 

Sclater’s arrangement of the races of the starling * seems to me to be 
erroneous insofar as the ranges of walleri, nyasae, and elgonensis are 
concerned. He considers birds from all the highlands of Kenya 
Colony (Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon, Nandi, Marsabit, etc.) as 
elgonensis and restricts nyasae to Nyasaland and southwestern Tan- 
ganyika Territory. The difference between the two is one of size, 
nyasae being larger, elgonensis smaller. Van Someren® sensed the 
fact that the birds of Mount Kenya were larger than those from 
Mount Elgon and Nandi, but he did not definitely commit himself as 
to the relationship of the Mount Kenya birds to nyasae. He writes 
in the following rather ambiguous way: “I have compared my four 
birds with the type and find that they agree fairly well, but the type 
is so poor a skin as to be almost useless for comparison. I doubt if 
A, nyassae is a good race. The type is certainly a large bird.” 

I have examined specimens of nyassae from southern Tanganyika 
Territory (Uzungwe Mountains) and find them identical with birds 
from Mount Kenya and from Escarpment, and I am led to conclude 
that nyasae is not separable from walleri and that the distribution of 
the races of this bird is as follows: 

1. O. w. walleri: The highlands of Nyasaland, Mount Rungwe, and 
the Uzungwe Mountains in Tanganyika Territory north to the 
Uluguru and Usambara ranges and Mount Kilimanjaro north to the 
highlands of Kenya Colony, east of the Rift Valley (Mount Kenya 
and Escarpment). 

2. O. w. elgonensis: The highlands of Kenya Colony west of the 
Rift Valley (Mount Elgon, Nandi), southwest to Ankole in Uganda 
and the Kivu Volcanoes, but does not appear to be known from 
Ruwenzorl. 

I have seen no material from Marsabit and can not say whether the 
birds of that mountain are elgonensis or walleri. 

3. O. w. preussi: Cameroon Mountain and Fernando Po. 

Van Someren gives the wing measurements of his male birds from 
Mount Elgon and Nandi as 123-127 mm; the present four from 
Escarpment have wings of 134.5-136.5 mm in length. The female 
listed above has a wing measuring 131.5 mm and agrees very closely 
with two from Mount Kenya. A male wailleri from the Uzungwe 
Mountains has a wing length of 134.5 mm. 

The present specimens are all in fresh plumage. 


‘Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 664, 1930. 
5 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 132-133, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 339 


The breeding season does not appear to be well known. On the 
Nandi highlands edgonensis has been found nesting early in June. 
Mearns saw about 100 of these birds at Escarpment, September 4-12. 











ANGLO -EGYPTIAN 


ean ETHIOPIA si 


Lee 
nk 
7 


ITALIAN 


SOMAL/- 
L4ANO 


BELG/AN 
CONGO 


NORTHERN 
RHODESIA 
C ° 


MOZAMBIQUE 
\ 


Be Sa 


FIGURE 19.—Distribution of Onychognathus walleri in eastern Africa. 


1. O. w. walleri. 2. O. w. elgonensis. 


Since the above was first written van Someren® has described the 
Mount Kenya bird as keniensis, differing from elgonensis by being 


larger. He did not compare keniensis with southern birds. I consider 
keniensis a synonym of wallere. 





6 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 37, p. 197, 1931: Meru Road. 


340 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


ONYCHOGNATHUS MORIO RUPPELLII (Verreaux) 
Amydrus ruppellii VrErrEaux, in Chenu, Encyclopédie d’histoire naturelle, 
Oiseaux, vol. 5, p. 166, 1856: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 


1 unsexed, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, October 1911. 
1 male, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 10, 1912. 


The red-winged starling is a widely distributed bird over a good 
part of the African Continent. The present race, characterized by 
its large size, occurs in the highlands of Ethiopia, intergrading with 
shelleyi in northern Kenya Colony. However, the species is uncom- 
mon in northern Kenya Colony, as there are few suitable places for 
it there (recorded from Moroto and West Rudolf). The birds live 
about rocky cliffs, krantzes, and ravines, where they nest in holes in 
the vertical walls. Apparently the species is not known from 
southern Somaliland or Jubaland. 

The present race may occur in northern Somaliland, according to 
Zedlitz,7 who records a specimen of uncertain subspecific identity 
from there. 

The Dire Daoua bird is a female by plumage and is in worn condi- 
tion, just starting to molt; the Aletta specimen is in fresh plumage. 
It has a wing length of 161 mm. 

Erlanger * found a breeding colony at Burko, between Harrar and 
Adis Abeba on April 28. He saw large numbers of these birds in 
the Gara Mulata area near Harrar in March. 

Blanford ® writes that “as a rule these birds kept to the highlands, 
at about from 7,000 to 8,000 feet, but I shot one specimen in May as 
low as Suru, barely 2,000 feet above the sea.” 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns saw 200 of these starlings 
at Aletta, March 7-13; 10 at Loco, March 13-15, and 25 at Gato 
River near Gardula, March 29-May 17. The last named locality is 
fairly low, only 4,000 feet in altitude. 


ONYCHOGNATHUS TENUIROSTRIS (Riippell) 


Lamprotornis tenuirostris Rtprett, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna von 
Abyssinien gehérig, etc., Vogel, p. 26, pl. 10, fig. 1, 1836: Abyssinia. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 5 males, 2 females, 1 unsexed, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, 
February 23-27, 1912. 

The slender-billed chestnut-wing occurs in eastern Africa from the 
Uhehe highlands of southwestern Tanganyika Territory north 
through Kenya Colony and Ethiopia to Eritrea (Bogosland). In 
the west the species extends as far as the Kivu Volcanoes and the 
Ruwenzori Mountains. 


7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 91. 
8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 709-710. 
® Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, pp. 398-399, 1870. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 341 


Three of the present birds were just finishing their rectricial molt 
when collected; two of them are otherwise in good fresh plumage, 
while the third is a subadult bird molting out of the fuscous-black 
plumage of immaturity into the glossy blue-black of the adult stage. 
The other birds are in fairly fresh plumage but vary among them- 
selves in this regard. 

Inasmuch as this species seems to be uncommon in collections the 
dimensions of these specimens are here recorded for the benefit of 
other investigators: 

Males: Wing, 145.5, 152, 154, 154, 155 mm; tail, 140, 166, 178, 180, 
183 mm; culmen, 25.5, 25.5, 26, 26.5, 26.5 mm; tarsus, 31.5, 32, 32, 33.5, 
35mm. Females: Wing, 141, 143.5 mm; tail, 126, 157 mm; culmen, 
23.5, 25 mm; tarsus, 30, 30.5 mm. 

Shelley *° has briefly reviewed what was known at the time of the 
distribution of this starling. He gives but one Kenyan locality 
(Mount Kenya), Ruwenzori, and the one Tanganyika record (be- 
tween Tandalla and Bulongwa), and states that it is fairly abundant 
in Shoa and central Ethiopia east to Harrar, and even in that coun- 
try it is a local and uncommon species. In northern Ethiopia and 
in southern Eritrea it has been taken by a number of collectors. 
Erlanger “ procured specimens at Adis Abeba, Gara Mulata, Djam- 
djam, and in Arussi-Gallaland. The Ruwenzori expedition found 
this bird plentiful on that great mountain mass at altitudes of from 
6,500 to 10,000 feet.?? 

In Kenya Colony the species has been recorded from a number of 
localities since Shelley’s work was published. Van Someren** ob- 
tained specimens at Lake Magadi, Voi, Nairobi, Fort Hall, and Ky- 
ambu; the Smithsonian—African expedition under the late Col. Theo- 
dore Roosevelt obtained one at Wambugu. In Tanganyika Terri- 
tory it has been taken in the Uluguru Mountains. 

Ogilvie-Grant ** writes that the young birds of both sexes, re- 
semble the “male parent in lacking all trace of grey edgings to the 
feathers; but the whole plumage is much less glossy.” It seems to 
me that there is no greater resemblance to the male parent than to 
the female; Ogilvie-Grant’s statement has the unintended effect of 
making something remarkable out of a not unusual plumage sequence. 

Mearns found these birds feeding in some red-flowering trees in 
open country at an altitude of 9,200 feet. 


10The birds of Africa, vol. 5, pt. 1, pp. 113-114, 1906. 

1 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 710. 

2 Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 19, p. 265, 1910. 

18 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 133, 1922, vol. 37, p. 317, 1932. 

14 Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 19, p. 265, 1910. 
106220—37. 23 





342 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
GALEOPSAR SALVADORII Sharpe 


Galeopsar salvadorii SHARPE, Ibis, 1891, p. 241, pl. 4: Turquel, Suk country, 
northern Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
3 males, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 7—October 29, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 
2 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 16, 1933. 
1 male, southeast of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 10, 1912. 
3 males, 4 females, Er-re-re, Kenya Colony, July 25, 1912. 
1 female, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris hght brown; bill, feet, and claws black. 

The bristle-crowned chestnut-wing occurs in northern Kenya Col- 
ony (south to the Northern Guaso Nyiro River), north through Shoa, 
to the Hawash Valley, Arussi-Gallaland, and to Gibeli in Somaliland. 
The last mentioned locality is given by Sclater, but it seems that 
the bird must be scarce in Somaliland, as Zedlitz does not include it 
in his fine work on the birds of southern Somaliland. I know of no 
record from south of the Northern Guaso Nyiro River, and I do not 
know how to take Lénnberg’s statement 1* that this species “might 
be regarded as a representative of the Somaliland avifauna even if 
its distribution extends to Victoria Nyanza in the southwest.” 

This starling appears to be rather local, especially in the north- 
eastern part of its range. Erlanger?’ saw it but once in Gallaland 
and commented on its absence elsewhere in his travels. 

The birds collected at Ourso in September and December were 
beginning to molt and are in very worn plumage. The other speci- 
mens are in fresh or worn plumage without any correlation to the 
dates of collection. 

The size variations are shown in table 67. 

Galeopsar bears the same relationship to Onychognathus as Kne- 
strometopon does to Sigmodus, for example. There are numerous 
other similar cases in other groups of birds where a genus differs 
from its closest relatives by the presence of bristlelike frontal 
feathers. The whole question of the modification of ordinary penna- 
ceous feathers into specialized ones like these is most interesting 
and should be studied as a separate problem. 

Lonnberg suggests, on the basis of his own observations and those 
of Hilgert and Erlanger, that this species nests on steep rocks or 
cliffs near water. 

Although previous observers found this bird noticeably local, 
Mearns saw large numbers of them, as the following entries in his 
field books indicate: Southeast of Lake Rudolf, July 10, 18 seen; 
Nyero Mountains south of Lake Rudolf, July 18, 25 seen; Endoto 


% Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 667, 1930. 
1° Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 98. 
17 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 710. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 343 


Mountains, July 19-24, 200; Er-re-re, July 25, 100; Le-se-dun, July 
26, 100; Malele, July 27, 100; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31- 
August 3, 7 birds noted. 


TABLE 67.—Measurements of 14 specimens of Galeopsar salvadorii 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen|} Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Qurs0: 222)22225.5-2-22 Sees Malee2 2222.2 158.0 | 249.0 22.0 35.0 
DOso2 ss sen os se ee cass Se eat doss-=24 153. 0 229.0 21.0 35.0 
DOE e oon eke Psat ee eee dosze ses 22 152.0 202.0 21.0 37.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
Southeast Lake Rudolf_--...-..----|----- dose aneee 154.0 | 156.0 21.0 34.0 
WTeYO-T0 te 22 seec ae ses ores oes a ences Gace ste=s 154.5 | 190.0 21.5 36.0 
OS a a SS FRET Bl Shee dow ke oes 161.0 257.0 22.5 36. 5 
DOrs 4 2e sk ne ee ee is be dor 23 te 160.0 249.0 23.0 36.0 
fT) ea eae a re teen ee ee Female--_---._- 155.0 | 228.0 23.0 37.0 
1D Ya soe ee bee a ee ead ee a COE sees 155.0 218.0 21.0 34.0 
DOs.22532 eae et Se SES. sd dort 156.0 224. 0 22.5 36.0 
WD OLE EE Sa Sees sh eee eet Sea} 34 dot 223-22 146. 5 220.0 21.5 34.5 
Wialelestie scot Slee. esa ot eee Sess dos] = 150.0 | 184.0 22.0 36.0 
ETHIOPIA: 
DIresD AOU === eee oe ed dosst-22= TEZS0) (|= 257s On| aera a= oe oe 38. 5 
WD) Ok Sees ee oe ee oe Seo Se dows sess 156.0 | 236.0 21.5 34.5 





SPREO SHELLEYI Sharpe 


Spreo shelleyi SHARPE, Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum, vol. 18, p. 
190; 1890: Somaliland. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 immature, unsexed birds, Ourso, Ethiopia, October 3, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 
1 adult female, south Lake Stefanie, Ethiopia-Kenya border, May 11, 1912. 
1 immature male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3, 1912. 

This bird lives in southern Somaliland, Ennia Gallaland west to 
Lake Stefanie, and to the northern part of Kenya Colony south to 
the Tana River and to Tsavo and Maungu. On the basis of its 
occurrence in the Tsavo region, where hildebrandti also is found, 
van Someren ** proposes to regard shelleyi as a distinct species, for 
“although they overlap, they do not interbreed. I have examined a 
good many specimens and have seen no evidence of mixing.” 

Tt is now established that some of the southern records of shelley 
do refer to breeding birds,’® and now that this is done there is no 
reason for regarding it as other than a species. It must be admitted 
that the two forms are very distinct from each other in the adult 
plumage; Azldebrandti having the breast much paler than the ab- 
domen, while in shelleyi the breast is just as dark as the abdomen. 
Juvenal birds are hard to tell apart. 


18 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 128, 1922. 
19 Van Someren, Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 314, 1932. 


344 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Both of the Ourso birds are in an early stage of the postjuvenal 
molt; the one from Sagon River is not molting; the adult is in worn 
plumage. 

The main home of this bird appears to be in Ennia and Arussi 
Gallaland, where Erlanger *° found it quite abundant. He obtained 
young birds there in May, June, and July. 

Mearns saw 10 of these birds at Sagon River, June 3, and 20 at 
Bodessa, June 6. 

SPREO SUPERBUS (Riippell) 


Lamprocolius superbus Rtprrty, Systematische Uebersicht der Vogel Nordost- 
Afrika’s, pp. 65, 75, pl. 26, 1845: Shoa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, October 7-27, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 
8 adult males, 1 adult female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 1—December 
19, 1911. 
1 adult male, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 
1 adult female, between Bodessa and Tertale, Ethiopia, April 9, 1912. 
2 adult males, 1 nestling male, 1 nestling female, Gato River near Gardula, 
Ethiopia, April 8-May 1, 1912. 
1 adult female, Tertale, June 8, 1912. 
1 adult male, Turturo, June 15, 1912. 
1 adult female, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 21, 1912. 
1 immature male, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 immature male, 1 adult female, Lekiundu River, Kenya 
Colony, August 4, 1912. 
1 adult male, Tharaka district, Kenya Cotony, August 14, 1912. 
1 adult female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 20, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris very pale yellow, aimost white; bill, feet, and claws 
black, 

The superb starling is an abundant bird in Somaliland, southern 
Ethiopia, Kenya Colony, and Tanganyika Territory. It inhabits the 
open bush country and does not ascend to very great altitudes in the 
highlands. 

Erlanger *4 found a nest with eggs in northern Somaliland on 
March 1. Mearns found a nest with two young at Gato River near 
Gardula on May 1. The two nestlings, which were collected, show 
that the first pennaceous feathering is similar to the adult plumage, 
with possibly less white on the breast, and a little less sheen on the 
back and throat. 

Birds from northern Kenya Colony are said by van Someren ”? to be 
smaller (wings, 110-121 mm) than birds from southern Kenya Col- 
ony and Tanganyika Territory (wings, 115-128 mm). This is not 
borne out by the material I have seen. I find northern males (Ethi- 

20 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 707. 


21 Tbid., p. 706. 
2 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 314, 1932. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 345 


opia, Sudan, and northern Kenya Colony) to have wings of 119-125 
mm, as against 118-127 mm in southern males. 

Bowen 2° shot a breeding female in the Ikoma region of Tangan- 
yika Territory on July 3, while van Someren * obtained a young bird 
in April in Kenya Colony or Uganda. It seems, from all these data, 
that the breeding season is a fairly prolonged one. 

The great abundance of this starling is indicated by the fact that 
Mearns recorded from 5 to 1,000 of them daily between Aletta, 
Ethiopia, March 7, and Athi River, Kenya Colony, August 30. 

Oberholser 2° has recently created a genus Painterius for this spe- 
cies, but I do not consider its characters distinct enough to warrant 
recognition. 


BUPHAGUS ERYTHRORYNCHUS ERYTHRORYNCHUS (Stanley) 


Tanagra erythroryncha STANLEY, in Salt, Travels in Abyssinia, Appendix, p. 59, 
1814: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, 1 immature male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 4-10, 1911. 
2 adult males, 2 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 
9-19, 1912. 

Grote ** has separated the birds of southern Africa, north to south- 
ern Tanganyika Territory, as B. e. caffer, the characters being larger 
size and much darker coloration than in the nominate form. Sclater 
calls birds from as far north as Kenya Colony, Uganda, and the 
Mongalla province of the Sudan caffer, although Grote writes that 
the birds of the Lake Victoria region, etc., are intermediates between 
the two races. I have not enough southern material to investigate 
this matter, and therefore follow Sclater’s list. 

Grote gives the wing dimensions of Ethiopian birds as 105 to 114 
mm. The present series vary in this measurement from 110 to 116 
mm, and are thus fairly large examples. This may be due to the 
fact that they come from southern Ethiopia and approach the 
northern somewhat intermediate caffer type. 

The immature bird is generally similar to the adults in plumage 
but has the head, throat, and breast much darker, about olive-brown, 
and has the bill dark brown (in dried skin) instead of reddish 
yellow. 

The bird shot on December 4 is in a molting condition; the others 
are not obviously in molt but are in rather worn plumage. <A mated 
pair was shot on April 19 at Gato River. 


28 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadeiphia, vol. 83, p. 69, 1931. 
24Tbis, 1916, pp. 400-401. 

5 Sci. Publ. Cleveland Mus. Nat. Hist., vol. 1, no. 3, p. 81, 1930. 
6 Orn. Monatsb., vol. 35, p. 13, 1927. 

3% Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 671, 1930. 


346 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Mearns made a good number of entries in his field book with 
regard to this bird. Inasmuch as it is impossible for me to draw 
a line on a map and thereby separate caffer from the nominate race, 
I give all the records here in their chronological order: At or near 
Aletta, March 7-18, 50 were seen; Loco, March 13-15, 100; Gidabo 
River, March 15-17, 100; the Abaya Lakes, March 18-26, 100; be- 
tween the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 10 birds; Gato 
River near Gardula, March 29-May 17, 100; Anole village, May 18, 
4 birds; Tertale, June 7-12, 8 birds; Wobok, June 18, 10 seen; Yebo, 
June 20, 10 noted; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31—August 3, 
40 birds; Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 20 noted; Guaso Mara River, 
August 9, 20; Meru Forest and Kilindini, August 10, 20 birds; 20 
miles east of Meru on trail to Tana River, August 11, 50 birds seen. 
It may be that the birds south to Yebo are to be considered as 
erythrorynchus, and those from the Northern Guaso Nyiro River and 
southward as caffer. 


BUPHAGUS ERYTHRORYNCHUS CAFFER Grote 
Buphagus erythrorhynchus caffer Grote, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 35, p. 18, 1927: 
Selala River, Transvaal. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Athi River, Kenya Colony, August 29, 1912. 


As already mentioned under the typical race of the red-billed 
oxpecker, birds from Kenya Colony are identified as caffer to accord 
with the conclusions reached by Sclater. The present specimen, how- 
ever, is not particularly dark or large (wing, 112 mm) and might 
just as well be called erythrorynchus. 


Family NECTARINIIDAE, Sunbirds 
NECTARINIA TACAZZE (Stanley) 


Certhia tacazze STANLEY, in Salt, Travels in Abyssinia, Appendix, p. 58, 1814: 
Abyssinia, probably from the Tacazze River. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 immature male, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 8, 1912. 
6 adult males, 4 immature males, 2 adult females, Arussi Plateau, 9,000- 
10,500 feet, Ethiopia, February 17-28, 1912. 
1 adult male, Lake Zwai, Ethiopia, March 1, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 immature male, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 4, 1912. 
8 adult males, 2 immature males, 2 adult females, Hscarpment, Kenya 
Colony, September 4-9, 1912. 


I have studied a series of 34 specimens from Ethiopia, the Kenya 
highlands, and Mount Kilimanjaro and have come to the conclusion 
that jacksoni and unisplendens' are too inconstant in their characters 
to be recognized as racial forms. Sclater,?* Granvik,” and others 


23 Systema avium ADthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 683, 1930. 
29 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 224—226. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 347 


have also come to this decision, although van Someren *° recognizes 
both jacksoni and unisplendens. I do not find that birds from the 
Kenya Highlands (jackson?) are always more highly colored than 
Ethiopian examples, and the color of the sheen on the crown and 
occiput does not seem to be a reliable character either. 

The adult males present the following size variations: Wing, 77-85 
(average, 80.8); tail, 93-121 (average, 103.5); culmen, 28-31.5 
(average, 30); tarsus, 18-20 (average, 18.6 mm). Females: Wings, 
68-74 (average, 71.4); tail, 58.5-65 (average, 62.1); culmen, 27-28 
(average, 27.6) ; tarsus, 18-19 (average, 18.2 mm). 

Three of the males from Arussi Plateau, the one from Lake Zwai, 
and one from Sidamo are molting into breeding plumage. Their 
dates (late February and early March) agree with what Shelley * 
records when he says that the adult males retain their full breeding 
plumage only from April to November. That some males assume 
this feathering earlier than April is shown by some of the February 
specimens, which are in fresh breeding plumage. The data on molt 
given by Neumann * also agree. He writes that birds taken in Sep- 
tember in Shoa are in perfect breeding plumage; that Djamdjam 
specimens taken in December show signs of postnuptial molt; that 
January and February birds (from southern Ethiopia) are in winter 
plumage; and that April birds are molting in nuptial feathering. 

Heuglin ** found this sunbird up to 13,000 feet in the mountains of 
northern Ethiopia. Blanford ** saw them abundantly at 10,500 feet 
on the Eritrean—Ethiopian frontier and found birds in breeding 
plumage and condition at Senafé in May. 

Neumann * found a nest with two eggs on September 19 at Tsch- 
eratsiha, in Shoa. 


NECTARINIA KILIMENSIS KILIMENSIS Shelley 


Nectarinia kilimensis SHetiey, Proc. Zool. Soe. London, 1884, p. 555: Mount 
Kilimanjaro, about 5,000 feet. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 adult male, 1 immature male, 1 adult female, Escarp- 
ment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 4-9, 1912. 


Sclater °° lists three races of this sunbird—the typical one, arturi of 
Nyasaland and Southern Rhodesia, and gadowi of Angola. No men- 
tion is made of filiola Hartlaub, but, judged by the range given for 
kilimensis, the former seems to be considered a synonym of the latter. 
This, however, seems to me to be wrong; I find western birds more 


39 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 192-193, 1922. 

%1The birds of Africa, vol. 2, p. 27, 1900. 

*%2 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 257. 

88 Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, ete., vol. 1, p. 222, 1869. 

* Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, p. 352, 1870. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 300. 

86 Systema avium Ajthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 683-684, 1930. 


348 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


purplish, less greenish, bronze on the lower back, than typical hédz- 
mensis, and so prefer to recognize filiola as the form of western 
Uganda and the eastern Belgian Congo from the eastern Ituri to the 
Kivu district. Gyldenstolpe *’ also recognizes filiola. He states that 
the type locality, Njangalo, is in Tanganyika Territory. I have been 
unable to find Njangalo on any map, and judged from the date (April 
27) on which Emin collected the type, and a careful reading of the 
itinerary of Stanley’s Emin Pasha Relief expedition, this locality 
would seem to be between the southwest end of Lake Albert and the 
north shore of Lake Edward, nearer to the former than the latter. 
This would put it somewhere along the Uganda—Congo border, but 
not in Tanganyika Territory. 

Typical examples of Ailiémensis have slightly more strongly arched 
bills than do filéola, or even the birds from Kenya Colony (which 
are not wholly typical of the present race). 

The adult male is in somewhat abraded plumage; the young male 
even more so. The latter resembles the adult female in coloration 
but is a little duller above, especially on the forehead and crown. 

According to van Someren ** this sunbird is a common species— 

* * * frequenting native gardens and the wild scrub-country. They were 
found nesting in June and November. The nest is usually attached to the 
end of some free-swinging twig about six to ten feet from the ground, and is 
made of grass, fibres, lichen, and bits of bark, bound together with cobwebs, 
the interior lined with down. * * * The eggs are pale creamy or bluish, 
thickly or sparingly spotted and streaked with ash-brown. 

Alinder *° found a nest with two eggs on the northwestern slopes of 
Mount Elgon on July 14. 


NECTARINIA PULCHELLA LUCIDIPECTUS Hartert 


Nectarinia pulchella lucidipectus Harrert, Noy. Zool., vol. 28, p. 123, 1921: 
Wad Medani, Blue Nile. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult, 3 immature males, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, December 21, 1911- 
January 29, 1912. 
2 adult males, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 28, 1912. 
15 adult males, 1 immature male, 6 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, 
Ethiopia, April 2—-May 14, 1912. 
1 adult male, east of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, May 25, 1912. 
1 adult male, Womo River, north Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, May 30, 
1912. 


I have seen no material of typical pulchella and follow Sclater’s 


list *° in calling the present birds Zucidipectus. This race is said to 
differ from the nominate one in having the reddish pectoral area 


37 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 85. 
8 Ibis, 1916, p. 447. 

*° Verh. Orn. Ges. Bayern, vol. 17, p. 261, 1927. 

40 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 685, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 349 


brighter and more scarlet and also greater in extent, and in having 
the lateral pectoral patches more yellowish, less greenish. Accord- 
ing to Gyldenstolpe ** ducidipectus has the upperparts more greenish, 
less bronzy, than pulchel/a. Sclater notes that the two races are not 
always readily identifiable, and he also cautions that the form of 
Asben and adjacent parts of northern Nigeria, aegra Hartert, is 
somewhat doubtful in its status. 

If we assume, however, that lucidipectus is valid (which is a safe 
assumption), its range is as follows: Northwestern Kenya Colony 
(south to Mount Elgon) north through Ethiopia to Eritrea and 
through northern Uganda to the White Nile, along which it occurs 
as far as Khartoum, and also to Sennar and Nubia. It ranges west 
to the Bahr el Ghazal, where it has been taken at Wau. 

The size variations of the adults are shown in table 68. 


TABLE 68.—Measurements of 26 specimens of Nectarinia pulchella lucidipectus 





Extent of 
central 
Locality Sex Wing | Tail teonal Culmen | Tarsus 
rest of 
tail 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm Mm 
padi Malka eae. eae Malena. sees 60.0 80.0 34. 0 16.0 15.0 
Near Gardula22 sss. 2222 }2-22 dors sees 58.0 42.5 QHOS|L sees 16.0 
DO access alee dos.6-S--4 61.0 74.0 30.0 17.5 15.0 
GatovRivere-- = --os5-=—2]-s-2 G0se— 2 -ss= 57.0 73.0 31.0 16.0 15.5 
TOES ee ose ae eee | bere dou es 59.0 70.0 28.0 17.0 16.0 
Doe aso 5 se ees doen. so 59.0 42.5, 27.0 17.5 15.0 
DQ sa eee eee ee dots == 61.0 75.0 31.0 Lis 16.0 
DOSES ere ee 2S doeie a= 58.0 75.0 32.0 17.0 15. 5 
08. 2k eased acteo te Goss s2 228 60.0 74.5 31.5 17.0 16.0 
WO Se cae here aaa | ase Gon. 2225 59.0 43.5 0.0 17.0 15.0 
OR SREL oh eee e se eee doww22iee 59. 0 73.0 31.0 16.0 15.0 
DO. oes. seneck cost bok doz. 2354.4 59.0 73. 5 32.0 16.0 16.5 
DQ nok ecto e eee cee [ees Goes se 57.5 68.0 25.0 15.0 16.0 
POS SS Seth See et es ee doss2322- 59. 5 81.0 37.0 17.5 16.5 
MG. oo 425s Ae eee dos.=. f=. 58.5 82.0 36.0 18.0 16.0 
1D Yr ee eee pee domes 2 60.0 75.0 31.0 16.5 15. 0 
DO sek ee oe Gots see 59:0 pocteeee Eel aba 17.0 15.0 
5D Yo Se a a fe Se ie ee GOt cesta 59.0 81.5 38. 0 16.5 15.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
East of Lake Rudolf_____|____- dos: se 56. 0 85.5 43.0 18.5 15.0 
North of Lake Rudolf--__|----_ Goze sha 56. 0 79.0 38. 0 17.5 15.0 
ETHIOPIA: 
GatorRivers == ses Female_-_-_-_-_- 43.5 BSAON Sooo 16.0 1655 
NY) Oe eee eee ie oe Gols 52.0 3600) |oosc ae ee 16.0 15.0 
Doses eae ee ei Ie don ss os 53.0 39:0; jbsscene eee 16.0 16.0 
DOen sce sesce en eee eee Gos=. a2 53.0 SiON soe ea 16.5 15.0 
Doss 2 stab see dow = 55.0 4050" \ee2o sees 16.5 15.5 
WMoOs2t 42 228s ose Re dows. >. 2 54.0 30, Oo poe es 17.0 15.0 





Two of the adult males (taken March 28) are in molt; all 
the others are in nuptial plumage. The immature males taken in 





“ Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 86. 


350 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


December and January are also in molt. A long series of February 
males from the southern Sudan are all in nonbreeding plumage. 
Sclater and Mackworth-Praed *? have examined a fine series of Su- 
danese birds and find that they appear to retain the long tail feath- 
ers— 

* * * practically throughout the year until they become very worn in 
December when they are shed, and the new tail commences to sprout in Janu- 
ary. The metallic breeding-dress commences soon after and is complete in 
from May to July. The winter birds resemble the females, but always retain 
traces of the metallic green on the shoulders and the long tail feathers, which 
appear to be only lost for the annual molt. 

The species does not occur in the high mountains of Ethiopia, but 
only in the low plains and the hot valleys. The upper limit of its 
altitudinal range seems to be about 5,000 feet. Von Heuglin found 
it to be fairly numerous in Bogosland and in the lowlands of north- 
ern Ethiopia; Antinori and Ragazzi met with it in Shoa; Neumann 
obtained examples in the lake region of southern Shoa; Erlanger 
collected specimens in Arussi-Gallaland, the Hawash Valley, and 
in the Djamdjam district. 

Mearns found three nests with two eggs each of this bird at Gato 
River near Gardula on May 1, 7, and 13. The nests are of the usual 
sunbird type—pendant, purse-shaped structures of fine grasses, plant 
fibers, and cobwebs, with some feathers mixed in, especially in the 
inside, and suspended from the tips of terminal branches of thorn 
trees, at elevations varying from 3 to 10 feet from the ground. The 
eges, which were somewhat advanced in incubation in all three nests, 
average 17 by 12 mm; are rather tapering to a rounded point at 
the smaller pole; are dusky grayish with dark grayish and blackish 
markings, and a grayish ring around the unmarked larger pole. 

One of the nests contained in addition to the two usual eggs, two 
other pale bluish ones spotted with dull lilac. These eggs are similar 
in size and shape to those described above, but their identification 
must be left an open matter. 


NECTARINIA MELANOGASTRA NECTARINOIDES (Richmond) 


Cinnyris nectarinoides RicHMonpD, Auk, 1897, p. 158: Plains east of Kiliman- 
jaro. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 13, 1912. 
1 immature male, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 16, 1912. 
There are three races of this sunbird, as follows: 
1. NV. m. melanogastra: From Singida and Dodoma in 'Tanganyika 
Territory north to Ukamba, the Sotik, and south Kavirondo. 


“ This, 1918, p. 617. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 351 


2. N. m. nectarinoides: The Teita country north to the Tana 
River and the Northern Guaso Nyiro River. 

3. NV. m. erlangeri: The Lower Juba Valley and adjacent parts of 
extreme northeastern Kenya Colony. 

The three may be identified by the following characters: The 
pectoral band is bright crimson or sometimes even deep scarlet in 
the nominate form, while it is dull brick red or orange-red in the 
other two. The yellow lateral pectoral patches are broad in melano- 
gastra, narrow in nectarinoides, and lacking in erlangeri. WN. erlan- 
geri bevent van Someren * is a straight synonym. This form (erlan- 
geri) is said to be like nectarinoides but to differ from it in having no 
marked yellow bar separating the red tips from the dark bases of the 
breast feathers, and further in having no yellow feathers on either 
side of this breast band. The last-named character may be suffi- 
cient to validate erlangeri, but the lack of a yellow bar between the 
red tips and dark bases of the breast feathers is not a significant 
feature, as the type of nectarinoides has no such yellow band, and 
neither does another male from-Arusha. The race nectarinoides 
has the breast patch dull orange-red, not bright red as in melano- 
gastra, and has very much less yellow on the sides of the breast 
than the latter race. The latter is also larger in size generally. In 
support of erlangeri, it shouid be noted that Mackworth-Praed “4 
writes that a male from the Juba River, now in the British Museum, 
is much like nectarinoides but has no trace of a yellow pectoral tuft. 

Van Someren * finds that birds from southern Kavirondo are 
larger (wings, 64-66 mm) than typical birds from Nguruman 
(wings, 58-60 mm). It may be that the western birds will prove to 
be separable. In a later paper *® he considers melanogastra a race 
of V. pulchella, and makes nectarinoides and erlangeri races of the 
N. erythrocerca. 

NECTARINIA REICHENOWI (Fischer) 
Drepanorhynchus reichenowi Fiscuer, Journ. fiir Orn., 1884, p. 56: Lake Naiva- 
sha, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 6 males, 2 females, Hscarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, 
September 6-10, 1912. 

I have seen no material from Mount Elgon and therefore can not 
form an opinion as to the validity of WV. 7. alindert Laubmann. 
Sclater #7 considers it indistinguishable from reichenowi. 

The range of this sunbird, as given by Sclater, should be extended 
northward to include Mount Uraguess in northern Kenya Colony. 


48 Journ. Hast Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 64 (140), 1930. 
44This, 1917, p. 375. 

45 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 198, 1922. 

46 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 351, 1982. 

47 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 686, 1930. 


352 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


It is possible that the birds of that mountain may prove to be a 
distinct race, as they are smaller than others from Escarpment, 
Mount Kenya, and the Sotik district. Heller collected three speci- 
mens on Mount Uraguess, now in the United States National Mu- 
seum. ‘Two are adult males with wings of 74 and 75.5 mm, re- 
spectively; one is an adult female—wing, 66 mm. As opposed to 
these, 18 adult males from the other, more southern localities men- 
tioned have wing lengths of from 77.5 to 83 mm; females, 67-72 mm. 

Adult males vary considerably in the color of the sheen of the 
feathers of the back; in some there is almost no trace of coppery pur- 
ple, while in others the purplish is the dominant tone. 

This bird is common in the Kikuyu region, where it lives on the 
outskirts of wooded areas and in the thornbush country. It is 
numerous near Nairobi and other civilized centers and, consequently, 
has been observed and collected a good deal. 

The only character on which the genus Drepanorhynchus rests is 
the yellow color of the margins of the remiges and rectrices. I do 
not consider this anything but specific in taxonomic value and there- 
fore refer the name to the synonymy of Nectarinia. This was done 
years ago by Shelley,*® but nevertheless recent workers have used 
Drepanorhynchus for this species. 

Mearns noted about 200 of these birds at Escarpment, September 
4-12. 

CINNYRIS HABESSINICUS HABESSINICUS (Hemprich and Ehrenberg) 
Nectarinia (Cinnyris) habessinicus HemrricH and EHRENBERG, Symbolae physi- 
cae, folio a, pl. 4, 1828: Hilet, Ethiopia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

7 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 3—October 16, 1911 (Ouellard 
coll.). 

9 adult males, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 10-20, 1911. 

1 adult male, Duletcha, Ethiopia, January 24, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 adult female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 28-29, 1912. 

1 adult male, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 6, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 immature male, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 
10-18, 1912. 

2 adult males, 1 immature male, Bodessa, Ethiopia, Mayl 20-27, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 immature male, 2 adult females, Sagon River, Ethiopia, 
April 7 and June 3, 1912. 

1 adult male, divide between Lakes Stefanie and Rudolf, Kenya Colony, 
June 2, 1912. 


I have not seen any material of C. A. alter Neumann or of C. h. 
turkanae van Someren, and so can not form an opinion of them. 
The former, said to occur in northern Somaliland west to Harrar, is 
described as very similar to habessinicus but somewhat larger and 
with a longer and straighter bill (wing, males, 68-71 mm, as against 
64-68 mm in males of habessinicus; culmen, 21.5-24 mm, as against 


* The birds of Africa, vol. 2, p. 31, 1900. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 300 


18.5-20 mm). Van Someren’s race turkanae is said by its describer 
to differ from both habessinicus and alter in being larger (wings, 
66-70 mm, as compared with 60-61 mm) and in having the red pectoral 
area wider and brighter; the throat green, not bluish; the mantle 
and rump and upper tail coverts golden-green. The size character 
seems to be of little value, and I find enough variation in color in 
the present series to cast some doubt on the color characters of 
turkanae. I follow Sclater*® in synonymizing alter and turkanae 
with habessinicus, for the present at least. 

The dimensions of the present series of adults are shown in table 


69. 


TaBLE 69.—Measurements of 27 specimens of Cinnyris habessinicus habessinicus 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen]} Tarsus 
a | 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 

OUTSO 2. oes Oe aE Males 66.0 47.0 21.5 14.5 

1 0 ee eee nae dossae32-5 67.0 45.0 22, 5 15.0 

1D 0 eee eee eee aaa ae Goss lJiivez 72.5 51.0 24.0 15.5 

TD) Qe eee eee ee ena an ae ae Gossesen2s 67.0 47.5 22.0 15.0 

DG ee ae eee oe eee ome doses 69. 0 50.0 22.0 15.5 

TOS eet eae ae el Rese dou.2 2322 65.0 46.5 23.0 17.0 

DD One eee eee eee ean dota 65.0 46.0 21.0 14.0 

AITO) AO Le eee ree a dose S422 67.0 47.0 22.0 16.0 
IBY o aewe pee 5 Se ee eh dowse22.42 68.0 49.0 22:0: (basses 

1) Qe ee ae ee eee doezae= see 67.0 47.0 22.0 16.5 

1D) ee eee ae do--a32.—2 70.0 bogOhesesensees 16.5 

DO ete eee ee eee eee eee does 69.0 49.0 21.0 16.5 

1D) Qe ee ee doses 66.0 47.0 21.0 16.5 

SD) ee ee ee ee | ae dOusee= see 67.0 47.0 22.5 17.0 

1D ee ne ee eae GOs suse ee 68.0 50.0 22.0 17.0 

1D) Qe ee dot--ot = 70.0 50.0 22. 5 17.0 

PP TNO CH eee eee eee ae doses -c2 69.5 50.0 22.5 15.5 

SadiMalkae 2222 eee eee | ane Gostee2 69.0 49.5 21.0 16.0 

wash bVele bee ae ee ne dosesasce= 70.5 49.0 22. 5 16.5 

Gatoektivene se. sees eran eeeees Gos = 2 kis 68. 5 46.0 22.0 16.0 

TBO GESH a ee eee eons dose 67.0 49.5 21.0 17.0 

WO neo te es eens Se ceeece| Sener dosese==22 66.0 49.0 21.5 16.0 

SAG One iVeleeee ee ea ae eneaan ea ae dozws2. 5. 66.0 45.0 21.5 16.0 

KENnyA COLONY: Between Lake Ste- |----- domez sess 66.0 45.5 22.0 16.0 

fanie and Lake Rudolf. 
ETHIOPIA: 

Sani Malka 2 Pat ee beeen sen oet Female_-_--_--- 61.0 41.0 20.0 16.0 

Sarontiveres se =) ase an eae n= == [o= == doze sae 60.0 42.0 20.0 15.5 

Owe sae Ree sae = eee does=5 2022 60.0 43.0 19.0 15.0 





These figures indicate that habessinicus and alter and turkanae are 
not so distinct as Neumann’s and van Someren’s data seemed to 
indicate. 

The birds taken in September and October are in worn plumage; 
the December ones are partly worn, partly in molt, and partly in fresh 
plumage; adults taken in January and February and later are all in 
rather fresh feathering. 


49 Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, 688, 1930. 


354 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


This sunbird occurs from the Red Sea Province of the Sudan 
through Eritrea and Ethiopia to Somaliland and Jubaland, Rendile- 
land to Turkanaland in northeastern Uganda and to Kordofan. In 
southwestern Arabia it is replaced by another race hellmayri. 

Blanford © found this bird very common both in the coastal belt 
and up to an altitude of 4,000 feet above the sea. He found birds in 
molt and others in full fresh plumage in January and February. 
Specimens in full plumage were taken by various collectors in Shoa 
from March to October. Erlanger * found the bird breeding early in 
April in Gurraland. Lort Phillips *? found it nesting early in March 
on Wagga Mountain, in the Goolis Range of British Somaliland. 

Mearns noted some 500 of these birds at Gato River near Gardula, 
March 29-May 17; at Anole village, May 18, he saw 4; Sagon River, 
May 19, 10 noted; Bodessa, May 19-June 3, 200 birds; Sagon River, 
June 3-6, 40 were seen. 


CINNYRIS MARIQUENSIS SUAHELICUS Reichenow 
Cinnyris suahelica REIcCHENOW, Journ. fiir Orn., 1891, p. 161: Tabora district, 
Tanganyika Territory. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 adult males, 4 immature males, 3 adult females, Tana 
River, Camp No. 6, Kenya Colony, August 21-22, 1912. 


Both van Someren®* and Sclater* suggest that Helionympha 
raineyt Mearns is a synonym of this bird. Mearns based his new 
“species” on two specimens, not on one, as his published account indi- 
cates, and both of them have been available for study in the present 
connection. They are unquestionably the same as Cinnyris mari- 
quensis suahelicus, although they both happen to have slightly longer 
bills than the series of that race in the United States National Museum. 
The elongated central rectrices, supposed to set off the genus Helionym- 
pha, do not differ appreciably in any way from those of the present 
species. 

In northeastern and eastern Africa there are three races of this 
sunbird, and it is highly possible that a fourth may be demonstrated 
to exist in the northern portions of Kenya Colony. The three named 
races are as follows: 

1. C. m. hawkeri: British Somaliland. This form, which I have 
not seen, is considered identical with osivis by van Someren, but it 
is recognized by Sclater. It is said to be like osirts but to have a 
darker brownish-red breast band and to have a purer green, less 
bronze or coppery, sheen on the upperparts. 


°° Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, p. 351, 1870. 
51 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 56—57. 

*Tbis, 1896, p, 81; and 1898, pp. 402-403. 

58 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 195, 1922. 

5! Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 690, 1930. 





BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 000 


2. C. m. osiris: Eritrea and Ethiopia south to northern Kenya 
Colony and northeastern Uganda. Van Someren writes that he feels 
certain that “when more specimens are available from Baringo and 
Northern Frontier district, they will prove to be distinct. I fail 
to separate the South Abyssinian birds from the typical North Abys- 
sinian race (osiris), with which my Moroto specimens agree very 
well.” 

Berger © writes that birds from Lake Baringo and southward to 
Solei agree with others from Bogosland, but the blue of the rump is 
more steel blue in shade in the southern birds. This race differs from 
suahelicus in having the posterior margin of the throat more violet- 
red, less steel blue. 

3. C. m. suahelicus: Kastern Uganda, central Kenya Colony, south 
through Tanganyika Territory to the northern end of Lake Nyasa. 

The young males resemble the females but have dark, almost solid 
black throats and are generally somewhat larger as well. One of 
the young birds, collected on August 22, is well advanced in its molt 
into adult plumage, while the other immature specimens show no 
sign of molt but are in full immature plumage. Schuster * obtained 
a molting bird at Dar es Salaam on April 14, so it would seem that 
with two molting seasons there would be two breeding seasons. Van 
Someren *7 found a nest at Kioumu in July. He writes that it was 
“composed entirely of cotton-wool and vegetable-down, and lined with 
feathers. * * * The eggs are creamy white or pale greenish, with 
a few brownish specklings toward the larger end.” Bowen °8 obtained 
males in breeding condition in the Ikoma region, Tanganyika 
Territory, June 21-23. 


CINNYRIS MARIQUENSIS OSIRIS (Finsch) 


Nectarinia osiris FinscH, Trans. Zool. Soe. London, vol. 7, p. 230, 1870: Senafe, 
Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
5 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 4-November 15, 1911 (Ouellard 
coll.). 
3 adult males, 1 juvenal male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 30-December 
22, 1911. 
1 adult male, Serre, Ethiopia, February 13, 1912. 
4 adult males, 3 juvenal males, 4 adult females, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 
20-31, 1912. 
3 adult males, 2 juvenal males, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 7-10, 1912. 
1 adult male, El Ade, Ethiopia, June 13, 1912. 
1 adult female, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 16, 1912. 


The range and characters of this race have already been stated and 
need not be repeated here. 


5 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 520. 

56 Journ. fiir Orn., 1926, p. 735. 

57 Tbis, 1916, p. 445. 

'8 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 83, p. 70, 1931. 


356 BULLETIN 158, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Neumann * considers birds from the Hawash River south of the 
Sekwala Mountains, from Mole River, and from Shoa as intermediate 
between osiris and hawkeri but nearer the latter. Zedlitz ®° considers 
osiris restricted to Eritrea, northern and central Ethiopia, and haw- 
keri from northern Somaliland to Shoa. I have seen no topotypical 
osiris and no material of hawkeri and therefore follow Sclater in 
considering the present birds ostris. 

The majority of the adults are in somewhat, or at least slightly, 
worn plumage. A male shot on November 30 at Dire Daoua is in 
molting condition. 

The males have wing lengths of 62-68 mm; tail, 42-9; culmen, 
18.5-20; tarsus, 15-17 mm. Females: Wing, 59-61.5; tail, 40-42; 
culmen, 18-19 mm; tarsus, 15-16 mm. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns observed this bird as 
follows: Aletta, March 7-18, 50 birds; Gidabo River, March 15-17, 
10 seen; Abaya Lakes, March 18-20, 15 birds; Bodessa, May 19- 
June 3, 100; Sagon River, June 3-6, 30 seen; Tertale, June 7-12, 300; 
El] Ade, June 12-13, 50; Mar Mora, June 14-15, 50; Turturo, June 
15-17, 100; Anole, June 17, 6 birds; Wobok, June 18, 10 seen; Saru, 
June 19, 10 noted; Yebo, June 20, 5 birds; Chaffa, June 23-24, 5 
birds observed. 

Since this account was written van Someren ®* has recorded this 
sunbird from Weiwei River, Kapenguria, Southwest Rudolf, Meru, 
and Archers Post. 


CINNYRIS VENUSTUS BLICKI Mearns 
FIGuRE 20 


Cinnyris venusta blicki Mearns, Proc. U. 8. Nat. Mus., vol. 48, p. 386, 1915: 
South shore of Lake Stefanie. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, El Ade, Ethiopia, June 12, 1912. 
1 adult male, Anole, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 
2 adult males, Lake Stefanie, south, Kenya Colony, May 17, 1972. 
2 adult females, 3 immature males, 25 miles southeast of Lake Rudolf, 
Kenya Colony, July 12-13, 1912. 
1 adult female, Mount Nyero, 35 miles south of Lake Rudolf, Kenya 
Colony, July 18, 1912. 
3 adult females, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 13-14, 1912. 
1 adult male, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 28, 1912. 
1 adult male, 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris dark brown; bill, feet, and claws black. 


Sclater * considers blicki a synonym of fazoglensis Heuglin, but in 
this I feel he is mistaken. The latter has the entire belly, sides, and 


69 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 251. 

6 Ibis, 1911, p. 60. 

a Noy. Zool., vol. 37, p. 353, 1932. 

& Systema avium A®Sthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 692, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 357 


flanks pale yellow, while dlicki has these parts white with a median 
yellowish area on the belly. I consider it nearer to albiventris than 
to venustus, and feel that these two “species” are really one specific 
group with white-bellied and yellow-bellied races. 

Van Someren * records blickt from Marsabit, Kauro, and Koroli 
and states that birds from Turkwell, Kerio, and Lake Rudolf are 
distinct from them and are probably intermediates between blicki 
and @. v. falkensteini: He records albiventris from Serenli, Man- 
daira, and Neboi, and writes that it “would be of great interest to 
ascertain at what point this species meets with dblicki, and whether 
there is any intergrading.” 

The present series illustrates that there is such intergrading in the 
country south of Malele north to the Indunumara Mountains. Thus, 
two males from 18 and 24 miles south of Malele, respectively, have 
only a faint, pale primrose-yellow midabdominal area, while the type 
and topotype of the race (from the south shore of Lake Stefanie) 
have this region primuline yellow, and the bird from El Ade has 
some of the feathers tipped with light orange-yellow. Apparently 
the Turkwell birds of van Someren’s paper are like these typical 
blicki, which is, in the last estimate, a race bridging the gap be- 
tween falkensteini and albiventris. 

There are five races of this sunbird in northeastern and equatorial 
east Africa, as follows: 

1. C. v. albwventris: British and Italian Somaliland, west to the 
Webbe in Gallaland, and south to Jubaland and to Lamu in Kenya 
Colony. In the Malele district it intergrades with the next form. 

2. C. v. blicki: Extreme southern Shoa, northeastern Uganda, and 
the Rendile country of northern Kenya Colony, south to Malele 
where it meets with albiventris. 

3. C. v. fazoglensis: Eritrea and Ethiopia south to approximately 
the country just north of Lake Stefanie. 

4. C. v. falkensteini: The interior of the southern half or so of 
Kenya Colony from Mount Elgon and Fort Hall, east to Mount 
Kilimanjaro, then south through Tanganyika Territory (where it 
reaches the coast) to northeastern Mozambique, south along the coast 
to Lumbo. In southwestern Tanganyika Territory it begins to 
merge into niassae of Nyasaland and Rhodesia. 

5. C. v. igneiventris: Uganda, Ruanda, Urundi, and the eastern 
Belgian Congo south to the Kivu Volcanoes. In eastern Uganda it 
intergrades with falkensteini, the meeting ground of the two being 
just west of Entebbe.* 


® Journ. Hast Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 65 (141), 1930. 
63 See Ogilvie-Grant, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 19, p. 325, 1910. 


106220—37. 24 





358 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


These five forms may be identified by the following characters: 
albiventris has the entire belly, sides, flanks, and under tail coverts 
white ; blicki is similar but has the middle of the belly pale yellowish; 
falkensteini and fazoglensis have the abdomen wholly yellowish, but 


30° 40° 





ATU LUA 
TI : i 
J 


{ 
o 100__200 300 400 S00 MILES 


SST] 


- SCALE- 
FicurE 20.—Distribution of Cinnyris venustus in northeastern Africa. 


1, C. v. fazoglensis. 4. C. v. falkensteini. 
2. C. v. albiventris. 5. OC. v. igneiventris. 
3. OC. v. blicki. 


the former has this color a deeper, slightly more orange shade than 
the latter; igneiventris has the upper half of the abdomen bright 
orange, the rest yellow. 

A sixth form, swkensis, has recently been described by van 
Someren ** from the area south and southwest of Lake Rudolf to 


* Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 354, 1932 : Turkwell River. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 359 


Mount Elgon, characterized as intermediate between blicki and 
igneiventris, This may well be a valid form, but I have seen no 
material of it. 

The present series is the one on the basis of which Mearns de- 
scribed blickt. In the original description of this bird he stated 
that it was smaller than falkensteini, but this is not so. The meas- 
urements of the present adults are tabulated as evidence of this 
fact (table 70). 


Tasle 70.—Measurements of 12 specimens of Cinnyris venustus blicki 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
HE Ad et 22 22252235 ere ee Mialet2=4222-2 53.0 33.0 16.0 16.0 
IAMIOIG Fae = ae Ce Se ne SSA eee dos 53.0 36.0 16.5 15.5 
KENYA COLONY: 
18 milesisouth Malelet22-.---- == 322 |e = dozstes 51.0 35.0 15.5 16.0 
g4Asmiles south Misleles= = = 2-2-2 Ee ee a G0: 222352 53.0 36.5 15.0 15.0 
South of Lake Stefanie___--....--.---]----- dozasas2=—-5 54.0 40.0 16.0 16.0 
WD OMe aon cee osawas soca eececnea|Sacae GOss=es25-— 52.0 39.0 16.0 16.0 
25 miles southeast Lake Rudolf__-_--- Hemalesee= 48.0 30.0 16.0 14.5 
10 17 er See eee ye eee vee (Lae dos 2-2. 49.0 30.0 15.0 15.5 
INTOUNEEN Yero!t 22 +. of S22 ee PSE Lessee a0. 52.0 33.5 15.0 15.0 
Iinduntmara, Mountains =—-- see sss |e dons: = 48.5 32.0 15.5 15.0 
DQ ne ee et an looted done. 3-2 48.0 32.5 15.0 14.5 
WDD aaa none a ee en woe eae esede Gorse 48.5 31.0 16.0 15.0 


The immature males are molting into adult plumage. The molt 
begins on the throat with the appearance of glossy violet feathers 
there; the upper wing coverts are the next feathers to be affected; 
then come the scapulars and some of the interscapulars and the rec- 
trices; then the rump, lower back, breast, crown, and the center of 
the abdomen begin to show yellowish feathers. 

The two adult males taken on May 17, one collected June 17, and 
one, July 29, are in worn plumage, as are the females. The male 
from El Ade, June 12, is in molt. 

Nothing seems to be known of the breeding season of blécki, but 
Erlanger ® found a nest with eggs of albiventris on April 21 in the 
Ganale Valley, and another on May 3 at Karo-Lola in the Garre- 
Lewin district. Mearns observed this bird at the following places: 
Tertale, June 12, 4 seen; El Ade, June 13,4 birds; Mar Mora, June 14, 
2 noted; Turturo, June 15-17, 10 seen; Anole, June 17, 10; Wobok, 
June 18, 10 birds; Yebo, June 19, 2 seen; Chaffa, June 23, 1 noted, 
10-25 miles southeast of Lake Rudolf, July 12, 50; Nyero Mountain, 
July 13, 100; Indunumara Mountains, July 138-18, 30; Endoto Moun- 
tains, July 21-24, 50; Er-re-re, July 25, 20 birds; Le-se-dun, July 26, 
20 seen; Malele, July 27, 20 birds; 18 miles south of Malele, July 28, 
4 birds seen. 


® Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 55. 


360 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


CINNYRIS VENUSTUS FAZOQLENSIS (Heuglin) 
FIGURE 20 


Nectarinia fazoglensis Hructin, Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, ete, vol. 2, 
pt. 2, p. lxx, 1871: South of Fazogli Mountain. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Ourso, Ethiopia, October 16, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 
1 adult female, Gada Bourea, Ethiopia, December 26, 1911. 
1 adult male, 1 immature male, 1 adult female, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet. 
Ethiopia, February 20-21, 1912. 
2 immature males, Botola, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. 
1 immature male, 1 adult female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 27-81, 1912. 

The range and characters of this form have already been discussed 
and need not be repeated here. 

The immature birds are in postjuvenal molt; the adults are in worn 
plumage. The dimensions of the latter are as follows: Males—wing, 
54, 55; tail, 37, 37; culmen, 16, 18; tarsus, 15, 15.5. “Females—wing, 
45.5, 48, 50 tail, 31, 31.5, 32.5; culmen, 14, 15, 16; tarsus, 14, 18, 15 
mm, respectively. 

Zedlitz °° states that in northern Ethiopia and Eritrea this bird 
has a greater altitudinal range than in southern Shoa, where it is 
more restricted to the hot valleys. According to the data compiled 
by Shelley,®? it breeds in April and May. Blanford found fledged 
young in July along the Eritrean—Ethiopian boundary. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns noted this race as follows: 
Aletta, March 7-13, 10 seen; Bodessa, May 19-June 3, 10 birds; 
Sagon River, June 3-6, 10 seen; Tertale, June 7, 4 noted. 


CINNYRIS VENUSTUS FALKENSTEINI Fischer and Reichenow 
FIGURE 20 
Cinnyris falkensteini FIscHER and REIcHENOWw, Journ. fiir Orn., 1884, p. 56: 
Lake Naivasha. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, 2 females, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 
17-18, 1912. 

All three specimens are in fairly fresh plumage. The male has the 
following dimensions: Wing, 55.5; tail, 38; culmen, 16.5; tarsus, 15 
mm. The two females: Wing, 46, 50; tail, 30, 33; culmen, 15, 16.5; 
tarsus, 15, 15.5 mm. 

This bird is very common in Kenya Colony and in Tanganyika 
Territory. Bowen ° found a recently finished nest on July 10, along 
the Southern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony. 

Besides these 3 specimens collected, Mearns noted about 75 others 
along the Tana River, August 15-23. 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, pp. 58—59. 
% The birds of Africa, vol. 2, pp. 64-66, 1900. 
°§ Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 1931, p. 70. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 361 


CINNYRIS MEDIOCRIS MEDIOCRIS Shelley 


Cinnyris mediocris SHELLEY, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1885, p. 228: Mount Kili- 
manjaro, 12,000 feet. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 7 adult males, 2 adult females, 1 juvenal female, Escarp- 
ment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 5-10, 1912. 

I have examined the types and the paratypical series of keniensis 
Mearns ® and of garguensis Mearns” and have come to the conclusion 
that they are not separable from mediocris. Sclater™ has reached 
the same results. Four specimens from the Usambara Mountains, 
Tanganyika Territory, are very similar to the present series, and I 
am not convinced of the validity of usambaricus Grote. In an 
earlier paper ** Grote states that the Usambara birds are intermediate 
between mediocris and fiilleborni. The Kilimanjaro birds (medio- 
cris) have the abdomen grayer, the Nyasaland ones (ftlleborni) 
olive-green, and the Usambara birds yellowish. My examination of 
the series of garguensis (said to be grayer below than either kencensis 
or mediocris), of keniensis, and of mediocris inclines me to doubt the 
validity of the Usambara form. I have seen no material of /idle- 
borni but it seems to be generally accepted as a recognizable race. 

Van Someren ™ says that garguensis may be admitted as a good 
form, characterized by its paler belly and the absence of a deep blue 
breast-band. The type and two other adult males of garguensis 
have, however, deep blue breast bands, although not so extensive ones 
as in mediocris, and the ventral coloration varies greatly among 
them. It may be that garguensis will prove to be a race based on 
slight average characters, but for the present I consider it of doubt- 
ful status. 

The alleged size difference between keniensis and mediocris is too 
small to be of systematic significance. Thus, the present 7 adult 
males have wings of from 53 to 55 mm in length; 9 similar birds 
from Mount Kenya have wings ranging from 53 to 56.5 mm; 
9 males from Mount Kilimanjaro have wing lengths of from 52 
to 55.5 mm. 

Van Someren suggests that Mount Elgon birds may be slightly 
different from those of the highlands farther east, but no western 
material has been available to me for study. 

The range of mediocris is more extensive than Sclater’s brief 
statement indicates. It occurs from Kilimanjaro and the Usambara 
Mountains in the southeast north to Mount Garguess and west to 
Mount Elgon and the Subugo Forest in Uganda. 


% Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 56, no. 14, p. 4, 1910: Mount Kenya, 7,500 feet. 
7 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 48, p. 387, 1915: Mount Garguess, 7,100 feet. 

1 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 695, 1930. 

™ Orn. Monatsb., 1922, p. 86: Mlala, Usambara Mountains. 

78 Journ. fiir Orn., 1921, p. 134. 

™ Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 198, 1922. 


362 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Recently, van Someren*® has concluded that keniensis is a valid 
race. “The males,” he says, “are paler below on the belly, and the 
females have the throat tinged with greyish. * * * Males with 
the palest olive bellies are found on the Aberdares.” He had 28 
specimens of keniensis and 16 of mediocris from Kilimanjaro. I 
still consider keniensis as a doubtful form. 


CINNYRIS REICHENOWI REICHENOWI Sharpe 


Cinnyris reichenowi SHARPE, Ibis, 1891, p. 444; Sotik. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 
6, 1912. 

This specimen is the type of C. r. kikuyuensis Mearns. This race 
was described by Mearns”* on the basis of this single example, and 
was stated to differ from reichenowi in being smaller and more gray- 
ish, less ochraceous on the abdomen. Gyldenstolpe™ writes that 
from “the material at hand this form must * * * be recognized. 
It is slightly smaller than typical Cinnyris reichenowi reichenowi, 
the males having wing-measurements of 51-52 mm. The differences 
are, however, very slight indeed, and when more material becomes 
available for examination it may prove, that the alleged differences 
are not constant.” I have seen two more Kenya males and a pair 
from Ruwenzori and one male from Ruanda, and find that the race 
kikuyuensis can not be upheld on the basis of adult males. Van 
Someren 7° writes that the race is recognizable but that females show 
the differences better than the males. 

The data recorded by Granvik” militate against the validity of 
kikuyuensis. His series from Mount Elgon contained some individ- 
uals with dark, uniform olive-brown bellies, and others with lighter 
olive-green underparts, paler toward the sides. This indicates suffi- 
cient variation in color to throw doubt on this character of kikuyuen- 
sis. Granvik’s birds are, however, fairly large like western typical 
ones—wings, 54-58 mm. For the present, at least, kikuyuwensis may 
be synonymized with reichenowi. 

This race (assuming the identity of kikuyuensis) ranges from 
Sotik, Escarpment, Mount Kenya, and Mount Garguess west to 
Mount Elgon, Ruwenzori, and the Kivu Volcanoes. Sclater ®° calls 
stuhlmanni Reichenow a race of this bird replacing it on the higher 
reaches of Ruwenzori, but in this he apparently is mistaken. I think 
that Reichenow was wholly correct when he stated *! it was nearest 


7% Nov. Zool., vol. 87, p. 355, 1932. 

76 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 48, p. 388, 1915. 

7 Kongl. Svenska Vet. Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 93 

78 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 199, 1922. 

7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 221-222. 
86 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 696, 1930. 
81 Orn. Monatsb., 1893, p. 61. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 363 


to C. afer. I consider it a subspecies of that form and not of reiche- 
nowt. Woosnam *? may be responsible for Sclater’s disposition of 
stuhlmanni as he writes that— 

* * ¥* it is a curious fact that, except for its larger size, this Sun-bird 
exactly resembles in every detail C. reichenowi, a species which is found 3,000 
ft. lower down the mountains, and which also inhabits the surrounding plains. 


Possibly this increase in size is the result of the cooler climate at higher 
altitudes. 


The present specimen is in somewhat worn plumage. 


CHALCOMITRA SENEGALENSIS LAMPERTI (Reichenow) 


Cinnyris senegalensis lamperti REICHENOW, Journ. fiir Orn., 1897, p. 196: Moschi, 
Tanganyika Territory. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 


1 adult male, 1 immature male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 
14, 1912. 


3 immature males, 2 adult females, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 
21-22, 1912. 
1 adult male, Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 27, 1912. 

The adult male from Tharaka is the type of C. s. atra Mearns.®* 
In studying these birds I have reidentified all the material of the 
species in the United States National Museum, totaling some 51 
specimens of 5 subspecies. I find that Gyldenstolpe’s revision,** as 
modified by Sclater,8> works very well. 

The present race, which differs from the Uganda and west Kenyan 
form aequatorialis, in having the female less yellowish below, and 
from the coastal subspecies znaestimata in having no metallic purple 
lesser upper wing coverts, occurs from the Kilimanjaro district west 
to the Rift Valley. 

Van Someren * writes that he obtained lamperti (called atra in 
his paper) at Lamu on the coast, together with inaestimata. I have 
seen no birds from Lamu but I wonder whether van Someren’s 
lamperti from there was not possibly an aberrant example of inaesti- 
mata. I do not see that the forms with metallic lesser upper wing 
coverts (“gutturalis” group) are really specifically distinct from the 
“senegalensis” group as Gyldenstolpe decided, and so I find it diffi- 
cult to believe that lamperti and inaestimata occur together as breed- 
ing birds. It is not unlikely that eventually it will be agreed that 
huntert and cruentata are also conspecific with senegalensis. Neu- 
mann * has already made this suggestion. 





® Trans. Zool. Soc. London, vol. 19, p. 330, 1910. 

83 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 48, p. 388, 1915. 

®t Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 95-99. 

8 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 700-701, 1930. 
8° Noy. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 199-200, 1922. 

Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 252. 


364 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The two adult males are in fresh plumage as is one of the females; 
the other female is in molt. All the young males are molting into 
adult plumage. 

Birds in breeding condition have been taken in June. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns noted this sunbird as fol- 
lows: Tharaka district, August 13-14, 30 seen; Tana River, August 
15-23, 250; junction of Tana and Thika Rivers, August 23-26, 20 
seen; Bowlder Hill, August 27, 10 birds; west of Ithanga Hills, 
August 28, 10 seen, between Thika and Athi River, August 29, 2 
birds; Athi River, August 30, 6 birds seen. 


CHALCOMITRA HUNTERI (Shelley) 


Cinnyris hunteri SHELLEY, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1889, p. 365, pl. 41, fig. 2: 
Useri River, base of Kilimanjaro. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, 1 immature female, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 16, 1912. 


1 immature male, 25 miles southeast of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 
12, 1912. 


1 adult male, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 14, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 immature male, near Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, 
July 19, 1912. 

1 adult female, 18 miles south of Maleie, Kenya Colony, July 28, 1912. 

1 adult male, 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 adult female, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 5, 
1912. 

Hunter’s sunbird occurs from the northeastern Tanganyika—Kenya 
border (near Kilimanjaro) north through the Taveta and Teita dis- 
tricts to northern Somaliland, west through Gallaland and extreme 
southern Shoa to Turkanaland in northeastern Uganda. It is a 
bird of the dry thornbush country. It is the geographical counter- 
part of cruentata and may be really conspecific with that form. The 
two differ in the color of the rump and upper tail coverts of the 
adult male; these parts are metallic purple in hunteri and dull black, 
like the back, in eruentata. 

Van Someren ** writes that more material from northeastern 
Uganda may reveal a distinct form there. He finds no difference 
in males from there and from Kenya Colony and suggests that fe- 
males may differ. I have seen no Turkwell material and can not 
add any definite data, but it may be that hunteri has a northwestern 
race, because the adult male from Turturo has the bright pectoral 
area a little more orange, less deep scarlet-red, than in more southern 
birds. Witherby,®® however, records a male from El Dab, Somali- 
land, that has the gorget orange instead of crimson; “the other me- 
tallic colours have altered, probably owing to the carbolic powder 


88 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 199, 1922. 
® Tbis, 1905, p. 511. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 365 


which was sprinkled among the birds in the box in which they were 
packed.” In the case of the Turturo bird, the other metallic colors 
are not different from those in Kenyan specimens. 

The Turturo birds are in worn plumage; the Kenya birds are in 
molt or in very fresh plumage. This difference in abrasion may also 
account for the lighter, more orange color of the breast of the 
Ethiopian male. 

Nothing seems to have been recorded of the breeding habits or 
season of this species. 

Mearns noted this species as follows: 10-25 miles southeast of Lake 
Rudolf, July 12, 10 birds seen; Indunumara Mountain, July 13-18, 
16 seen; Endoto Mountains, July 18-24, 40; Er-re-re, July 25, 6 
birds; Le-se-dun, July 26, 4 seen; Malele, July 27, 2 noted; 18-24 
miles south of Malele, July 28-29, 30 birds; Northern Guaso Nyiro 
River, July 31—August 3, 4 seen; Lekiundu River, August 48, 20 
noted; Guaso Mara River, August 9, 2 seen; Meru forest, August 10, 
4 birds; 20 miles east of Meru, August 11, 10 birds seen; Tharaka 
district, August 12, 10 seen; Tana River, August 14-16, 40 birds 
observed. 

CHALCOMITRA CRUENTATA (Riippell) 
Nectarinia cruentata RUtUpretnt, Systematische Uebersicht der Végel Nordost- 
Afrika’s, p. 26, pl. 1, 1845: Simien Province, Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 6, 1911. 
1 adult male, 1 immature male, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 16-17, 1912. 
1 adult male, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 27, 1912. 
1 adult male, Konso, Ethiopia, May 7, 1912. 

I have seen no topotypical material of erventata and therefore 
can not decide on the validity of sctoana Salvadori. Neumann 
recognizes scioana and states that it differs from crwentata in being 
larger (wings—male, 72-74 mm, as against 69 mm in the latter) and 
that the crossbars in the red breast patch are steel blue or violet-blue 
in scioana and greenish blue in cruentata. Other investigators, how- 
ever, such as Shelley,®** Ogilvie-Grant,®? and Gyldenstolpe ** have all 
decided against the validity of scéoana, and Sclater ** does not 
recognize it. I follow Sclater in this matter as in all cases where 
I have not been able to decide for myself from actual specimens. 
Two typical cruentata males from Amhara (in Field Museum) have 
no green on the black throat mark. 

The Ourso bird, obtained from M. Ouellard, is in worn plumage; 
all the others are in fresh feathering. The birds are large and 


°° Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, p. 252. 

% The birds of Africa, vol. 2, pp. 100-102, 1900. 
°2Tbis, 1900, p. 144. 

*§ Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 99. 

* Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 702, 1930. 


366 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


agree with the figures given by Neumann for scioana. They have 
wings of 73.5-75 mm; tail, 54.5-56 mm; culmen, 25-26 mm; tarsus, 
16-17 mm. 

This sunbird appears to be fairly common in Ethiopia and in 
southern Eritrea. It appears not to have been recorded before from 
as far south as southern Shoa, so the specimen from Bodessa consti- 
tutes a definite extension of range. It is of interest to find this 
bird coming so close to the range of C. huntert (known from Tur- 
turo near Bodessa), and it would be highly interesting to see whether 
the two intergrade in southern Shoa. 

Mearns noted this sunbird in small numbers practically every day 
on his journey from Aletta (March 13) to Bodessa (June 3). 


CYANOMITRA OLIVACEA RAGAZZII (Salvadori) 

Eleocerthia ragazzii Satvaport, Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, vol. 26, p. 247, 1888: 
Ferkerié-ghem Forests, Shoa. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 males, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, Septem- 
ber 8-10, 1912. 

The races of the olive sunbird have been studied quite exhaustively 
by Neumann, Bannerman, Gyldenstolpe, and others, and I find that 
the arrangement followed by Sclater % holds very well for all the 
material I have seen (67 specimens of 4 races). 

The present race is the most greenish below of all the subspecies, 
and it is said to be the largest of the three forms in Kenya Colony. 
Van Someren * gives its wing length as from 51 to 71 mm. The 
present specimens measure 56 and 61 mm, respectively. I find the 
size differences between ragazzii and neglecta do not hold true. 

This form occurs from Shoa and Djimma in southern Ethiopia 
to western Kenya Colony, Uganda, and the eastern Ituri district 
of the Belgian Congo. In Kenya Colony it occurs as far south as 
the Sotik area. 

I have only one Ethiopian specimen for comparison—a male from 
Charada, in Kaffa. This example is paler, more grayish, less bright 
yellowish, below than the two Escarpment birds. I see no real 
difference between the Kaffa bird and examples of neglecta, but it 
must be ragazzii on geographic grounds. The Escarpment birds 
show the characters of ragazzit very well. They are both in fresh 
plumage. 

Van Someren % writes that this bird is a forest species, and stays 
high up in tall trees. In Uganda the breeding season is in June 
and February. 

% System avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 705-706, 1930. 


%6 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 200, 1922. 
% Ibis, 1916, p. 443. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 367 


ANTHREPTES COLLARIS UGANDAE van Someren 


| Anthreptes collaris ugandae vAN SoMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, p. 113, 
| 1921: Maraquet. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Meru Forest, Kenya Colony, August 10, 1912. 


Sclater °° considers garguensis Mearns as probably the same as 
ugandae, but uses the latter name although the former has priority. 
However, with admittedly limited material of ugandae, and with the 
type and three other specimens of garguensis, available for study, I 
find it possible to recognize both forms. The differences are not 
great, but garguensis has the abdomen somewhat deeper yellow and 
ugandae has the sides and flanks a little more greenish. 

Similarly I find that ¢eztensis is valid, and not identical with 
elachior. 

Bannerman’s arguments °° for the specific distinctness of the co/: 
laris and hypodila groups seem well founded, but I have no pertinent 
immature specimens and so follow Sclater, as in all cases where I 
can not decide for myself. 

Van Someren ? has outlined the characters and ranges of the east- 
ern forms of this sunbird in a manner wholly in keeping with the 
material seen by me. 

A. c. jubaensis van Someren? I have not seen. It is said to be 
nearest to elachior but clearer yellow below. 

The single specimen collected is in fairly fresh plumage. 

Bowen ® collected a male at Meru on August 6 and found it to 
have slightly enlarged gonads. He noted the species as not common 
in the Meru area. 


ANTHREPTES ORIENTALIS ORIENTALIS Hartlaub 


Anthreptes orientalis HARTLAvB, Journ. fiir Orn., 1880, p. 213: Lado, Upper Nile. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 adult male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, July 7, 1910 (Ouellard coll.). 

1 adult male, Ourso, Ethiopia, October 7, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 

1 adult male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 21, 1911 (von Zulow coll.). 

1 adult male, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 27, 1912. 

2 adult males, 2 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 
2-May 14, 1912. 

1 adult female, Sagon River, Ethiopia, May 19, 1912. 

1 adult male, Lake Stefanie, Kenya Colony, no date. 

1 immature male, Malata, Ethiopia, June 22, 1912. 

1 immature male, Anole, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 

1 adult male, Hor, Kenya Colony, June 28, 1912. 

2 adult females, 25 miles southeast Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 12, 
1912. 


%®% Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 708, 1930. 
® Rey. Zool. Africaine, vol. 9, pp. 343-347, 1922. 
Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 202-203, 1922. 
?Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 37, p. 195, 1931: Hallescheid, Juba 
iver, 
$Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 83, p. 71, 1931. 


368 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


3 immature males, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 16-17, 1912, 
1 adult female, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 20, 1912. 

1 adult female, 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 

1 adult male, Bowlder Hill, Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 28, 1912. 

Inasmuch as A. orientalis and A. longuemarei haussarum occur to- 
gether in the Lado district of the Uganda-Sudan border and at 
Fatiko on the White Nile, they must be considered as distinct species. 

I have seen no material from southern Somaliland, and so can not 
form a definite opinion as to the validity of neumanni Zedlitz.* This 
form is said to be smaller and to have the underparts always pure 
white, with no yellowish wash. Sclater® regards newmanni as a 
synonym of orientalis, but it seems from Zedlitz’s and van Someren’s 
notes to be a valid race. 

In the Dodoma district of Tanganyika Territory a large form with 
a very long, stout bill, barbouri, is found, The typical race occurs 
from the Upper White Nile and Shoa south through Uganda and the 
greater part of Kenya Colony south to the Teita district and 
Ukambani. 

In southern Somaliland and southern Gallaland, and adjacent parts 
of northeastern Kenya Colony newmanni is found. The birds of the 
Tana River and the Thika River seem to be intermediate between true 
orientalis and neumanné. 

Gyldenstolpe® writes that Lonnberg’s specimens from Chanlers 
Falls, Northern Guaso Nyiro, are newmanni, “which therefore ex- 
tends from Somaliland and Southern Abyssinia to the Northern parts 
of Kenya Colony.” 

More abundant material may reveal that, orientalis itself is a com- 
posite of racial forms, but I have not enough birds to decide. The 
fact remains that Shoan males are larger on the average than typical 
orientalis from the Uganda-Sudan border, and from central and 
southern Kenya Colony. This is shown by the measurements (adult 
males only included) in table 71. 

All the specimens collected are in abraded plumage; the two fe- 
males, collected southeast of Lake Rudolf on June 12, are in molt. 
The immature birds have the underparts washed with light sulphur- 
yellow, but not nearly so darkly or extensively as in corresponding 
examples of A. 2. haussarum. 

In southern Somaliland and southeastern Ethiopia, the breeding 
season, is from April to June. Erlanger’ found nests with eggs in 
April in Gurraland, and in June in Arussi-Gallaland. 


€ Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 73, 75: Afgol. 
¢Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, 1980, p. 710. 
§kKongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 106. 
7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 54. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 369 


Besides the actual specimens collected, Mearns recorded this sun- 
bird as follows: Gato River near Gardula, March 29-May 17, 30 seen; 
Anole, May 18, 2; Karsa Barecha, June 21, 4; Malata, June 22, 4; 
Hor, June 26-30, 10; dry river 18 miles south of Hor, July 1-2, 2. 


TABLE 71.—Measurements of 13 adult male specimens of Anthreptes orientalis 


orientalis 
Locality Wing Tail Culmen | Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mim Mm Mm 
TATE ae CES A Ia aE 8 70.0 50.0 15.0 19.0 
DINO) A ONS ee se eae ee 67.5 50.0 15.0 17.0 
1D) ete nee eS ata Poa ee bee ee 66. 0 52.5 15.0 19.0 
INGarsGrard Ula 22-2 ee ee Sa AS 66. 0 48.0 14.0 18.5 
Gatgubiverce-<— eee te oe ne 70.0 52.0 14.5 17.0 
EID) Es Pa Se OL a SRS Lea 68.0 49.0 14.0 17.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
WakeiStetaniesace 22) — ae Be ee 67.5 48.0 16.0 17.0 
EL OT sete het ds Bal tk PA ees 70.0 49.0 15.0 18.0 
MIST KAY EyVOl a2 = oe te tt i a 65.0 515 14.0 17.5 
Meitadistricth=ssnce teens nee ear 64.0 OUNON Meese ees 18.0 
WiGANDAS AOC OSS fan scare eee ees 65.0 48.0 15.5 16.5 
SUDAN: 
Gondokoro sss sees ol ee eae ees 63.0 44.0 15.0 17.0 
WD Quis ser so ee ya RP 5S A 65. 0 47.0 15.0 17.0 


Family ZOSTEROPIDAE, White-eyes 


ZOSTEROPS SENEGALENSIS FRICKI Mearns 


Zosterops senegalensis fricki MEarns, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 61, no. 20, 
p. 6, 1913: Bowlder Hill, Thika River, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 21, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, 
August 23-25, 1912. 
2 males, 1 female, Bowlder Hill, Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 28, 
1912. 

One of the males from Bowlder Hill (U.S.N.M. no. 245874) is the 
type of frickz. 

This race is characterized by its small size and paler color, when 
compared with flavilateralis. It is found in the Ukamba and Fort 
Hall districts, from Simba to Fort Hall and Meru, and in the 
Endoto Mountains, considerably to the north of its main range. The 
specimen from the Endoto Mountains is very slightly paler below 
than the others, but it can hardly be said to be an intergrade between 
fricki and jubaensis. 

Van Someren ® has recorded frickt from as far north as Archers 
Post. The Endoto Mountains appear to be the northernmost local- 
ity from which the race is known. 


8 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 64 (140), 1930. 


370 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The dimensions of the present series are shown in table 72. 

The female from the Tana River is in a molting condition, espe- 
cially in the tail; the other specimens are in rather worn plumage. 

In his original description of frickt Mearns compared it with 
“Zosterops senegalensis stuhimanni.” His series of the latter are all 
Z. 8. flavilateralis, all from the Taveta area. 


TABLE 72.—Measurements of six specimens of Zosterops senegalensis fricki from 
Kenya Colony 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 


Hndotomviountainsse=)sseseee= = ae Ma lessee ree 54.0 37.0 10.0 16.0 
TanasRiversteos fee eek ae ee alee Gokssso2e=3 53.0 36.0 10.0 15.0 
IB OW] Gere eile 0 ee a eee ee doses! 52.0 34.0 10.0 15.0 
DOF sre a ts Pe sakes SM te ee eee doe 54.0 39.0 10.0 15.0 
DOs a Shee ee on eae SS Female__.._--- 50.5 35.0 10.0 14.5 
TENS RAV ORs eae see a ae ee ee Saleen dos 51.0 34.0 10.0 14.0 


ZOSTEROPS SENEGALENSIS JUBAENSIS Erlanger 
Zosterops jubaensis HRLANGER, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 9, p. 182, 1901: Damasso, 
Lower Juba River. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 20, 1912. 


The single specimen obtained is in very worn plumage. 

I have not sufficient material to attempt a study of the northeast 
African forms of the yellow white-eye. According to Sclater,® two 
races occur in Kthiopia—aurifrons in the northern part (south to 
Lake Tsana) and in Eritrea and Sennar and jubaensis in eastern and 
southern Ethiopia, west to the Omo Valley and Lake Stefanie, and 
also in Somaliland and Jubaland. 

In Kenya Colony the racial problem is more complicated. I have 
not enough material (53 specimens seen) to be certain of all points, 
but it seems that Sclater is wrong in considering frickt a synonym 
of flavilateralis. Z. massaica van Someren is a synonym of flavilater- 
alis, but it may possibly be that coastal birds are different. Van 
Someren described massaica from Sagala, Teita, and Tsavo, appar- 
ently under the impression that coastal birds were true flavilateralis, 
but inasmuch as the type of the latter came from Ndi in the Teita 
district, massaica must be relegated to the status of a synonym. Van 
Someren considered birds from Witu, Lamu, and Manda as being 
typical flavilateralis. A specimen from Lamu, in the collection of 
the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, is not typical 
flavilateralis but is intermediate between fricki and jubaensis. Three 
birds from Mombasa, in the Carnegie Museum, are more greenish, 





®Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 672—673, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY Sal 


less yellowish below than any others seen by me. It may be that the 
birds of the coastal belt of southern Kenya Colony and of northern 
Tanganyika Territory are separable on this basis, but more material 
is needed to make sure. 

Sclater,!? following Hartert,1! considers Z. smithi Neumann a syn- 
onym of jubaensis, although the latter author states that this is only 
a probability and that topotypical jubaensis are needed to be certain 
of this. Neumann ?* had two specimens from Sillul and two from 
the lower Omo River on which he based smitht. This form is said 
to be dull olive green-gray, not pure olive-green above. The present 
bird from Bodessa and one from the Omo river, now in the Academy 
of Natural Sciences at Philadelphia, bear out this character. I have 
no topotypical jubaensis available and therefore follow Sclater, al- 
though ampler series may show smithi to be valid. If this be shown, 
then the present bird would have to be referred to smtht and not 
jubaensis. 

Subspecific differences are small at best in this species, but they 
are worthy of study for just that reason. 


ZOSTEROPS VIRENS KIKUYUENSIS Sharpe 
Figure 21 


Zosterops kikuyuwensis SHARPE, Ibis, 1891, p. 444: Kikuyu, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 males, 1 female, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, 
September 8-10, 1912. 

The present specimens are not quite typical Azekuyuensis but, while 
best referred to that form, are very slightly intermediate between it 
and jacksoni. 

The African forms of the genus Zosterops are very difficult to deal 
with, as material is not available of a number of them, but it seems 
to me that Neumann’s arrangement ™* is a better one than that 
followed by Sclater.* I have not sufficient series to attempt any 
revisions, but garguensis appears to be a valid form and not a syn- 
onym of kaffensis as Sclater suggests. I have seen the type and 
three other examples of garguensis and they are uniformly different 
from kaffensis in having the yellow on the forehead less extensive 
than in the latter, and also they are somewhat darker on the back 
than kaffensis.. Van Someren?® has also found garguensis to be a 
valid race and has extended its known range to Marsabit. 


10Tbid., p. 673. 

1 Noy. Zool., vol. 27, p. 482, 1920. 

12, Orn. Monatsb., 1902, p. 139. 

33 Orn. Monatsb., vol. 12, pp. 109-118, 1904. 

14 Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 672-675, 1930. 

2% Journ. Hast Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 64 (140), 1930, 


372 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


In the regions traversed by the Frick expedition, the following 
races are found: 

1. Z. v. schoanus: The Shoa and Godjam districts of Ethiopia. 

2. Z. v. kaffensis: The Kaffa and Djimma districts of southwestern 
Ethiopia. 





o 100 __ 200 300 400 SOOMIMES 


SCALE: © 
FiGuRE 21.—Distribution of Zosterops virens in northeastern Africa. 
1, Z. v. schoanus. 5. Z. wv. jackson, 
2. Z. v. kaffensis. 6. Z. v. garguensis. 
3. Z. v. scotti. 7. Z. v. kikuyuensis. 
4. Z. v. stuhtmanni. 8. Z. v. eurycricotus. 


3. Z. v. garguensis: Mount Garguess (or Uraguess) north to 
Marsabit, Kenya Colony. 

4. Z.v. kikuyuensis: The highlands of central Kenya Colony from 
Mount Kenya, the Aberdare Range, and Escarpment to Nairobi. 
Z.v. somerent Hartert is considered a synonym. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 373 


5. Z. v. jacksoni: The highlands of Kenya Colony west of the 
Rift Valley (Mount Elgon, Nandi, etc.). 

These races may be identified by the following notes: The most 
northerly form, schoanus, is generally darker above and paler, less 
yellowish below, than any of the others. The other extreme, of 
brightest coloration, deepest and widest yellow frontal band, and 
widest white eye ring, is shown in kikuyuensis. The race kaffensis is 
somewhat lighter, more yellowish, above, and has a narrower white 
eye ring than kikuywensis, and is the smallest of the five forms; 
wings, 56-58 mm; jacksoni is similar to kikuyuensis but has a some- 
what narrower eye ring and a narrower and slightly paler yellow 
frontal band; garguensis is nearest to jacksoni but is darker, more 
grayish green, above. 

Hartert has recently separated the birds of Mount Kenya as a 
racial form, Z. v. somereni,'® which is said to be nearest to kikwyuen- 
sis but to have a larger bill, the forehead, throat, and abdomen 
brighter yellow, the breast with darker greenish zone, and the white 
eye ring still wider, especially above the eye. I have examined a 
long series from Mount Kenya, and I cannot see any constant dif- 
ferences between them and kitkuyuensis. Therefore, I consider 
somerent to be identical with kikuyuensis. 

With regard to the Uganda race, I consider scotti from Ruwenzori 
to be distinct from stuhlmanni. 

I have seen one specimen from Kaimosi, which, by geography, 
might be van Someren’s form yalensis. I am not at all certain as 
to the correct disposition of this name. It may be a species or it 
may be a group of intergrades between jacksoni and kaffensis. The 
difficulty with the latter supposition is that on Mount Elgon a larger 
form, with broader eye rings, elgonensis (perhaps a species?), occurs 
and breaks the geographical continuity of the blending of jacksoni 
through yalensis with kaffensis. I have seen no Elgon material, 
however. 

The present specimens are in fairly fresh plumage. They have the 
following wing dimensions: Males, 59, 60; female, 60 mm. 

Little seems to have been recorded of the breeding season, but 
birds with enlarged gonads were taken on Mount Kenya late in 
March by Loénnberg.7 August birds collected by Bowen,!* were not 
in breeding condition. 

Mearns noted about 100 of these birds at Escarpment, September 
11-12. 


18 Nov. Zool., vol. 34, p. 207, 1928: Mount Kenya. 
17 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 117. 
*® Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 82, p. 70, 1931, 


106220—37 25 





374. BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


ZOSTEROPS ABYSSINICUS ABYSSINICUS Guérin 


Zosterops abyssinica GUERIN, Rey. Zool., 1848, p. 162: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 unsexed, Gada Bourca, Ethiopia, December 26, 1911. 


This race of the white-breasted white-eye occurs from Erkowit in 
the Sudan south through Eritrea to Somaliland and to the northern 
end of the Shoan lake region. In the Omo Valley of southwestern 
Ethiopia it is replaced by omoensis, which differs in having no isabel- 
line on the sides and flanks and in having the yellow on the throat 
and under tail coverts somewhat darker. Other forms occur in 
Socotra and in southwestern Arabia. 

The single specimen collected is in very worn plumage. 

Zedlitz?® has reviewed what is known of this species, and I have 
nothing to add to his comments. Erlanger? noted that a specimen 
from the Shoan Lake region was a little stronger green above than 
examples from Arussi—Gallaland and the Hawash Valley. The pres- 
ent example is so worn that it is impossible to say much about its 
original intensity of dorsal coloration. 

The species is said to inhabit the open forests dotted with acacias 
and euphorbias. A male in breeding condition was shot on May 27 
at Bakora, in the Danakil country. 


ZOSTEROPS POLIOGASTER Heuglin 


Zosterops poliogaster HEUGLIN, Ibis, 1861, p. 357, pl. 138: Highlands of Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
10 males, 3 females, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 20-21, 
1912. 
3 males, 1 female, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 2-3, 1912. 
4 males, 2 females, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 7-11, 1912. 

Since no north Ethiopian birds (typical poliogaster) have been 
available for study, I can not pass judgment on Neumann’s form 
erlangeri, and so follow Sclater’s arrangement.” If erlangeri, how- 
ever, should be found to be valid, all the present specimens would 
have to be identified as of that race, since they uphold its diagnostic 
character of having the forehead and forepart of the crown yellow. 

The present series are very uniform in their coloration. Their 
size variations are given in table 73. All the specimens are fully 
adult, and all are in fairly fresh plumage. None shows any sign of 
molt. Although some males are as small as the females, the latter 
do not attain to the same maximal dimensions as the former. 


1% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, pp. 56—57. 
70 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 51. 
21 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 678, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 375 


TABLE 73.—Measurements of 23 specimens of Zosterops poliogaster from Ethiopia 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen|} Tarsus 


ArussitPlateauqs-2e- oo ase ec soes tases] Maleis:=--2.22 67.0 52.5 12.0 18.0 
1D) 0 as ee a Se ees nee Cops es 65.0 48.0 12.5 18.0 
D0 ee ee a eee ae eae nae oe een eee GQl=2cs-ee= 67.0 52.0 11.5 18.5 
Oe esas ee eee ee eaten sees eeseeaee doze 65.5 51.0 12.5 19.0 
Rees ak Ea Eee _ gh Wea sud 3). aks dost sit<s 66.0 51.0 13.0 18.0 
DD) Ob et saat eens oe ose e eee aoe assem (ole ea eee 64.5 49.5 12.0 18.0 
BI) Oh rs Se ra ee ws GOs2422c- 66. 0 48.0 12.0 18.0 
O58 ea oe eas oa eee anal eoone dole re 67.0 51.5 12.0 18.0 
DO eee nae oats oe os Sa eee | ae G0in ease 63. 0 51.5 12.0 18.0 
DOs sss et waa RR ees dow tens2et 66.0 54.0 12.5 19.0 
Cofalites~*=. 222522 2 se ee ees |S Moses ese 65.0 49.0 12.5 19.0 
WD Oe oe ae es eee eee es dota 64.0 49.0 12.0 18.5 
DD Qneee casos as woot ones eseenesesse|aesee dose es 65.0 50.0 12.0 18.0 
Aletta stoeess tt ieee. Hare het eh 2 shee do. SF 6330 49.0 11.5 18.5 
WD Oise a eacoasan seo een eee eecanswaleoses do 61.0 47.0 11.0 18.0 
WO oeet = Foes EE ERS! eee ee dos 63. 5 49.0 12.5 18.0 
DOLeee - tebe ee ee eS dow ttitin 63.0 48.0 11.5 18.5 
PATUISSIVPIRt@AlL cast esac eae ans Female...._---| 63.0 48.0 12.0 18.0 
aD Je ae = ee ee ee es (eee doje 63.5 49.0 12.5 19.0 
IDQte£ 2 SS Ae fee ae SES SESE hg ae dO) BE eee 63. 5 48.0 12.0 17.5 
Ofelia ee ea soe eae nen Sees Saas dom 60. 0 48.0 11.5 19.0 
Allettastes 22. © $2 See ee Se ee ee G0:2.>-— = 62.0 46.0 12.0 17.5 
yo Site PRE. See bee EE IEE . gdo.s2e or 60. 0 44.5 12.0 18.0 





Von Heuglin ** found this bird to be a fairly common resident in 
the mountains of eastern and central Ethiopia, at altitudes of from 
3,000 to 12,000 feet. He found it in the Telemt, Simien, and Bege- 
meder areas. Blanford ** met with it in Tigre; Elliott ** found the 
species at Bohoigashan in Somaliland; Antinori and Ragazzi found 
it in Shoa. Lovat *° reported it as a very common bird in the country 
east of Adis Abeba. Zedlitz 2 met with it in southern Eritrea. Neu- 
mann? found it only at great heights (8,900-10,200 feet); Er- 
langer 7* found it abundantly in the higher forested regions of 
Arussi-Gallaland and Shoa. He writes that the breeding season is 
from January until July. Females in laying condition were collected 
on January 18 in the Djamdjam region, and on July 4 in Arussi- 
Gallaland. 

Mearns noted about 1,000 of these birds at Aletta, March 7-13, and 
10 at Loco, March 13-15. 


2 Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, ete., vol. 1, pp. 412-413, 1869. 

28 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, p. 354, 1870. 

24 Wield Columb, Mus. Publ. Orn. Ser., Publ. 17, vol. 1, no. 2, p. 41, 1897. 
25 Tbis, 1900, p. 145. 

% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 56. 

27 Journ. fiir Orn., 1906, pp. 241-242. 

8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 50-51. 


376 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Family PLOCEIDAE, Weaverbirds 
BUBALORNIS ALBIROSTRIS INTERMEDIUS (Cabanis) 


Textor intermedius CABANIS, Journ. fiir Orn., 1868, p. 4138: Kisuani, Usambara 
district, Tanganyika Territory. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

2 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 19—October 3, 1911 (Ouellard 
eoll.). 

1 immature male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, October 5, 1910 (Ouellard). 

2 adult males, 1 adult female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, December 21, 1911. 

2 adult males, 4 immature males, 1 adult female, Gato River near Gardula, 
Ethiopia, April 6-11, 1912. 

1 immature male, Anole, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 

1 immature male, Yebo, Ethiopia, June 21, 1912. 

1 adult female, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 3, 1912. 

2 immature males, 1 female, 1 unsexed, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, 
August 4, 1912. 

Soft parts: Adult male—bill red; feet olive. Adult female—bill 
olivaceous-black with base of mandible paler and tinged with red; 
feet olive. Immature male—bill varies from blackish, with some pale 
orange at the base of the mandible, to orange, with a little black 
basally and at the tips of both the maxilla and the mandible; feet 
bluish gray to olive, claws light brown. 

Hartert 2° has reviewed the races of the buffalo weaver and recog- 
nizes scioanus Salvadori.2° If this race be valid, the Ethiopian 
specimens listed above would have to be referred to it, but I can not 
find any difference between them and Kilimanjaro birds (énéer- 
medius) and therefore synonymize scioanus with wtermedius. 
Sclater *t has come to the same conclusion, although Neumann,*? van 
Someren, and others recognize scioanus. According to Hartert, 
scioanus has a whitish wash on the basis of the remiges, while Zed- 
litz ** writes that the inner portions of these feathers are darkish, 
brownish gray in scioanus and pure white in intermedius, that the 
former occurs from eastern Shoa, Hawash, etc., to northern Somali- 
land, and that birds of southern Ethiopia, northern Kenya Colony, 
and southern Somaliland are intermedius. If this were so, then the 
Ourso, Dire Daoua, and Sadi Malka birds should be scioanus and 
the Gato River, Anole, Yebo, etc., specimens intermedius, but there is 
absolutely no difference between them znter se, or between them and 
practically topotypical intermedius. 

The birds collected in June and August are in rather fresh plum- 
age as are also a male from Sadi Malka, December 21, and the young 


2» Nov. Zool., vol. 14, pp. 485-486, 1907. 

3 Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, 1884, p. 195: Daimbi, Shoa. 
i Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, 715, 1930. 

32 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 9. 

83 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 133, 1922. 

% Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 9. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY one 


birds taken in April at Gato River. The September, October, and 
December birds from Ourso, Dire Daoua, and Sadi Malka are in 
worn plumage. Signs of molt are shown by birds collected in Octo- 
ber, April, and August. A character that may be of interest in the 
event that scioanus may be resurrected by some other investigator is 
the color of the outer margins of the primaries of immature birds. 
In Kenyan and extreme southern Shoan birds these margins are 
buffier than in Shoan specimens, which are more whitish in this 
regard. 

The molt into adult plumage appears to be very irregular. Thus, 
one immature male has the abdomen, sides, flanks, and under tail 
coverts black as in the adult plumage, but has the chin, throat, and 
upper breast still white, while another specimen has the chin, throat, 
and upper breast black, and the rest of the underparts still largely 
covered with the feathers of the immature plumage. 

The adult males have the following dimensions: Wing, 119-127 
(122) ; tail, 96-106 (99.9); culmen, 22-24.5 (23.5); tarsus, 30.5-33 
(31.8 mm). Females—wing, 107-113 (108.6); tail, 83-90 (87); 
culmen, 20-23 (21.9) ; tarsus, 29-30.5 (29.7 mm). 

Erlanger ** found this bird nesting in March and April in the 
Arussi country. Zedlitz** writes that in extreme northern Ethiopia 
and in Eritrea the typical race breeds at the end of the rainy season. 
Brehm and Heuglin found the birds breeding from July to Septem- 
ber in northern Ethiopia, Sennar, and Kordofan. In British Somali- 
land Lort Phillips found them building nests in March. 

Mearns saw this peculiar bird in considerable numbers only along 
the Northern Guaso Nyiro and Lekiundu Rivers; elsewhere he saw 
only what he collected, or at least he failed to record them if there 
were others. 

DINEMELLIA DINEMELLI DINEMELLI (Gray) 


Textor dinemelli GRAy, Genera of birds, pt. 1, page corresponding to p. 350 in 
the 1849 edition (unnumbered in the original, subsequently suppressed 
edition), May, 1844: No locality; Shoa (Rtippell, Systematische Uebersicht, 
der Vogel Nordost-Afrika’s, p. 72, 76, pl. 30, 1845, ex Horsfield MS.). 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

3 males, 12 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 27— December 15, 1911. 
2 males, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 31—-February 2, 1912. 

1 male, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 10, 1912. 

4 males, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 7—10, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Saru, Ethiopia, June 19, 1912. 

1 female, Yebo, Ethiopia, June 20, 1912. 

2 females, Hor, Kenya Colony, June 30, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 1-2, 1912. 
1 female, Dussia, Kenya Colony, July 2, 1912. 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 2-3. 
*% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, pp. 14-15. 


378 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


1 female, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 

2 males, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 2-3, 1912. 
1 immature male, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 8, 1912. 

1 male, 2 females, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 16-17, 1912. 

The name Zeaxtor dinemelli is credited by Sclater *7 to Riippell, 
1845, but it appeared in the original, 1844, edition of Gray’s “Genera 
of Birds.” While it is true that no description appears with the 
name at that point the colored plate of the 1849 edition was first 
issued with the original draft of the text in 1844, and therefore the 
name must date from Gray, 1844. The bird from which the plate 
was drawn was one obtained by Harris in Shoa and brought to 
Kurope not long before 1844, as Riippell speaks of it as “einem von 
Major Harris vor Kurzem aus Schoa nach England tberbrachten 
Exemplare.” 

I have seen no material from southern Somaliland and so can not 
form an opinion as to the validity of ruspolii Salvadori. Sclater 
recognizes it, but Erlanger,?* Zedlitz,°® van Someren,*° and other 
students of this group have all declared it to be identical with 
dinemelli. 

In Tanganyika Territory a much larger race, boehmi, replaces 
dinemelli. The typical form occurs from Shoa and Somaliland west 
to the Mongalla district of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, south to 
northern and northeastern Uganda, and Kenya Colony to the Teita- 
Taveta district. 

The white-headed buffalo weaver appears to be a common bird in 
Shoa and in the Galla countries, in Somaliland, and in Kenya 
Colony, going about in loose flocks of from 10 to 20 individuals. It 
is a denizen of the acacia savannahs, and by virtue of its striking 
plumage and noisy habits it is one of the first species to force itself 
on the attention of the observer. Consequently, its range is fairly 
well known, as it is one of the few birds whose absence is as readily 
determinable as its presence. 

The species varies greatly in color, but this variation is not corre- 
lated with season, sex, or age. The upper back varies from pale 
buffy brown to fuscous (on the whole younger birds average lighter 
above and older ones darker, but this does not hold true invariably) ; 
the rump varies from flame scarlet to scarlet. Van Someren * 
records two albinistic birds with normal red rumps. 

Of the present series, birds in fresh plumage are distributed among 
the following months: December, January, June, July, and August; 


37 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 716, 1930. 

8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 3. 

% Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 10. 

© Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 134, 1922. 

41 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 55 (131), 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 379 


worn plumage: November, December, February, and August; molt- 
ing: November, December, February, June, July, and August. 

The males have the following size variations: Wing, 113-130 
(120.1); tail, 70-83 (77); culmen, 21-24 (22.8); tarsus, 29.5-32.5 
(31.8 mm). Females: Wing, 107-122.5 (114.5) ; tail, 68.5-80 (72.5) ; 
culmen, 21-23 (22.3) ; tarsus, 28-33 (80.5 mm). 

The birds of northern Uganda and extreme southern Sudan may 
prove to be separable on the basis of smaller size. A male from 
Logos, Bahr el Jebel, has a wing length of 116.5 mm, and two males 
from northwestern Uganda are said by van Someren *? to have wings 
measuring 112 mm each. I know of no Uganda or Sudan records 
of birds with wings of more than 120 mm while Abyssinian male 
birds range as high as 130 mm and average 120 mm. 

Mearns noted on the label of a male shot on June 10 that it was 
engaged in nest-building at the time. A mated pair was collected 
on August 16. 

Hartert ** records a nest with 4 eggs collected by Zaphiro at Bis- 
sidimo in September. Erlanger ‘* found a nest with 2 eggs in north- 
ern Somaliland in March; another in Ennia Gallaland on May 24; 
another in the Danakil region on June 8. 

Mearns noted from 20 to 500 of these birds every day on his jour- 
ney from Aletta to Dussia, March 7-July 2, and again from the 
Endoto Mountains to the Lekiundu River, July 19-August 9. 
Smaller numbers (4-25) were seen daily along the Tana River, 
August 13-26, and the Thika River, August 26-28. 


PLOCEPASSER MAHALI MELANORHYNCHUS Bonaparte 


Plocepasser melanorhynchus BoNAPARTE, Conspectus generum avium, vol. 1, 
p. 444, 1850: Shoa, ex Riippell, Systematische Uebersicht der Végel Nordost- 
Afrika’s, p. 78, 1845, nom. nud. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 


7 males, 5 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 5-21, 1911. 

1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, February 3, 1912. 

2 males, Hawasn River, Ethiopia, February 8-10, 1912. 

1 male, 3 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 7—-May 9, 1912. 
1 female, 1 unsexed, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3—4, 1912. 

1 female, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 

1 female, Lake Stefanie, Kenya Colony, May 11, 1912. 

1 female, Yebo, Ethiopia, June 21, 1912. 

2 males, 3 females, Chaffa, Ethiopia, June 23, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 20-23, 1912. 
1 female, Er-re-re, Kenya Colony, July 25, 1912. 

1 male, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 

1 female, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 


42 Ibis, 1916, p. 403. 
48 Nov. Zool., vol. 14, p. 487, 1907. 
* Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 3. 


380 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


1 male, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 28, 1912. 
1 male, 25 miles north of Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, July 
80, 1912. 


2 males, 2: females, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 
1-3, 1912. 

3 males, 4 females, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 4-8, 1912. 

1 female, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 

3 males, 1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 17—25, 1912. 

1 male, west Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 28, 1912. 

1 female, between Thika and Athi Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 29, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris dark red; bill all black; feet hght brown, claws 
dark grayish brown. 

The birds from Kenya Colony show, on the average, a very slight 
tendency to vary toward propinquatus, but they are not different 
enough from Abyssinian birds to warrant calling them anything but 
melanorhynchus. 

Van Someren ** writes that specimens from Naivasha and Thika 
are darker on the back and blacker on the crown than typical 
specimens of melanorhynchus. 'The present series shows no constant 
color variations correlated with geography. In fact, there is sur- 
prisingly little color variation, other than that due to fading and 
wear, in the series (75 specimens) examined in the present connection. 

Of the birds listed above, molting specimens are in the minority 
but are scattered over December, May, and August. I resh- 
plumaged birds were taken in December, February, June, and Au- 
gust; birds in worn feathering in December, April, May, June, July, 
and August. 

The males have the following size variations: Wing, 93-104 (av- 
erage, 98) ; tail, 57.5-67.5 (63.5); culmen, 15-18 (16.3) ; tarsus, 22-25 
(23.8 mm). Females: Wing, 90-101.5 (95.6); tail, 56-64 (61.3) ; 
culmen, 15-17 (16.1) ; tarsus, 22-24.5 (23.2 mm). 

Ethiopian males average 2 mm longer in the wing length than 
Kenyan examples, but the overlapping is very extensive. Hthiopian 
males have this dimension varying from 93.5 to 104.5 (average, 
99.3) as against 92 to 102 (average, 97 mm) in Kenyan birds. 

This race of the sparrow-weaver occurs from Nguruman, Tangan- 
yika Territory, and southern Kenya Colony north to Shoa and the 
Hawash Basin (but not to Somaliland) and to northern Uganda and 
the Mongalla district of the Sudan. It is a common bird throughout 
its range and is noisy and, therefore, forces itself upon one’s atten- 
tion. Mearns referred to it in his notebooks as the “squeaky 
weaver.” Zedlitz 4° has raised a question as to whether the birds of 
central and southern Kenya Colony are melanorhynchus or erlangert, 
but all other recent writers seem agreed that they are the former. 


4 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 185, 1922. 
46 Journ. fiir. Orn., 1916, p. 11. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA. COLONY 381 


In Shoa the breeding season is in August according to Antinori; 
in extreme southern Ethiopia, Pease found them nesting both in the 
spring and in autumn. In Somaliland, the allied race erlangeri 
breeds in June and July. 

In central Kenya Colony (Lekiundu River) Lénnberg ‘7 found 
fledged young in the beginning of February. 

The abundance of this weaver is well illustrated by the entries 
given it in his diary by Mearns. On his journey from Aletta to 
Chaffa, March 15—June 24, he noted from 50 to 1,000 birds each day; 
similarly, on the trip from Endoto Mountains to the Guaso Mara 
River, July 19-August 9, from 200 to 1,000 were seen daily, and from 
the Tana River to the Athi River, August 12-29, from 50 to 500 
birds were observed each day. 


PLOCEPASSER DONALDSONI Sharpe 


Ploceipasser donaldsoni SHARPE, Bull, Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 5, p. 14, 1895: ‘‘Hast- 
ern Africa”, i. e., near Lasamis, between Lake Rudolf and the Northern 
Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

11 males, 5 females, Chaffa villages, Ethiopian-Kenyan border, June 23-25, 
1912. 

2 males, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 2, 1912. 

5 males, 4 females, Dussia, Kenya Colony, July 2-4, 1912. 

1 male, east of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 5, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Kenya Colony, July 22-27, 1912. 

1 male, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 

2 males, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 8, 1912. 

Donaldson’s sparrow-weaver occurs in northern Kenya Colony 
from the Shoan border to the Lekiundu River. It appears to be 
rather restricted in its range from west to east; it has not been 
recorded from west of Lake Rudolf, or from east of longitude 40° E. 
It is a bird of the acacia-steppe country and occurs together with P. 
melanorhynchus. Van Someren ** considers it “apparently a rare 
bird.” More recently, however,*® he notes that it is common at 
Archers Post and Chanlers Falls, Northern Guaso Nyiro River. 
Lonnberg °°? obtained a series on the Lekiundu River, where it was 
not uncommon. 

Van Someren writes that his birds are grayer, more mottled on the 
breast and buffier, less whitish on the cheeks; and are also larger than 
a cotype of donaldsont. The present series, which covers the entire 
range of the species, shows no size or color differences between north- 
ern and southern birds. All the specimens (both sexes) have the 


47 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 100. 

48 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 134, 1922. 

49 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 56 (132), 1930. 
50 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 100. 


382 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


cheeks buffy white, and the variation in the grayish or brownish tone 
of the upperparts is clearly not geographic but individual in nature. 
Inasmuch as this species is uncommon in collections, I give (table 74) 
the measurements of the present 33 specimens. 


TABLE 74.—Measurements of 38 specimens of Plocepasser donaldsoni from Kenya 


Colony 
Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen]} Tarsus 
ETHIOPIAN—KENYAN BORDER: Mn Mm Mm Mm 
Chaffa’ Villagest2so: bees beet Males? 2222226 94.0 55.0 19.5 23.0 
DDO2: 28 3 ote ee ee dozer 97.0 53.0 16.0 23.0 
DO. eo 5 = soo coe ec eae a css eens |-aeee! qos 2 91.0 51.0 19.5 24.5 
Dot) aa ees ita ee doses: 92. 5 51.5 20.0 23.0 
DOs sees kto ss tt a ke soe Ge ee 92.0 52.5 20.0 23.0 
ID Onn oo oe ee sce eee Ae ees doz. 3s 94.0 52.5 19.0 22.0 
SD) 92s ka os soso ee Usa coou sete Cola 8780 53.0 20. 0 23.5 
WO 23505 oso sso ae ee yt ee don tt ae 93.5 50. 5 19.0 24.0 
dD Yap Sp a a lt Ie Es eB Pn he Ee Got ese 89.0 51.0 19.0 23. 5 
DO ee St sae ae ee oe GOs esta e 90. 0 51.5 19.0 23.0 
DOS se ae ae oe ee Ee See dost 2 93.0 55.0 21.0 24.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
18 miles southwest of Hor__------_- Ss2 dOh2 eee 91.0 55.0 20.0 23.0 
DQ ee see a ee ee eee nee Gow bee 94.0 54.0 21.0 24.0 
Dussid i oco=) tooo ee aes sees ee so] seeee dole=ss=—s 92.0 SONOMS| Peon s aes 22.0 
Dotty scctds SoM es ae es a le Gown tt. tee 91.0 55.0 17.5 23. 0 
DOi 254 secesecc ten fe aes elec Gols... se 85.0 49.0 19.0 25.0 
1 DY ap ea te Sr a Goer 2 89.0 51.0 18.0 23.0 
DO scesoee et ea ee ele oe doses =. 93.0 54.0 17.5 22.5 
Hastiof Lake Rudolf. oe see eae ee dove. eee 94.0 57.5 17.0 23.0 
Mialele22s220 =. 223k se 2 Se ee ee Gorse 94.0 52.0 19.0 25.0 
We-86-dUne 22 se 2 2 ees a GOR seas ed 93.0 53.0 18.5 24.0 
ekiund uy Riversesssse nee een eee (Lean 93.5 52.0 21.0 21.5 
NE) tari Se ap doz = Sele. 94.0 | 55.0 21.0 22.0 
ETHIOPIAN—KENYAN BORDER: 
Chaffial ts be: eee Sek Female______-- 90.0 51.5 18.5 23.5 
1B eee SA eee ene, a ip ier wre eee S| Ee ee doe 89,5 51.0 19.0 22.5 
DOs oes Sa ae Ee eee |e COn= ts fee 90.0 51.0 17.5 22.0 
MOR STi ss 2 Ty a TS EAE do::t2e= 91.0 50.0 19.5 24.0 
ID) OB Foe So ea SO ee ee dot. 93.5 51.0 19.5 23.0 
KENYA COLONY: : 
DussigiVistgee . 4h. a feet ele ee? do- asst 88. 5 61.0 19.0 23.0 
ID) OR SEE 52 ra eb Be 5 23 SEE at 2k dott 88. 5 48.5 18.0 23.0 
UB) Oe Sean ao ae el ie eae ans Gores th 89.0 52.0 20.0 23.0 
(DO. 22: AGEs sf  SU e t opens. = = 83.0 50.0 16.0 22.0 
Malelets tei 2 ages > eee we eee ae Go= 2.2 | 8635 52.5 20.0 24.0 


A few of these specimens, taken in June and July, are in molt; 
most of the others are in fresh plumage; a few, June and July, 
are abraded. 

On July 2, Mearns shot a mated pair. Loénnberg found the species 
in breeding condition early in July on the Lekiundu River. 

One of the males collected at the Lekiundu River was “fighting a 
dead puff adder,” according to Mearns’s notes. 

Mearns noted 1,500 of these birds at Chaffa villages, June 23-25; 
at Dussia, July 1-4, 1,000 were seen; east of Lake Rudolf, July 5-8, 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 383 


30 birds; Malele, July 27, 200; 18-24 miles south of Malele, July 28— 
29, 200; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31-August 3, 40 birds; 
Lekiundu River, August. 4-8, 100 seen; Guaso Mara River, August 9, 


50 birds seen. 
PSEUDONIGRITA ARNAUDI KAPITENSIS Mearns 


FIGURE 22 


Pseudonigrita arnaudi kapitensis MEARNS, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 56, 
no. 14, p. 5, 1910: Juja Farms, Kapiti Plains, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
3 males, 2 females, east of Ithanga Hills, near Tana River, Kenya Colony, 
August 26, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Athi River near Juja Farm, Kenya Colony, August 31, 
1912. 
1 female, Athi Station, Uganda Railway, Kenya Colony, September 1, 1912. 

Sclater * does not recognize kapitensis, but I find it is certainly 
valid, differing from arnaudi in being larger. Van Someren *? also 
finds kapitensis recognizable, but he considers emzni Reichenow to 
be a synonym, in which case eméni would have to be used for the 
present form. This, however, is erroneous, as eméni is a much paler 
bird than kapitensis. Van Someren also notes that two specimens 
from the Magadi district are indistinguishable from typical arnaudi 
from Nimule. This would seem to be a corroboration of Sclater’s 
decision in lumping kapitensis with arnaudi, but it is better to look 
upon these two specimens as unusually small kapitensis, as a good 
series of this form indicates its racial validity. 

From the material examined in the present study, comprising 
some 24 specimens, it seems to me that there are four races of 
this weaver, instead of merely two, as Sclater writes. They are 
as follows: 

1. P. a. arnaudi: The extreme southern Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 
(Bahr el Ghazal and Mongalla) east through northern Uganda to 
Turkanaland. 

2. P. a. kapitensis: Elgeyu east to the Kapiti Plains and Ithanga 
Hills, south to the Magadi and Teita districts, Kenya Colony. 

3. P. a. dorsalis: The Ikoma, Mwanza, and Tabora districts of 
Tanganyika Territory. 

4. P. a, emini: Northeastern Tanganyika Territory from Ugogo 
south to Dodoma. 

The first two forms are brown-backed with no gray dorsal area 
and may be told apart on a basis of size (wings, 60-63 mm in 
arnaudi, 64-70.5 mm in kapitensis) ; dorsalis has a grayish area on 
the upper back and is less brownish above than either arnaudi or 


51 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 719, 1930. 
52 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, 1922, p. 146. 


384 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


lapitensis and has no black in the tail; eménz is a very light pale col- 
ored version of dorsalis, with the usual black in the tail, and is smaller 
(wings, 58-60 mm). The type of eméni is a young bird and conse- 
quently does not show the characters of the race. It is possible 
that emini and kapitensis are identical, in which case the Dodoma 


ARABIA 


LQUATOR 





o 100 200 390 400 SOO MULES 


- SCALE- 
FIGURD 22.—Distribution of Pseudonigrita arnaudi. 
1. P. a. arnaudi. 8. P. a. dorsalis. 
2. P. a. kapitensis. 4. P. a emini. 


birds are of an undescribed race. However, the type locality of 
emint (Muhulala, Ugogo) is not so very far from Dodoma, although 
the latter area is more arid than the former and may well be in- 
habited by a distinct race. In the adult plumage emind is avellaneous 
on the nape, lower back, and rump, with a light neutral gray area 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 385 


on the middle back, and a still paler grayish crown and forehead; 
the upper tail coverts and the underparts generally are pale avel- 
laneous, slightly darker on the breast and throat. 

The present specimens of kapitensis are all adults and are all in 
fresh plumage. Their dimensions are given in table 75. 

Jackson found this bird breeding in May at Elgeyo; the typical 
race has been recorded as nesting in December and in August. 
P. a. dorsalis has been known to nest in June in the Ikoma district 
Tanganyika Territory. 


’ 


TABLE 75.—Measurements of eight specimens of Pseudonigrita arnaudi kapitensis 
from Kenya Colony 


Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen]} Tarsus 
Mm Mm Mm Mm 

East of Ithanga Hills_-._-_--...-.-_-_--- Moalere: 4. .--- 65.0 35.0 13.0 17.5 
DOrss 2o3 a es eee 82S SESS do: 224 se. 70.5 38.0 14.0 18.5 
TQ ease cote eer eee ne ea ee | eer MOrn. sees 68.0 36. 5 13.0 18.5 
Athi River, Juja Farm. . 2-22. itS | 252 doictgnu 70.0 37.0 14.0 19.0 
Mastiotithanga, Halls! +5 > Sse Female--.----- 65.0 37.0 13.0 18.0 
DO see cn a ee ee eh ee bears 0 [a aes 67.5 36.5 13.5 19.0 
Athi River; Juja Manms: itv sae. | eyes Go: But. 2 68.0 36.5 12.0 18.0 
ACD Stationios sheen cee ee Se ee ees do: Seek 67.5 37.0 13.0 19.0 


PSEUDONIGRITA CABANISI (Fischer and Reichenow) 


Nigrita cabanisi FiscHER and REICHENOW, Journ. fiir Orn., 1884, p. 54: Pare 
Mountains, near Kilimanjaro. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 adult males, 2 immature unsexed, Saru, Ethiopia, June 19, 1912. 
1 immature male, 1 immature female, Wobok, Ethiopia, June 19, 1912. 
2 adult males, 1 immature male, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 
3 adult males, 1 adult female, 1 adult unsexed, 3 immature females, 18 miles 
south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27-28, 1912. 
ladult male, 3 adult females, 1 immature female, river 24 miles south of 
Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 
2 adult males, 3 immature females, Marsabit road, 25 miles north of Northern 
Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, July 30, 1912. 
limmature female, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 1, 
1912. 
Tadult males, 4 adult females, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 8, 
1912. 


Soft parts: Bill grayish white, feet flesh-color, claws brown. 
Besides the above series, I have examined a number of other speci- 
mens, including the type of enchorus Oberholser,*? and have come to 


the conclusion that there are no valid racial forms. Van Someren *4 
casts doubt on the validity of enchorus. He finds that “birds in fresh, 


53 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 27, p. 683, 1904: Dabulli, western Somaliland. 
54 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 145, 1922. 


386 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


not worn, plumage agree absolutely with the co-type of P. c. enchora 
Oberh., and I doubt if this race is recognizable. I find the undersides 
of my birds white without any fleshy-pink tinge which is stated by 
Oberholser to be a character of cabanisi.” My observations agree with 
van Someren’s. I can find no constant differences in size or color that 
are at all correlated with geography. 

The adult males have wings of 65-72 mm in length (average, 67.9 
mm); the females, 66-68 mm (average, 67.1 mm). 

The young birds show signs of molt, especially on the crown, where 
a few black feathers show through among the dull brown ones of the 
immature plumage. 

Sclater ® gives the range of this bird as from “the Ogaden-Somali 
country, through Kenya Colony to the Pare Mts.” It is common, how- 
ever, in Arussi Gallaland and in southern Shoa as well. Erlanger °° 
found and collected a long series in Arussi Gallaland and the Garre- 
Lewin country farther east. Apparently, the present Shoan speci- 
mens constitute the most northwestern records for the species. 

Erlanger found this bird nesting in February, March, and May in 
southern Somaliland. In Kenya Colony it appears to breed during 
the two rainy seasons, March to June, and September to November. 


PASSER IAGOENSIS RUFOCINCTUS Finsch and Reichenow 
Passer rufocinctus FINSCcH and REICHENOw, Journ, fiir Orn., 1884, p. 55: Lake 
Naivasha. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Athi Station, Uganda Railway, Kenya Colony, 
September 1, 1912. 

I have not enough comparative material of other races of this 
sparrow to attempt a critical study of its geographical variations, 
and therefore I follow Sclater’s arrangement.*” 

The present specimen agrees very closely with a long series from 
south-central Kenya Colony. It is in fresh plumage and has the 
following dimensions: Wing, 75; tail, 51; culmen, 12; tarsus, 20 mm. 

This race of the rufous sparrow inhabits south-central Kenya 
Colony from Ukamba and Kikuyu to Laikipia and the Rift Valley. 
It does not seem to be known from northern Kenya Colony, although 
the race shelleyi is said to occur from the Upper White Nile and 
northern Uganda, east to Jifa Medir in Gallaland. 

Van Someren ** found this bird breeding in June and October, “in 
holes under the eaves of an outhouse, in holes in trees, and in deserted 
Weavers’ nests.” 


55 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 719, 1930. 
56 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 18-20. 

57 Systema avium Athiopicarun, pt. 2, p. 721, 1930. 
58 Tbis, 1916, p. 427. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 387 


PASSER CASTANOPTERUS FULGENS Friedmann 
Passer castanopterus fulgens FRIEDMANN, Occ. Papers Boston Soe. Nat. Hist., 
vol. 5, p. 428, 1921: Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
3 adult males, Chaffa, Ethiopia, June 24-25, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 immature male, 3 adult females, Hor, Kenya Colony, June 
29, 1912. 
4 adult males, 1 juvenal male, 1 juvenal female, Indunumara Mountains, 
Kenya Colony, July 15-16, 1912. 

The Somali sparrow was first recorded from northern Kenya 
Colony by van Someren,°® who listed 13 specimens from Marsabit, 
taken in July, 1928. Aside from these and a series from Karoli col- 
lected by Caldwell, now in the American Museum of Natural His- 
tory, the present birds are the only other Kenyan records known to 
me, and, in point of collecting date, are the first ones taken in that 
country. 

The species was first discovered in British Somaliland, but in 1903 
Hammerton obtained a male at Bera, southern Somaliland. This 
record, published by Witherby,° constituted a considerable extension 
of range, but was doubted by Zedlitz,** who suggested that inasmuch 
as Hammerton obtained this bird at Upper Sheikh in northern 
Somaliland in 1904, the specimen labeled Bera probably came from 
Upper Sheikh also. However, in view of the fact that van Someren, 
Caldwell, and Mearns all obtained this species in northern Kenya 
Colony, Hammerton’s record need no longer be looked upon with 
doubt and suspicion. The present Chaffa birds are the first records 
for Ethiopia. 

The nominate race is known from British Somaliland. In northern 
Kenya Colony and extreme southern Shoa the present race replaces it. 
Which form occurs at Bera in southern Somaliland is an open ques- 
tion that can not be answered except by an examination of Hammer- 
ton’s specimen. P. c. fulgens differs from typical castanopterus in 
being more yellowish on the cheeks and underparts; the males of 
fulgens with the top of the head and nape brighter cinnamon-rufous, 
and the upper back with a slightly more greenish tone. 

P. c. fulgens is definitely known only from the following localities: 
Ethiopia—Malata, Chaffa; Kenya Colony—Hor, Indunumara Moun- 
tains, Koroli, and Marsabit. 

As the juvenal plumage has never been described, the following 
notes are worthy of record: Sexes alike; forehead, crown, nape, and 
entire back and upper tail coverts uniform pale buffy brown, some of 
the interscapulars with dark brown centers; upper wing coverts, 


5° Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 60 (136), 1930. 
6 Ibis, 1905, p. 518. 
1 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 45. 


388 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


remiges, and rectrices dark earth brown edged with buffy brown; a 
pale buffy superciliary stripe over each eye; lores, cheeks, and 
auriculars pale buffy brown; underparts whitish lightly washed with 
pale buff on chin and throat and still more lightly washed with the 
same color on the middle of the abdomen; sides and flanks with a 
grayish buffy wash. 

The female, unknown at the time when Reichenow compiled his 
great work, has been described by Witherby and by van Someren. 
Both write that the female resembles the male above but lacks the 
chestnut color. This is not all, however; the upper back of the male 
has a yellowish grayish-green cast, while the female has a buffy- 
brown tone. The immature male (second pennaceous plumage) 
resembles the adult female. 

The postjuvenal molt seems to be incomplete, as the brownish 
remiges and rectrices are retained, and are replaced by the deep 
fuscous ones of maturity only in the first prenuptial molt. The wings 
and tail molt after the body feathers; thus, the black throat gorget 
has already lost its grayish margins in a specimen in which the new 
remiges are not yet fully grown. 

A male taken on July 16 is in very fresh plumage; others taken, 
June 24—July 15, are in molt. The dimensions of the adults collected 
by the expedition are shown in table 76. 


TapLE 76.—Measurements of 11 specimens of Passer castanopterus fulgens 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen} Tarsus 

ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Chafise 3 a2 ee ees cee eee Wales 322: -=3 65. 5 44.0 11.0 17.0 
Does ss see Be Lek Gosesricn 68.0 47.0 11.0 15.5 
1 Bs) an BE ES 34 Se eal BEE do: = 67.0 46.0 10.5 17.0 

KENYA COLONY: 

POR SEE Pree Leet eee ek Ee ee Se Gos 2s ssi 66.5 48.0 11.5 17.0 
Indunumara Mountains-_----------}----- GQ-t 2225-22 67.0 45.0 10.5 16.5 
DOM Sous erent cae ee see as oa Qe ne eaene 66.0 46.0 10.0 16.0 
Dosa SEER Cee ce ey | SAL Be dossiis. 4) 67.5 47.0 10.0 16.5 
DOb 252 ak ne ea GO.5 Bo 66. 0 47.0 10.5 16.5 
TOR a er ee ee ee ee Female-_-_--_--- 67.0 47.0 11.5 16.0 
Doin. Site ee Ae es eget dots 61.5 43.0 11.0 15.5 
DOs. 32-8 eo ee One eee 66.0 45.5 10.5 16.5 





A series of nine birds collected by Capt. Keith Caldwell at Karol, 
on July 21-28, are all in very worn plumage and are all much stained 
below with reddish earth. They lack some of the yellow on the under- 
parts, so characteristic of the Chaffa, Hor, and Indunumara birds. 

This species (typical race) appears to be not at all uncommon in the 
coastal districts of northern Somaliland. Lort Phillips* found it 


Ibis, 1898, pp. 397-398. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 389 


numerous at Berbera, where it was nest-building in January. Ham- 
merton * writes that it was a scarce bird “but now (1904) swarms 
along the lines of communication, following the ration convoys from 
post to post.” 

That this sparrow is very numerous in northern Kenya Colony is 
indicated by the following observational records in Mearns’s note- 
books: Malata, June 22, 10 birds seen; Chaffa, June 23-25, 220; Hor, 
June 26-30, 500; Dry River 18 miles southwest of Hor, July 1-2, 50 
noted; Indunumara Mountains, July 14-18, 500 birds observed. 


PASSER GRISEUS SWAINSONII (Riippell) 


Pyrgita swainsonii Riprett, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna von Abyssinien 
gehdrig, etc., Végel, p. 94, pl. 33, 1840: “Abyssinia, Sennar, Kordofan.” 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 males, 3 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 11—December 21, 1911. 
2 females, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, December 21, 1911. 
1 male, 3 females, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911—Janury 2, 1912. 
1 male, Botala, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. 
1 male, Konso Hills, Ethiopia, March 6, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 10-11, 1912. 
3 males, 1 female, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 27-28, 1912. 
13 males, 2 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 31—-May 8, 
1912, 
1 male, Kormali, Ethiopia, May 18, 1912. 

In northeastern Africa there are three forms of this sparrow and 
also the closely allied P. gongonensis, which must be kept as a species 
although it looks like nothing more than a large-billed race of griseus. 
The relationship of gongonensis and griseus recalls the case of H’m- 
beriza schoeniclus and “Pyrrhulorhyncha” pyrrhuloides. 

The three races in northeastern Africa are as follows: 

1. P. g. eritreae: Northern Uganda and the Upper White Nile Prov- 
ince of the Sudan through the drainage basins of the White and 
Blue Niles to Eritrea. This form, which I have not seen, is consid- 
ered a synonym of griseus by Lynes ** but I follow Sclater ® in list- 
ing it as a valid race. The figure of it given by Zedlitz ® certainly 
indicates a well-marked subspecies, characterized by its pure white 
chin, lower breast, abdomen, sides, flanks, and under tail coverts, and 
fairly large size. 

2. P. g. swainsonii: The highlands of Somaliland and of Ethiopia 
from Asmara to southern Shoa, in the southern part of which it 
occurs together with gongonensis. This is a fairly large bird (as 
large as eritreae) but dusky grayish on the entire underparts—the 
darkest of all the forms here under consideration. 


68 Witherby, Ibis, 1905, p. 518. 

%Tbis, 1926, p. 383. 

6 Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 724, 1930. 
% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, pl. 1, fig. 1. 


106220—37-. 26 





390 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


3. P. g. neumanni: Coastal Somaliland north to the Danikil area 
of Eritrea. This form is slightly smaller than either of the others, 
has the throat and breast grayish but paler than in swainsonii, the 
abdomen white as in eritreae, and the under tail coverts washed with 
buffy. 

In Uganda and western Kenya Colony, P. g. ugandae occurs. 

All the specimens collected are in rather worn plumage; one female, 
shot December 17 at Dire Daoua, is in molt; the others show no signs 
of ecdysis. 

The adult males have wings varying from 80 to 91.5 mm in length; 
tail, 65-78; culmen, 12.5-14; tarsus, 19-21. Females: Wing, 81-88; 
tail, 63-69; culmen, 12.5-14; tarsus, 19-21 mm. 

In Ethiopia the gray-headed sparrow is an abundant bird and 
takes the place of P. domesticus in a general way. It is a “house” 
sparrow in its habits, flourishing in and about native villages, nesting 
in holes in the walls of buildings and similar places. Antinori found 
it to be very common in Shoa; Lovat, Pease, and others have re- 
corded its abundance in Gallaland. Erlanger ® found the birds 
breeding at Harrar in the spring, March—May, and at Adis Abeba in 
autumn, September—October. There seems to be some seasonal wan- 
dering, perhaps not exactly comparable to migration, in this species. 
Erlanger found the birds abundant at Harrar in March, April, and 
May, but when he revisited the region in October not a sparrow was 
to be seen or heard, while in December they appeared again. 

Mearns collected two nests with eggs at Gato River, on April 25. 
One contained 6 eggs, the other 4 eggs. The eggs show considerable 
variation in color, some being much browner, others much grayer in 
their markings. They average 19.5 by 15 mm in size. 

Besides the birds collected, Mearns noted this sparrow as follows: 
Along the Hawash River in February, common everywhere in flocks 
but rather shy; Aletta, March 7-13, 100; Loco, March 13-15, 20 birds; 
Gidabo River, March 15-17, 10 seen; Abaya Lakes, March 17-26, 400; 
Gato River near Gardula, March 29-May 17, 1,000 seen; Anole, May 
18, 50 birds. 


PASSER GONGONENSIS (Oustalet) 


Pseudostruthus gongonensis OuSTALET, Le Naturaliste, 1890, p. 274: Gongoni, 
near Mombasa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 female, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 28, 1912. 
2 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 24-May 4, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 11, 1912. 
1 immature male, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, 1 immature male, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15-16, 1912. 


Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 25-26. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 391 


1 female, Yebo, Ethiopia, June 21, 1912. 

1 female, Malata, Ethiopia, June 22, 1912. 

2 males, 1 female, Chaffa, Ethiopia, June 23-25, 1912. 

2 males, 1 female, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 1-2, 1912. 

1 immature male, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 

1 male, 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 

1 male, 2 females, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 2-3, 
19 

2 eae 1 immature male, 2 females, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 
4-8, 1912. 

1 male, Guaso Mara River, Kanya Colony, August 9, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912, 

Soft parts: Iris pale reddish brown; bill slate black, palest at base 
of mandible; feet pale grayish olive, claws black. 

The thick-billed sparrow would certainly be called only a race of 
P. griseus were it not for the fact that the two occur together in 
southeastern Kenya Colony and in southwestern Ethiopia and adja- 
cent areas. 

Besides the above series, I have seen 10 other specimens from south- 
central Kenya Colony and I agree with Lynes® in finding no evi- 
dence of the intermediate race bridging the gap between gongonensis 
and swainsonii reported by van Someren ® from the country between 
Ukamba and Lake Rudolf, said to be characterized by smaller size 
and smaller bill dimensions. Van Someren gives larger dimensions 
for his coastal birds (wings, males, 95-102; females, 91-96 mm) than 
I get for subcoastal and inland specimens, but a male from Chan- 
gamwe Is the smallest one I have seen (wing, 86 mm), so I can not see 
where to draw a line. Lynes states that western specimens aver- 
age smaller than coastal ones, “but retain the same outstanding 
characteristics.” 

This bird occurs in the scrub and thornbush country from Mombasa 
north to southern Somaliland (Daua) west to Lake Baringo, southern 
Shoa, and the Omo region, southwestern Ethiopia. 

Most of the specimens collected are in rather worn plumage. The 
dimensions of the males are as follows: Wing, 89-98; tail, 59.5-71; 
culmen, 14-15; tarsus, 20-22.5. 

On August 2, Mearns collected a mated pair. Lénnberg” obtained 
birds with swollen gonads in January and February. “But on the 
* * *  Itiolu river these sparrows had just fledged young the first 
days of February. Their propagation appears thus to be lively but 
somewhat irregular.” 

Mearns found this bird abundant from the Ethiopian-Kenyan 
boundary south to the Tana River. 


*§ Tbis, 1926, p. 386. 
© Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 168, 1922. 
% Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, pp. 108-109. 


392 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


SORELLA EMINIBEY Hartlaub 


Sorelta eminibey Hartiaus, Journ. fiir Orn., 1880, pp. 211, 235: Lado, Upper 
Nile. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 26, 1912. 
1 adult male, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 16, 1912. 
2 adult males, 3 immature males, 4 adult females, Wobok, Ethiopia, 
June 18, 1912. 
2 adult males, southeast Lake Stefanie, Kenya Colony, May 12, 1912. 
2 immature males, Chaffa, Ethiopia, June 24—25, 1912. 
1 immature male, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 16, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 immature male, 5 adult females, 35-25 miles north of 
Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, July 30, 1912. 
1 adult female, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 3, 
1912. 


Van Someren” has separated the birds from the Northern Fron- 
tier Province of Kenya Colony as S. e. guasso on the basis of their 
paler coloration, lacking the deep tinge on the crown. If guasso be 
a valid race the present series would have to be referred to it and 
would constitute a northern extension of its range. However, I 
have compared these birds with practically topotypical eminibey 
and with others from Tanganyika Territory and can not find van 
Someren’s diagnosis to hold at all. There is no difference in color 
between northwestern Ugandan and southern Sudanese birds and 
those from southern Shoa and northern Kenya Colony. Conse- 
quently, I do not recognize guasso as a valid race. Sclater“ lists 
it but considers it “doubtfully distinct.” On the other hand 
Hartert considers it a recognizable form, and van Someren™* 
obtained additional material and felt the characters of the race 
were upheld. 

Until the present series was collected, there was only one record 
for this bird in Ethiopia—a specimen collected by Antinori at 
Daimbi in Shoa (Ada Galla area), published on by Salvadori.7* In 
Kenya Colony the species has not been noted before from the area 
between Marsabit and the Ethiopian boundary. 

The size variations of the adults collected are as follows: Males— 
wing, 59-64 (average, 62.3) ; tail, 38-43 (40.5) ; culmen, 9-10 (9.5) ; 
tarsus, 14.5-16 (15.1 mm). Females—wing, 58.5-62 (60.5); tail, 
35-42 (37.4) ; culmen, 9-10 (9.5); tarsus, 14-16 (15.3 mm). 

The specimens collected in April and June are mostly in abraded 
plumage; those taken from July 30 to August 3 are in molt. 


12 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 43, p. 38, 1922. 

™ Systema avium AUthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 726, 1930. 

73 Nov. Zool., vol. 34, p. 198, 1928. 

7™ Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 60 (136), 1930. 
7% Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, 1884, p. 175. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 393 


This species ranges farther south than Sclater‘® indicates. He 
gives Nguruman, Tanganyika Territory, as the southern limit, but 
the bird is known from as far south as Dodoma in the central part of 
that country. 

In the Ikoma district of Tanganyika Territory, the nesting season 
is in July, as Bowen™ found a nest with one egg and one nesting 
there on July 9. In Darfur, Lynes** found a number of nests with 
eggs and young in October. 


GYMNORIS PYRGITA PYRGITA (Heuglin) 
Xanthodina pyrgita Heuctin, Journ. fiir Orn., 1862, p. 30: Bogos Mountains; 
Keren.” 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 males, 1 female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 17-21, 1911. 
1 male, 1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 3, 1912. 
1 male, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 6, 1912. 

The rock sparrow of northeastern Africa has been subdivided into 
five races, all of which appear to be valid. In the actual areas 
traversed by the Frick expedition only two occur—the typical 
form and massaica. In southern Somaliland a pale, small race 
(reichenow?) flourishes; a similarly pale but larger form (pallida) 
replaces it in the Sudan, while a large dark-backed form (kaka- 
mariae) is found in the Karamoja country of northeastern Uganda. 

The two races of immediate concern in this report may be easily 
identified by their dorsal coloration—pyrgita bemg lighter and 
grayer, massaica darker and browner. The supposed size differences, 
especially of the bill, do not hold. The ranges of the two are as 
follows: 

1. G. p. pyrgita: Eritrea to British Somaliland, south through 
most of Ethiopia to southern Gallaland and to central Shoa (about 
the region of Lake Zwai). In southeastern Gallaland it probably 
intergrades with reichenowt; where and if it merges with massaica 
I do not know, but birds of extreme southern Shoa (Gardula, 
Bodessa, etc.) are dark, brown-backed birds, agreeing exactly with 
typical massaica. 

2. G. p. massaica: Southern Shoa, south through the interior of 
Kenya Colony (reaching the coast in the southern part of that 
country) to the northern part of Tanganyika Territory. The most 
southern localities known to me are the Pare Mountains, Pangani 
River, and Arusha, in northeastern Tanganyika Territory, and 
Serronea River, Ioma district, in the western portion of the country. 


7 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 726, 1930. 

™ Proe. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 83, pp. 72—73, 1931. 
7 Tbis, 1924, p. 686. 

7 See Zedlitz, Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 42. 


394 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Previously this race was not known from north of Marsabit in 
northern Kenya Colony. Sclater *° merely gives “Kenya Colony, 
south «to. :%5 %1) "7 northern... *),..*. .*; .Vanganyika Territory? 
Lonnberg *! obtained it near the Northern Guaso Nyiro River, and 
Zedlitz *? doubted if this record could refer to massaica. 'Then 
van Someren ** recorded massaica from Serenli, Mandaira, El Wak, 
and Marsabit, as well as from near the Northern Guaso Nyiro River. 
The examples of massaica collected by the Frick expedition extend 
the known range to southern Shoa. 

The six specimens of pyrgita collected are in somewhat worn 
plumage. Their dimensions are as follows: Males—wing, 84.5, 85.5, 
87, 91; tail, 58.5, 68, 65, 65; culmen, 12, 12.5, 12.5, 18; tarsus, 18, 
19,19,20 mm. Females—wing, 79, 85; tail, 56, 63, culmen, 18, 13.5; 
tarsus, 18, 18 mm. 

This species appears to be not: uncommon but is nowhere abun- 
dant. I have not been able to find out anything about its breeding 
season; the southern race massaica has been found nesting in June. 


GYMNORIS PYRGITA MASSAICA Neumann 


Gymnoris pyrgita massaica NEUMANN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 21, p. 70, 1908: 
Kikuyu, Kenya Colony. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
2 males, 2 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 18-May 

17, 1912. 

male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, May 19, 1912. 

males, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 20-24, 1912. 

male, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 

female, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 20, 1912. 

1 female, 1 immature male, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 

1 male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 

2 males, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 16-19, 1912. 


et BL OD EE 


As already mentioned under the typical form, the present Ethiopian 
specimens are the first ones known from that country and extend the 
known range of the race northward by about 200 miles. 

All the specimens taken in May are in very worn plumage; the 
bird collected on June 14 is in molt; the July and August birds are 
in fairly fresh feathering. The immature bird lacks the yellow on 
the throat and has some obscure darkish spots on the back. The size 
variations of the adults are as follows: Males—wing, 81-89 (average, 
86.2) ; tail, 56.5-64 (60.4); culmen, 12-14 (13.2); tarsus, 18-20 (18.8 
mm). Females—wing, 79, 85; tail, 56, 63; culmen, 13, 18.5; tarsus, 
18, 18 mm. 


80 Systema avium AMthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 727, 1930. 

81 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 109. 

82 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 44. 

83 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 60 (136), 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 395 


Bowen * writes that in the Ikoma district, Tanganyika Territory, 
the breeding season ends about the middle of June. 


SPOROPIPES FRONTALIS CINERASCENS Madarasz 
FIGURE 23 


Sporopipes cinerascens MaparAsz, Ann. Mus. Hungar. (Budapest), vol. 13, p. 
395, 1915: Ruvana Steppes, Mwanza district, Tanganyika Territory. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 20, 1912. 
1 male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 138, 1912. 

I have gone over the literature and a small but geographically 
representative series of specimens of this weaver from Ethiopia, 
Sudan, Kenya Colony, and Tanganyika Territory, and I have come 
to somewhat different conclusions from those reached by Sclater.*® 
In eastern Africa I recognize the following races: 

1. S. f. frontalis: The valley of the Nile in the Sudan, south to the 
Upper Nile Province, west through Darfur across the Sudanese 
savannah belt to Senegal. 

2. S. f. abyssinicus: Bogosland and northeastern Ethiopia; south- 
ern limits uncertain, perhaps getting to southern Somaliland where 
Revoil obtained a specimen which has never been identified sub- 
specifically. 

3. S. f. cinerascens: The Mongalla Province of the Sudan, south 
through Uganda and the interior of Kenya Colony to the Teita area, 
and to the Ikoma, Mwanza, and Uhele districts of Tanganyika 
Territory. 

4, 8. f. emini: The drier areas from Ugogo to Dodoma, Tanganyika 
Territory. This name is not mentioned by Sclater, who appears to 
consider all Tanganyikan birds cinerascens. If this were so, the name 
emini would have to be used for them as it has 18 years’ priority over 
cinerascens, which in turn has priority over /ottensis van Someren. 

Zedlitz *° has argued against the recognition of local forms in 
eastern Africa, stating that almost no other species of the family 
alters its appearance so greatly by abrasion and that therefore abys- 
stnicus (and eminz) must be considered untenable. I have therefore 
been careful to compare birds in similar degrees of plumage freshness 
or abrasion, and I find that four forms listed above to hold true. Of 
these abyssinicus is the palest on the back and the whitest below; 
emini is similarly white below but has the occiput and nape paler 
cinnamon-tawny and the back darker; cinerascens has the breast and 
flanks washed with grayish brown and has the occiput and nape as 


84 Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 83, p. 73, 1931. 
85 Systema avium A#thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 729, 1930. 
88 Journ, fiir Orn., 1911, p. 599. 


396 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


dark as in abyssinicus and the back as in emerascens; the nominate 
form is like abyssinicus but somewhat darker above. 

The present form appears to have been taken but a few times in 
northern Kenya Colony. Berger ** procured one specimen at Lake 


| 


FQUATQR 











oO 100 00 300 400 So0OMmMILES 


- SCALE- 
FIGURE 23.—Distribution of Sporopipes frontalis in northeastern Africa. 
1, 8. f. frontalis. 8. 8. f. cinerascens. 
2. 8. f. abyssinicus. 4. S. f. emini. 


Baringo; Mearns’s specimen from the Endoto Mountains is another 
record; while the bird has been taken in Turkanaland (Moroto, etc.) 
by van Someren and others. 


The two specimens obtained by the Frick expedition were in molt 
when shot. 


8t Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 518. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 397 


The breeding season in Kenya Colony (Elgeyu district) is in July, 
and (Loita Plains area) in January. The northern form, abyssinicus, 
is said to nest during the summer rains in Eritrea. 

Besides the two specimens collected, Mearns noted this species as 
follows: Endoto Mountains, July 19-24, 20 birds seen; river 24 miles 
south of Malele, July 29,2 noted; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 
31-August 8, 20 seen; Tharaka district, August 13, 50 birds observed. 


PLOCEUS REICHENOWI REICHENOWI (Fischer) 
Sycobrotus reichenowi Fiscuer, Journ. fiir Orn., 1884, p. 180: Great Arusha, 
Tanganyika Territory. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 7, 1912. 


Reichenow’s weaver occurs in Kenya Colony from Mount Elgon 
and Mount Kenya to Mount Kilimanjaro and the Usambara Range in 
northeastern Tanganyika Territory. It breaks up into two races; the 
typical one occurs from Tanganyika Territory to the eastern escarp- 
ment of the Rift Valley, and a form with no lateral projection of 
yellow behind the eyes in the males, nigritemporalis Granvik, replaces 
it on Mount Elgon. 

This bird is common throughout its range. Unlike many species 
of Ploceus, the present form goes about in pairs, not in flocks, and 
does not nest in colonies. Van Someren ® writes that they “do not 
nest in colonies, but in single pairs—two pairs at the very most might 
occupy one tree. It is a fact that there are usually many nests on the 
one tree, but only one will be occupied. The other nests are either 
old ones or spurious nests built by the male to while away the time 
while his mate is sitting.” He found the birds breeding from March 
to July, and from November to January. Young were taken in 
May, June, and November. 


PLOCEUS FRICKI (Mearns) 
PLATE 1 


Othyphantes fricki Mearns, Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 61, no. 14, p. 1, 1913: 
Aletta, southern Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Malke, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 38, 1912. 
2 adult males, 2 adult females, 2 juvenal females, Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, 
March 9-11, 1912. 
1 adult male, Loku, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 138, 1912. 
1 adult female, Gidabo River, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 15, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris yellow; bill black; feet and claws pale brown. 


% Ibis, 1916, p. 404. 


398 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Frick’s weaver is hardly more than a race of P. reichenowi, as has 
been suggested by van Someren ** who finds intermediates between 
the two in the Elgon area. 

Mearns * has suggested that the few examples of Ploceus reichenowi 
recorded from southern Ethiopia may be males of O. fricki and that 
the two females from Sidamo and Djamdjam recorded as O. stwhl- 
manni by Neumann may be females of O. fricki. This seems quite 
likely; van Someren examined Neumann’s birds and found that 
Mearns was correct in his assumption. 

The relationships of fricki, reichenowi, stuhlmanni, and eminé 
are still poorly understood. It is of great interest to find that fricki 
has one plumage like that of the corresponding sex (male) of 
reichenowi, and the other like that (female) of stuhlmanni. 

This bird is known only from the Sidamo and Djamdjam districts 
of Ethiopia. 

Inasmuch as little has been written about Frick’s weaver, and as 
the original description may not be readily accessible to some investi- 
gators, I append Mearns’s notes on the plumages of this bird: 


Description of the adult male in breeding plumage.—Forehead and most of 
crown apricot yellow; a band round the back of the ear-coverts, sides of upper 
ueck, cheeks, and entire under parts empire yellow; auricular patch, back 
of head and neck, and mantle brownish black, the latter with the unworn 
feathers more or less edged with olive-yellowish-green; lower back, rump, 
upper tail-coverts, and rectrices warbler green; wings brownish black with 
pyrite yellow edges to the feathers, these edges being confined to the ends 
of the lesser and median coverts, the outer edges of the greater coverts and 
quills; iris pale yellow; bill black; feet and claws pale brown. In unworn 
plumage the yellow extends over the entire head and nape, but, posteriorly, the 
yellow feather-tips quickly disappear with wear. 

Description of the adult female in breeding plumage.—Top and sides of 
head brownish black; back, rump, and upper tail-coverts yellowish olive-green, 
the mantle, only, with broad black shaft-streaks; wings ag in the male; entire 
under parts empire yellow. 

Description of young in first plumage (females, still attended by parents) .— 
Top of head, back, rump, and upper tail-coverts warbler green, washed with 
brownish-grayish on the mantle, which is also shaft-streaked with brown; 
wings brown, with buffy-white outer edges to the secondaries, and pyrite yellow 
edges to the coverts and outer edge of primaries; auricular patch duskier than 
crown; under parts pinard yellow anteriorly, becoming pale drab-gray on lower 
abdomen and crissum. 

Measurements of type (adult male).—Length of skin, 150; wing, 80; tail, 62; 
eculmen (chord), 18.2; tarsus, 24. 

Average measurements of four adult males.—Wing, 80.25; tail, 60.5; culmen 
(chord), 18.5; tarsus, 23.5. 

Average measurements of three adult female topotypes.—Wing, 78; tail, 59; 
culmen (chord), 17.33; tarsus. 22.2 [mm]. 

8 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 137, 1922. 

9 Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 61, no. 14, p. 2, 1913. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 399 


The abundance of this bird in its peculiarly limited range is at- 
tested by the fact that Mearns observed from 20 to 200 individuals 
every day on his journey from Aletta to Gato River, March 7-29. 


PLOCEUS BAGLAFECHT BAGLAFECHT (Daudin) 


Lovia baglafecht Davupin, in Buffon, Histoire naturelle (Didot’s ed.), Quad- 
rupeds, vol. 14, p. 245, 1799 (actually 1802) : Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
3 males, 2 females, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 31, 1911—January 7, 
1912. 
1 female, Ankober, Ethiopia, January 22, 1912. 


Sclater ® credits the name baglafecht to Vieillot,®? but Daudin 
used the same name for the same bird 17 years earlier, and so it 
must be credited to him. 

All the specimens obtained are in the nonbreeding, or “winter”, 
plumage. They are all very much alike, and all show the com- 
mencement of the prenuptial molt, a touch of new yellow feathers 
on the chin, and a small area of olive-yellow on the forehead in some 
cases extending as far back as the crown. One female (January 3) 
has several yellow feathers on the abdomen. 

The typical race of the baglafecht weaver is found in the high- 
lands of Ethiopia from 5,000 feet up to about 12,000 feet. It occurs 
in southern Eritrea (Bogosland) as well. 

In the northeastern Belgian Congo a race eremobius replaces it, 
and in the Cameroonian highlands another form, newmanné, is found. 

According to Sclater,* Shelley’s name Jovati*t and Madarasz’s 
form edmundi*® are synonyms of baglafecht. 

The dimensions of the present specimens are as follows: Males— 
wing, 80-85; tail, 61-63; culmen, 17.5-19; tarsus, 28-25 mm. Fe- 
males—wing, 77-80; tail, 53-62; culmen, 17.5-18; tarsus, 23-24 mm. 

Heuglin found this bird to be very numerous on the Eritrean- 
Ethiopian border and in Wollo-Gallaland. Blanford ** found the 
species at 10,000 feet and noted that birds taken at Senafe at the 
end of May were in breeding dress. 

In Shoa, Antinori noted that the winter plumage was still being 
worn in March but that birds began to molt in May and June, July 
and August birds being in breeding plumage. 

Erlanger ** found a nest and two fresh eggs as late as October 4 
at Adis Abeba, but he noted that most of the birds had young in 


2% Systema avium AUthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 733, 1930. 

® Nouveau dictionnaire d’histoire naturelle, vol. 34, p. 127, 1819. 

%3 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 733, 1930. 

*% The birds of Africa, vol. 4, p. 457, 1905: Lekamte, southern Abyssinia. 
% Orn. Monatsb., vol. 22, p. 161, 1914: Adis Abeba. 

% Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, p. 403, 1870. 

7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 6. 


400 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


September. Neumann*® found a nest at Muger in Shoa on October 
9, so it would seem as if the season is more prolonged than Erlanger 
believed. Zedlitz°®® noted that in extreme northern Ethiopia the 
breeding season was in the summer; his notes on the date of assump- 
tion of nuptial plumage agree with Blanford’s observations. 


PLOCEUS EMINI EMINI (Hartlaub) 


Sycobrotus emini HartLaur, Orn. Centralbl., 1882, p. 92: Agaru, east of Nimule 
(Journ. fiir Orn., 1882, p. 322). 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Harrar, Ethiopia, July 26, 1909 (Zaphiro coll.) 
2 males, Ourso, Ethiopia, October 13—November 2, 1911 (Quellard collection. ) 
2 males, 3 females, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 17-23, 1912. 

The Arussi birds are in molt, changing from the winter to the 
breeding plumage; the Harrar bird is in full nuptial feathering with 
the rump entirely brownish gray, no yellow on the posterior under- 
parts, mantle all black; the October bird from Ourso is similar except 
that there are a few brownish feathers mixed with the black of the 
mantle; the November Ourso specimen is still in breeding plumage, 
but there are a few brownish feathers among the black of the lower 
mantle; and there are several new olive-yellow feathers in the brown 
of the rump, posterior underparts entirely uniform pale smoky 
brown. Two of the males from Arussi Plateau are just beginning to 
change to the breeding plumage. One (U.S.N.M. no. 247067) collected 
on February 22, has several short yeilow feathers scattered over the 
crown and has yellow pinfeathers bordering the base of the bill. The 
chin is yellow, and the breast and neck are sprinkled with new yellow 
feathers. The sides of the head are black but the feathers are still 
largely encased in their sheaths. Another (U.S.N.M. no. 247069) col- 
lected February 28, has acquired the complete yellow on the forehead 
and crown, behind which the black of the breeding plumage appears as 
a band across the occiput. In the mantle, among the brown feathers 
of the winter plumage, are several new olive-green ones with black 
shaft streaks. The sides of the head are jet black. From the chin to 
the breast is solid yellow, with scattered yellow feathers on the 
lower chest and upper abdomen. 

So much for the males. Three females from the high Arrusi 
Plateau, February 17-22, show a corresponding extent of yellow on 
the underparts and have acquired more or less of the black breeding 
plumage on the top and sides of the head. Two have some scattered 
olive-green feathers, with black shaft streaks, on the mantle; and one 
is slightly greenish on the rump. 


* Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 337-338. 
* Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 16. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 401 


The dimensions of the present specimens are as follows: Males— 
wing, 79-86; tail, 60-65; culmen, 18-19; tarsus, 24-25 mm. 
Females—wing, 79-82; tail, 57-60; culmen, 18-19; tarsus, 24-24.5 mm. 

This form of Emin’s weaver occurs from eastern and central 
Ethiopia west to northwestern Uganda. In central and southern 
Uganda, and adjacent portions of the Ituri district, Belgian Congo, 
another form, budongoensis van Someren, replaces it. In this race 
the upper back of the male never becomes black in the breeding 
plumage as in typical emini but remains olive-grayish-green striped 
with fuscous. 

Erlanger + found nests with eggs in April and May at Harrar and 
Cialanco. Zaphiro obtained a nest with eggs at Harrar on July 10. 
Mearns noted this bird as living “in open plains with a few junipers 
in which it nests.” 


PLOCEUS LUTEOLUS LUTEOLUS (Lichtenstein) 


FIGURE 24 


Fringilla luteola LicHTENSTEIN, Verzeichniss der Doubletten, ete., p. 23, 1823: 
Senegal. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
8 males, 4 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 27—May 
9, 1912. 
1 male, Reishat, north of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, May 25, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris yellowish brown; bill plumbeous black; feet bluish 
gray, claws pale brown (bill and feet slightly paler in female than 
in male). 

Sclater ? considers the birds of southern Ethiopia as kavirondensis 
and not Juteolus, but van Someren * writes that Turkana birds “can- 
not be separated from birds from South Ethiopia or the Nile, and 
these latter agree with typical Senegal specimens,” while kav- 
zrondensis is restricted to the country from the south of Mount 
Elgon, along the Nandi Escarpment to south of Lake Victoria. The 
latter form is darker above, more greenish, less yellowish, and 
more decidedly streaked on the back and nape. The only birds I 
have seen from the Uganda—Sudan border (Rhino Camp to Gondo- 
koro) are in winter plumage and are therefore not comparable ma- 
terial, but I follow van Someren in calling the present birds 
luteolus. The males have bright yellow napes, not greenish as in 
kavirondensis. Gyldenstolpe* suggests that the characters of the 
latter form may be based on a partial retention of the winter plum- 
age, but in this he seems to be mistaken. 


1Journ. ftir Orn., 1907, pp. 5-6. 

2Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 737, 1930. 
8 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 189, 1922. 

*Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 30. 


402 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The present specimens were in breeding condition when collected ; 
in fact, four nests with eggs were taken, May 4-9, at Gato River. 
Some of the males are in an early state of molt and have a few 
vellow feathers among the black ones of the throat and forehead; 
the females are all in worn plumage. Their dimensions are shown 
in table 77. 

The extent of the black on the forehead in the males varies con- 
siderably; in some individuals it extends well behind the posterior 
margin of the eyes, while in others the 
upper margin of the eye is almost wholly 
yellow, not black (fig. 24). 

The nests found by Mearns are different 
from those of some other species of Ploceus 
in that they are made not of palm leaf 
strips but almost wholly of curled and 
twisted tendrils. They are retort-shaped 
structures with a downward hanging tu- 
bular entrance; the “ball”, or main part, 
of the nest is about 80 mm in diameter, 
the tubular part is 80 mm long and 50 mm 
wide. Once two nests were found attached 
to each other. The eggs, three to a nest, 
are white and measure about 19.2 by 13.5 
mm. ‘The largest egg collected measures 
19.5 by 14, the smallest one 19 by 138 mm. 
ENN ane ery fata re In Bogosland, Jesse found this species 

of Ploceus luteolus lutcolus breeding in August. Shelley® writes that 

re ooitants pba a “according to Heuglin they assume their 

bright plumage in May, commence breed- 

ing about the middle of July, and the young are able to fly in October 
and November.” 

Mearns did not record any association of the nests of this bird 
with wasps’ nests, as was found to be almost invariably the case in 
Darfur by Lynes.® 








PLOCEUS INTERMEDIUS INTERMEDIUS Riippell 
Ploceus intermedius Rtprrett, Systematische Uebersicht der Vé6gel Nordost- 
Afrika’s, pp. 71, 76, 1845: Shoa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
8 males, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 28-81, 1912. 
2 males, east Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 21-25, 1912. 


I have seen no material of Uittoralis or of kisumui and therefore 
follow Sclater’ in considering them as identical with zntermedius. 
5 The birds of Africa, vol. 4, pt. 2, p. 398, 1905. 


* Ibis, 1924, pp. 663-664. 
7Systema avium ADthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 740, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 403 


Three adult males from Taveta (which should be intermediate be- 
tween Jlittoralis and kisumui) are indistinguishable from Ethiopian 
birds (typical intermedius). A female from Ruwenzori is somewhat 
darker above, especially on the crown and upper back, than two from 
Taveta, but this difference is probably an individual one. Ogilvie- 
Grant ® found Ruwenzori birds to agree quite closely with Shoan 
specimens. 


TasLe 77.—Measurements of 13 specimens of Ploceus luteolus luteolus 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen]| Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
GatocR iver esse t oes sok oe Malet 2228 —2: 62. 5 41.0 12.0 17.0 
WO 25222 ese sh ee | eee doles. 3 64.0 41.0 13.5 18.0 
(DOn ee Se Skeet ee a aed doz422252 64.0 42.0 12.5 16.0 
WOSt aah ee ba eo Bee do-2e5. 2. 67.0 41.0 13.0 18.0 
DOr! Fh ok Behe ees dol 63.0 41.0 13.0 18.0 
DOS 2 0 Seek. doe 64.0 43.0 13.0 7s 
aD eee. Se ee eee en @os:22-4e42 65.0 42.0 13.5 17.5 
DOr e Sekt see sei Sees Se See dont 63.0 40.0 13.5 17.5 
KENYA. COLONY: Reishat:.==.-¢-===52-|-4--- flo=t=.-+—! 59.5 36.0 11.5 17.5 
ETHIOPIA: 
Gato-River: (i222 fii Jee ee Female-__.__--- 60.0 39.0 12.5 16.0 
DO So a i ee oe ee dOse=2 22226 61.5 38. 5 12.0 16.0 
OMe he taan cee wakes cece etera aera! (i fo eer eres 59.0 39.0 11.0 16.5 
Ol fee es ie ee SES dos s22221.60:0 40.0 12.0 17.0 





This bird appears to be rather local in Ethiopia, as a number of 
collectors, such as Neumann and Erlanger, did not meet with it. 
Blundell and Lovat obtained it at Kassam, not so very far from Sadi 
Malka; Harris found it in Shoa, while Pease recorded it from south- 
ern Gallaland. In Kenya Colony it is commoner, even near the Gal- 
laland and Jubaland borders. It also occurs in Uganda and in north- 
ern Tanganyika Territory. 

The present birds are in fairly fresh plumage, which is more or 
less in keeping with the observations of Lovat and Pease, who found 
birds in full nuptial dress breeding in the middle of March at Daira 
Aila. In the Kavirondo area of Kenya Colony the species has been 
found nesting in June. 


PLOCEUS VITELLINUS ULUENSIS (Neumann) 


Hyphantornis vitellinus uluensis NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1900, p. 282: Ulu 
Mountains, i. e., Machakos, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult female, southeast Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 22, 1912. 
9 adult males, 5 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 
21—May 6, 1912. 
1 adult female, 1 immature female, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 5, 1912. 


2 Trans. Zool. Soe. London, vol. 19, pp. 276-277, 1910. 


404 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


5 adult males, 5 adult females, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 8, 1912. 

2 adult males, 10 miles southeast Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 12, 1912. 

3 adult females, Endoto Mountains, south, Kenya Colony, July 22, 1912. 

1 adult male, 18 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 

1 adult female, junction of Tana and Thika Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 
24, 1912. 

Soft parts: Male—iris orange, bill all black, feet and claws pale 
brown. Female—iris brown; bill with maxilla dusky olive, mandible 
horn color, feet and claws pale brown. Immature—iris dark brown, 
bill dusky olive above, flesh color below, feet pale grayish brown, 
claws light brown. 

I have seen no specimens of typical vtellinus or of reichardi and 
follow Sclater® in considering the present specimens all w/wensis. 
Neumann separated wluensis from the nominate form on the basis of 
the black forehead area being broader in the former. Van Someren ?° 
writes that this character is not particularly useful as a criterion, but 
that wlwensis has the mantle much darker, more greenish, and more 
striped and the underparts deeper yellow. 

Several writers have suggested that Hyphantornis lineolatus Shel- 
ley is a synonym of P. v. uluensis. I have not sufficient material seri- 
ously to question this conclusion, but it is not impossible that lineo- 
latus may prove to be a recognizable race after all. Two adult males 
in nuptial plumage collected by Donaldson Smith at Darar and Luku 
are paler, less orange yellow on the abdomen, sides, flanks, and under 
tail coverts than the present Shoan examples in comparable plumage. 
The former two birds are somewhat less streaked on the upper back 
than uluensis. 

A puzzling and not at all confirmatory observation is that of van 
Someren,"! who finds that males from the Northern Frontier Province 
of Kenya Colony and from Jubaland differ from topotypical uluensis 
in having the chestnut of the crown less extensive caudally, there 
being a bright yellow hind neck band, and in having brighter yellow 
underparts. He writes that the females “differ more markedly, being 
brownish olive on the mantle, not olive-green.” To this last state- 
ment I may take exception, as both color phases are exhibited in the 
present series. I have seen two birds from southern Kenya Colony 
and find that the difference in the males is not constant. 

The males collected at Gato River, April 21—May 6, are in breed- 
ing plumage; those taken at Tertale, June 8, and in Kenya Colony in 
July, are all in winter dress. Their size variations are as follows: 
Wing, 67-74 (average, 71) ; tail, 45.5-50 (48.6) ; culmen, 14-16 (14.8) ; 
tarsus, 19-22 (20.4mm). The females vary as follows: Wing, 66-70.5 

* Systema avium ASthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 741, 1930. 


10Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 142, 1922. 
Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 57 (133), 1930, 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 405 


(64.9) ; tail, 42-48 (45.1); culmen, 14-15 (14.4); tarsus, 19-20 (19.6 
mm). 

Heuglin ?? found this weaver in winter plumage in small flocks 
along the White and Blue Niles in May and June. The prenuptial 
molt begins in June, according to, him, but it is earlier in southern 
Shoa, as Mearns obtained breeding males as early as April 21. It is 
curious that Mearns found males in nuptial feathering only at Gato 
River (where he obtained no winter-plumaged birds) and only win- 
ter-plumaged birds at Tertale and in northern Kenya Colony. It 
makes one wonder whether the valley of the Gato River has some 
climatic, and therefore seasonal, peculiarities, such as the trough of 
Lake Mibors on the Uganda-Congo border, for example, but ‘his is 
contradicted by the fact that Erlanger ** found the species breeding 
early in April in Gurraland, farther to the east. 

Mearns collected 17 sets of eggs supposedly of this weaver at Gato 
River, May 1-13. Some of the sets are positively identified, while 
others, brought to him by natives, must remain doubtful in this 
regard. The eggs are enormously variable in color, in markings, and 
in size. Some have a white ground color while others are bluish 
green. All are marked with reddish brown; in some cases the marks 
are fine dots, in others heavy dots and even small blotches; in some 
the irarkines are evenly scattered about the egg; in others they are 
concentrated at the larger pole. In size the eggs vary from 18 by 13 
mm to 22 by 15 mm. Erlanger gives extremes of 20.2 by 13.5 and 
21 by 14 mm. 

The nests are beautifully, compactly woven structures of palm leaf 
strips and are suspended from above and have the entrance from 
the underside. ‘There is no tubelike “vestibule” as in nests of some 
of the weavers, but the entrance is on the same level with the bottom 
of the outside of the egg chamber itself. 

On May 6, Mearns wrote in his diary as follows: 

I have watched this colony of Hyphantornis building their nests. All the 
birds appeared to me to be one species, of which four females and two males 
were collected to-day, others before. There are about 20 nests on small green 
thorn saplings, averaging two nests to a tree. They are suspended about 7 feet 
above the ground from the tips of lower branches. It appears that some birds 
of this species lay eggs with white and others blue ground color. 

Both sexes take part in the nest-building operations. Thus, a male 
shot on April 24 was in the act of weaving a straw into an unfinished 
nest. In three instances females were fiat inside their nests, appar- 
ently by the native collector—assistants merely firing at the nests— 
a rather discreditable performance to say the least. 


122 Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, etc., vol. 1, p. 556, 1869. 
18 Journ. flir Orn., 1907, p. 9. 


106220—37——27 


406 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Mearns saw about 1,000 of these weavers at Gato River, March 29- 
May 17; at Gato River crossing, May 17, 200 birds were noted; 
Anole, May 18, 100 seen; Sagon River, May 19, 10 noted; Tertale, 
June 7-12, 50 birds; El Ade, June 12, 4 birds observed. 


PLOCEUS CUCULLATUS ABYSSINICUS (Gmelin) 


Loxia abyssinica GMELIN, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 860, 1789: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, July 2, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 

2 males, Ourso, Ethiopia, October 9-28, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 

1 male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, November 14, 1911 (Ouellard coll.) 

2 males, 1 female. Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 28-29, 1912. 

1 male, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 18, 1912. 

2 males, east Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 21, 1912. 

4 males, southeast Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 22—23, 1912. 

8 males, Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 24, 1912. 

2 males, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 28, 1912. 

83 males, 9 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 2-May 2, 1912. 

Soft parts: Male—iris pinkish orange, bill all black, feet and claws 
pale brown. Female—iris pale red in one specimen, yellowish brown 
in another. 

In the present study I have examined a good series of all the races 
of this weaver except frobenzi, and my conclusions agree very well 
with those set forth by Sclater.™* 

The present race occurs from the Simien Mountains and Tigre 
south through central and southern Ethiopia to the Rendile country 
and merges with feminina near Mount Elgon. Van Someren 
records abyssinicus from as far south as Mount Elgon, Mumias, 
Kisumu, and Kendu Bay. Granvik** considers a specimen from 
Kendu Bay as feminina. North Kavirondan birds are probably in- 
termediate but, on the whole, nearer to feménina than to abyssinicus. 
P. c. abyssinicus ranges west to Sennar. 

The males collected in January are in winter plumage; those 
collected from March to November are all in breeding dress. ‘The 
birds show very considerable variation in size, as may be seen from 
the following data: The wing length varies from 84 to 95 mm in the 
males (average, 91.8), from 79 to 87.5 mm in the females (average, 
83.2); tail, 50.5-59 mm in the males (average, 55.2), 44-50.5 mm in 
the females (average, 48.3); culmen, 19.5-22.5 mm in the males 
(average, 20.2), 19-20.5 mm in the females (average, 19.6); tarsus, 
19-26 mm in the males (average, 24.1), 21-23.5 mm in the females 
(average, 22.2). 


14 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 742, 1930. 
15 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 141, 1922. 
16 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 160. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 407 


Mearns found nesting colonies of this weaver at Lake Abaya on 
March 22. The nests were on the lower branches of leguminous 
trees growing near the lake. Erlanger ** found this bird breeding 
as early as January 10 in the valley of the Sagon River. He also 
collected nests and eggs during March, April, and May in Gurraland, 
at Harrar, and at Chirru, between Harrar and Adis Abeba. 

Besides the specimens collected, Mearns recorded this birdi as fol- 
lows: The Abaya Lakes, March 24-26, 500 seen; spring between the 
Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 1,000 birds; Gato River 
crossing, May 17, 300; Anole, May 18, 300; Kormali, May 19, 100 
seen; Bodessa, May 19-June 3, 100 seen; Sagon River, June 3-6, 
50 birds; Tertale, June 7-12, 45 birds seen; El Ade, June 12-13, 
10 noted; Mar Mora, June 14-15, 10 birds. 


PLOCEUS RUBIGINOSUS RUBIGINOSUS Riippell 


Ploceus rubiginosus Ripvretn, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna von Abyssinien 
gehorig, etce., Vigel, p. 93, pl. 33, fig. 1, 1840: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 9, 1912. 
14 males, 15 females, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14-15, 1912. 
1 female, Anole, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 
1 male, Wobok, Ethiopia, June 18, 1912. 
2 females, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 14, 1912. 
1 male, 4 females, Er-re-re, Kenya Colony, July 25, 1912. 
1 female, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 
1 male, 3 females, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 1-2, 
1912, 
1 female, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, August 8, 1912. 
1 male, Guaso Mara River, Kenya Colony, August 9, 1912. 
1 male, 1 unsexed, 3 females, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 14-19, 1912. 
2 females, junction of Tana and Thika Rivers, Kenya Colony, August 25, 
1912. 


All these specimens are in winter plumage. 

The chestnut weaver ranges from Temben and Harrar and Shoa 
south through southern Somaliland, Jubaland, and Kenya Colony, 
to central Tanganyika Territory. According to Zedlitz*® it occa- 
sionally occurs as far north as Eritrea. In southern Italian Somali- 
land it is fairly abundant. In Gallaland it appears to be local. In 
Kenya Colony the bird is found almost exclusively to the east of the 
central highlands, although it has been taken at Nairobi. It gets 
into extreme northeastern Uganda (Moroto) but appears to be 
scarce there and in the Rendile area. In central and northern Tan- 
ganyika Territory it is locally abundant. 


7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 7-8. 
18 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 14. 


408 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


In Damaraland and southern Angola another form, P. 7. trothae, 
occurs. This form I have not seen. 

Erlanger *° found a nesting colony on the lower Ganale on April 
26. On May 9 he found another nesting group in the Garre-Lewin 
country. In north-central Kenya Colony (Lake Baringo region), the 
breeding season was found to be in July, when Jackson found great 
quantities of nests and enormous numbers of the birds in the thorn 
trees. Farther south, in central Tanganyika Territory, Schuster ?° 
found birds nesting early in March. 


PLOCEUS OCULARIUS ABAYENSIS Neumann 

Ploceus ocularius abayensis NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 339: Gigiro in 

the lake district of southern Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 adult male, Botola, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. 

1 adult “female” (=male), near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 27, 1912. 

1 adult male, Gato River near Gardula, Hthiopia, April 17, 1912. 

1 immature female, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 9, 1912. 

I follow Sclater *! in recognizing abayensis, as I have seen but one 
female of this form (the characters are based on that sex), but I doubt 
its validity. Hartert finds abayensis untenable, and says: “A1- 
though the type of P. ocularius abayensis is a somewhat dark in- 
dividual, the examination of our series and that in the British Mu- 
seum has convinced me that it is impossible to separate a South 
Ethiopian form.” Zedlitz ?* and van Someren * also consider abay- 
ensis a synonym of crocatus. Sclater states that abayensis occurs in 
the “lake districts of southern Abyssinia,” and erocatus in the “Upper 
White Nile districts, south through Uganda and the western districts 
of Kenya Colony to Kivu,” etc. In other words, the birds of western 
Kenya Colony are supposed to be different from those of southern 
Ethiopia. On this basis the example from Escarpment would have 
to be called crocatus, but it is certainly not different from abayensis. 
I have also seen birds exactly agreeing with abayensis from Lake 
Naivasha. I have come to the conclusion that abayensis, if distinct, 
occurs south in the highlands of western Kenya Colony and that 
crocatus lives in the lower elevations (Kisumu, Soronko, North 
Kavirondo), similar in altudinal range to its main range in Uganda 
and west to Cameroon. 

A female from Gaboon is greener, less yellowish, above and has 
a shorter wing than any comparable examples of abayensis, just 


19 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 7. 

20 Journ. fiir Orn., 1926, p. 723. 

21 Systema avium AUthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 746, 1930. 
= Nov. Zool., vol. 14, pp. 496-497, 1907. 

#3 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 13. 

* Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 189, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 409 


as Uganda males (typical crocatus) have shorter wings than abay- 
ensis males. It may be, then, that there is a constant size differ- 
ence between the two forms. I have seen no real crocatus from 
Kenya Colony, but only published records. 

The present adult males have the following dimensions: Wing, 73, 
73.5, 78; tail, 59, 59, 61; culmen, 16.5, 17, 17.5; tarsus, 18.5, 19.5, 
20.5 mm, respectively. 

The bird collected near Gardula, on March 27 is in molt and has 
the black feathers coming in on the chin and throat. It was labeled 
as a female, but the black on the chin and throat suggests an error 
on the part of the collector. 

The coastal belt and the subcoastal area of eastern Africa are in- 
habited by the race suahelicus, characterized by its more golden 
brownish forehead and cheeks. This bird is said by Neumann *° 
and by Sclater to range from the Zambesi north to Lamu. Zedlitz,** 
however, calls attention to Revoil’s specimen from southern Somali- 
land identified by Oustalet as “Hyphantornis ocularius,” and writes 
that it is probably suahelicus. Bowen" records suahelicus from 
Meru and Mount Kenya, but it seems that his birds may have been 
intermediate between swahelicus and abayensis. Zedlitz considers 
abayenis to be a blending of suahelicus and erocatus. 

This weaver lives in the thornbrush savannahs and is also found 
about the edges of wooded areas. Little has been recorded of its 
habits in Ethiopia and western Kenya Colony. The race crocatus 
breeds from April to June in Uganda. 


PLOCEUS NIGRICOLLIS MELANOXANTHUS (Cabanis) 


Hyphanturgus melanoxanthus CapBanis, Journ. fiir Orn., 1878, pp. 205, 232: 
Mombasa. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, 1 female, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 13-14, 1912. 
1 male, Tana River, camp 3, Kenya Colony, August 16, 1912. 

Neumann ”$ separated the birds of southern Shoa under the name 
P. melanoxanthus malensis on the basis of the fact that the black 
ocular stripe was more distinct behind the eye than in typical mela- 
nowanthus. I have examined a male and a female topotype of 
malensis and can not see any difference between them and comparable 
specimens of melanowonthus. Sclater *® has also found malensis to be 
untenable. 

25 Journ, fiir Orn., 1905, p. 339. 

26 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 13. 

7 Proce. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 83, p. 74, 1931. 


28 Orn. Monatsb., vol. 12, p. 162, 1904. 
2 Systema avium JAvthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 746, 1930. 


410 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


I have seen no birds from western Uganda and therefore can 
not form a judgment on P. n. vacillans van Someren. It is not 
recognized in Sclater’s list. 

The present specimens are somewhat worn. ‘Their dimensions are 
as follows: Males—wing, 74, 75; tail, 50, 55; culmen, 16.5, 18; tarsus, 
20.5, 21 mm. Female—wing, 74; tail, 56; culmen, 17.5; tarsus, 
21 mm. 

This race differs from typical négricollis in having the back deep 
black, not washed with olivaceous. It ranges from the Omo Valley 
and the extreme southern portion of Shoa (near Lake Stefanie) and 
southern Somaliland (Juba River) south through Kenya Colony to 
central Tanganyika Territory. Occasionally the typical race pro- 
duces very dark-backed individuals but not so pure black as melano- 
xanthus. A female from Togo is such a case, being much blacker, 
less olive, above than a series from Gaboon. 

More material from central Tanganyika Territory may reveal a 
recognizable race there, characterized by its larger size, particularly 
of the bill. A male from Dodoma has a culmen length of 20 mm. 

The species has been found nesting at Kipini, Kenya Colony, in 
July. Judged by the condition of the plumage of the three birds here 
recorded, they may well have been in breeding condition when shot 
(August). 

PLOCEUS BOJERI (Cabanis) 
Hyphantornis bojeri CABANIS, in von der Decken, Reisen in Ost-Afrika in 


1859-61, etc, vol. 8, Végel, p. 52, 1869: Mombasa (ex MS. Finsch and 
Hartlaub). 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 immature males, 2 adult females, Endoto Mountains, 
Kenya Colony, July 22, 1912. 

As far as I know this weaver has not been taken as far to the 
northwest as the Endoto Mountains before. Along the coast it is 
known from as far north as Jubaland, and south to Dar es Salaam. 

Mearns *° described an inland race, alleni, from Miru River near 
Mount Kenya on the basis of slightly larger size and darker color 
than in bojert, Van Someren * recognizes alleni but says that it 
“is barely recognizable, but is rather larger than coast birds, and 
has the upper surface and underside tinged with olive-green, not so 
bright yellow.” I find the differences to be so slight as to preclude 
maintaining alleni as a valid form. 

Van Someren suggests that the birds of Lamu and northeastern 
Kenya Colony may be separable as they have rather deeper chestnut 
breast bands than do birds from Mombasa. In another paper,*® he 
notes the same for Jubaland specimens. 


20 Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 56, no. 20, p. 6, 1911. 
31 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 140, 1922. 
32 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 57 (133), 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 411 


In the event that allent may be considered a good race in the 
future, the following manuscript notes left by Mearns may be of 
interest : 

In the original description of alleni the female in nonbreeding plumage was 
described. In the Frick collection are two female birds in breeding plumage. 
They are paler throughout than specimens of bojeri bojeri from Mombasa ; 
upperparts with a slightly grayish, instead of yellowish, wash; entire under- 
parts, cheeks, and superciliary stripe wax yellow instead of primuline yellow. 
Two immature males * * * are also slightly paler and less yellowish above 
than typical bojeri; entire underparts, cheeks, and superciliary stripe deep 
colonial buff; maxilla dark; mandible pale, probably yellowish in life. An im- 
mature male (Mus. Comp. Zool. No. 56121; collected on the Northern Guaso 
Nyiro River, January 26, 1910, by Walter R. Zappey) is changing from the 
olivaceous, immature or nonbreeding plumage to the breeding plumage, and is 
spotted all over with new yellow feathers. 

The dimensions of the present specimens are as follows: Males— 
wing, 72, 72.5; tail, 49, 51; culmen, 16.5, 16.5; tarsus, 21.5, 22.5 mm. 
Females—wing, 68, 68; tail, 46, 48.5; culmen, 8, 9; tarsus, 20, 21 mm, 
respectively. 

Sclater ** considers awreoflavus, castaneiceps, and bojeri conspecific, 
a conclusion that appears justifiable and logical if we consider only 
the appearance of the three birds but that is rendered untenable 
by the fact that all three live side by side in the Teita-Taveta area 
and adjacent regions. I agree, therefore, with van Someren, who 
considers them as distinct, though closely allied, species. The female 
of aureoflavus is said to differ markedly from those of cinereiceps 
and bojeri in being whitish instead of deep yellowish on the under- 
parts. 

The golden weaver is a common bird in eastern Kenya Colony, 
and nests in good-sized flocks. Near Mombasa it frequents the 
cocoanut groves; inland it nests in thorn trees, 


PLOCEUS GALBULA Riippell 


Ploceus galbula Rutprrtt, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna von Abyssinien 
gehorig, etce., Vogel, p. 92, pl. 32, fig. 2, 1840: Modat Valley, Abyssinian 
coast. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

2 adult males, 5 adult females, Djibouti, French Somaliland, November 23, 
1911. 

1 immature male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 22, 1911. 

1 adult female, Chobi, Ethiopia, December 23, 1911. 

2 adult males, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 12-13, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris orange-red in males, dark brown in females. 
Neunzig ** has separated the birds of the Aden region, south- 
western Arabia, under the name P. g. arabs, on the basis of the more 


38 Systema avium A thiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 747-848, 1930, 
* Orn. Monatsb., vol. 33, p. 93, 1925. 


412 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


grayish-brown shade of the coloring of the females, which are also 
said to have the inner margin of the primaries less yellowish. 
Sclater ** considers it to be inseparable. I have not seen any females, 
but only adult males from Aden, and they are not different from 
Ethiopian specimens. For the present, at least, I follow Sclater in 
this regard. 

The immature male collected on December 22 is just beginning to 
molt and has a few adult, yellow feathers on the occiput. One of 
the males from the Hawash River, February 138, is subadult, as it 
has a pale brownish bill and lacks the deep chestnut-brown on the 
chin and has this color paler and less extensive on the cheeks and 
forehead than do other, more fully adult birds. The size variations 
of the adults are as follows: Males—wing, 68, 70, 73, 73.5; tail, 46, 
46.5, 48, 51; culmen, 15, 15.5, 16, 16; tarsus, 19.5, 20.5, 21, 21 mm. 
Females—wing, 64.5, 65, 65, 65, 66.5, 69; tail 41.5, 42.5, 43, 44, 45, 49; 
culmen, 13.5, 14.5, 15, 15, 15 15.5; tarsus 19, 19.5, 19.5, 20, 20, 20 mm, 
respectively. 

Heuglin found this weaver abundant in the Samhar and Bogos 
areas at altitudes of from sea level up to 6,000 feet. The species 
appears to be numerous throughout its range, as it has been met 
with by most of the collectors who have traveled in northeastern 
Africa. Blanford ** writes that in extreme northeastern Ethiopia 
and adjacent parts of Eritrea the birds breed in August. In British 
Somaliland, Lort Phillips found the birds nesting in March. In the 
Sudan, Butler records nests in the latter part of May. Erlanger * 
found nests with eggs on December 27 near Aden, Arabia, in Febru- 
ary in northern Somaliland, and from May to August in Ethiopia. 


AMBLYOSPIZA ALBIFRONS MONTANA van Someren 
FIGURE 25 
Amblyospiza albifrons montana VAN SoMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, 
p. 122, 1921: Fort Hall, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 subadult male, 20 miles east of Meru on trail to Tana 
River, Kenya Colony, August 11, 1912. 

In the regions traversed by the Frick expedition three races of the 
erosbeak weaver are known to occur. They are aethiopica of the 
Omo drainage area of southwestern Ethiopia northeast to Adis 
Abeba and Harrar, montana of the interior of Kenya Colony, and 
unicolor of the coastal area from southern Somaliland to Bagamoyo 
and thence inland to the Kilosa and Kilimanjaro regions. I have 


% Systema avium A0thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 750, 1930. 
*6 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, p. 404, 1870. 
7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 12, 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 413 


seen no Ethiopian birds and not enough of unicolor to attempt a 
revision, and therefore I follow Sciater ** in this matter. Zedlitz,*° 
however, came to conclusions different from Sclater’s. Zedlitz con- 
siders all birds from Ethiopia, Uganda, and the north shore of Lake 


° ° 


30 40 


ARABIA 


ETHIOPIA Sy SOPTALILANO | 


~ 


ees 





o 100 __200 300 400 SOOMLES 


- SCALE: 
Fieurm 25.—Distribution of Amblyospiza albifrons in northeastern Africa, 
1, A. a. aethiopica. 8. A. ad. unicolor. 
2, A. a. montana, 4. A. a. melanota. 


Victoria as aethiopica. Sclater considers Kavirondan and Ugandan 
birds as melanota, which race Zedlitz restricts to the White Nile and 
Bahr el Ghazal. The birds of southern Somaliland Zedlitz considers 
to be intermediates between aethiopica and unicolor. The race mon- 


38 Systema avium AUthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 754, 1930. 
8° Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 23—25. 


414 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


tana was not yet described at the time Zedlitz did his work. Sclater’s 
arrangement agrees very closely with that adopted by Bannerman *° 
which has been used by Gyldenstolpe *t and others. Van Someren * 
considers aethiopica as a synonym of melanota. 

Although aethiopica has been found over a large area in southern 
Ethiopia it seems to be rather scarce and local, which may account 
for its absence in the present collection. 

Of the Kenyan forms I am in a position to write from personal 
experience both with the birds in the museum and in the field. The 
two races differ in coloration, montana having a tendency to become 
almost uniformly black; and in size, montana being larger with a 
heavier bill. The present specimen is subadult and is in molt in the 
wings and is therefore not suitable for measurement, but a small 
series of adults from near the type locality uphold the characters of 
the race. 

Zedlitz ** has produced evidence showing that the males of this 
weaver pass through a sequence of three plumages. The juvenal 
plumage resembles that of the adult female; the subadult stage is 
achieved by a complete postjuvenal molt and is similar to the adult 
plumage except that there is no white on the forehead and the 
feathers of the lower breast, abdomen, sides, flanks, back, upper and 
under tail coverts are more broadly tipped with white. When first 
acquired these feathers in the adult stage are also tipped with whit- 
ish, but the tips are narrow and are quickly worn off. 

This grosbeak weaver is a bird of the swamps, where it occurs in 
fair numbers. In the little swamp at Nairobi there are always a 
dozen or more pairs to be seen. In spite of their heavy, clumsy- 
looking bills, these birds build the most finely and compactly woven 
nests of any member of their family. The nesting season is in March, 
June, and December. 


ANAPLECTES MELANOTIS (Lafresnaye) 


Ploceus melanotis LAFRESNAYE, Rey. Zool., 1839, p. 20: Senegal. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 

2 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 17, October 7, 1911 (Ouellard 
coll.). 

1 adult male, Serre, Ethiopia, February 13, 1912. 

1 adult male, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 13, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 immature male, Anole villages, Ethiopia, May 18, 1912. 

2 adult males, 1 immature male, 1 immature female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, 
May 20-31, 1912. 

1 adult male, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 
23, 1912. 





40 Rev. Zool. Africaine, vol. 9, p. 273, 1921. 

41 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 27-28. 
44Nov. Zool. vol. 29, p. 144, 1922. 

48 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 23-25. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 415 


Soft parts: Male—iris brown, bill all red, feet and claws pale 
brown. 

The red-winged anaplectes occurs in the southern half of Ethiopia 
and in Somaliland south through Kenya Colony to southwestern 
Tanganyika Territory, and west through the Sudan to Senegal. 

The males vary enormously in the extent of the black on the head. 
In some the chin and upper throat back as far as the posterior margin 
of the auriculars are black like the face, while in others the lower 
cheeks, upper throat, and chin are devoid of black. 

Ogilvie-Grant ** described a dark-backed bird from Beni Schongul, 
Ethiopia, under the name A. blundelli. This has generally been 
taken to be a synonym of melanotis. All the present Ethiopian 
specimens are somewhat darker-backed, with more red on the middle 
of the upper back than some from Kenya Colony. However, I have 
seen some dark-backed birds from the latter country and also from 
Tanganyika Territory and do not find any constant differences be- 
tween northern and southern birds. The point to be made is that 
I have seen no western, Senegambian, birds and do not know whether 
they too are often dark-backed. If they are always paler backed, 
then the name blundelli will be available for the eastern birds. 

The adult males collected have the following dimensions: Wing, 
84-89 (average, 86.6) ; tail, 51.5-57.5 (54.2); culmen, 16.5-18 (17); 
tarsus, 19-20 (19.4). Female—wing, 80; tail, 54; culmen, 16; tarsus, 
18.5 mm. The birds vary as to the abrasion shown, but only the 
immature birds, taken in May, are in fresh plumage. According to 
Heuglin the molting season is in November and the breeding time is 
in August in Sennar. In Ethiopia it is quite different. Erlanger * 
found nests with eggs in northern Somaliland late in February. 
Mearns found numbers of nests with eggs and young in May at 
Bodessa. The young birds collected at that time were fully grown 
and must have left the nests not later than the middle of March, so it 
seems that the reproductive season is a prolonged one. 

Erlanger found that this weaver was nowhere abundant in Ethio- 
pia or Somaliland, being found singly or in small groups, particu- 
larly in thin, open woods near streams. Once he found four nests in 
the same tree. Farther south the species is much more numerous. 

At Bodessa, Mearns saw about 30 of these birds on high grassy 
ridges, but usually in watered valleys. 


QUELEA QUELEA AETHIOPICA (Sundevall) 


Ploceus aethiopicus SunpEvaLt, Ofv. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Foérh., vol. 7, p. 126, 
1850: Sennar. 


# Ibis, 1900, p. 132. 
# Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 4-5. 


416 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 adult male, 1 immature male, White Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 18, 
1912. 

8 adult males, 2 adult females, Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 19-21, 1912. 

1 adult female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 21, 1912. 

1 adult male, 1 adult female, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 4, 1912. 

6 adult males, 1 immature male, 14 adult females, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 
8-11, 1912. 

1 adult female, El Ade, Ethiopia, June 13, 1912. 

4 adult males, 1 immature male, 5 adult females, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, 
June 14-15, 1912. 

3 adult males, 1 immature female, Anole, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 

29 adult males, 5 immature males, 7 adult females, 2 immature females, 
Wobok, Ethiopia, June 18-19, 1912. 

1 adult female, near Saru, Ethiopia, June 19, 1912. 

2 adult females, Yebo, Ethiopia, June 21, 1912. 

3 adult males, 4 adult females, 1 immature female, Chaffa, Ethiopia, June 
23-25, 1912. 

2 adult males, 8 adult females, southeast of Lake Stefanie, Kenya Colony, 
May 12-17, 1912. 

4 adult females, Hor, Kenya Colony, June 29, 1912. 

1 immature male, 2 adult females, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, 
July 1-2, 1912. 

1 immature male, Dussia, Kenya Colony, July 4, 1912. 

1 adult male, 10 miles southeast Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 12, 1912. 

13 adult males, 1 adult female, 1 immature female, Indunumara Mountains, 
Kenya Colony, July 14-15, 1912. 

1 immature, unsexed, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 

1 adult male, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 


Soft parts: Male—iris brown, eye rim red; bill all purplish red; 
feet and claws brownish orange. Female—iris brown; bill paler red 
and more yellowish than in males and with a dusky area at the tip 
of the maxilla; feet and claws brownish flesh-color. 

The adult males vary enormously in color, some being deep pur- 
plish pink on the crown, sides of neck, breast, and center of the 
abdomen, while others are pale straw yellow on the top of the head 
and buffy on the breast. The buff-cheeked variety, once named 
russt, appears to be scarcer in Ethiopia than farther to the south, as 
it is represented by only a single specimen (collected at} Wobok). 
None of the Ethiopian birds have any black on their foreheads, but 
I find that less than half of the Kenyan and Tanganyikan birds have 
black on this area, so I do not see any reason for recognizing the 
race zntermedia. Van Someren ** recognizes it as, “more than half 
of a series of sixteen adult breeding males have small black foreheads 
as distinct from the Abyssinia Q. s. aethiopica, and as three have 
wide black foreheads as in typical Q. s. sanguinirostris of Senegal.” 


“Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 146, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 417 


Sclater 47 writes that aethiopica ranges from the “Nile Valley from 
Khartoum to Lado; east to Sennar, Abyssinia, Somaliland, eastern 
Kenya Colony; south to Tanganyika Territory” and that centralis 
occurs in “Uganda and the slopes of Ruwenzori.” I have examined 
a very large series from Ethiopia, Kenya Colony, Tanganyika Terri- 
tory, the eastern Belgian Congo, Uganda, and the Nile Valley of the 
Sudan (212 specimens) and find that the birds of the Nile Valley of 
the southern Sudan are best placed with centralis and not with 
aethiopica. In fact, a female from as far north as Khartoum is 
exactly like practically topotypical examples of the Uganda race. 
Furthermore, centralis occurs south to the northwestern shores of 
Lake Tanganyika, whence I have seen 16 specimens. @. qg. centralis 
differs from aethiopica in that the females of the former are darker 
on the head and mantle than are those of the latter subspecies. 

The present series indicates a general lack of seasonal definiteness 
for molting. Birds in fresh and in worn plumage were taken in 
every month represented (March to August). 

The Ethiopian red-billed weaver is widely distributed over Eth- 
lopia, north to Eritrea (where it appears to be only a visitor and not 
a permanent resident), Somaliland, and Kenya Colony, south into 
Tanganyika Territory, and west into the eastern Sudan. It is a 
very common bird and, during the nonbreeding season, occurs in 
vast swarms of countless thousands, even millions according tc some 
observers. In Ethiopia, Blanford,** Erlanger,*® and Zedlitz*? have 
attested to the numbers of this bird. In Kenya Colony, van 
Someren,®? Granvik,®? and others have not seen it in such huge flocks. 
but in the Sudan, Sztoleman, Butler, and others have recorded enor- 
mous swarms. In spite of its numerical abundance and the rather 
open nature of the country it inhabits, nothing is known of its breed- 
ing habits. In fact, even in a well-settled country like South Africa 
the nesting of the southern race, lathami?, was unknown until rela- 
tively recently, when Roberts reported a nesting colony. In cap- 
tivity the birds are industrious nest-builders, and it is all the more 
surprising that their nests have not been found in nature. The 
methods employed in nest-building in captivity have been described 
in detail.®* 

According to Bowen * birds collected July 28-August 8, near Meru, 
Kenya Colony, were apparently just through breeding. He found 
flocks of recently fledged young on July 28. 


47 Systema avium A‘thopicarum, pt. 2, p. 758, 1930. 

48 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, p. 405, 1870. 
42 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 13. 

50 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 21; and 1916, pp. 25-26. 

51 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 146, 1922. 

52 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft. p. 165. 

583 Friedmann, Zoologica, vol. 2, no. 16, pp. 355-372, 1922. 

% Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 83, p. 75, 1931. 


418 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Mearns noted from 50 to 200 birds daily on his journey from the 
Indunumara Mountains (July 14) to the Tana River (August 14). 
In southern Shoa he recorded from 100 to 1,000 birds a day, but 
curiously enough did not note it at all during his two months’ sojourn 
on the Gato River. South of Bodessa the numbers seen averaged 
1,000 birds a day, but this fell off to 50 a day when Mearns came to 
Hor in extreme northern Kenya Colony. 

The birds of the interior of Kenya Colony are slightly grayer, less 
brownish, on the crown, than are coastal and subcoastal birds, but the 
difference is slight and only an average one. 


QUELEA CARDINALIS PALLIDA Friedmann 
FIGURE 26 


Quelea cardinalis pallida FrrepMANN, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 44, p. 119, 
1931: Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 adult male, 1 juyenal male, 6 adult females, Indunumara 
Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 15-17, 1912. 

One of the females (U.S.N.M. no. 247325) is the type; the others 
are paratypes. The adult male is in nonbreeding dress; some of the 
birds are in fresh, others in worn feathering. The juvenal male re- 
sembles the adult females (or the off-season plumage of the male). 
Inasmuch as this seems to be the only series of pallida, it may be well 
to record the dimensions of the 7 adults: Male—wing, 57; tail, 33; 
culmen, 11; tarsus, 17.5 mm. Females—wing, 56, 57.5, 58, 58, 59, 60 
(average, 58.2) ; tail, 32, 33, 34, 35, 35, 36 (34.1) ; culmen, 11, 11, 11, 11, 
11.5, 12 (11.2) ; tarsus, 16, 16.5, 17.5, 17.5, 18, 18 (17.2 mm). 

Before the present series was identified the species had been recorded 
at only one locality in northern Kenya Colony, at Marsabit, where 
van Someren *° obtained three males. 

The present form is similar to Q. ¢. cardinalis but very much paler 
above, the dark centers of the feathers much narrower and the margins 
very pale tawny-buff, not tawny-olive-brown as in cardinalis. 
Dorsally the females (and off-season males) of the nominate form 
appear dark fuscous with narrow lighter streaks, while those of 
pallida present a buffy aspect with narrow fuscous streaks. The latter 
race also has a somewhat smaller, weaker bill. 

Q. c. pallida is known definitely only from the Indunumara Moun- 
tains, but probably the Marsabit birds are of this race as well. 

Gyldenstolpe °* writes that southern Sudanese, Ugandan, and 
Tanganyikan birds are alike in color, but that Tanganyikan examples 
are considerably paler on the whole upperparts of the body. It may 
well be that eastern birds show an approach to pallida, as so many 


% Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 58 (134), 1930. 
56 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 43—44. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 419 


Somali types range south in the subcoastal belt to Tanganyika Terri- 
tory and there spread out to the west. I have seen a female from 
Kilosa, and while it is paler than birds from the north end of Lake 
Tanganyika and from Uganda, it is much nearer to them than to the 


ARABIA 





Oo 100 __ 200 300 400 SO0OMIMLES 
- SCALE: 
FIGURE 26.—Distribution of Quelea cardinalis. 
1. Q. ec. cardinalis. 
2. Q. c. pallida. 


very pale north Kenyan race. Gyldenstolpe finds Tanganyikan birds 
to be slightly larger than true cardinalis. This I can not uphold, as 
my material shows no such difference. Van Someren * writes that 
Nairobi males have brighter, more richly colored red heads and 
throats than Ugandan examples. This also I can not corroborate with 


5 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 146, 1922, 


420 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


the material available for study. A breeding male from Nairobi has 
the head and throat slightly lighter, more scarlet, less crimson, than 
birds from farther west, but the difference is very small. 

The birds of Urundi and the northern end of Lake Tanganyika 
may prove to be separable. I have seen 12 adults from there and they 
are very dark above. The dorsal streaks are more blackish, less 
brownish, than in East African specimens of cardinalis. 

Nothing is known of the breeding season of this race, but the nomi- 
nate form has been found nesting in May and June at Nairobi and 
in the Trans-nzoia. In the latter area Granvik*®*® found 20 nests on 
June 6. 

EUPLECTES HORDEACEA CRASPEDOPTERA (Bonaparte) 
Ploceus craspedopterus BONAPARTE, Conspectus generum avium, vol. 1, p. 446, 
1850: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 19 adult males, 1 juvenal male, 12 adult females, Gato 
River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 22—-May 11, 1912. 

Soft parts: Adult male—feet and claws dark brown; bill black. 
Juvenal male—iris brown; bill olive-brown on all of maxilla and ex- 
treme tip of mandible, rest of mandible flesh color; feet and claws 
brown. Adult female—iris brown; bill olive-brown above, horn-color 
below; feet and claws flesh-brown. 

Pyromelana flammiceps rothschildi Neumann ** apparently is a 
straight synonym of craspedoptera. When describing rothschildi, 
Neumann compared it with sylvatica and the nominate form, but 
overlooked Bonaparte’s name. 

The distribution of the fire-crowned bishop is peculiar in that 
while the bird occurs in the Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and the narrow 
coastal belt of Kenya Colony, and southward, it is entirely wanting 
in the interior of Kenya Colony. 

In the present study I have examined about 100 specimens of all 
four races of this weaver, including the type of changamwensis, and 
I find the distributional summaries given by Sclater*®® to hold in 
general, but to need some emendation. The present subspecies occurs 
in the southwestern part of Ethiopia (the Shoan Lakes region, Kullo, 
and Omo areas), northern Uganda, and the eastern Sudan. 

Ogilvie-Grant * revived Bonaparte’s name craspedopterus for the 
Abyssinian bird because of its having the under tail-coverts white, 
often with black centers. Neumann used the character of the broader 
black frontal band in separating Ethiopian birds under the name 
rothschildi. Sclater and Mackworth-Praed * extended the range of 


58 Journ, fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 166. 

5° Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 596: Lake Abaya. 

60 Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 760, 1930. 
61 Ibis, 1913, pp. 564-565. 

6 Tbis, 1918, pp. 456-457. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 421 


craspedoptera to the Sudan, but noted that “the only adult breeding 
male inthe * * * collection (one from Mongalla) has the under 
tail-coverts particoloured white on one side and brownish on the 
other, while the frontal band is fairly well-developed. Neither of 
these distinctions seem to us entirely satisfactory, but we propose to 
retain the subspecies provisionally.” 

Lynes ® writes that “the white under tail-coverts of southern Ethio- 
pian birds is quite a good character for craspedopterus Dio atamoen 
but that the depth of the black frontal band is much too variable 
(in hordeacea) to warrant it being taken for a racial character.” 

Stoneham “ finds the frontal band to be an unreliable criterion and 
states that if a race is to be upheld on the basis of the whitish under 
tail coverts its range must include not only the eastern Sudan and 
Ethiopia but also a large part of Uganda, and probably the Luo 
country of Kenya Colony as well. 

The material available for study bears out Stoneham’s contentions 
very well. While the white color of the under tail coverts is a con- 
stant and noticeable character of craspedoptera, the width of the 
black frontal band is also constant, although this character varies 
in sylvatica. 

The birds of the southern Sudan and of northwestern Uganda may 
well be somewhat intermediate between true craspedoptera and 
sylvatica. Thus, Gyldenstolpe * records that birds from Mongalla 
have fawn-colored, not white, under tail coverts. He refers them to 
sylwatica. 

The present specimens are in fairly fresh (some very fresh) 
plumage. Their dimensions are as follows: Males—wings, 67-80 
(average, 75.5); tail, 43-50 (46.8); culmen, 14-16.5 (15.1); tarsus, 
18.5-21 (204mm). Females—wing, 64-68.5 (65.8) ; tail, 36-48 (40) ; 
culmen, 14-15 (14.3) ; tarsus, 17-20.5 (19.0 mm). 

Mearns observed this bishop weaver only at Gato River, where, 
however, he found them in good numbers. The birds were nesting 
at the time of his visit and he found 10 nests with eggs. All the 
nests were built near the tops of tall heavy grasses and were fairly 
well hidden from view. The eggs (2 to 4 in number) were all in a 
fairly advanced state of incubation (May 11). They are plain, un- 
marked blue in color; the extreme variations in size are 18 by 15 mm 
and 17.5 by 14.2 mm. 

Neumann * found the birds breeding in October at Abai on the 
Blue Nile. 


6&3 Tbis, 1926, p. 401. 

This, 1929, pp. 272-2738. 

®% Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 44—45. 
6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 344-345. 


106220—37 28 





422 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Since this account was written, Delacour and Edmond-Blanc °* 
have reviewed the races of this species and consider sylvatica a syno- 
nym of hordeacea. In their map they credit eraspedoptera with in- 
habiting all of Kenya Colony, but upon what grounds I do not know. 
Only coastal birds are mentioned in their text. 


EUPLECTES FRANCISCANA PUSILLA (Hartert) 


Pyromelana franciscana pusilla Hagrert, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 11, p. 71, 
1901: Lake Stefanie. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, White Lake Abaya, east, Ethiopia, March 18, 1912. 
12 adult males, 1 adult female, Lake Abaya, southeast, Ethiopia, March 
21-23, 1912. 
1 adult male, Black Lake Abaya, Ethiopia, March 24, 1912. 
52 adult males, 3 immature males, 6 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, 
Ethiopia, April 18-May 11, 1912. 
1 adult male, Murle, Omo River, Ethiopia, April 28, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris brown; bill all black; feet pale brown, claws 
darker brown. 

The Abyssinian orange bishop differs from the nominate form by 
the fact that the orange upper and under tail coverts do not reach to 
the end of the rectrices in the former and extend to the end of the 
tail, or even a little beyond it in the latter race. When Hartert first 
described puséla he based it on its supposedly smaller size; but later ° 
he stated that the size character was not reliable. Zedlitz°* claimed 
that the length of the tail coverts varied individually and considered 
pusilla as indistinguishable from typical franciscana. Of the present 
66 adult males, 4 have the coverts reaching the tips of the rectrices, 
while 62 have the coverts falling short of the end of the tail by from 
2to5mm. It follows that while occasional examples may have long 
tail coverts, the vast majority have short ones, and the race is cer- 
tainly valid on this basis. The males of the nominate race that I have 
seen all have the coverts longer than the rectrices. 

The nominate form ranges from Senegal to the Nile Valley of 
the Sudan and to northwestern Uganda; the present race occurs in 
Shoa, the Hawash area, and Gallaland, and in Somaliland. The 
species has been taken in western Kenya Colony (Lake Baringo, 
Elgeyu, and Eldoma Ravine) by Lord Delamere and Sir Frederick 
J. Jackson. I have seen no Kenyan examples and therefore can not 
be sure of their subspecific affinities, but they are probably pusilla. 
The bird must be rare in that country, as van Someren, Granvik, 
Mearns, and other collectors did not meet with it there. In south- 

662 T’Oiseau, new ser., vol. 3, p. 548, 1933. 


S Nov. Zool., vol. 26, p. 144, 1919. 
68 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 27. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 423 


eastern Kenya Colony an allied species, #. rufigula van Someren, 
appears to link franciscana with a third species nigroventris Cassin. 

The majority of the adults are in breeding plumage; some are sub- 
adult, but are also in nuptial dress. Their size variations are as fol- 
lows: Males—wing, 60-67 (average, 63.2) ; tail, 832-40 (35.2) ; culmen, 
12-13 (13.5); tarsus, 17-20 (189 mm). Females—wing, 56-59 
(57.7); tail, 28.5-85.5 (31.5) ; culmen, 11.5-12.5 (11.9) ; tarsus, 16.5- 
17.5 (17.2 mm). 

This bishop bird is found in the lower parts of southern Ethiopia. 
Heuglin found it up to 7,000 feet, and Mearns met with it at 4,000 
to 5,000 feet. 

The birds are said to be in their winter plumage from December 
to February and to begin the prenuptial molt early in March. 
Shelley *° writes that “before and after the breeding season these 
Bishop-birds assemble to feed in flocks * * * but I much doubt 
their being migratory, as Heuglin suggests.” In the Sudan the birds 
(typical franciscana) are in breeding dress from August to Janu- 
ary, so not only are the two races geographically distinct, but also 
their life cycles are physiologically isolated seasonally. 

Mearns found 4 nests with eggs (4 eggs in 1 nest, 3 in 1, and 2 
in the other 2 nests), all at Gato River, on May 11. The eggs are 
uniform light glaucous blue, and vary in size from 16.5 by 13 to 
17.5 by 13.2 mm. Mearns estimated the number of these bishop birds 
seen at the Gato River, March 29-May 17, to be more than 1,000 
During his stay at the Abaya Lakes, March 18-26, he saw about 250. 
He did not record the bird south of Gato River. 


EUPLECTES CAPENSIS XANTHOMELAS Riippell 
FiaurEs 27, 28 


Huplectes zanthomelas Ruprety, Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna von Abyssinien 
gehorig, etc., Vogel, p. 94, 1840: Temben and Simien, Abyssinia. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
6 males, 2 females, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 2-10, 1912. 
1 male, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 17, 1912. 

Sclater *° considers that wanthomelas ranges from Ethiopia, south 
through Kenya Colony to Tanganyika Territory, Nyasaland, the 
northeastern Transvaal, and to Angola, and that kilimensis, litoris, 
and angolensis (all of Neunzig) are synonyms of wanthomelas. I 
have examined a good series of birds from the ranges of Neunzig’s 
three forms, and from Ethiopia as well, and find that Ailimensis and 
angolensis are valid, and that one of them, ilimensis, has a wider 
range than he supposed. I have not seen enough material from 


® The birds of Africa, vol. 4, pp. 92-93, 1905. 
70 Systema avium A‘thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 762, 1930, 


424 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


South Africa to decide on the status of Roberts’s two races, 


macrorhynchus and knysnae." 
In eastern Africa I recognize the following races: 
1. E.c. eanthomelas: Southern Eritrea and most of Ethiopia except 


the southeastern part, possibly to Uganda and the southern Sudan. 


30° 








TANGANYIKA 
TERRITORY 


o 100 200 390 400 SOOMILES 


- SCALE- 


FicurE 27.—Distribution of Euplectes capensis in northeastern Africa. 
3. EH. c. zambesiensis. 


1, E. c. canthomelas. 
4. E. c. crassirostris. 


2. HE. c. kilimensis. 


2. E.c. kilimensis: The Kilimanjaro area of Tanganyika Territory, 
and Kenya Colony, from the Taveta-Teita area through Ukamba and 
the Sotik areas to Kikuyu west to Escarpment and Lake Naivasha, 
north to Fort Hall. In his original description of this form, Neunzig 


71 Ann. Transvaal Mus., vol. 6, p. 117, 1919; and vol. 8, p. 266, 1922, respectively. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 425 


gave its range as the region from Kilimanjaro and Olgos northward 
to Ukamba and Kikuyu. 

This race is similar to wanthomelas but has longer rectrices, paler 
under wing coverts, and the females and the males in off-season 
plumage are grayer, less tawny-brownish, especially on the under- 
parts, than zanthomelas. Granvik ™ writes that young birds resemble 
the old females but are considerably paler. “In the adults, for in- 
stance”, he says, “the fore-neck is dark yellowish brown, but in the 
young birds it is pale greyish brown. The lesser wing-coverts, which 
in the former are distinctly olive-yellow, are in the latter pale olive- 
yellow, and so on.” At first sight this would seem to indicate that 
the character of the grayer coloration ascribed to the females of 
kilimensis is merely a matter of age, but a fine series from Ukamba 
and Kikuyu districts shows that this is not the case. 

3. LH’. c. zambesiensis: Mozambique and the lower Zambesi Valley 
to Nyasaland, north through the coastal belt of Tanganyika Terri- 
tory to Tanga, inland to Morogoro. I consider litoris Neunzig to be 
a synonym of this form. I have examined three topotypes of litoris 
and find they agree absolutely with material from Inhambane, Mozam- 
bique. This race is like hidiémensis but smaller, with noticeably shorter 
wings (male, 65-70 mm (occasionally 72 mm) as against 70-78 mm 
in kilimensis). Sclater considers Uitoris a synonym of kilimensis but 
it is really identical with zambesiensis. 

Sclater 7? and Belcher ™* both consider Nyasaland birds as “xantho- 
melas” and not as zambesiensis. I have seen 10 specimens from 
Nyasaland (Zomba and Chilwa) and find them all to be zambesiensis. 

4. E'. c. approwimans: Zululand, Natal, and the adjacent parts of 
the Transvaal and of the eastern Cape Province. This race differs 
from all the above in that the adult breeding males lack the yellow- 
ish margins on the primaries. 

A race that does not directly affect the present report but that may 
be mentioned here is the heavy-billed Ruwenzori bird, crasszrostris. 
It ranges from the lower, northern slopes of Ruwenzori to the Ituri 
and Uele districts of the Belgian Congo. 

I have seen no Ugandan material and do not know whether the 
birds of that country are wanthomelas or kilimensis or intermediate. 

The graph (fig. 28) illustrates the real nature of the difference in 
the tail length in wanthomelas and kilimensis, based on adult males 
only. From this it may be seen that the great majority of speci- 
mens of kélimensis have longer tails than do comparable specimens of 
wanthomelas. The specimens of kilimensis that approach and over- 
lap the caudal measurements of wanthomelas come from the Kikuyu 


72 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 168-169. 
73 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 762, 1930. 
% Birds of Nyasaland, p. 319, 1930. 


426 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Escarpment, a highland area that shows many avifaunal affinities 
with Ethiopia. There is a slight average difference in the wing 
length, that of kilimensis being slightly larger, but the extremes 
are alike in both races. 

The Kiva raa sabinjo Reichenow I have not seen. Sclater con- 
siders it the same as wanthomelas, but it appears to be more like 
kilimensis. 


xanthomelas kilimensis 


e 

e 
eceeeoee 
geeee 


tail length in millimeters 





FicuRH 28.—Relative measurements of the tail of Huplectes capensis xanthomelas and 
HE. c. kilimensis. 


The males are in a very late stage of the postnuptial molt and are 
in fresh winter plumage; the females are more abraded. Neumann“ 
collected a male in breeding dress on September 15 at Menagascha 
near Adis Abeba, but in December in the Djamdjam district he found 
the birds only in winter plumage. His dates, therefore, agree quite 
well with the data afforded by the present specimens. 

Heuglin found these birds up to as high as 10,000 feet in the 
Wagara highlands, which is considerably higher than anyone else 


7% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 346. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 427 


has recorded them. Antinori and Ragazzi found this species plenti- 
ful in Shoa, Donaldson Smith obtained one at Budda in the Galla- 
Somali area. 

Erlanger * found nests with eggs on July 28 at Djogu in Arussi- 
Gallaland, and another late in September at Adis Abeba. In Kenya 
Colony, Jackson” found the birds nesting in July and August at 
Elgeyu, and saw young of the year in November. Van Someren ‘® 
writes that in Kenya Colony and Uganda the birds breed in May 
and June and again in October and November. 

In the collection of J. H. Fleming is a melanistic example of this 
bishop bird. It is a male, collected at Entebbe, Uganda, May 14, 1916, 
and was formerly in Sir Frederick J. Jackson’s collection. It com- 
pletely lacks the yellow, which is replaced by black. The bird is 
molting in the wings and on the body, is solid black, with a bluish 
white bill. The old feathers are dark fuscous-black; the new ones 
deep glossy black. 


EUPLECTES CAPENSIS KILIMENSIS Neunzig 

Euplectes capensis kilimensis NeEunzia, Zool. Anz., vol. 78, p. 115, 1928: Moschi, 
Tanganyika Territory. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 female, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 
8 males, 5 females, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 4-7, 1912. 

The birds are all in off-season plumage; most of them in very fresh 
feathering. They show the grayer, less brownish color, especially of 
the underparts, so characteristic of kzlimensis. They constitute the 
altitude record for the distribution of this bird, as far as I know, 
coming from 7,390 feet. 

Bowen ® found this bird just commencing to breed during the 
last days of May at Thika. One was seen building its nest there on 
May 29. At Meru, a month later, he found the old birds in nonbreed- 
ing plumage, and this, together with the presence of young of the 
year, indicated that the breeding season was over. It follows that the 
season must be earlier at Meru than at Thika. 

Mearns recorded this bishop bird as follows: Guaso Mara River, 
August 9, to Tharaka district, August 14, 50-500 birds daily; Tana 
River, August 17-20, 100; Thika River, August 28, 20 birds; be- 
tween Thika and Athi Rivers, August 29, 20 seen; Athi River, Au- 
gust 30-31, 75 birds; Athi River Station, September 1-2, 50 seen; 


Nairobi, September 3, 20 birds; Escarpment, September 4-12, 500 
seen. 


7 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 15. 

™ Quoted in Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 4, p. 78, 1905. 
78 Ibis, 1916, p. 416. 

Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 83, p. 76, 1931. 


428 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


UROBRACHYA AXILLARIS TRAVERSII Salvadori 
Urobrachya traversii SAtvaporr, Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, vol. 26, p. 287, 1888: 
Sutta, Shoa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 3 males, near Aletta, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 6, 1912. 


In the absence of adequate material to attempt a critical study of 
the racial forms of the fan-tailed widow bird, I follow Sclater’s ar- 
rangement.*° I have seen small series of the following races—axd- 
laris, zanzibarica, phoenicea, and traversti, and they support Sclater’s 
conclusions. 

The Abyssinian race, characterized by its large size (wings, 88- 
93 mm), occurs in the Shoa, Sidamo, Kollu, and Kaffa districts and 
does not appear to range east into Gallaland, as that area is too low 
for it. It is a bird of the middle altitudes (4,500-9,300 feet) and, 
according to Neumann,*! lives in cornfields and grainfields, often 
together with Huplectes capensis wanthomelas, Huplectes taha stricta, 
and Coliuspasser ardens laticauda. It must be rather local, as Er- 
langer did not meet with it in his celebrated journey. Shelley ** has 
summarized previous knowledge of this bird. Apparently, the bird 
is known only from the following localities: Adis Abeba; Antotto; 
Sutta; Urafa Bonata; Manna Gasha; Lekamti; Lake Zwai; Aletta; 
Kimo in the Kollu area; Bola Goshana in Doko; and Anderatscha 
in Kaffa. Lovat noted this species to be very local; Pease saw large 
flocks at Lake Zwai; Mearns observed large flocks along meadow 
streams near Adis Abeba. 

The present specimens are in very fresh winter plumage. Neumann 
collected birds in nuptial dress in Shoa in September and October; 
Ragazzi also obtained breeding-plumaged birds in October. Neu- 
mann writes that the breeding season of this, as of so many other 
birds in Shoa, is in September and October. Judged by the extreme 
freshness of the winter plumage of the present March birds, in 
southern Shoa the breeding season seems to extend beyond October 
very considerably. 

The dimensions of the present specimens are as follows: Wing, 89, 
91, 92; tail, 62, 68, 70; culmen, 15, 15.5, 16; tarsus, 22, 23.5, 24.5 mm, 
respectively. 

Mearns noted this widow bird on the following occasions: Aletta, 
March 7-13, 50 birds seen; Galana River, March 19-20, 40; Black 
Lake Abaya, March 21, 20 birds observed. Mearns’s records appear 
to be the southernmost ones for this bird. 

80 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 764—765, 1930. 


81 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 346-347. 
® The birds of Africa, vol. 4, pp. 67-68, 1905. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 429 


Delacour and Edmond-Blanc *** have recently revised the forms 
of this species with far more material for a basis than has been 
available to me. The reader interested should consult their paper. 


COLIUSPASSER ALBONOTATUS EQUES (Hartlaub) 


Vidua eques HArtiLaAus, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1863, p. 106, pl. 15: Kaseh, 
i. e., Tabora, Tanganyika Territory. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

13 adult males, 4 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 
8-May 4, 1912. 

1 adult female, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 8, 1912. 

1 immature male, 1 adult female, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 

1 adult female, Anole, Ethiopia, June 17, 1912. 

38 immature males, 2 adult females, Meru Forest, Kenya Colony, August 10, 
1912. 

1 immature male, 2 adult females, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 
12, 1912. 

1 immature male, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 17, 1912. 

Neunzig ** has separated Abyssinian birds, under the name abys- 
sinica, on the basis of supposedly smaller wing and tail dimen- 
sions and a more brownish cast in the nuptial plumage of the adult 
males. I have compared the present series with a fair series from 
Kenya Colony and Tanganyika Territory and find no reason for 
recognizing abyssinica, as none of the characters have any existence 
in fact. Similarly, C. a. sassii Neunzig, described from the Kivu 
district, is not valid. 

The present form occurs from central and southern Shoa south 
through Uganda to Urundi and the Kivu district, Belgian Congo, 
and through Kenya Colony to northern Tanganyika ‘Territory. 
Sclater ** writes that eques ranges over the northern half of Tangan- 
yika Territory and that albonotatus reaches its northern limits in 
Nyasaland and on the Royuma River on the Mozambique-Tangan- 
yikan border. Shelley,®* however, definitely states that a/bonotatus 
ranges north to Ugogo, whence egues is also known. It may be that 
the two meet in that region; I have seen undoubted albonotatus from 
Dodoma. If both forms breed together anywhere in north-central 
Tanganyika Territory, it may be necessary to consider them specifi- 
cally distinct. They are easily distinguished by the color of the lesser 
upper wing coverts in the breeding males—yellow in albonotatus and 
chestnut in eques. 

All the birds collected in southern Ethiopia, April 8-June 17, are 
in worn breeding plumage; those obtained in Kenya Colony, August 


82a T,’Oiseau, new ser., vol. 3, pp. 694-701, 1933. 

83 Zool. Anz., vol. 78, p. 117, 1928. 

8 Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 766, 1930. 
8% The birds of Africa, vol. 4, p. 47, 1905. 


430 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


10-17, either are in a late stage of the postnuptial molt or are com- 
pletely in fresh winter plumage. The size variations are as follows: 
Male—wings, 73.5-80 (average, 76); tail, 75.5-90.5 (74.4); culmen, 
138-15 (14.2); tarsus, 19-21 (19.9 mm). Females—wings, 63-66.5 
(65.2) ; tail, 85-43.5 (40.5); culmen, 12.5-14 (13.2); tarsus, 17.5-19 
(18.3 mm). 

This bird appears to be rather local in Ethiopia and absent in large 
areas in extreme northern Kenya Colony. It is a denizen of swamps 
and moist grasslands, which accounts for its discontinuous distribu- 
tion. According to Shelley,’* the “breeding season varies with the 
climate, the object probably being to secure an adequate supply of the 
food best suited to the young birds.” 

Near Mount Kenya, Delamere found the birds in full nuptial dress 
in February; Pease found them still in the winter plumage at that 
time of the year at Roquecha, farther north (and also at Harrar in 
November). Van Someren *? found young birds in February, March, 
August, and September, and an adult male in off-season dress in 
November, in Uganda and Kenya Colony. 

Besides the actual specimens collected, Mearns recorded this weaver 
as follows: Black Lake Abaya, March 21-23, 10 birds seen; Gato 
River near Gardula, March 29-May 17, 600; Anole, May 18, 10 birds; 
Bodessa, May 19-—June 3, 200; thence not again until reaching the 
Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 600 birds; Guaso Mara River and Meru 
Forest, August 9, 500; Meru Forest and Kilindi, August 10, 100; 20 
miles east of Meru, August 10, 100; Tharaka district, August 12, 50 
seen. 

COLIUSPASSER ARDENS SUAHELICA (van Someren) 
Penthetria laticauda suahelica VAN SOMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, 
p. 121, 1921: Nairobi River. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Meru Forest, Kenya Colony, August 10, 1912. 
1 male, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 18, 1912. 
38 males, 1 female, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 8, 1812. 

The bird from Meru forest has the wings and tail of the breeding 
plumage; the rest of the body is in “winter” dress. The other speci- 
mens are all in dry-season plumage. 

Sclater ** follows the conclusions arrived at by Neunzig,®® except 
that the former author recognizes teitensis van Someren, a race that 
Neunzig fails to mention at all. All the Teita birds available to me 
(6 specimens) are in off-season plumage and are of no value as indi- 
cators of racial validity, and I therefore accept Sclater’s decision, 


86 The birds of Africa, vol. 4, p. 46, 1905. 

S Tbis, 1916, p. 418. 

88 Systema avium A°thiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 767—768, 1930. 
%® Verh. Orn. Ges. Bayern, vol. 17, pp. 285-239, 1927, 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 431 


noting, however, that he says that teitensis is only doubtfully dis- 
tinct from ardens. The ranges given for these two forms are a little 
difficult to grasp—teitensis was described from the Bura Hills, not 
far from Voi, while suahelica is said to range to Kilimanjaro. It 
appears from this that if teztensis be chiefly a coastal race, then topo- 
typical birds would really be intermediate between it and suahelica. 
If the two occur together, they would have to be considered distinct 
species. 

In Ethiopia a longer-winged, shorter-tailed race, laticauda, re- 
places the present one. In view of the fact that Blanford, Antinori, 
Lovat, Erlanger, and others observed and collected /aticauda, it is 
rather surprising that Mearns never met with it. The wholly black 
phase, concolor, has never been recorded from Ethiopia, and it is of 
extreme interest in that it appears to be a frequent mutant in much 
of western equatorial Africa, even becoming the dominant, if not 
the sole, form in some regions, such as around Masindi, Uganda, and 
the Uelle district of the Belgian Congo. 

The Kenya red-naped whydah and the Abyssinian form have the 
posterior part of the crown, nape, throat collar, and hind cheeks 
red in adult breeding males, while in ardens and teitensis the red is 
confined to the throat collar. Granvik*®® has found that male birds 
from near Mount Elgon have the band on the throat broader and 
darker red than in Kikuyu examples (typical swahelica), but he does 
not suggest describing them as a racial group. I have seen no 
Elgon birds, but a good series from the Kikuyu and Ukamba areas 
shows a good deal of variation in this character. It seems better 
not to attempt any further splitting. 

This species is common in the grassy areas of Kenya Colony. 
Van Someren *! found nests in “grassy patches in the scrub and by 
the swamps. The nest is constructed of grass. * * * The eggs 
are bluish or greenish, with numerous spots and blotches of ash- 
brown and darker brown. Two is the usual clutch, but as many as 
four have been found.” The birds have been found breeding in 
August and in May, and the nesting season probably includes other 
months as well. In Ethiopia Jaticauda has been found nesting in 
May. 

Since the above account was written Delacour and Edmond- 
Blanc ** have monographed this species with conclusions with which 
the present account is in harmony. 

Mearns noted about 500 of these birds at the Lekiundu River, 
August 8, about 1,000 near Meru, August 9-10, and 500 at Escarp- 
ment, September 4-12. 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 170-171. 
%1 Ibis, 1916, p. 418. 
%1a L’Oiseau, new ser., vol. 3, pp. 710-715, 1933. 


432 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


DREPANOPLECTES JACKSONI Sharpe 
Drepanoplectes jacksoni SHARPE, Ibis, 1891, p. 246, pl. 5: Masailand, near 
Lake Nakuru. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 3 males, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 5, 1912. 


These specimens are all in off-season plumage. One of them is 
rather abraded; the other two are freshly feathered. 

Jackson’s whydah is one of the most remarkable of the long-tailed 
weavers, forming a monotypic genus and inhabiting a relatively 
small area. It is found in the highlands of western and central 
Kenya Colony from western Ukamba and Kikuyu to Nandi, Eldoret, 
Lake Baringo, and Mount Kenya. It is common in wet meadows, but 
is somewhat local. It does not get into the Uasin Gishu Plateau 
beyond Eldoret and is not known from Mount Elgon. 

Because of the unusual individual dancing grounds made by the 
males, much has been written concerning this fine bird. Shelley * 
has summarized previous observations. On the whole, the majority 
of the birds molt in January and February and in September and 
October, although some molt in June and even July and November. 
Nests with eggs have been found in May, June, and July. 

Mearns saw about 100 of these birds at Escarpment, Sep- 
tember 4-12. 


SPERMESTES CUCULLATUS SCUTATUS Heuglin 


Spermestes scutatus Hrueiin, Journ. fiir Orn., 1863, p. 18; Dembea, Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 male, Loku, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. 

1 female, Botola, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. 

1 male, Meru Forest, Kenya Colony, August 10, 1912. 

1 female, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 

The Abyssinian bronze mannikin differs from the West African, 
nominate race in that it lacks the greenish patches on the sides of the 
breast, found in typical cucullatus. The present race occurs from 
Ethiopia south BELL eastern Africa to Natal and the eastern Cape 
Province. 

Dembea, north of Lake Tsana, appears to be the northernmost 
locality from which this bird is known. It has been taken on a 
number of occasions, by various collectors, in Shoa, but not in eastern 
Gallaland or in Somaliland, except for Erlanger’s specimen from 
Umfudu-Gobwin, in Jubaland.®*? Lovat obtained it at Telagubaie 
near Kosso, north of Harrar; Pease met with it near Lake Zwai; 
Erlanger found it in the Hawash region, near Adis Abeba, and in 
the Shoan lake district. Zaphiro obtained specimens at Gibbe River, 


The birds of Africa, vol. 4, pp. 55-58, 1905. 
3 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 17. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 433 


Jimma, Gomma, Kullo, Gofa, Baku, and Konso, in southwestern 
Shoa.** Neumann found it in the Omo Basin. 

In Kenya Colony this bird is widely distributed and common. 
Van Someren ® lists scutatus as a species, as he claims to have ob- 
tained cucullatus together with it at Nairobi and Elgon. He records 
cucullatus from as far east as Taveta. This is so different from the 
results arrived at by Sclater °° and shown by the total comparative 
series I have studied that I can not help but think that van Someren 
is mistaken in his identification. I have seen 29 adults of seutatus, 
and only one of them has any trace of metallic green or purple on 
the flanks. On the other hand, every one of a series of 10 adults 
from western Africa (east through Uganda) and of 16 from Puerto 
Rico (where the typical race was introduced and is now well estab- 
lished as a wild bird) has this metallic area on the flanks. It is hard 
to conceive of van Someren getting such opposite results in so ex- 
tensive a collection as his. Bowen,** however, records three males of 
S. ce. cucullatus from Meru, Kenya Colony. “All three”, he says, 
“have the green spot on the side of the chest which is characteristic 
of this race.” 

Bannerman °° has found this character to be somewhat inconstant 
but writes that the nominate form differs from scutatws by its more 
purplish throat (browner in scutatus), “by the more heavily barred 
rump and upper tail-coverts, and by the more metallic green on the 
sides of the body, which is often, though not invariably, absent in 
specimens of S. c. scutatus.” Gyldenstolpe °° finds that none of the 
characters holds very consistently and concludes that scutatus is a 
race of doubtful validity. While I fully recognize the fact that 
scutatus is not so well marked a race as many others, still the mate- 
rial available supports it, and I therefore consider van Someren’s 
and Bowen’s Kenyan “cucullatus” as scutatus. Neunzig+ does not 
consider the flank spot as the chief racial character, but relies mostly 
on the duller color of the rump and upper tail coverts in sewtatus. 

Within the race scutatus there appears to be some variation in 
size that is correlated with geography. The birds of northeastern 
Africa are large (wings, 49-52 mm), of the equatorial districts small 
(wings, 46-47 mm), and of southeastern Africa large again (wings, 
46-51 mm). These differences merge so gradually that it is not 
possible to recognize racial forms on the basis of size. 


* Ogilvie-Grant, Ibis, 1913, p. 568. 

® Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 154, 1922. 

% Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 769, 1930. 
Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 83, p. 77, 1931. 
* Rev. Zool. Africaine, vol. 9, pp. 294-295, 1922. 

% IKongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, p. 51. 

1Zool. Anz., vol. 70, pp. 191-192, 1927. 


434 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The dimensions of the present species are as follows: Males—wing, 
49.5, 50.5; tail, 38, 33; culmen, 10, 10; tarsus, 12, 12mm. Females— 
wing, 49.5, 50; tail, 29, 31.5; culmen, 10, 10; tarsus, 11,12.6mm. All 
are in slightly abraded condition. 

Jackson 2 writes that this bird is plentiful in the vicinity of habi- 
tations in Kenya Colony. He says: “At Kibwezi it was breeding 
in March. The nest, which is roughly made of dry grass and lined 
with feathers, is generally placed in a table-topped mimosa or other 
thorny tree, some 10 to 25 feet from the ground.” The nesting sea- 
son is probably indefinite in extent as cucullatus has been found 
nesting in every month of the year in Uganda. The nominate form 
has been known to use old nests of Ploceus reichenowi, as well as to 
build its own, but the eastern race appears to build for itself 


regularly. 
EUODICE CANTANS MERIDIONALIS (Mearns) 


Aidemosyne cantans meridionalis MeAaRNS, Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 61, no. 
14, p. 4, 1918: Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 female, Djibouti, French Somaliland, November 23, 1911. 
1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 31, 1912. 
1 male, Iron Bridge, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 5, 1912. 
1 male, Hawash River, above Iron Bridge, Ethiopia, February 6, 1912. 
3 females, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 
4 males, 4 females, Chaffa, Ethiopia, June 24—25, 1912. 
2 males, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 1, 1912. 
7 males, 5 females, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 15-16, 1912. 
1 female, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 
1 female, Meru River, Kenya Colony, August 8, 1912. 


I have not seen any topotypical material of tavetensis van Som- 
eren * and therefore can not decide its validity. Sclater‘* considers 
it indistinguishable from meridionalis. I have seen two specimens 
from Dodoma, Tanganyika Territory, which were identified in Tring 
as tavetensis and which are practically indistinguishable from the 
type of meridionais. THartert® has also doubted the validity of 
tavetensis. 'The characters on which tavetensis was based are darker, 
more grayish dorsal coloration, the scaly pattern on the forehead 
more pronounced, the throat spots larger and more distinct, and the 
underparts whiter, less washed with pale creamy buff. I find the 
dorsal and frontal color differences do not hold; the chin spots vary 
in the present series of meridionalis,; the whiter underparts seem to 
be the only valid character, and the difference there is a very small one. 


2Ibis, 1899, pp. 604-605. 

3’ Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 41, p. 121, 1921: Simba. 
*Systema avium Aathiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 772, 1930. 
5 Nov. Zool., vol. 34, p. 195, 1928. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 435 


The Djibouti specimen is quite different from the rest of the present 
series, being very much paler and lighter, more tawny-buff, less brown- 
ish or grayish brown, than the others from Ethiopia and Kenya 
Colony. Additional material may possibly reveal a distinct coastal 
race in French Somaliland. In fact, when describing meridional, 
Mearns wrote ® that “on crossing the Red Sea to French Somaliland 
a very pale form of Azdemosyne was found at Djibouti which con- 
trasts strikingly with specimens from Aden; rising thence to the 
Hawash Valley, Abyssinia, a slightly darker form occurs which 
remains quite constant through Abyssinia and British East Africa.” 
Apparently the dark-backed Arabian form orientalis occurs in British 
Somaliland, and meridionalis is the form in the arid belt of northern 
Kenya Colony, so it seems that if there be a recognizable race near 
Djibouti, its range would be rather restricted. Zedlitz’ records a 
bird from the upper Ganale, in southern Italian Somaliland, as 
orientalis, but he considers meridionalis and orientalis as one form. 

The Djibouti bird is as pale as ¢nornata, and inasmuch as the latter 
occurs in Eritrea, I thought the French Somaliland specimen might 
be of that form. However, it has the upperparts definitely barred 
as in meridionalis. It may be an intergrade between znornata and 
meridionalis, but if further material should show the Djibouti birds 
to be consistently pale and barred, it would be entirely justifiable to 
name them. 

The race inornata occurs in Eritrea and extreme northeastern 
Ethiopia, as well as in the Red Sea Province and lower White Nile 
inthe Sudan. Zedlitz * recorded it from Cheren, Scetel, and Barentu, 
while Blanford ® saw it in flocks about Ailat and Ain, and on the 
Anseba. 

EL. c. meridionalis ranges beyond the limits given by Sclater, who 
places the southern terminus of its distribution in the Kilimanjaro 
region. It is known from Kinyambwa, Dodoma, in central 
Tanganyika Territory. 

The size variations of the present series are as follows: Males— 
wing, 50-55 (average, 51.4) ; tail, 40-44 (41.8) ; culmen, 8.5-10 (9.5) ; 
tarsus, 12.2-13 (12.5 mm). Females—wing, 48-52 (50); tail, 37-45 
(40.6) ; culmen, 9.2-10 (9.7); tarsus, 12-13 (12.4 mm). Compared 
with these figures, the Arabian form orientalis presents the follow- 
ing average dimensions: Males—wing, 49.9; tail, 43.4; culmen, 9.9; 
tarsus, 11.2 mm. Females—wing, 49.3; tail, 41; culmen, 9.8; tarsus, 
12 mm. 

The birds are mostly in worn plumage. 


® Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 61, no. 14, p. 4, 1913. 

T Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 29. 

8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 24. 

® Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, p. 408, 18790, 


436 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


This species is an inhabitant of the acacia grasslands and goes 
about in small flocks. I have not been able to find anything re- 
corded as to the breeding season in Ethiopia, but in Eritrea the 
form inornata is said by Zedlitz *° to nest from August to October. 
Zedlitz refers his specimens to orentalis but at the time inornata 
had not been described. In the Sudan, Butler found inornata breed- 
ing in February, March, May, September, and October. 

Besides the actual specimens collected, Mearns noted this species 
as follows: Chaffa village, June 23-25, 325 birds seen; Hor, June 
26-30, 20 noted; Dry River 18 miles southwest of Hor, July 1-2, 50; 
Dussia, July 3-4, 10 birds; 10-25 miles south of Lake Rudolf, July 
9-10, 6 seen; Indunumara Mountains, July 13-18, 500; south base of 
Endoto Mountains, July 21-24, 10 birds; Er-re-re, July 25, 50; 
Le-se-dun, July 26, 50; 24 miles south of Malele, July 29, 4. 

Lavauden* has recently recorded this species as far north as the 
oasis of Bilma in the French Sahara. 


ODONTOSPIZA CANICEPS (Reichenow) 


Pitylia caniceps RetIcCHENOW, Orn. Centralbl., vol. 4, p. 189, 1879: Massa, Tana 
River. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 males, 2 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 26-May 11, 
1912. 
1 male, Gato River Crossing, Ethiopia, May 17, 1912. 
1 male Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 6, 1912. 
1 male, Er-re-re, Kenya Colony, July 25, 1912. 
1 female, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 1, 1912. 

The present specimens extend the known range of the gray-headed 
silverbill to southern Shoa, thereby adding the species to the fauna 
of Ethiopia. Previously it was known from the interior of the 
southern half of Kenya Colony north to the Northern Guaso Nyiro 
River and to Marsabit, northwest across northern Uganda to the 
West Nile district. The records nearest to the present Shoan ones 
were from the Turkana country in northeastern Uganda. 

The Ethiopian birds average slightly darker on the breast than 
Kenyan and Tanganyikan examples, but the difference is very slight. 
Moreover, van Someren’? writes of Kenyan and Ugandan birds 
that some “are pale-breasted, and some dark-coloured, but the dif- 
ferences are not limited to definite ranges. Uganda and East 
African specimens are equal in size.” 

The present birds are in fairly fresh plumage. Their size varia- 
tions are as follows: Males—wing, 57-64 (average, 58.6) ; tail, 44-47 


10 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 24. 
11 Alauda, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 133-135, 1930. 
12Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 153, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 437 


(45); culmen, 10.5-11.5 (10.9); tarsus, 13.5-15.5 (14.7). Females— 
wing, 57-60 (58); tail, 45-47 (46); culmen, 10-11 (10.7); tarsus, 
13-15.5 (14.4 mm). 

This species appears to be generally uncommon, and little has been 
recorded of it. The breeding season and habits seem to be unknown. 


AMADINA FASCIATA ALEXANDERI Neumann 


Amadina fasciata aleranderi NEUMANN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 23, p. 43, 
1908: Waram, Hawash River. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
7 males, 3 females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 7-18, 1911. 
2 males, Sadi Malke, Ethiopia, December 22, 1911. 
2 males, near Saru, Ethiopia, June 19, 1912. 
1 female, Chaffa, Kenya Colony, June 24, 1912. 
2 males, 1 female, 18 miles south of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 2, 1912. 
14 males, 8 females, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 15, 1912. 

Some years ago ™ I separated the birds of southern Kenya Colony 
and northern Tanganyika Territory under the name candida, on the 
basis of the somewhat browner coloration of the back and the heavier 
black bars below and stripes above, than in alewanderi. Van 
Someren ** noted the same differences in his south Kenyan birds. 
Sclater, however, considers candida as a synonym of alewanderi. I 
have seen much material since 1926 and have come to the conclusion 
that candida is a very poorly marked race, and I therefore follow 
Sclater in sinking the name into synonymy. 

When in captivity these birds frequently become very dark brown- 
ish, especially on the underparts. This color phase was described 
by Sharpe as A. marginalis, but it is not a species or even a racial 
form. It is of interest, however, inasmuch as it carries to a much 
greater degree the incipient tendency toward brownishness shown by 
“candida.” However, birds from all parts of the range of the species, 
when kept in captivity, are equally apt to produce the marginalis 
type of coloration. 

According to Sclater, the nominate form ranges east to Lake 
Rudolf, while alexanderi is said to occur from Eritrea south to 
north-central Tanganyika Territory. Neumann? writes that inter- 
mediates between fasciata and alexanderi occur in parts of western 
Ethiopia and between the White Nile and Lake Rudolf. This has 
led to a wonder whether the birds from Hor and the Indunumara 
Mountains might be also such intermediates, but a critical examina- 
tion of the material reveals them as typical alewanderi. The latter 


13 Occ. Papers Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. 5, p. 218, 1926. 

1# Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 146, 1922. 

Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 782, 1930. 

16 Catalogue of the birds of the British Museum, vol. 13, p. 290, 1890. 
47 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 23, p. 44, 1908. 


106220—37——29 


438 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


form differs from the nominate race in having the upperparts more 
heavily and abundantly marked with blackish bars, and in being 
smaller, with a small bill. 

The present specimens exhibit a good deal of variation in size. 
Thus, the males have the following dimensions: Wing, 61-72 (aver- 
age, 65.2); tail, 36-42 (38.5); culmen, 9-11 (10.4); tarsus, 13.5-15 
(14.4 mm). Females: Wing, 62.5-67 (64.4); tail, 35-88.5 (36.9) ; 
culmen, 10-11 (10.1); tarsus, 18-16.5 (143 mm). The majority of 
the specimens are in fairly fresh’ plumage. 

The cut-throat finch is a permanent resident in the semiarid thorn- 
bush country throughout its range. It is a bird of the lower alti- 
tudes and is much given to going about in loose flocks, often in com- 
pany with other weavers. 

In Eritrea the breeding season is in summer and early in autumn, 
according to Zedlitz.18 In the adjacent parts of the Sudan it is said 
to nest in August and in early September, in the latter part of which 
month the birds flock in good numbers. Erlanger ’® found a nest 
with three eggs at Sarigo, in southern Somaliland, on May 9, an 
unusually early date, compared with Eritrean and Sudanese observa- 
tions, and one that is difficult to comprehend. In Darfur, for ex- 
ample, Lynes?°? found that the typical race breeds in autumn and 
midwinter. In Kenya Colony it has been found in large swarms 
(a good sign of nonbreeding activity) in March, April, and July. 
Thus, in the Indunumara Mountains, July 14-18, Mearns observed 
over 1,000 of these weavers. Donaldson Smith found the species 
breeding in August in Somaliland. 


HYPARGOS NIVEOGUTTATUS (Peters) 


Spermophaga niveoguttata Perers, Journ. fiir Orn., 1868, p. 183: Inhambane. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Meru Forest, Kenya Colony, August 10, 1912. 


This specimen is the type of macrospilotus Mearns.** I have seen 
birds from Mozambique, Gazaland, Nyasaland, Tanganyika Terri- 
tory, and Kenya Colony, and find that macrospilotus is identical 
with niveoguttatus. 

The present example is in fairly fresh plumage and has the follow- 
ing dimensions: Wing, 57.5; tail, 54; culmen, 13.5; tarsus, 17 mm. 

Very little appears to be known of the habits of this little twin- 
spot, except that it lives in thickets and dense undergrowth, where 
it feeds largely on the ground. In Nyasaland, Belcher? found it 
“living usually in wet shaded gullies and * * * attracting little 


48 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 24. 

Journ, tur Orn., 190%, p: 17. 

2 Tbis, 1924, p. 673. 

21 Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 61, no. 14, p. 2, 1913. 
2 Birds of Nyasaland, p. 328, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 439 


notice.” He records this species as a “winter” breeder, like the 
Pytilias; he found a nest at Zomba on May 6. 

According to Sjéstedt,?* this bird lives in the acacia and bush veldt 
and in the lower cultivated zone on Kilimanjaro, where it is not com- 
mon, being seen only occasionally. 

The present specimen appears to constitute the northwesternmost 
record for the species. Sclater** writes that it inhabits only the 
coastal districts of Kenya Colony. 


PYTILIA AFRA (Gmelin) 


Fringilla afra GMELIN, Systema naturae, vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 905, 1789: Angola. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 male, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, October 17, 1911. 

2 males, 1 female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 25-27, 1912. 

Soft parts: Bill red, shading to black at the base above in the 
female (all red in the male) ; feet and claws brown. 

I have not enough pertinent material to decide upon the merits of 
cinereigula Cabanis, and therefore I follow Sclater *° in recognizing 
no races of P. afra. Van Someren®* calls coastal Kenyan birds P. 
afra griseigularis Neumann, a name probably intended to read P. a. 
cinereigula Cabanis. According to van Someren, the coastal race 
is a valid one, and ranges inland to Voi. He suggests that the birds 
of the Kikuyu country may prove to be an undescribed subspecies 
being larger and more greenish on the back and more greenish yellow 
on the breast than the coastal ones. I have compared birds from 
Ethiopia, Kenya Colony, Tanganyika Territory, and Nyasaland, and 
find no worth-while differences between any two of them. 

The yellow-backed pytilia occurs from the Sudanese—Ugandan 
border and southern Ethiopia south to Nyasaland and central Mo- 
zambique, thence west through the Katanga and Northern Rhodesia to 
northern Angola and the Portuguese Congo. 

The present specimens are in somewhat abraded condition; their 
dimensions are as follows: Males—wing, 58-60.5; tail, 33.5-36.5; cul- 
men, 9-11; tarsus, 13.5-15 mm. Females—wing, 60.5; tail, 34; 
culmen, 10; tarsus, 15 mm. 

Dire Daoua appears to be the northernmost locality from which 
this species has been recorded. Lovat collected it at Feyambiro and 
Lake Chercher.*7 Feyambiro is southeast of Harrar, and is the near- 
est locality record to the present one from Dire Daoua. 


23 Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der schwedischen zoologischen Expedition nach dem Kili- 
mandjaro . . . Deutsch-Ostafrika, etc., Végel, p. 128, 1908. 

24 Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 785, 1930. 

25 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 787, 1930. 

28 Noy. Zool., vol. 29, p. 162, 1922. 

2 Published on by Ogilvie-Grant, Ibis, 1900, p. 129. 


440 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Erlanger ** obtained a young bird in Arussi-Gallaland; Zaphiro *° 
collected three specimens at Konso near the Sagon River in southern 
Shoa. If there are other Ethiopian records, I have not come across 
them. I know of none from Somaliland or Jubaland. 

Nothing appears to be known of the breeding season in Ethiopia; 
in north-central Tanganyika Territory, Loveridge *° found a nest with 
eggs on March 23. 

Mearns noted that the male and female collected at Bodessa on 
May 25 were a mated pair. 


PYTILIA MELBA SOUDANENSIS (Sharpe) 


Zonogastris soudunensis SHARPE, Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum, 
vol. 18, p. 298, 1890: Type in British Museum said to be from Khartoum, 
but probably from the Upper White Nile. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
3 adult males, 2 adult females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 1-16, 1911. 
1 adult male, Iron Bridge, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 4, 1912. 
1 adult male, Reishat, north Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, May 25, 1912. 
1 adult male, Sagon River, Ethicpia, June 5, 1912. 
1 adult female, 18 miles southwest of Hor, Kenya Colony, July 2, 1912. 
1 adult male, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 23, 1912. 
2 adult males, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12, 1912. 
1 adult male, 1 juvenal male, 2 adult females, 1 juvenal female, Tana River, 
Kenya Colony, August 15-17, 1912. 

Soft parts: Iris orange-red; bill red with a dark brown spot at 
base of maxilla; feet and claws grayish brown. 

In the absence of sufficiently large series, I follow Sclater ** in con- 
sidering affinis and kirki as synonyms of soudanensis. The bird from 
Sagon River was compared with the type of affinis and found identi- 
cal, and it bears out the characters by which this form is said to dif- 
fer from sowdanensis. It has darker, more sharply delineated bars 
on the underparts, a greener color on the back, and has the under tail 
coverts more distinctly barred than Hawash birds. However, in the 
last character, that of the under tail coverts, there is some variation 
in soudanensis, some individuals having these feathers nearly plain 
white with almost no bars, while others are definitely barred. 

The case of kirkii seems to be one of individual variation. The best 
character here is the color of the lores in adult males. In kirki the 
lores are grayish separating the red areas above and below, while in 
soudanensis the red extends across the lores. If we group the present 
birds according to this criterion, we find no correlation between it 
and geography. Thus, birds with gray lores come from Dire Daoua, 

23 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 17. 

2 Ogilvie-Grant, Ibis, 1913, p. 569. 


20 Proce. Zool. Soc. London, 19238, p. 903. 
31 Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 788, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 441 


Tharaka district, and Tana River; males with reddish lores from 
Hawash River, Reishat, Sagon River, and Endoto Mountains. Off- 
hand this suggests that possibly a gray-lored form may occur in 
Ethiopian Somaliland south to Lamu and thence inland along the 
Tana River, but the red-lored bird from the Hawash River, and the 
fact that the type of affinis (from Hersi Barri, Ogaden) has reddish 
lores renders this unlikely. Zedlitz *? has studied this form and rec- 
ognizes it as the resident race of the Somali districts, northern and 
eastern Kenya Colony, from Ogaden, the Ginir, Garre-Lewin, and 
Gurra countries, to the Northern Guaso Nyiro River. He mentions 
two specimens from the Rendile area but writes that as they are 
females and do not show the characters of the race, their identifica- 
tion must be considered unsatisfactory. The present males from 
Sagon River, Reishat, and Endoto Mountains show that the Rendile 
birds are not affines. 

Two of the birds have the lores mixed gray and red and suggest 
that the gray- and red-lored birds are not specifically distinct. 

All the Ethiopian birds (and also the one from Reishat) have the 
under tail coverts barred more or less distinctly; all the Kenyan birds 
(from 18 miles southwest of Hor southward into Tanganyika Terri- 
tory) have these feathers entirely unbarred. It may be possible to 
recognize a southern form on this basis, but as I have seen no topo- 
typical kirki material, I can not say whether that name is available. 
Lynes ** considers kirki a synonym of soudanensis, and writes that 
the reason for this is that “although the type loc. of P. m. sou- 
danensis is unknown, its type-specimen agrees almost exactly with 
that of P. m. kirki; and since the original descriptions of both also 
apply to either bird * * * the older name of the two ought to 
be used.” 

The inconstancy of the loral character makes one suspicious of 
P. percivali van Someren.** This name is synonymized with belli 
by Sclater, but here again there is room for discussion. JI have seen 
three birds from Dodoma, Tanganyika Territory, that agree very 
closely with the description of percivali—white lores in the male, 
dark gray throat and breast in the female. It arouses a wonder if 
there may not be two specific groups in the melba finches—one with 
red lores and one with grayish or whitish lores. The former group 
would include melba, belli, jessi, hirki, percivali, and grotei; the 
latter would include céterior, soudanensis, and “affinis.” I have not 
the material wherewith to judge Neunzig’s new races damorensis, 
auseguhae, centralis, and ladoensis. Grote’s form conradsi and Reiche- 
now’s tanganjicae are synonyms of belli. 


#2 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 29-35. 
83 Ibis, 1926, p. 400. 
* Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 40, p. 56, 1919: Loita Plains, Kenya Colony. 


442 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


As may be sensed from the foregoing discussion, the taxonomic 
conclusions to be drawn are rendered somewhat uncertain by the 
extent of nongeographic variation. For the present I follow 
Sclater’s arrangement but hope that workers with more satisfactory 
material, and especially residents of eastern Africa, who have a 
chance to study the birds in life, may consider the problem open for 
investigation and by no means a settled issue. 

‘The width of the red frontal band varies greatly in the males but 
is not correlated with locality or wear. Hawash and Dire Daoua 
specimens are grayer on the back than any others seen. There is a 
tendency for the birds to be smaller near the Equator and larger to 
the north, as may be seen from table 78. 

As Lynes * correctly writes, there is no evidence of any form of 
the melba finch in northern Ethiopia. The species is a bird of com- 
paratively low altitudes and occurs all around the base of the high 
plateau regions of northern and north-central Ethiopia, but not 
high up, Adis Abeba being the highest locality from which it is 
known. 


TABLE 78.—Measurements of 15 specimens of Pytilia melba soudanensis 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Dire sonal. Aes eevee scenes Malet- sees 58.0 49.0 12.0 17.0 
j OY 1 ea Pa ee ee ee eee ee Sede 23228 = 59.0 49.0 13.0 16.0 
ID) Queso ner. POS, SE ek es eS MIL SRS Gots iss 60.0 51.0 12.5 17.0 
IHawashRivenr: 22a" seen e cena tan eee doses =|, 6250 53. 5 12.5 16.0 
SagontRiverz2s 22a ae es Be ees 0:22 2.42. 58.0 53. 0 13.0 18.0 
KENnyA COLONY: 
AVOISHAGs een ls ee Sek ES do=a:— === 60.0 51.0 13.0 17.0 
Hndoto Mountainsss-22 sees sees ees eee Gost 20% 58.5 48.5 12.5 17.5 
‘WharakaiGistrich 282-2 5.scse4ccsere| sooo dota ees 55.0 48.0 12.5 16.0 
Meee IN ee PE eth A AA doe ae 58.0 46.0 13.0 16.0 
TSNG MERLVGD see aes = St et doz4 ere 56.0 47.0 13.0 16.5 
ETHIOPIA: 
Dire; Dacna ite eset ae See Wemales2 222 59.0 49.0 12.5 16.5 
DDOes ere Bh ean 8 See eee dos=2-| 6150 51.0 12.5 16.5 
KENYA COLONY: 
18 miles southwest of Hor_.--------|----- dot ces 56. 5 50. 0 13.0 16.5 
Tana*Riverst aso biti s te Fe eee do-42 2-22 .+ 54.0 45.0 11.0 16.5 
DOE 2, Soe eee ei i ee dey dove ==: 54.0 45.0 12.0 16.0 





The species inhabits bushy and scrub country and is usually seen 
in small groups or singly. At times larger numbers are observed, as, 
for example, on the Tana River, August 16-19, when Mearns noted 
150 birds, 


*Tbis, 1926, pp. 399-400. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 443 


Erlanger ** found this bird in Arussi-Gallaland, southern Italian 
Somaliland, and Jubaland. He found four nests as follows: A nest 
with four much incubated eggs at Damaso in Garre-Lewin district, 
May 14; a nest with six fresh eggs, at Abrona, near Bardera, May 
26; another with seven fresh eggs at Sarigo, Garre-Lewin country, 
May 8; and one with five incubated eggs at Solole, southern Somali- 
land, June 11. The nests are placed from 1 to 4 meters up im acacia 
trees and are often built near wasps’ nests. 

Mearns made no observations on the breeding habits or season, but 
a study of the molt and plumage condition of his specimens does not 
fit in very well with a notion of a very limited breeding season, 
such as Erlanger’s May and June nests would seem to indicate. 
Birds taken in December at Dire Daoua are either in worn plumage 
or in molt; those taken in February and May (Hawash River and 
Reishat) are abraded; the Sagon River bird (June 5) is in fresh 
plumage, as are also the July and August birds from farther south. 
The two juvenal birds are in worn plumage and show signs of molt. 

The juvenal plumage is very different from the adult stage. The 
head, back, and wings are uniform Saccardo’s umber; the tail and 
upper tail coverts dull reddish as in the adults; the underparts are 
pale ashy buff, much suffused with pale Saccardo’s umber on the chin, 
throat, breast, sides, flanks, thighs, and under tail coverts; the bill is 
all black. 

Since this paper was first written, van Someren ** has described 
another subspecies of this weaver, P. m. jubaensis, from Serenli, 
Jubaland, based on 18 specimens. This form is said to be nearest to 
keirki (which he recognizes), but intergrades toward belii. 


LAGONOSTICTA RUBRICATA RHODOPAREIA Heuglin 


Lagonosticta rhodopareia Hructin, Journ. fiir Orn., 1868, p. 16: Keren. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
8 adult males, 3 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 
13—May 14, 1912. 
2 adult males, 1 adult female ?, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 25-29, 1912. 
1 adult female, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 6, 1912. 
1 immature “male,” Tertale, Ethiopia, June 11, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris brown, eye rim pink; bill plumbeous tipped with 
black; feet and claws plumbeous. 

This is the series on which Mearns based his form fricki;*8 one 
of the males (U.S.N.M. no. 247543) is the type of frick?. When 
describing the latter, Mearns merely wrote that “as pointed out by 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 18. 
3 Nov. Zool., vol. 37, p. 326, 1932. 
3 Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 61, 20. 14, p. 4, 1913: Gato River near Gardula. 


444 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Ogilvie-Grant * * * Lagonosticta rubricata rhodopareia Heug- 
lin, from Keren, in Bogosland, differs in having the top of the head 
brownish gray without any wash of red—the opposite condition from 
hildebrandti.”. As a matter of fact, Ogilvie-Grant ** showed that 
some birds from the Gessima River, in the Laikipia country of Kenya 
Colony, are very similar to rhodopareia, and he synonymized helde- 
brandti with Heuglin’s Bogosland race! The birds named fricki by 
Mearns are intermediates between typical rhodopareia and hilde- 
brandti (which is a barely recognizable race), but are closer to the 
northern form. I follow Sclater *° in calling fricki a synonym of 
rhodopareia. 

Ogilvie-Grant noted that the color of the upperparts changes a 
little with wear, freshly plumaged birds being grayer, becoming 
browner with abrasion. 

The Abyssinian fire-finch occurs from Eritrea south across Ethio- 
pia, northern Uganda, the Rendile country, and Mount Uraguess. 
The birds of the last-named locality are intermediate between rhodo- 
pareia and hildebrandti and are what van Someren has named wmbri- 
wenter.* 

On the whole these birds are Jess reddish on the heads than Aiide- 
brandti, of central and southern Kenya Colony and northern Tan- 
ganyika Territory. The latter form occurs from Kaimosi, Mount 
Kenya, Kikuyu, etc., to Mount Kilimanjaro and the Usambara 
Mountains. 

The present series are partly in very worn, partly in rather fresh. 
plumage. A few signs of molt are visible in a few April birds, The 
size variations are as follows: Males—wing, 47-51 (average, 49.1) ; 
tail, 42-45 (43.6); culmen, 10-11 (10.1); tarsus, 18-14.5 (13.6 mm). 
Females—wing, 48-50 (48.8); tail, 40.5-45 (42.8); culmen, 10 each: 
tarsus, 18-14.5 (13.4 mm). 

This fire-finch has been taken in only a few places in Ethiopia, 
where it appears to be unknown in the highlands. Erlanger *? met 
with it between Harrar and Adis Abeba. 

According to Mearns, a mated pair was collected on April 22; the 
female had a fairly large egg nearly ready to be laid. 

Mearns noted this bird on the following occasions: Gato River near 
Gardula, March 29-May 17, 200; Anole village May 18, 2 seen; Kor- 
mali village, May 19, 10 birds; Bodessa, May 19—June 3, 50; Sagon 
River, June 3-6, 30 noted; Tertale, June 7-12, 20 birds; El Ade, June 
12-13, 20 birds seen. 


*®Tbis, 1908, pp. 272-273. 

49 Systema avium A®thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 789, 1930. 
“ Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 40, p. 54, 1919: Embu. 
# Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 21. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 445 


LAGONOSTICTA SENEGALA BRUNNEICEPS Sharpe 
FIGURE 29 

Lagonosticta brunneiceps SHARPE, Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum, 

vol. 13, p. 277, 1890: Type in British Museum from Maragaz, Eritrea. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 male, 1 female, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, October 15, 1911 (male) (female 

undated). 

1 male, Duletcha, Ethiopia, January 24, 1912. 

1 male, 1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 28, 1912. 

4 males, 2 females, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 7-10, 1912. 

In northeastern Africa there are five forms of the red-billed fire- 
finch, as follows: 

1. L. s. brunneiceps: Eritrea and most of Ethiopia (except the 
highlands, and southern Shoa), westward in the Sudan to Kordofan 
and Darfur. I have no Eritrean birds for study, and so I follow 
Sclater in considering erythreae and carlo as synonyms. 

2. L. s. abayensis: The southern Shoan Lakes area. 

3. L. s. somaliensis: Southern Somaliland, Jubaland, the coastal 
areas of Kenya Colony south to northeastern Tanganyika Territory 
(to Kilosa) and inland in northern Kenya Colony to the Northern 
Guaso Nyiro River. 

4. L. s. kikuyuensis: The inland plateau of central and western 
Kenya Colony. 

5. L. s. ruberrima: Uganda, the eastern Ituri district of the Belgian 
Congo, Ruanda, Urundi, and northwestern Tanganyika Territory. 

These forms may be distinguished by the following key (based on 
males) : 

a’, Upper back brown with no or little reddish wash___________-__ brunneiceps 


a’. Upper back brownish with a definite reddish wash. 
b*. Back light brown, washed with red. 


Ce Understail coverts: crayish browns somaliensis 
c. Under tail coverts deeper brown, with a yellowish tinge_____ abayensis 
b?. Back dark brown, washed with red_________ kikuyuensis and ruberrima® 


The differences between some of these races are rather slight and 
are not so great as the blunt wording of the key would indicate. 

Zedlitz** has reviewed the races of this bird and recognizes ery- 
threae and carlo and suggests that incerta is possibly still another 
form. I have examined the type of incerta and agree with Sclater * 
that it has nothing to do with Z. senegala, but it is a race of ZL. 
rufopicta, a synonym of L. rufopicta lateritia. 

The specimens collected are in worn plumage. Their size varia- 
tions are as follows: Males—wing, 50-52 (average, 51.1); tail, 39-41 


43 These last two may be distinguished only in the females, which are darker, browner in 
ruberrima, and paler, grayer, in kikuyuensis. 

4 Orn. Monatsb. vol. 18, pp. 171-174, 1910. 

4 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 792, 1930. 


446 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


(40); culmen, 9-10 (9.8); tarsus, 12.5-13 (12.9 mm). Females— 
wing, 47-50 (49); tail, 37.5-39 (38.1); culmen, 9-9.5 (9.1); tarsus, 
11.5-13.5 (12.2 mm). 


t 


i " 


Le: Z eC MMOE Ui Laos ) 


Z ly 





} 


Y 


oS 





Oo 400200 300 400 S00 MmlieES 
SSS 


- SCALE: 
FicurRE 29.—Distribution of Lagonosticta senegala in northeastern Africa. 
1, L. 8. brunneiceps. 4. L. 8. kikuyuensis. 
2. L. s. abayensis. 5. L. 8. ruberrima. 


3 L. 8. somatliensis. 


The Abyssinian red-billed fire-finch has been collected and obtained 
in various parts of northern, central, and south-central Ethiopia by 
numerous individuals, as Blanford, Harris, Antinori, Ragazzi, Zed- 
litz, Zaphiro and Erlanger. Shelley ** has summarized the then- 


The birds of Africa, vol. 4, p. 259, 1905. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 447 


existing data, which indicate nothing as to the breeding season in 
Ethiopia itself other than Heuglin’s statement that in the warmer 
(that is, lower) parts of Ethiopia and the White Nile the birds 
assume full plumage in July and August when they commence nest- 
ing. It is quite probable that the birds breed over a fairly prolonged 
period. In Darfur, Lynes * recorded them as breeding in the winter. 
In Uganda the race ruberrima nests in every month of the year. 


LAGONOSTICTA SENEGALA ABAYENSIS Neumann 
FIGURE 29 


Lagonosticta senegala abayensis NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 349: 
Giditscho Island in Lake Abaya. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 28, 1912. 
12 males, 1 female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 3-May 9, 1912. 


Soft parts: Iris reddish brown, eyelid yellow; bill red with blue- 
black line above and below (in female the black line on the maxilla 
is broader than in the male) ; feet and claws dark purplish brown. 

The Abaya red-billed fire-finch is confined to a small area in 
southern Shoa from a little north of the Abaya Lakes to the Gato 
River and Tertale. It is only slightly different from brunneiceps, 
having a little reddish wash on the back. 

The present specimens are in somewhat worn plumage. Their 
dimensional variations are as follows: Males—wing, 47—-50.5 (average, 
48.8) ; tail 31-38 (36) ; culmen, 9-11 (10.4) ; tarsus, 11-13 (12.6 mm). 
Female—wing, 48; tail 34.5; culmen, 9; tarsus, 12 mm. 

Besides the actual specimens collected, Mearns noted this bird as 
follows; Aletta, March 7-13, 25 seen; Loco, March 13-15, 10 birds; 
Gidabo River, March 15-17, 10 noted; Abaya Lakes, March 18-26, 35; 
between Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 10 birds; Gato 
River near Gardula, March 29-May 17, 200; Anole village, May 17, 
20 birds; Tertale, June 7, 4. 

Nothing has been recorded of the habits of this race. 


LAGONOSTICTA SENEGALA KIKUYUENSIS van Someren 
FIGURE 29 


Lagonosticta senegalla kikuyuensis VAN SOMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 40, 
p. 55, 1919: Nairobi. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 immature male, 2 adult females, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 
12-138, 1912. 
2 adult males, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 23-25, 1912. 
1 adult male, 2 adult females, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 6-7, 
1912. 


‘T Ibis, 1924, p. 671. 


448 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


The birds from the Tana River are somewhat intermediate be- 
tween Aikuyuwensis and somaliensis. 

The Tana River birds show slight signs of ecdysis; the others 
are in fairly fresh plumage. The size variations are as follows: 
Males—wing, 48-50 (average, 49); tail, 36-38 (87); culmen, 9-10 
(9.7); tarsus, 12.5-13.5 (18 mm). Females—wing, 46-48 (47.5); 
tail, 33.5-85.5 (34.5); culmen, 9-9.5 (9.1); tarsus, 12-13 (12.5 mm). 

The Kikuyu red-billed fire-finch is a common bird throughout its 
range and often builds its nest in the thatched roofs of native huts. 
Its nests have been taken throughout the year. 

Mearns noted 100 of these birds at the junction of the Tana and 
Thika Rivers, August 23-26; at Bowlder Hill, August 27, he saw 25; 
on the Thika River west of Ithanga Hills, August 28, 10 birds; be- 
tween the Thika and Athi Rivers, August 29, 20 birds; Athi River 
near Juja Farm, August 30-31, 5 were seen; Escarpment, September 
4-13, 200 birds. 

COCCOPYGIA MELANOTIS QUARTINIA (Bonaparte) 
Estrelda quartinia BONAPARTE, Conspectus generum avium, vol. 1, p. 461, 1850: 
Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Ethiopia, March 2, 1912. 
2 adult males, 1 adult female, Botola, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 5, 1912. 
1 adult female, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 11, 1912. 
1 immature male, Loco, Ethiopia, March 13, 1912. 

The yellow-bellied waxbill occurs throughout eastern and south- 
ern Africa. In the regions traversed by the Frick expedition two 
forms are found, quartinia, of Ethiopia, and kilimensis, of Kenya 
Colony south to Nyasaland and Gazaland. The latter race (which 
occurs north as far as Mount Lololokui) is shghtly darker, the 
breast less sulphur-yellow, more tinged with orange-buffy than the 
former. 

The Abyssinian race occurs from the Eritrean border south to 
Harrar, Arussi-Gallaland, and southern Shoa, but it is probably 
somewhat local, as several collectors failed to find it. Shelley * 
has summarized the data available to him, and all that has been 
added since then are the records of Erlanger, Zaphiro, and Mearns. 
The first named *® found the species in Arussi-Gallaland and at 
Adis Abeba. He found a nest with six much incubated eggs at Adis 
Abeba on October 8. Zaphiro *° added a few locality records—the 
Managasha Forest, Uraguessa and Gamu in the Charada Forest, 
Kaffa, and Kullo. Mearns’s birds, listed above, constitute the most 
southern Shoan records for the race. 








48 The birds of Africa, vol. 4, p. 237, 1905. 
4# Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 21-22. 
50 See Ogilvie-Grant, Ibis, 1918, p. 569. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 449 


Incidentally, A7/émensis occurs farther north than is indicated by 
Sclater.*!. I have seen specimens from Mount Lololokui in northern 
Kenya Colony, which are clearly of that race and not qguartinia. 

The present specimens are in fairly fresh plumage. Their dimen- 
sions are as follows: Males—wing, 47-48; tail, 37-39; culmen, 8-8.5; 
tarsus, 13-14 mm. Females—wing, 45-46; tail, 39-40; culmen, 8; 
tarsus, 13-13.5 mm. 


ESTRILDA ASTRILD MINOR (Cabanis) 
FIcure 30 
Habropyga migor CasBanis, Journ. fiir Orn., 1878, p. 229: Voi River, Kenya 
Colony. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 17, 1912. 


In the general region of interest to us in this study, five races of 
the common waxbill occur, as follows: 

1. EH. a. minor: The coastal and subcoastal portions of eastern 
Africa from southern Somaliland south through Kenya Colony and 
the northern half of eastern Tanganyika Territory. 

2. E. a. massaica: The inland areas of the southern half of Kenya 
Colony. 

3. EH. a. nyanzae: Uganda and adjacent parts of Kenya Colony, 
Ruanda, Urundi, the eastern Belgian Congo, and northeastern 
Tanganyika Territory. 

4. EF. a. macmillani: The upper White Nile and the Sobat-Baro dis- 
trict of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan. 

5. #. a. peaset: The highlands of Ethiopia. 

Two fairly recent reviewers of the races of this bird *? agree that 
massaica is not distinct from minor, but I find that it is a recog- 
nizable, though poorly marked, race. Granvik ** has reviewed some 
of the pertinent literature and has found, as I have now, that the 
difference between massaica and minor is not one of size, as Neumann 
stated in his original description of the former, but of coloration. 
The cheeks and chin are purer white in minor than in massaica, 
which form has these parts lightly tinged with grayish. 

The Uganda race nyanzae is distinguished by the more grayish- 
brown, less rufous-brown back, fairly white chin, and the less dis- 
tinct bars on the breast. The Sudanese form macmillani is smaller 
(wing, 43-45 mm) and has the underparts a richer pink with the 
barring becoming obsolete on the breast; chin whitish. The Ethi- 
opian pease is the largest of all the races (wings, 50 mm) and has 


51 Systema avium Athiopicarum. pt. 2, p. 794, 1930. 

52 Zedlitz, Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 36; and Sclater and Mackworth-Pracd, Ibis, 1918, 
pp. 442-444, 

53 Journ. fiir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 175. : . 


450 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


less pink on the venter and the barring still more obsolete than in 
peaset. All the forms are based on average characters, but, on the 
whole, they appear to be valid. 


40° 50° 





ANGANY/KA 
TERRITORY 


oO 100 00 300 400 SOOMIMES 
- SCALE- 
FIGURE 30.—Distribution of Estrilda astrild in northeastern Africa. 
1. H. a. peasei. 
2. H. a. macmillani. 
3. HB. a. massaica. 





4. BE. a. nyanzae. 
5. HB. a. minor. 


The single specimen of minor obtained by the expedition is in 
somewhat worn plumage. Its dimensions are as follows: Wing, 
45; tail, 47; culmen, 8.5; tarsus, 14 mm. It is not wholly typical 
of minor but. slightly intermediate between it and massaica. 


Mearns saw about 100 of these waxbills along the Tana River, 
August 17-26. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 451 


ESTRILDA ASTRILD PEASEI Shelley 
FIGuRE 30 
Estrilda peasei SHELLEY, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 13, p. 75, 1903: Jaffi Dunsa, 
Hthiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 27, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 11, 1912. 

The Abyssinian waxbill inhabits the highlands of Ethiopia from 
the northern Hawash area and northern Shoa to Arussi—Gallaland. 
It is the largest and deepest pinkish of all the forms of the common 
waxbill, 

The present specimens are in fairly fresh plumage. Their meas- 
urements are as follows: Males—wing, 50, 50.5; tail, 50, 52; culmen, 
9, 9.5; tarsus, 14,15 mm. Female—wing, 49; tail, 48; culmen, 8; 
tarsus, 14 mm, respectively. The February bird is in molt. 

Heuglin®* found this bird up to 6,000 and 7,000 feet above the sea, 
but he assumed that they did not breed at such altitudes. Pease 
and Lovat both obtained specimens but did not record much as to 
the habits of the bird. Erlanger ® found a nest with five fresh eggs 
on May 9 at Cunni, and another on June 9 at Arba in the Danakil 
Steppes. 

Mearns noted this waxbill as follows: Aletta, March 7-138, 50 seen ; 
Loco, March 13-15, 50; Abaya Lakes, March 18-26, 800; spring be- 
tween Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26-29, 200 birds. 


ESTRILDA RHODOPYGA RHODOPYGA Sundevall 


Estrilda rhodopyga rhodopyga Sunvevatt, Ofv. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Forh., 
vol. 7, p. 126, 1850: Northeastern Africa; Sennar (see Shelley, The birds 
of Africa, vol. 4, p. 206, 1905). 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 2 males, 1 female, Sadi Malka, Ethiopia, January 28, 1912. 


There are two races of the crimson-rumped waxbill—the nominate 
form, of northeastern Africa from Kordofan and Sennar east across 
most of Ethiopia to western Somaliland, and centralis, of the area 
from the Upper White Nile district of the Sudan, Uganda, and 
southern Shoa, south through Kenya Colony to Ugogo in Tanganyika 
Territory and to the Kivu district in the eastern Belgian Congo. 

Sclater ** considers #. r. polia Mearns ™ a synonym of rhodopyga, 
but I find, on examining the type, that it really is identical with 
centralis, as is also hypochra Mearns. The two races are not too well 
differentiated at best, and to recognize more forms is merely making 


54 Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, ete., vol. 1, p. 604, 1869. 

55 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 20. 

% Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 797, 1930. 

&' Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 61, no. 9, p. 1, 1913: Gato River, southern Abyssinia. 


452 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


matters more difficult. Van Someren ** writes that he can not recog- 
nize “more than one race for Uganda, South Ethiopia, Somaliland, 
and East Africa. I can pick out birds which agree with the characters 
of the various races claimed, but such are not limited to specimens 
from the distribution of these supposed forms, and similar birds 
are to be found from all the localities.” He calls attention to the fact 
that there is much variation in plumage correlated with age. Young 
birds in the juvenal dress are little or not at all barred; vigorous, full 
plumaged adults are most distinctly barred and are generally darker 
below. 

The present specimens are somewhat abraded. The female is more 
grayish, less brownish, on the crown and occiput than the males. The 
dimensions of these birds are as follows: Males—wing, 46, 46; tail, 48, 
45; culmen, 9.6, 10; tarsus, 12.5,138 mm. Female—Wing, 47; tail, 42; 
culmen, 9.2; tarsus, 12.8 mm. 

Shelley ®? has summarized what was known of this bird at the 
time. Since then but little has been added other than Zedlitz’s notes.°° 
This investigator writes that it is an inhabitant of the middle altitudes, 
up to, but not much beyond, 1,200 meters. It was not met with in the 
low hot Barca district. He found a breeding bird at Ghinda in the 
Eritrean coastal belt on January 31 and suggests that the breeding 
season there is during the local spring, but that on the other side of 
the eastern Ethiopian watershed, the season is late in summer! This, 
however, remains to be demonstrated. At Khartoum, birds apparently 
in breeding condition were taken in the first half of November by 


Butler. 
ESTRILDA RHODOPYGA CENTRALIS Kothe 


Estrilda rhodopyga centralis Korur, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 19, p. 70, 1911: 
Kisenyi, Lake Kivu (not Lake Albert Edward, as stated by Kothe). 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, May 2, 1912. 


Soft parts: Bill black above and below, red on sides. 

This specimen is the type of /. r. polia Mearns. Aside from van 
Someren’s reference to south Ethiopian examples,*! this is the only 
Ethiopian record I know of. 

The specimen is in worn plumage; its dimensions are as follows: 
Wing, 46; tail, 45; culmen, 10; tarsus, 12.5 mm. 


ESTRILDA PALUDICOLA OCHROGASTER Salvadori 


Estrilda ochrogaster SALVADORI, Boll. Zool. Anat. Torino, vol. 12, no. 287, p. 4, 
1897: Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 male, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 30, 
1912. 





58 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 165-166, 1922. 

5° The birds of Africa, vol. 4, pp. 206-207, 1905. 
69 Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, pp. 26-27. 

61 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 165, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 453 


Sporaeginthus margaritae Weld-Blundell and Lovat® is a 
synonym. 

The Abyssinian fawn-breasted waxbill is a little-known, local, and 
apparently rather scarce bird. 

The present specimen appears to be the southernmost one yet 
recorded. Previously the bird was not known from farther south 
than Gofa, where Zaphiro shot three specimens.®* Before that it 
had been found on the Baro River by Zaphiro “* and on the Maki 
River by Erlanger.®® Lovat® met with a flock of nearly 100 birds 
at Gelongol. According to Zedlitz, it is apparently entirely re- 
stricted to the highlands of the Tigre district, whence he lists a 
specimen taken by Miiller at Adua, but it is a rarity as far as collec- 
tions indicate. 

The colored figure of “margaritae” given by Ogilvie-Grant °° is 
much brighter colored than the present example, being darker 
brown above and deeper orange below. The bill is represented as 
being red, but the color in the dried specimen is light yellowish. It 
may be that Mearns’s bird was not fully adult. Shelley,®? however, 
remarks that the under tail coverts and upper breast are too brightly 
colored in the plate. 

The dimensions of the present specimen are: Wing, 49; tail, 47; 
culmen, 9; tarsus, 14 mm. 

Nothing appears to be known of the habits of this waxbill. 


ESTRILDA CHARMOSYNA CHARMOSYNA (Reichenow) 


Habropyga charmosyna REICHENOW, Orn. Centralb., 1881, p. 78: Berdera, on 
the Juba River, Italian Somaliland. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
5 males, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 6—22, 1911. 
1 male, 1 female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 23-May 18, 1912. 
male, Turturo, Ethiopia, June 15, 1912. 
males, 1 female, 25 miles south of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, July 12, 
1912. 
4 males, Indunumara Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 14, 1912. 
1 male, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 20, 1912. 
1 male, 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 
1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 16, 1912. 


Soft parts: Bill blue, tipped with black; feet and claws plumbeous 
black. 


hoe 


© Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 10, p. 20, 1899: Gelongol. 

®3 Ogilvie-Grant, Ibis, 1913, pp. 571-572. 

6 Ibis, 1907, p. 583. 

6 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 21. 

Ssitpis, 1900) px 150: 

si Journ. tur (Orn: 1901. ps 27. 

8 This, 1900, pl. 3, fig. 1. 

6 The birds of Africa, vol. 4, pp. 217-218, 1905. 
106220—37. 30 





454 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Sclater 7° considers pallidior Jackson™ and nigrimentum Salva- 
dori” as synonyms of charmosyna. Van Someren™ recognizes 
pallidior. If this form were valid the present specimens from south 
of Malele and from the Tana River would, on geographic grounds, 
have to be called by Jackson’s name, but they are matched very 
closely by specimens from southern Ethiopia. It seems, therefore, 
that Sclater’s conclusion is the correct one. Lénnberg‘* recorded 
specimens from the Northern Guaso Nyiro River as /. charmosyna 
and did not mention pallidior. 

This species and /#. erythronotos are very closely allied and would 
undoubtedly be considered one specific group were it not for the 
fact that the two occur together in southern Kenya Colony and 
northern Tanganyika Territory. 

There are two races of the red-rumped waxbill—the typical one, 
of the southern half of Ethiopia, Somaliland, and Turkanaland, 
south to the Northern Guaso Nyiro River and the eastern portions 
of the Tana River; and kiwanukae van Someren, of southern Kenya 
Colony from the Loita Plains and the Taveta area south to Dodoma 
in north-central Tanganyika Territory. The latter form has the 
underparts, especially the abdomen, darker, more grayish, and the 
light bars on the wings more whitish, than in the nominate race. 

The specimens taken in December, April, and May are in worn 
plumage; the July birds are partly in worn, partly in fresh feather- 
ing; a male taken on July 29 and a female, August 16, show signs 
of molt in the tail. The size variations of the present series are 
as follows: Males—wing, 49-53.5 (average, 51.2); tail, 58-61 (57.6) ; 
culmen, 8.5-10 (8.8); tarsus, 12.5-14 (13.1 mm). Females—wing, 
49-52.5 (50.8) ; tail, 54-55 (54.3) ; culmen, 8.5-9 (8.8); tarsus, 13-14 
(13.5 mm). 

Shelley 7 has summarized most of what is known of this bird, 
which is little indeed. Since then, Ogilvie-Grant has recorded 
it from Lake Zwai and from Lake Rudolf and writes that it “appears 
to be a rare bird and is seldom procured.” The present specimens 
extend the known range southward a good distance and nearly 
double the number of specimens on record. The bird seems to be 
more numerous in northern Kenya Colony than in Ethiopia. Mearns 
made the following entries concerning it in his notebooks: Anole, 


7 Systema avium AJthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 802, 1930. 

7 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 27, p. 6, 1910: Northern Guaso Nyiro River. 

7 Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, vol. 26, p. 281, 1888: Farre, Shoa. 

73 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 164, 1922; and Journ. Hast Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., 
no. 35, p. 59 (1385), 1930. 

74 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 106. 

% The birds of Africa, vol. 4, pp. 232-233, 1905. 

%6 Ibis, 1913, p. 571. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 455 


June 17, 2 birds seen; Wobok, June 18, 2; 10 to 25 miles southeast 
of Lake Rudolf, July 12, 30 seen; Nyero Mountains, south of Lake 
Rudolf, July 13, 4 birds; Indunumara Mountains, July 14-18, sev- 
eral; Endoto Mountains, July 19-24, 30 birds; Er-re-re, July 25, 
10 seen; 24 miles south of Malele, July 29, 2 noted; 25 miles north 
of Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 30, 10 seen; Northern Guaso 
Nyiro River, July 31, 10; Tharaka district, August 138, 10 birds; 
Tana River, August 15-18, 35 birds seen. 
Nothing seems to be known of the breeding habits or season. 


URAEGINTHUS BENGALUS SCHOANUS Neumann 


Uraeginthus bengalus schoanus NEUMANN, Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 350: Hjere, 
Shoa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, Ourso, Ethiopia, July 19, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 
1 adult male, Iron Bridge, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 5, 1912. 
1 adult male, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 13, 1912. 
1 adult male, Serre, Ethiopia, February 13, 1912. 
1 adult female, no locality, Ethiopia, March 4, 1912. 
1 adult female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 
1 adult female, near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 27, 1912. 
18 adult males, 7 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, March 


31—May 14, 1912. 
immature male, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 29, 1912. 


adult female, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 3, 1912. 
adult male, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 
adult female, Yebo, Ethopia, June 21, 1912. 
adult male, 2 adult females, east of Lake Stefanie, Kenya Colony, May 
30, 1912. 
1 immature male, 1 adult female, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 
23, 1912. 
1 immature female, 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 

Soft parts: Female—iris light yellowish brown; bill reddish brown, 
pale at base, black at tip; feet brownish flesh-color, claws brown. 

In the present study I have examined about 100 skins of the red- 
cheeked cordon-bleu and find that the conclusions reached by Lynes 
and followed by Sclater* are completely substantiated. Conse- 
quently, there is no need of here repeating or discussing the facts 
already presented by Lynes. 

The Abyssinian race occurs in the southern part of the Ethiopian 
highlands up to 8,000 feet and in the adjacent, southwestern part of 
the Somali arid district in Gallaland. The nominate race occurs to 
the west (in the Sudan) and to the north (Eritrea) of it; the form 
brunneigularis replaces it to the south in the high country of the 
interior of Kenya Colony, while the pale race wgogoensis inhabits the 


Se ee ee 


7 Ibis, 1926, pp. 370-373. 
78 Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 804-805, 1930. 


456 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


coastal belt from southern Somaliland to Dar es Salaam. The Abys- 
sinian form is more richly colored than bengalus; from brunneigularis 
it differs slightly in size (schoanus being the larger of the two) but 
chiefly in the plumage of the females which have blue cheeks in 
schoanus and brown ones in brunneiqularis. 

Heuglin and Blanford found the nominate form common in the 
highlands of Eritrea, but also reported it from places only 1,200 feet 
above the sea (such as Ailet). Ragazzi, Lovat, Harrison, and Pease 
found schoanus plentiful in Shoa and the Hawash area, and Donald- 
son Smith met with it in the arid Somali country. Shelley *® has 
summarized these data. Since then Erlanger *° found it in Shoa, 
Arussi-Gallaland, and in the Harrar region. He obtained nests with 
egos late in April, in May, and early in June. He found from two 
to 5 eggs in each nest. 

At Gato River, during April and May, Mearns found this species 
breeding in great numbers, and collected 14 sets of eggs. In some 
cases the birds made their own nests while in others they utilized old 
nests of other weavers, especially of the Ploceus group. Thus, to 
quote from Mearns’s notes of May 13, we find opposite an entry of a 
nest with 4 eggs: “I watched the birds building the nest in a dense 
thorny bush, in a grassy opening. The nest was 4 feet above the 
ground. The parents were seen entering it or leaving,’ and also: 
“T found another set of 5 incubated eggs of cordon-bleu in a Hyphan- 
tornis nest. On May 14 I took 6 incubated eggs of the cordon-bleu 
in a nest of the least Hyphantornis and shot the cordon-bleu beside 
the nest. This makes three cases, in two days, of the cordon-bleu 
occupying weaver birds’ nests. In each case some of the fine grass 
used by the cordon-bleu in building its own nest had been added as a 
lining to the weaver birds nest.” Contrary to Erlanger’s experience, 
Mearns found as many as six eggs in some nests. 

Inasmuch as this form is slightly larger than its southern neighbor, 
brunneigularis, dimensional data are worth recording. The varia- 
tions shown by the present series are as follows: Males—wing, 52-58 
(average, 54.6); tail, 54-70 (59); culmen, 10-10.5 (10.06) ; tarsus, 
14-15 (14.5 mm). Females—wing, 51-56 (53); tail, 47-55.5 (51.1); 
culmen, 8.5-10.5 (9.6) ; tarsus, 13-15 (14.4 mm). 

Mearns noted this bird commonly near water on his Hawash jour- 
ney from Dire Daoua to Gada Bourca. He did not meet with it at 
Adis Abeba or in the Arussi Plateau, but in the lake region of southern 
Shoa he saw from 5 to 200 birds daily [March 7 (Aletta) to June 17 
(Turturo) ]. 


* The birds of Africa. vol. 4, p. 190, 1905. 
80 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 22. 


PEM 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 457 


URAEGINTHUS BENGALUS BRUNNEIGULARIS Mearns 
Uraeginthus bengalus brunneigularis MEARNS, Smithsonian Mise. Coll., vol. 56, 
no. 20, p. 6, 1911: Wambugu, near Mount Kenya. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, 2 females, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 12-14, 1912. 
1 female, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 18, 1912. 
1 male, 2 females, Tana River at mouth of the Thika River, Kenya Colony, 
August 24-25, 1912. 

This is the bird of the highlands of the interior of the southern 
half of Kenya Colony. In the Elgon district it intergrades with 
ugandae. 

The slightly smaller size of this race, as compared with schoanus, 
may be sensed from the dimensions of the present specimens: Males— 
wing, 52, 53; tail, 56, 58; culmen, 10, 10; tarsus, 14,15 mm. Females— 
wing, 49.5-55 (average, 52.7); tail, 48.5-53 (51.5); culmen, 9-10 
(9.4); tarsus, 18-14.5 (14 mm). The birds are in fairly fresh 
plumage. 

Mearns noted this species every day during his travels between 
the Tharaka district (August 12) and the Thika and Athi Rivers 
(September 1). He saw from 20 to 100 birds daily. 


GRANATINA IANTHINOGASTER IANTHINOGASTER (Reichenow) 

Uraeginthus ianthinogaster RetcHENow, Orn. Centralbl., 1879, p. 114: Massa, 
Tana River. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 5 males, 2 females, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 
15-17, 1912. 

I have examined good series of all four races of the purple gren- 
adier and find the arrangement presented by Sclater * very satis- 
factory. I have not seen material wherewith to judge the status 
of rothschildi and montana, and I accept Sclater’s conclusion as to 
their identity with roosevelti. Hartert,®? however, recognizes 
rothschildi as valid, but not montana. 

Van Someren ** suggests that the birds of central Tanganyika 
Territory (Dodoma region) may prove to be separable, differing from 
ianthinogaster in being more grayish, less rufescent, on the back, 
with the color of back and head more contrasting than in Kenyan 
birds. I have seen a pair of adults from Dodoma, and the differ- 
ences mentioned by van Someren are exhibited by them. However, 
if, as Sclater suggests, rothschildi and montana are synonymous with 
roosevelti, the last-named form must be very variable, and I there- 
fore do not care to describe a new race from Dodoma on such 
meager data. 


81 Systema avium @thiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 806-807, 1930. 
82 Nov. Zool., vol. 34, p. 195, 1928. 
83 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 160, 1922. 


458 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Zedlitz ** notes that a bird from Ugogo, collected by Emin, is 
somewhat lighter than typical ianthinogaster, and also suggests that 
an undescribed race may be found to inhabit central Tanganyika 
Territory. 

The present race occurs in Kenya Colony north to the Tana River 
and west to the Sotik area and the Rift Valley, south to the Dodoma 
region of Tanganyika Territory. In southwestern Kenya Colony 
the grayer-backed race roosevelti replaces it. In northeastern 
Uganda, Shoa, and the Hawash region of Ethiopia the race wgandae 
occurs. This form differs in the males in having the head less bright 
rufous, the mantle hair brown, and the blue on the breast more 
limited in extent, and that on the abdomen, paler than in zanthino- 
gaster. According to van Someren,®> ugandae differs in the female 
plumage “from all known forms in being paler rufous on the head 
and breast, in having a very restricted white or pale lilac eye-ring, 
and in having the abdomen whitish.” I can not agree with all of 
this; females from Ethiopia (wgandac) are often darker, not paler, 
on the head and breast, than examples from the Tana River, but 
are also sometimes paler as in van Someren’s notes. The only char- 
acter that appears to be constant is the color of the middle of the 
abdomen, which is purer white in wgandae, slightly washed with 
pale tawny-buff in tanthinogaster. 

Recently, van Someren ** has defended the validity of montana and 
rothschildi and clearly stated their ranges. 

The birds inhabiting Somaliland and Gallaland, hawkeri Phillips, 
are characterized by their bright heads and upper backs and breasts. 

The present specimens show considerable variation in state of 
plumage, some being fairly freshly feathered, others definitely worn 
in appearance; one male (August 17) shows signs of molt in the 
tail. The size variations are as follows: Males—wing, 52-54 (aver- 
age, 52.4); tail, 58-65 (62) ; culmen, 10.7-11.2 (10.9) ; tarsus, 15.2-16.5 
(15.9 mm). Females—wing, 51, 51; tail, 57, ——; culmen, 10.8, 11; 
tarsus, 15.3, 15.5 mm. 

If one were to judge the abundance of this bird by the recorded 
knowledge of its habits, one would be led to assume it to be a very 
scarce form. That this is not so is revealed by the following entries 
in Mearns’s field books: Tharaka district, August 12-14, 8 birds; Tana 
River, August 15-20, 460 seen. 


GRANATINA IANTHINOGASTER UGANDAE van Someren 


Granatina ianthogaster ugandae vAN SOMEREN, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 40, 
p. 53, 1919: Moroto, northern Uganda. 


§ Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 39-40. 
8 Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 40, p. 58, 1919. 
86 Noy. Zool., vol. 37, p. 328, 1932. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 459 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

2 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, June 19 and November 7, 1911 (Ouellard). 

6 adult males, 1 immature male, 2 adult females, 1 immature female, Dire 
Daoua, Ethiopia, October 27—December 21, 1911. 

2 adult males, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 7-9, 1912. 

2 adult males, 1 adult female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 

8 adult males, 3 adult females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 
2-May 2, 1912. 

1 adult female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 20, 1911. 

1 adult male, 1 adult female, Sagon River, Ethiopia, June 4, 1912. 

2 immature males, 2 immature females, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 8, 1912. 


Soft parts: Bill red (purplish black at base of maxilla in female) : 
eye rim red. 

In the original description of this race, van Someren gave its range 
as “the desert country in western Uganda south to South Rudolf and 
Suk.” This, of course, is quite wrong, as the bird never occurs in 
western Uganda. Later ** he corrected it to “South Ethiopia to Lake 
Rudolf and Turkana.” 

The birds taken in March and April are in fresh plumage; molting 
birds were collected in December, April, and June; worn specimens 
in October, November, and December. Ogilvie-Grant ** writes that 
none of the specimens obtained by Zaphiro north of Lakes Rudolf 
and Stefanie in August are in full plumage. It is a little difficult to 
reconcile this with the plumage condition of the present specimens. 

One of the males from Gidabo River is very pale generally and 
partly albinistic on the upper abdomen. The females vary greatly, 
some being much darker than others on the head, throat, and breast. 

The size variations are as follows: Males—wings, 53.5-58 (average, 
56.1) ; tail, 56-65.5 (61.4) ; culmen, 10-12 (11.1); tarsus, 14-17 (15.4 
mm). Females—wing, 50.5-58 (54.9); tail, 53-61.5 (57.7); culmen, 
10-11.5 (10.9) ; tarsus, 14-16 (15.38 mm). 

Very little has been recorded of the habits of this race of the purple 
grenadier. Pease ®® found it very common at low altitudes, “where 
it frequents the bush” at Moulou, Arbawun, and Hiiliil. Mearns wrote 
that the birds taken at Sagon River, June 4, were a mated pair. 

Erlanger °° found the Somali race hawkeri breeding in April and 
May. 

Mearns recorded this weaver as “common along the edges of the 
grass and bush country,” between Dire Daoua and Gada Bourca in 
February. In the Sidamo and Boran regions he recorded it as fol- 
lows: Gidabo River, March 15-17, 100; Abaya Lakes, March 18-19, 
110 birds; Gato River near Gardula, March 29-May 17, 200; Bodessa, 


87 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 159, 1922. 
83 Tbis, 1913, p. 572. 
89 Ibis, 1901, p. 620. 
© Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 23-24. 


460 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


May 19-June 3, 4 seen; Sagon River, June 3-6, 10 birds; Tertale, June 
7-12, 20 noted; 'Turturo, June 15-17, 4 seen; Anole, June 17, 2 birds; 
Wobok, June 18, 10 seen; Saru, June 19, 4 birds seen. 


VIDUA MACROURA (Pallas) 


Fringilla macroura PAattAs, Adumbratiunecula, in Vroeg’s Catalogue No. 144, 
p. 3, 1764: “East Indies ;” Angola, ev Edwards and Brisson. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 1-11, 1911 (Ouellard coll.). 
1 adult male, Gato River crossing, Ethiopia, May 17, 1912. 
1 adult female, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 
1 adult male, Wobok, Ethiopia, June 18, 1912, 

The pin-tailed whidah occurs throughout the Ethiopian region 
from Senegal, the Sudan, and Eritrea south to the Cape Province and 
Natal, as well as some of the adjacent islands in the Gulf of Guinea 
and the Mozambique Channel. Throughout its enormous range it is 
a common bird in suitable open country and has not become 
differentiated into racial groups. 

In a series of 116 specimens before me, a black chin spot is well 
marked in 31 and absent in 380 males in breeding plumage, while 
others have it indicated more or less. There are specimens, however, 
with and without this mark from the same locality in many cases, so 
that it is quite obvious that the black chin spot has no taxonomic 
significance, 

There is still much to be learned of the molts of this bird. A male 
from Uitenhage, South Africa (U.S.N.M. no. 159582), collected in 
September, is in winter plumage, but the entire plumage, including 
the wings and tail, is so very fresh that the bird must have finished 
molting not later than August. Inasmuch as the breeding season in 
South Africa is over by the end of March, this individual must have 
retained its nuptial plumage until late into the southern winter 
(August). I found Vidua macroura chiefly in winter dress until 
the middle of October in Natal, and from then on most males seen 
were either molting or in full summer plumage. (One in full breed- 
ing plumage October 9.) The long rectrices can not be of any help 
to the birds in flight and may be a decided encumbrance, Conse- 
quently, it is somewhat surprising to find that in this bird the breed- 
ing plumage is retained so long into the southern winter. It may be 
that the long tail feathers were dropped in April or May and the rest 
of the nuptial plumage retained until later. The Uitenhage specimen 
referred to has the white margins of the rectrices unusually well 
developed; in fact, the fuscous portion is restricted to little more 
than a broad shaft streak in the outermost pair. 

In the prenuptial molt the four long rectrices come in about the 
time body molt commences. The crown molts first, then the sides 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 461 


of the breasts to form the black gorgets of the breeding plumage; the 
nuchal collar, the scapulars, and lesser coverts come next. The inter- 
scapulars, back, and rump are not molted, but the brown edges wear 
off, leaving the uniform black color. The rectrices and remiges are 
not changed in the prenuptial molt. The tertials apparently are not 
molted, but become black through the wearing away of their brown- 
ish edges. The postjuvenal molt is apparently incomplete, the juvenal 
rectrices being retained in the first nonbreeding plumage. 
The molts and plumages of Vidua macroura are as follows: 


MALE 


1. Natal down—grayish dusky, 

2. Juvenal plumage acquired by a complete postnatal molt. Above: 
Head, hind neck, scapulars, interscapulars, back and rump tawny- 
olive, darker on the head, which is intermediate in color between 
tawny-olive and Saccardo’s umber, the interscapulars and feathers 
of the back with somewhat dusky centers producing a faintly streaked 
appearance, rump washed with cinnamon; upper tail coverts fuscous, 
broadly edged and tipped with Sayal brown; tail feathers fuscous- 
brown narrowly edged with Sayal brown; lesser and middle wing 
coverts like the scapulars; greater wing coverts, and tertials light 
fuscous-brown broadly edged externally with Sayal brown; second- 
aries and primaries fuscous-brown externally narrowly edged with 
Sayal brown and internally edged with buffy whitish; sides of head 
pale vinaceous-buff; lores blackish. Below: chin, throat, breast, 
flanks, abdomen, thighs, and under tail coverts light buff washed 
with chestnut, the chestnut most pronounced on the breast, flanks, 
and thighs; under wing coverts whitish tinged with light buff, bill 
dark brown. 

3. First winter plumage acquired by a partial molt involving feath- 
ers of the head, scapulars, and wing coverts. Above: Head, 
ochraceous-tawny, a broad black stripe on each side from the base of 
the upper mandible to the nape; nape, back, and rump tawny-olive, 
the interscapulars and scapulars black broadly edged with ochraceous- 
tawny; upper tail-coverts fuscous, edged and tipped with olive- 
tawny; lesser, middle, and inner greater coverts like the scapulars; 
remiges and rectrices as in juvenal plumage—fuscous-brown, but with 
the tawny edges narrow from wear, and the buffy-white inner edges 
of the primaries also narrower than in juvenal plumage; sides of 
head pale buffy, a black stripe through the eye from the bill to the 
nape; a malar line of black spots which vary considerably in dif- 
ferent specimens. Below: Chin whitish; throat, breast, abdomen, 
fianks, thighs, and under tail-coverts as in juvenal plumage but 
whiter and with a few black spots on the sides of the breast and 
occasionally on the thighs; bill reddish brown. 


462 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


4. First nuptial plumage acquired chiefly by wear. Similar to 
first winter plumage but the remiges and rectrices are darker and the 
entire upper parts more streaked with blackish; bill red. 

5. Adult winter plumage acquired by a complete postnuptial molt. 
Similar to first nuptial plumage, but the upperparts more heavily 
streaked with black; the remiges and rectrices dark fuscous-black, 
margined with tawny; bill red. Birds in this plumage may be told 
from individuals in first nuptial plumage by the darker remiges and 
rectrices which are new, not worn. 

6. Adult nuptial plumage acquired by a partial molt involving 
feathers of the head, body, and tail, but not the remiges. Above: 
Head, scapulars, interscapulars, and back black slightly glossed 
with greenish; nuchal collar white; lower back and rump white, the 
feathers with blackish shaft stripes; lesser and middle wing coverts 
white forming a large white patch; greater coverts, primaries, and 
secondaries black, some of the inner secondaries with remnants of the 
tawny edges of the adult winter plumage; tail feathers black, the 
four central ones greatly elongated and wholly black, the other ree- 
trices tipped with tawny, the inner webs very broadly margined with 
white; sides of head white; the lores black, the black sometimes 
extending in small specks onto the cheeks. Below: Chin white, 
sometimes with a black spot, throat, breast, abdomen, flanks, thighs, 
and under tail-coverts whitish, the sides of the throat black forming 
a distinct gorget on either side; bill red. 


FEMALE 


1. Natal down. Same as male. 

2. Juvenal plumage acquired by complete postnatal molt. Same as 
male. 

3. First winter plumage acquired by a partial molt as in male. 
Same as male. 

4, First nuptial plumage acquired by wear. Same as male; bill 
reddish. 

5. Adult winter plumage acquired by complete postnuptial molt. 
Similar to young male in first nuptial plumage; bill red. 

6. Adult nuptial plumage acquired by wear; bill changes from red 
to dark brown. Similar to adult winter plumage, except that the bill 
is dark brown. 

The females are very similar to those of Vidua hypocherina but 
may be distinguished from the latter by the fact that macroura has 
narrow white margins on the inner webs of the primaries, while 
hypocherina has broad ones. 

The young of the two are also quite similar but may be told apart 
by the following characters: 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 463 


V. macroura: Upperparts solid ashy chestnut; underparts light buffy chestnut; 
axillars buffy white; wnder tail-coverts light buffy. 

V. hypocherina: Entire bird dark ashy brown; lores black; axillars white; 
under tail-coverts dusky ashy brown. 

It may be useful to field workers to have the differences between 
the females of V. fischeri, V. regia, V. macroura, V. hypocherina, and 
Steganura pointed out. 

Steganura is the largest of them all; top of head buffy white with 
a broad blackish brown stripe on either side; underparts whitish with 
buff on breast and flanks; inner edge of primaries neither white nor 
buffy. 

V. macroura and V. hypocherina: Top of head as in Steganura; 
inner edges of primaries white (other differences between the two as 
noted above). 

V. fischeri: Top of head brown with dusky marks; underparts pale 
buffy; inner margins of primaries tinged with buff. 

V. regia: Top of head as in V. macroura but has the superciliary 
streak whitish, not rufous-buff. 

The present males taken in September and May are in breeding 
plumage; the one collected in June is in winter dress. 

The pin-tailed whydah occurs throughout the region covered by 
the present report, but is chiefly a bird of the lower districts. Thus, 
Zedlitz ** saw it chiefly at altitudes of not more than 900 meters. 

At Dangila this bird is known to parasitize Cisticola brunnescens 
brunnescens frequently. According to Lynes,*? the breeding season 
of the grass warbler is from June to October, which must, then, be 
also that of Vidwa macroura. 


VIDUA HYPOCHERINA Verreaux 
Vidua hypocherina J. and E. VERREAUX, Rev. Mag. Zool., 1856, p. 260, pl. 16: 
“West Africa”; probably Hast Africa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
6 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 2-11, 1911 (Ouellard). 
5 adult males, 1 immature male, 4 adult females, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 
8-10, 1912. , 

Soft parts: Iris brown; bill grayish, fleshy brown at the base, be- 
coming dusky at the tip; feet pale grayish brown. 

The Ourso males are all in full breeding plumage; the Tertale ones 
are in prenuptial molt. 

When the male molts out of the black nuptial dress the long rec- 
trices are shed first, leaving the bird very similar in appearance to 
Hypochera. The body molt is rather irregular. Because of the stage 
in which this species is so similar to Hypochera, it is very difficult to 


1 Journ, fiir Orn., 1911, p. 30. 
®2Tbis, Suppl., Oct. 1930, p. 161. 


464 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


identify Lowvia nubilosa Bechstein.** If this bird should prove to be 
V. hypocherina, Bechstein’s name would have to be used for it in 
place of the present one. 

This whydah is much more local and less common than V. macroura 
and, consequently, is less known. It occurs from western Somaliland, 
Gallaland, southern Sidamo and Boran south through the more arid 
portion of Kenya Colony to Ugogo and Dodoma in Tanganyika 
Territory. 

According to van Someren,* birds in breeding condition were taken 
in June in north Kavirondo. 


VIDUA FISCHERI (Reichenow) 


Linura fischeri REICHENOw, Orn. Centralb., 1882, p. 91: Usegua. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
7 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 5-December 3, 1911 (Ouellard). 
1 adult female, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 27, 1912. 
3 adult males, 1 immature male, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 10, 1912. 
1 adult male, southeast Lake Stefanie, Kenya Colony, May 12, 1912. 

Fischer’s pin-tailed whidah occurs throughout the same areas as V. 
hypocherina, a rather remarkable coincidence that does not appear 
to have been noted before. 

The adult males are all in nuptial plumage. 

Shelley °° has summarized the relatively few northeast African 
records of this bird. Since then very little has been added. 

Van Someren * writes that birds “from South Ethiopia are hardly 
as deep glossy black on the mantle, and the straw colour of the crown 
is paler; but fresh material may show these differences to be due to 
wear.” I have compared the present specimens with others from 
Kenya Colony and Tanganyika Territory and find no geographical 
difference. 

This species lives in the bush and scrub country and does not range 
into the highlands. : 


STEGANURA PARADISAEA (Linnaeus) 


Emberiza paradisaea LINNAEUS, Systema naturae, ed. 10, p. 178, 1758: Africa; 
restricted to Angola in ed, 12, p. 312, 1766. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
16 adult males, Ourso, Ethiopia, September 3—October 16, 1911 (Ouelard). 
2 adult males, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, no date. 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, 1 unsexed immature, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, 
December 15, 1912. 


%§ Getreue Abbildungen naturhistorischer Gegenstaende, etc., vol. 8, p. 69, pl. 86, fig. b 
1802. 

% This, 1916, p. 426. 

® The birds of Africa, vol. 4, pp. 24—25, 1905. 

86 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 152, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 465 


1 adult female, south Lake Stefanie, Kenya Colony, May 17, 1912. 
3 adult males, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 8, 1912. 
2 adult females, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 1, 


1912. 
1 adult female, 1 immature male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 


14, 1912. 
6 adult females, 1 immature male, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 14-15, 


1912? 

Soft parts (male): Iris dark brown; bill entirely black; feet and 
claws dusky olive-brown. 

I follow Chapin * in considering paradisaea as one species and 
aucupum and its forms another. Sclater ** unites them all as one 
specific group. 

This paradise whidah occurs from Eritrea and Ethiopia to the 
Upper White Nile and northwestern Uganda, east to the coast of 
Kenya Colony, and south through eastern Africa to the eastern Cape 
Province. 

Van Someren *® is of the opinion “that the East African form of 
S. paradisea will have to be recognized under a special name when 
sufficient typical material is available. The female birds are darker, 
more brownish on the mantle and below, than Abyssinian specimens. 
The young in first nestling plumage are considerably darker. Adult 
males are indistinguishable.” I have compared females from Ethi- 
opia and south-central Kenya Colony and find them indistinguishable. 

All the adult males collected by the Frick expedition are in breed- 
ing plumage. One of the “females” from the Tana River appears 
to be a male in a very early stage of the prenuptial molt. 

According to Heuglin,! the species is common in Bogosland and 
northern Ethiopia but does not range above 7,000 feet in the moun- 
tains. Heuglin found the birds in postnuptial molt in October. 


Family FRINGILLIDAE, Sparrows, Finches, ete. 
SERINUS DORSOSTRIATUS MACULICOLLIS Sharpe 


Serinus maculicollis SHARPE, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 4, p. 41, 1895: Somali- 
land; type in British Museum from Milmil. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
4 adult males, 3 aduit females, Dire Daoua, Ethiopia, December 4-21, 1911. 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, 1 juvenal male, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 
26, 1912: 
1 unsexed, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 
1 adult male (=female), 1 adult female, Lekiundu River, Kenya Colony, 
August 5-6, 1912. 


87 Amer, Mus. Nov., no. 43, pp. 1-12, 1922. 

Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 810, 1930. 
Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 152, 1922. 

1 Ornithologie Nordost-Afrika’s, ete., vol. 1, p. 583, 1869. 


466 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


In the absence of material adequate for a review of the forms ot 
this species, I follow Sclater? in referring the present specimens to 
maculicollis. Van Someren,? however, considers birds from Archers 
Post (not far from Lekiundu River) as “near taruensis.” Further- 
more, the south Somali form harterti is said by Zedlitz * to be smaller 
than maculicollis (wing, males 68-73, females 65-71 mm in maculi- 
collis; males 64-69, females 62-64 mm in harterti). One of the pres- 
ent males from Dire Daoua (where Zedlitz records maculicollis) has 
a wing length of only 65 mm and is therefore as near to harterti as 
to maculicollis. The other males and the three females from Dire 
Daoua are larger (wings, 66-73 mm) and are obviously maculicollis. 

Inasmuch as size is an important character in this canary, the 
measurements of the present adult birds are given (table 79). 

Molting specimens were collected in December and August; a bird 
in worn plumage in December; freshly feathered birds in Decem- 
ber, July, and August. 

This race of the white-bellied canary occurs in British Somaliland, 
Gallaland, and northern Kenya Colony, west to Lakes Stefanie, Ru- 
doif, and Baringo. It is rather common in many places throughout 
its range and has been obtained by a number of collectors, such as 
Donaldson Smith, Elhot, Lort Philips, Hawker, Zaphiro, and 
Erlanger. 

Erlanger ® found a nest with three eggs on April 27 at Erer Tal 
near Harrar. 

Mearns observed this bird at intervals during his journey from 
Dire Daoua to Adis Abeba. 


TABLE 79.—Mcasurements of 11 specimens of Serinus dorsostriatus maculicollis 





Locality Sex Wing | Tail | Culmen| Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
Dire: Daouaseetsess th, eee 3 Malet se iae 3: 65.0 49.0 9.5 15.5 
TBO 2 al as) spp ye ee dost = 68.0 50.0 10.0 15.5 
POS ss ae lee ACER EES Goss os 70.0 61.5 9.5 15.6 
TD) Ons 2 are re Ce ees ae Se ee: Go-ses 73.0 52.0 9.5 15.5 
KENYA COLONY: Le-se-dun-_.._---_----]_---- do. =: 68.5 50.0 9.5 15.0 
ETHIOPIA: 
Dire Daouwsseses -2ess se Female-__-.---- 66.0 50.0 QLOr (3128 
D0: aa Bee I Ee on he ee SS Rete se a Gostske = 68.0 52.0 10.0 15.5 
ND Yee Se en ee |e ee GOs || 6180 490) 1] os hee. 15.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
Te-se-dun 6222-5 ee ee ee ee Gotsoneee 70.0 52.0 9.0 14.5 
Lekiundu' River 222202 2.2 beats do-2.0528 68.0 53.5 9.0 15.5 
TD) Ose sae Be See ee eee ee Gosesea ee 68. 5 51.0 9.5 15.0 


2 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 815, 1930. 

3 Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc., no. 35, p. 61 (1387), 1930. 
4 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, pp. 47—51. 

> Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 31. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 467 


SERINUS FLAVIVERTEX FLAVIVERTEX (Blanford) 
Crithagra flavivertee BuaNnrorp, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. 4, p. 3380, 1869: 
Tigre; type in British Museum from Adigrat, Tigre Province, Ethiopia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 male, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, January 9, 1912. 
1 male, 1 female, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 29, 1912. 

The yellow-crowned canary ranges from the northern parts of 
Ethiopia south to Nyasaland and reappears in the Mossamedes dis- 
trict of Angola. It is said to divide into three races—flavivertea, 
sassiz, and huillensis. I have seen no material of either of the last 
two and therefore can not form an opinion about them. They are 
recognized by Sclater ® and by other authors who have had to deal 
with them. 

Van Someren* writes of his series of this bird from various lo- 
calities in Kenya Colony, that it “is remarkable that eight males 
collected in the Molo Forest, Mau, and the Aberdare Mountains are 
not dark breasted, like those from Escarpment and Elgon, which 
agree with the typical form of Abyssinia.” This is rather ambigu- 
ous and difficult to interpret, but it seems as if van Someren had 
two types of plumages, which appeared to be geographic. I have 
not see any Elgon or Escarpment specimens, but two Kilimanjaro 
birds are different from Ethiopian ones seen. Granvik® writes that 
his specimens from Elgon differ from others from elsewhere— 





* * * in not having the forehead, sides of head, lower surface and upper 

tail-coverts yellow (mostly green). Besides, the wings and tail are blackish 
brown, darker than in the type specimen. Whether the characters are con- 
stant for the Elgon specimens or those occurring in Hast Africa, and they thus 
belong to a separate form, I cannot at present decide, although it seems very 
probable, as all my specimens are alike. * * * Neumann * * * de- 
scribed * * *  gassii, from Tschingogo forests, which has a yellow tail. 
In Stockholm there is one 2 * * * from Kilimanjaro * * * which 
agrees very well with mine in being predominantly green, while specimens 
from Abessynia and the northern regions, on the other hand, are more yellow- 
ish.” 
It may be that there is a distinct race on Mount Elgon, but the Kili- 
manjaro bird referred to by Granvik is not similar to the two Abbott 
specimens seen by me. Neumann® likewise found Ethiopian and 
Kilimanjaro birds to be alike. 

The Adis Abeba specimen is in a molting condition, especially in 
the wings and tail; the Arussi male is in fresh plumage, the female 
in rather abraded condition. 


6 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt, 2, pp. §17, 818, 1930. 
TNov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 172, 1922, 

8 Journ. ftir Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, pp. 191-192. 

® Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 354. 


468 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Shelley ” writes that this canary is not rare in Shoa according 
to Ragazzi, who collected only a single specimen, however, while 
Heuglin suggests that it is rare farther north, as he never saw it 
at all. 

Erlanger 1! obtained a series of 17 specimens in the Hawash and 
Arussi-Galla areas, which indicates that the species is not very 
scarce there. Mearns noted individuals of this canary from time to 
time along the Hawash River. Ogilvie-Grant *? writes that it is a 
rare and local species. Zaphiro met with it in the Managasha 
Forest and in Gofa. One reason why some collectors have found 
it to be apparently uncommon is that they collected largely at lower 
altitudes than those most favored by the species. Neumann ' writes 
that it lives only on the high mountains between 2,600 and 38,000 
meters (8,500-9,000 feet). 

Granvik reported the yellow-crowned canary as occurring on the 
eastern slopes of Mount Elgon at about 9,000 feet in large flocks 
consisting of hundreds of individuals. 

The only information concerning the breeding season of this bird 
is Erlanger’s record of a nest with three incubated eggs on June 28 
et Sheikh-Husein, in Arussi-Gallaland. The nest, said to be a typi- 
cal serin’s nest, was placed about 114 meters up in a bush. The 
eggs, similar in color to those of the common European serin, meas- 
ure from 17.5 to 18 by 12.5 to 18 mm. 


POLIOSPIZA TRISTRIATA TRISTRIATA (Riippell) 
Serinus tristriatus Rippett, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna yon Abyssinien 
gehorig, etc., Vogel, p. 97, pl. 35, fig. 2, 1840; Taranta Pass, Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
4 adult males, 3 adult females, 1 unsexed, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 
30, 1911—January 3, 1912. 
1 immature female, Arussi Plateau, 9,000 feet, Ethiopia, February 23, 1912. 
1 immature male, Malke, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 

One of the females from Adis Abeba, collected December 31, is 
molting in the tail but not elsewhere, although all the feathers are 
much abraded. The rest of the present series are all in worn plumage. 

Shelley * writes that the immature birds have the underparts 
“whiter and strongly striped with brown on the lower throat and 
flanks” than the adults. The two young birds collected by Mearns 
are not whiter below than the adults, and the striping is not con- 
fined to the lower throat and flanks but extends over the entire breast 
and sides and even the upper and lateral portions of the abdomen. 


1°oThe birds of Africa, vol. 8, pp. 189-190, 1902. 
11 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 31. 

12 This, 1913, p. 582. 

13 Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 354. 

14'The birds of Africa, vol. 3, p. 2380, 1902. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 469 


The size variations of the adults are as follows: Males—wing, 
66-68 (average, 66.8); tail, 51-56 (54); culmen, 10-10.5 (10.1); 
tarsus, 16-17 (16.3 mm). Females—wing, 66-69 (67) ; tail, 51.5-57 
(55); culmen, 9.5-10 (9.8) ; tarsus, 16-17 (16.5 mm). 

This seed-eater occurs from Eritrea to British Somaliland, Shoa, 
and Arussi-Gallaland, where it seems to be restricted to fairly high 
ground. Heuglin found it numerous at altitudes of from 4,000 to 
11,000 feet in Bogosland and Tigre; Blanford ** found it “very com- 
mon throughout the highlands, generally amongst bushes, in small 
flocks or singly. It keeps much to the ground. I never saw it at 
lower elevations.” Lovat and others have noted that this finch 
prefers the wooded areas to open or cultivated places. Erlanger **° 
found it in some numbers at Harrar, Gara Mulata, and Adis Abeba 
and in Arussi-Gallaland. 

Lort Phillips ** separated the British Somaliland birds under the 
name pallidior on the basis of paler, grayer color on the breast and 
sides. This race, which I have not seen, is accepted by Sclater *$ but 
has been seriously questioned by other authors, such as Shelley * 
and Bannerman.’ 

Erlanger found nests with fresh eggs from April to October and 
suggests that there may be more than one brood involved. The usual 
clutch is composed of three or four eggs, which are said to be pale 
greenish white sparingly flecked with violet-gray and pale or dark 
reddish brown. Judged by the very worn plumage of all the 
present specimens, it would seem that the breeding season extends 
later than October, as it appears that only birds recently through 
breeding would be so abraded. 


POLICSPIZA ATROGULARIS REICHENOWI (Salvadori) 


Serinus reichenowi SAtvaporr, Ann. Civ. Mus. Genova, vol. 26, p. 272, 1888: 
Cialalaka, Shoa. 

SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
3 adult males, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 27-May 8, 1912. 
1 immature male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, May 19, 1912. 
1 adult female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 27, 1912. 
2 adult males, 2 adult females, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 9-11, 1912. 
1 adult male, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 

23, 1912. 


The material available for study (18 specimens) does not permit 
any attempt at a review of the forms of the yellow-rumped seed- 


1 Observations on the geology and zoology of Abyssinia, p. 413, 1870. 
16 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 30. 

7Tbis, 1898, p. 398. 

18 Systema avium Althiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 819, 1930. 

19 The birds of Africa, vol. 8, p. 231, 1902. 

20 Ibis, 1910, p. 297. 


106220—37——31 


470 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


eater, but the following observations are worthy of record: Two 
examples from Dar es Salaam (Loveridge collection), now in the 
Museum of Comparative Zoology, are paler on the head than any 
Kenyan or Ethiopian specimens seen and are also peculiar in that 
they have very poorly defined light superciliary stripes. There may 
be an undescribed race in the north Tanganyikan coastlands, although 
more material is needed to substantiate this. Zedlitz ** included Tan- 
ganyika Territory in the range of this race on the basis of 20 ex- 
amples from that country, although later *? he made no mention of 
Tanganyika Territory in his distributional summary. It would ap- 
pear that if his 20 birds were like the two Dar es Salaam specimens, 
he would have noticed the coloration and commented on it, and that 
therefore it may be inferred that his Tanganyikan examples were 
similar to more northern ones. He mentions only a slight difference 
in the width of the bill, a character that is not noticeable in my 
material. 

Sclater 7° recognizes six races, three of which occur in northeastern 
Africa. In Eritrea and northern Ethiopia there is a large race, 
wanthopygius, with wings measuring more than 70 mm in length; in 
Shoa and Gallaland south through the interior of Kenya Colony to 
north-central Tanganyika Territory the present form, re¢chenowi, 
occurs. It is characterized by smaller size (wings, 64-70 mm) and 
less pure whitish underparts, more heavily streaked breast and sides, 
and more olivaceous upperparts than wanthopygius. Finally, in 
southern Somaliland and northeastern Kenya Colony, a still smaller, 
whiter-bellied, grayer-backed race, Ailgerti (wings, 60-63 mm) flour- 
ishes. In Uganda and western Kenya Colony a black-chinned sub- 
species somereni is found, and still others occur in South Africa and 
in West Africa. 

Van Someren?‘ writes that birds from southwest of Lake Rudolf 
and from Suk may be an undescribed race, being paler, less brownish 
above than Kikuyu birds, approaching hilgerti but more brownish, 
less grayish above. He also states that Kenyan birds are less streaked 
below than Shoan birds and that “when a series of typical birds is 
available, the East African birds will have to be separated under a 
new name. I have compared seven birds from Ukamba and Kikuyu 
with eight from southern Shoa and find no such difference as van 
Someren claims. The Kenyan birds average slightly darker above 
than the Shoan ones, but the difference is small. 

The young bird taken on May 19 at Sagon River is in fresh plum- 
age; all the adults are abraded. 


21 Orn. Monatsb., 1912, p. 75. 

2 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 46. 

23 Systema avium Adthiopicarum, pt. 2, pp. 821-822, 19380. 
24Noy. Zool., vol. 29, pp. 169-170, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 471 


Shelley 2° writes that the plumage of the young differs from that 
of the adult in being more streaked on the breast. This is not all; 
the breast and upper abdomen are slightly washed with pale yellow 
in the immature bird, and the margins of the crown feathers are 
paler, more whitish in young examples. 

The size variations of the adults are as follows: Males—wing, 63-67 
(average, 65.4) ; tail, 40-44 (42) ; culmen, 7.5-9.5 (8.5) ; tarsus, 12-13.4 
(13 mm). Females—wing, 63-65 (63.8); tail, 39.5-42 (40.7); cul- 
men, 8.5-9 (8.6) ; tarsus, 18-13 (13 mm). 

Fringilla angolensis Gmelin*® is preoccupied by Pringilla ango- 
lensis Linnaeus*’ and therefore can not be used for this seed-eater. 
The next oldest name is Zinaria atrogularis A. Smith.?® The South 
African and Angolan race therefore becomes Poliospiza atrogularis 
atrogularis (A. Smith) and the other subspecies remain as before but 
have the specific name atrogularis. If, as Zedlitz*® suggests, the 
Angolan birds be considered distinct, they would need a name. 

Van Someren °° found this seed-eater to be a partial local migrant 
in Kenya Colony. He found the birds breeding there from May to 
June and from December to January. Jackson *4 found a nest near 
the Guaso Molo River, Kenya Colony, in September. In the Harrar 
area of Ethiopia, Erlanger *? found a nest on May 22. 


POLIOSPIZA STRIOLATA STRIOLATA (Riippell) 


Pyrrhula striolata RuUprett, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna von Abyssinien 
gehorig, ete., Vogel, p. 99, pl. 37, fig. 1, 1840: Halai and Simen, Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
1 adult male, 1 adult female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 30, 1911. 
3 adult males, 1 immature male, 4 adult females, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, 
February 18-29, 1912. 
1 adult male, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 2, 1912. 
1 adult male, Aletta, Ethiopia, March 11, 1912. 
6 adult males, 4 adult females, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 4—10, 
1912. 


Sclater ** considers afinis Richmond a synonym of striolata. I 
have carefully compared Richmond’s type and paratypical series 
with the present birds and find Sclater’s conclusion to be justified. 
Van Someren * writes that birds from the forests of Nairobi south 
to Ukambani and Kilimanjaro are separable from Ethiopian ex- 


2 The birds of Africa, vol. 3, p. 219, 1902. 

26 Systema naturae, vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 918, 1789. 

*7 Systema naturae, ed. 10, p. 182, 1758. 

*3 Report of the expedition for exploring Central Africa, p. 49, 1836. 
229 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 46. 

°0 Ibis, 1916, p. 428. 

31 Quoted by Shelley, The birds of Africa, vol. 3, p. 220, 1902. 

#2 Journ, fiir Orn., 1907, p. 27. 

83 Systema avium Atthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 823, 1930. 

* Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 169, 1922. 


472 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


amples, in that they have the underside buffy, not creamy white 
as in typical striolata. We considers them as affinis. I can not find 
any such difference in the ventral coloration in the two groups and 
therefore unite them. In the original description of affinis,®® Rich- 
mond states that Kilimanjaro birds are smaller than Abyssinian ones, 
but here again I fail to find any constant difference. Sharpe ** found 
specimens from Mount Elgon, Kikuyu, and Mount Kilimanjaro to 
be darker than ones from Ethiopia. This too is not substantiated 
in the material seen by me (55 specimens from Kenya Colony, Tan- 
ganyika Territory, and Ethiopia). The birds from Mount Elgon are 
darker above but are not affinis (type locality, Mount Kilimanjaro) 
but a distinct race, wgandae van Someren. A third form, graueri 
Hartert, like wgandae, but darker, deeper buff on the breast, occurs 
in the Ruwenzori and Kivu highlands. Gyldenstolpe *7 recognizes 
affinés and writes that in all the Abyssinian birds he has seen the 
underparts are pure whitish without any buff. Inasmuch as all the 
specimens collected by the Frick expedition are decidedly buffy below, 
T can only suggest that perhaps typical s/riolata is confined to ex- 
treme northern Ethiopia (Simien, etc.), whence I have seen no mate- 
rial, in which case the birds of Shoa and Arussi-Gallaland would 
have to be considered as affinis. 

The measurements of the present series are shown in table 80. 

The specimens collected are in fairly fresh plumage, but there is 
some variation in this respect. Wear makes a fairly noticeable dif- 
ference in the appearance of these birds, as in fresh plumage they 
tend to be more yellowish, especially on the upper wing coverts, than 
when abraded. 

This seed-eater occurs over most of Ethiopia and Kenya Colony 
(except the coastal strip) and ranges north to the Bogos country of 
southern Eritrea. It occurs in the highland areas only, and has 
been recorded as high as 18,500 feet. The lower limits of its range 
seem to be about 5,000 feet, but it is chiefly a bird of altitudes above 
7,500 feet. In southern Somaliland a little known form, P. pachy- 
rhyncha occurs. It has been suggested by Zedlitz ** that it may be 
a race of P. striolata, which, if true, would extend the lower limits 
of the range of the species very considerably. 

Erlanger *° found nests with eggs on October 8 at Adis Abeba, 
on April 23 at Cialanco, between Harrar and Adis Abeba, and on 
May 12 at Cunni, also between Harrar and Adis Abeba. 


3% Auk, vol. 14, p. 156, 1897. 

* Ibis, 1891, p. 258. 

37 Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1924, pp. 70-72. 
8 Journ, ftir Orn., 1916, p. 51. 

% Journ. ftir Orn., 1907, pp. 28-29. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 473 


Van Someren *° found nests in Kenya Colony from March to July 
and from November to January. 

Mearns noted about 1,000 of these birds at Aletta, March 7-18, 
and a similar number at Escarpment, September 4-12. 


TABLE 80.—Measurements of 21 specimens of Poliospiza striolata striolata 





Locality Sex Wing Tail | Culmen | Tarsus 
ETHIOPIA: Mm Mm Mm Mm 
AGISTA DODas==— sees a= oe ese Mialewd wala u2c2 72.0 61.5 13.0 18.0 
Arnssi.Platesuee2t 222 set fe es dose 73.0 65.0 11.5 20. 5 
PDQ Se ae sus ea al ee Sd ek ae Gosts2i 22 2! 69.0 59.5 12.0 20.0 
Dore Rt 2 PA tea Gols ee | F69N5 62.0 12.0 20. 5 
Cofaline ee teial eee ! eam «Se La Golsc.f 71.0 61.5 12.0 20.0 
pA Gita 2 ess eee See 2 5 ee ee doses sie 66.0 60. 0 12.0 19.5 
KENYA COLONY: 
Hscarpmentis ss. S222 25552252 t GOSS 7045 61.0 12.0 21.0 
DOz iss Sse 2. ee Oe os. sie COE. Ese 71.5 63.5 11.5 21.0 
DOse eras cose ce eseeelSeseesccde | es—a does 67.0 61.0 11.0 19.5 
OL SSeeE. et Pe eee te wastsdo 33.2582 68.0 59.0 12.5 20.0 
DD) Qf sas a 2 es ee dove 69.0 61.5 12. 5 20.5 
ID) Olsen ete ae on noe pene eee eee d0ss- soe. 73.0 65.0 11.5 20.5 
ETHIOPIA: 
JAdISFA bebe == 28> = see 8 aa 3 Female_-_.----- 71.0 65.0 12.0 19.5 
IATUSSIUEaLGa seen ae es see ee ee eee se soe G0==sos===5 70. 5 64.5 12.0 18.5 
DD OV SAIEe . eee Se 2 ee eae 8 do2- se 70.0 63. 5 12.0 21.0 
iT) Obs ee ae eee dos === 70. 0 61.5 12.5 20.0 
A) Qe See ee ee eee ee eee Gorse 68.0 57.0 13.0 21.0 
KENYA COLONY: 
HSCarpments aon oe once esse | oS eee dos -s- 228 68. 0 59.0 12.0 19.0 
OMe ee ae ee ee a oes GO0:se-2- == 70. 5 62.5 11.0 21.5 
iL) OS ae ae Se FE ae SE ee Gofzzse-s22 69.0 61.0 12.0 19.5 
DOs. ses sae oe eee eee do 65. 5 56. 5 11.5 19.0 


LINURGUS KILIMENSIS KILIMENSIS (Reichenow and Neumann) 


Hyphantospiza kilimensis ReicHENow and NEUMANN, Orn. Monatsb., vol. 3, 
p. 74, 1895: Kilimanjaro. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 1 female, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 9, 1912. 


This specimen is somewhat hesitatingly referred to this race as its 
locality is so far removed from the hitherto known range of kélimen- 
sis. However, the bird is dark greenish and matches, in its dorsal 
coloration, males of kilimensis and of rungwensis. I have seen no 
females of ki/émensis, but the description seems to apply to this speci- 
men as well. 

I am led to a suspicion that there may be two distinct species of 
Linurgus in the highlands of eastern Africa, and not one species, as 
Sclater ** suggests. There is a yellow-backed species L. elgonensis, 
with two forms—elgonensis, of Mount Elgon and northern Kavi- 


49 Ibis, 1916, p. 428. 
“ Systema avium Athiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 825, 1980. 


474 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


rondo, and kenzensis, of Mount Kenya; and a green-backed species, 
L. kilimensis, with two forms—kilimensis, of Mount Kilimanjaro, the 
Usambara and Uluguru Mountains, and Escarpment, and a paler- 
bellied race rungwensis, in the highlands of southwestern Tanganyika 
Territory (Mount Rungwe and the Poroto Mountains). Further 
material from Escarpment may well show the birds of that area to 
be racially separable from true kilimensis. 

The present bird is in fresh plumage; its dimensions are as follows: 
Wing, 71; tail, 47; culmen, 12.5; tarsus, 17 mm. 


SPINUS CITRINELLOIDES CITRINELLOIDES (Riippell) 


Serinus citrinelloides Rtprett, Neue Wirbelthiere, zu der Fauna von Abys- 
sinien gehorig, etc., Vogel, p. 95, pl. 34, fig. 1, 1840: Simien, Abyssinia. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 male, Cofali, Ethiopia, March 3, 1912. 
1 male, Botola, Sidamo, Ethiopia, March 4, 1912. 

Neumann * has reviewed the forms of this siskin, and his results, 
accepted by Sclater,‘* are corroborated by the small series of all four 
races examined by me in the present study. Ogilvie-Grant ** con- 
siders kikuyuensis and frontalis as inseparable from hypostictus, but 
in this he seems to be mistaken. 

The nominate race occurs from southern Eritrea south across 
Ethiopia to the Kenya border and the Rendile country. 


KEY TO ADULT MALES OF THE RACES OF SPINUS CITRINELLOIDES 


a”, shores and cheeks, eray. not black 2S. err ose hypostictus 
a’. Lores and cheeks black. 


b*. A well-defined yellow band on the forehead. 
c. Upperparts light; greenish yellowish citrine, narrowly 


Strealkkedcwaith sb] ae ks see ae pees ee gE oe ee a frontalis 
c@. Upperparts dark; olive-green, heavily streaked with black. kikuyuensis 
b*. No well-defined yellow band on the forehead______-_-______ citrinelloides 


The two specimens collected are in fresh plumage; their dimensions 
are as follows: Wings, 67, 69; tail, 49, 49; culmen, 11, 11.5; tarsus, 
14.5,15 mm. The Botola specimen is in a subadult plumage. The 
sequence of plumages of this bird has not yet been worked out, but 
its apparent complexity may be gathered from van Someren’s state- 
ment *° that in kikuyuensis the young male molts three time before 
assuming fully adult plumage. 

Lovat, Pease, Antinori, Ragazzi, Neumann, and others have ob- 
tained this siskin in various parts of Ethiopia but never in great 
numbers. It is a bird of the highlands and is therefore absent 


# Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 355-358. 

# Systema avium Aithiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 826, 1930. 
“Tbis, 1913, pp. 579-580. 

4 Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 172, 1922. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 475 


from much of Gallaland. It seems to be found chiefly in pairs or in 
mixed flocks of other birds. 

Erlanger ** found two nests with eggs at Adis Abeba, one on 
September 30 and one on October 31. In Kenya Colony, kikuyuensis 
breeds from May to July and in December; in Uganda, frontalis 
nests in May and June and probably later as well. 


SPINUS NIGRICEPS (Riippell) 


Serinus nigriceps Rtprrry, Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna von Abyssinien 
gehorig, ete., Vogel, p. 96, pl. 34, fig. 2; 1840: Simen Province. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED: 
8 males, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, December 31, 1911—January 9, 1912. 
2 males, near Ankober, Ethiopia, January 21, 1912. 
5 males, 9 females, Arussi Plateau, Ethiopia, February 15-29, 1912. 


The black-headed siskin inhabits only the very high altitudes of 
Kthiopia from the Simien Mountains south to western Arussi-Galla- 
land and Shoa. 

The present series contains birds in fresh and others in worn 
plumage, collected at the same time. 

This bird is abundant in the cultivated or semiopen areas in the 
mountains and plateau regions of Shoa and western Arussi-Galla- 
jand, where numbers of specimens have been collected by Lovat, 
Pease, Ragazzi, Antinori, Neumann, Erlanger, Zaphiro, and others. 
It seldom occurs below about 8,000 feet and ranges as high as 12,000 
feet. Except during the nesting season, the birds remain in large 
flocks, some of which contain many hundreds of individuals. 

Erlanger *’ found nests with eggs near Adis Abeba in September 
and October. 


EMBERIZA POLIOPLEURA (Salvadori) 


Fringillaria poliopleura Satvapori, Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, vol. 26, p. 269, 1888: 
Sodde, Shoa. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, Wadi Malka, Ethiopia, December 22, 1911. 
1 adult male, Iron Bridge, Hawash River, Ethiopia, February 5, 1912. 
1 juvenal unsexed, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 24, 1912. 
1 juvenal female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, June 1, 1912. 
2 adult males, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 8, 1912. 
1 adult male, Wobok, Ethiopia, June 19, 1912. 
1 adult male, Saru, Ethiopia, June 19, 1912. 
1 adult male, Yebo, Ethiopia, June 21, 1912. 
1 adult male (7), south of Lake Stefanie, Kenya Colony, April 17, 1912. 
1 adult male, Nyero Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 18, 1912. 
6 adult males, 2 juvenal males, 1 adult female, Indunumara Mountains, 
Kenya Colony, July 13-18, 1912. 


4 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 32-33. 
4 Thbid., p. 32. 


476 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


1 adult male, Endoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 20, 1912. 
2 adult males, Malele, Kenya Colony, July 27, 1912. 
1 adult female, 24 miles south of Malele, Kenya Colony, July 29, 1912. 

The Somali golden-breasted bunting occurs in British and Italian 
Somaliland, the Gallaland, Shoa, Sidamo, and Boran districts of 
Ethiopia, northern Uganda, northern and eastern Kenya Colony, 
south to the Kilimanjaro district. It is preeminently a bird of rather 
dry country and does not occur in the highlands. In Ethiopia it 
has been taken in the Hawash Valley, between Harrar and Adis 
Abeba, in Arussi-Gallaland, Ennia-Gallaland, Gurraland, Shoa, and 
Boran; in Kenya Colony it is found in the Teita and Taru districts, 
thence north through Ukambani to north of Mount Kenya, Lake 
Baringo, and to the Rendile and Turkana districts. It likewise 
occurs in Jubaland and throughout Somaliland. 

The present series indicate great variation in molting time, as 
birds in fresh and worn plumages are distributed throughout the 
same months. Specimens actually in molt were taken in June and 
July, but a freshly feathered example was collected on February 5 
as well. 

The young birds have the breast yellowish streaked with brown 
and, like adult females, have the areas on the sides and top of the 
head that are black in adult males brown. 

The size variations of the adults are as follows: Males—wing, 
68-76.5 (average, 72); tail 59.5-71.5 (64.7); culmen, 11-13 (11.7); 
tarsus, 15-18 (17.8 mm). Females—wings, 69, 74.5; tail, 61.5, 64.5; 
culmen, 11, 12; tarsus, 16, 18 mm. 

Erlanger *® records the breeding season in northern and also in 
southern Somaliland as lasting from April to July. He found a 
large number of nests, chiefly in April and May. 

Van Someren has recently *° obtained nestlings in January at Voi 
and in May and June at Marsabit. 

Mearns noted this bunting in northern Kenya Colony in many 
places other than those in which he actually collected specimens. 
The entries in his notebooks are as follows: 10 to 25 miles south- 
east of Lake Rudolf, July 12, 10 birds seen; Nyero Mountains, 
July 13, 100; Indunumara Mountains, July 14-18, 200; plains around 
the Endoto Mountains, July 18-24, 35 birds seen; Er-re-re, July 25, 
30 noted; Le-se-dun, July 26, 30 birds; Malele, July 27, 40; 18 
miles south of Malele, July 28-29, 50; 25 miles north of Northern 
Guaso Nyiro River, July 30, 25 birds; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, 
July 31-August 8, 25 seen; Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 10 birds 
noted. 


#8 Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, pp. 33-34. 
“Novy. Zool., vol. 37, p. 331, 1932. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 477 


EMBERIZA HORTULANA Linnaeus 


Emberiza hortulana Linnarus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 177, 1758: Europe; Sweden 
apud Hartert. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
1 adult male, 1 immature male, 1 immature female, Adis Abeba, Ethiopia, 
December 380, 1911-January 7, 1912. 
2 adult males, Hakaki, Ethiopia, January 14, 1912. 
1 adult male, Alaltu, Ethiopia, January 17, 1912. 

The ortolan bunting breeds in Europe and winters in northern 
tropical Africa south to northern Kenya Colony. The species is rela- 
tively less numerous in northern Kenya Colony and extreme southern 
Ethiopia than in the central and northern portions of the latter 
country. Neumann * found it abundant around Adis Abeba in the 
last days of September but did not see it south of the Hawash River. 
Zedlitz** found it in swarms in the highlands of the Eritrean— 
Abyssinian border, but not in the lower savannahs. In Darfur, 
Lynes * noted that this bunting arrived from the north in mid- 
October and left early in March. 

Although this bird winters in western Africa, as well as in the 
eastern side of the continent, the migrations seem to follow an eastern 
and a western route with a wide gap in between them. 


FRINGILLARIA TAHAPISI TAHAPISI (Smith) 


Emberiza tahapisi A. SmirH, Report of the expedition for exploring central 
Africa, p. 48, 1886: Sources of the Vaal River, i. e., southeastern Transvaal. 


SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 

1 adult female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912. 

3 adult males, 2 immature males, 5 adult females, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 
22-31, 1912. 

1 immature male, Northern Guaso Nyiro River, Kenya Colony, August 3, 
1912. 

2 adult males, 2 adult females, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, 
Kenya Colony, August 23-24, 1912. 


I have seen no material of the north Ethiopian race septemstriata 
and therefore can not tell whether the Gidabo River specimen ap- 
proaches that form. I feel confident that it is best referred to 
tahapisi, as it agrees very closely with the rest of the series. The 
northern race is said to have much rufous on the inner web of the 
first primary, but the Gidabo River bird has none, thereby agreeing 
with the more southern ones. 

The arrangement of subspecies and their ranges as given by 
Sclater *? is substantiated by the material available for study. It 
is rather strange that typical tahapist should cover so enormous a 


% Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, p. 358. 

% Journ. fiir Orn., 1911, p. 42. 

52 Ibis, 1924, p. 684. 

58 Systema avium Avthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 831, 1930. 


478 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


territory and then, in the northeastern corner of its range, suddenly 
differentiate into three valid races. 

The present series contains specimens in worn and in fairly fresh 
plumage collected at the same time. The size variations of the adult 
birds are as follows: Males—wing, 72-79 (average, 70.3); tail, 57- 
€3 (61.1) ; culmen, 9-10 (9.5); tarsus, 16-17 (16.8 mm). Females— 
wing, 71-80 (73.6) ; tail, 54-62.5 (57.7) ; culmen, 9-10 (9.6) ; tarsus, 
15.5-17 (16.4 mm). 

The cinnamon-breasted rock-bunting is a denizen of the lower 
areas, especially the semiarid rocky and scrub country. Nothing 
appears to have been recorded as to the breeding season in Ethiopia, 
but the northern form septemstriata has been found in breeding con- 
dition in June. 

On the Tana River, August 18-26, Mearns noted about 350 of these 
finches. 

FRINGILLARIA STRIOLATA SATURATIOR Sharpe 


Fringillaria saturatior SHarpre, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 11, p. 47, 1901: Lake 
Stefanie. 
SPECIMENS COLLECTED : 
2 adult males, 6 immature males, 1 adult female, 1 immature unsexed, 
Chaffa, Ethiopia, June 24-25, 1912. 
5 adult males, 4 immature males, 1 adult female, Dussia, Kenya Colony, 
July 3-4, 1912. 
1 immature male, 1 immature unsexed, east of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, 
July 5, 1912. 
1 immature male, 1 adult female, southeast of Lake Rudolf, Kenya Colony, 
July 11-12, 1912. 

The Abyssinian house bunting is said by Sclater ** to inhabit the 
“highlands of the Red Sea Province, Eritrea, Abyssinia, Somaliland, 
and Yemen.” The present specimens extend the known range south- 
ward to the southeastern end of Lake Rudolf and thereby add the 
species to the avifauna of Kenya Colony. It is somewhat mislead- 
ing to say that this bird lives only in the highlands, as none of the 
present localities is very high above the sea, and neither is the type 
locality one of great altitude. In the Red Sea Province it is a 
highland form. 

This bird seems to be somewhat scarce in Ethiopia as it has been 
overlooked or not met with by many collectors, such as Lovat, Pease, 
Zaphiro, Neumann, and Erlanger. 

The present specimens are all in worn plumage and seem to have 
finished breeding not more than a few weeks before they were col- 
lected, late in June and early in July. The size variations of the 
adults are as follows: Males—wing, 71-74.5 (average, 72.8) ; tail, 51- 


& Systema avium ASthiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 832, 1930. 


BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 479 


55 (63) ; culmen, 10-11 (10.2) ; tarsus, 14-16.5 (15.4mm). Females— 
wing, 71-71.5 (71.38); tail, 51-54.5 (53); culmen, 10 each; tarsus, 
15-16 (15.3 mm). 

Very little is known of the habits of the Ethiopian subspecies of 
the house bunting, but in Darfur Lynes *° found the race jebelmarrae 
breeding in early winter. 

Mearns noted this bird as follows: Gidabo River, March 15-17, 40 
birds seen; Black Lake Abaya, March 21-23, 4 noted; Anole village, 
May 18, 10 seen; Bodessa, May 19-—June 6, 1,000; Sagon River, June 
6, 20; Tertale, June 7-12, 12 seen; El] Ade, June 12, 4 birds; Wobok, 
June 18, 1 noted; Chaffa villages June 24-25, 500; 18 miles southwest 
of Hor, July 1-2, 500; Dussia, July 3-4, 500 birds seen. 


Ibis, 1924, pp. 680-681. 


U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BUEEFERINGASS PARI 2 SPieAn Ez 





THICK-BILLED RAVEN (CORVULTUR CRASSIROSTRIS). 
Adis Abeba. Photograph by A. M. Bailey. 





PIED CROW (CORVUS ALBUS). 
Adis Abeba. Photograph by A. M. Bailey. 


U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 153, PART 2 PLATE 3 








RAVENS (CHIEFLY RHINOCORAX RHIPIDURUS) AND VULTURES (TRIGONOCEPS ; 
OCCIPITALIS AND NECROSYRTES MONACHUS PILEATUS). 


Arussi-Gallaland. Photograph by A. M. Bailey. 


lg mee ae 4 





COLONY OF NESTS OF WEAVERBIRDS (PLOCEUS SP.). 
Arussi-Gallaland. Photograph by A. M. Bailey. 


U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 153, PART 2 PLATE 4 





OPEN RIDGE ON CHILALO MOUNTAIN. 
11,000 feet, Arussi-Gallaland. Photograph by A. M. Bailey. 





MOUNTAIN HEATHER ON MOUNT ALBASSO. 
10,000 feet, Arussi-Gallaland. Photograph by A. M. Bailey. 


! U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 153, PART 2 PLATE 5 





EUPHORBIAS AND HEAVY MIXED FOREST. 
Sidamo. Photograph by W. H. Osgood. 








EUPHORBIAS AND ACACIAS. 


Sidamo. Photooranh hv W.#H. Osonnd. 


U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 153, PART 2 PLATE 6 





NEAR SAGON RIVER, BORAN. 
Photograph by C. J. Albrecht. 





VIEW IN LOWER BORAN. 
Photograph by C. J. Albrecht. 


U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 153, PART 2 PLATE 7 





LOWER BORAN, EAST OF LAKE STEFANIE. 
Photograph by C. J. Albrecht. 





VIEW OF LOWER BORAN. 
Photograph by C. J. Albrecht. 


U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 153, PART 2 PLATE 8 














VIEWS EAST OF LAKE STEFANIE, BORAN. 
Photographs by C. J. Albrecht. 


U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 153, PART 2 PLATE 9 








LOOKING EAST FROM SLOPES OF MOUNT CHILALO. 
About 9,000 feet; giant ‘‘thistles’”’ (@chinops) in foreground. Photograph by W. H. Osgood. 





VIEW IN THE MOUNT KAKA REGION. 
East of Lake Shala, Arussiland. Photograph by C. J. Albrecht. 


PLATE 10 


BULLETIN 153, PART 2 


U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 





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"NOILVLS HSVMVH YVAN YSAIYM SAIAVG AO S711V4A 





“NOILVI.S HSVMVH YVAN SVIDVOY 398V) 





U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 153, PART 2 PLATE 1f 





EUPHORBIAS IN VALLEY OF WEBI SHEBELLI. 
Arussi-Gallaland. Photograph by A. M. Bailey. 





WOODED SLOPES OF UPPER WEBI SHEBELLI. 


Arussi-Gallaland. Photograph by A. M Bailey. 


BUEEERIN TSS PART 2) sPEARE 12 


U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 


*‘roTjog “| Vv Aq ydess0j04g 
‘GN4 NYSHLNOS YVAN ATOGNY AMV] AO SBYOHS LSV4 











BUEEERINGSS PART 2h PEAKE iS 


U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 


‘ran “a “WV Aq ydeisojoyd 
“1SOd SHYSHOYNY AO LSVAZ SAIIIW 12 ‘YSAIN OYIAN OSVYNDS NYAHLYON 





BULLETIN 153, PART 2 PLATE 14 


U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM 


‘ron “@ “y Aq ydeisojoyg 
“YAAIN OYIAN OSVNS NYSHLYON AO MNVG HLNOS WOS HLNOS ONIMOO7] 








INDEX 


(Principal references are given in boldface figures) 


abaya, Cisticola robusta, 204. 
abayensis, Lagonosticta senegala, 445—- 
447. 
Ploceus ocularius, 408, 409. 
Sylvietta whytii, 2, 181-184. 
abdominalis, Eremomela flaviventris, 
190. 
Eremomela griseoflava, 3, 187, 188, 
180, 191. 
abessinica, Camaroptera brevicaudata, 
191-195. 
Camaroptera griseoviridis, 191. 
abessinicus, Eremialector lichtensteinii, 
8. 
abyssinica, Coliuspasser albonotatus, 
429 


Drymophila, 101. 
Hirundo, 50. 
Hirundo abyssinica, 50, 51. 
Loxia, 406. 
Lusciniola, 166. 
Zosterops, 374. 
abyssinicus, Bradypterus brachypterus, 
3, 166, 167. 
Buceros, 6, 
Coracias, 6. 
Dendropicos, 14. 
Ploceus cucullatus, 406. 
Pseudoaleippe abyssinicus, 14, 101, 


Sporopipes frontalis, 395-397. 
Turdus, 127. 
Turdus olivaceus, 14, 127, 128. 
Zosterops abyssinicus, 374. 
Acrylium vulturinum, 3. 
adamauae, Prionops poliocephalus, 316. 
adsimilis, Dicrurus adsimilis, 62. 
adusta, Alseonax adusta, 218. 
Aegithalus musculus, 90. 
aeneocephalus, Lamprotornis purpurop- 
terus, 335. 
aeneus, Tangavius aeneus, 311. 
aequatorialis, Apalis flavida, 176, 177. 
Chalcomitra senegalensis, 363. 
aethiopica, Amblyospiza albifrons, 412— 
414 


Hirundo, 43. 

Platysteira cyanea, 242. 

Quelea quelea, 415-417, 
aethiopicus, Hurystomus afer, 14. 

Laniarius, 280, 282. 

Laniarius ferrugineus, 280, 281, 283. 

Ploceus, 415. 

Turdus, 280. 


afer, Cinnyris, 368. 
Nilaus, 326, 328. 
affinis, Corvus, 81. 
Dryoscopus, 254. 
Poliospiza striolata, 471, 472. 
Prinia mistacea, 214. 
Pytilia melba, 440, 441. 
afra, Fringilla, 489. 
Pytilia, 3, 439. 
africana, Luscinia megarhyncha, 2, 
Lusciola, 159. 
africanoides, Mirafra, 6. 
africanus, Francolinus, 6, 14. 
Agapornis pullaria, 14, 
taranta, 11, 14. 
Agrobates galactotes, 7. 
aguimp, Motacilla aguimp, 247. 
Aidemosyne cantans meridionalis, 454. 
airensis, Cercomela melanura, 138. 
Alaemon, 7. 
alaudipes alaudipes, 28. 
alaudipes desertorum, 28. 
alaudipes meridionalis, 28. 
alaudipes omdurmanensis, 28. 
Alauda arvensis, 38. 
arvensis arvensis, 38. 
arvensis ruficeps, 38. 
desertorum, 28. 
poecilosterna, 25. 
praetermissa, 30. 
ruficeps, 38. 
Alaudidae, 15. 
alaudipes, Alaemon alaudipes, 28. 
alba, Motacilla, 246, 
alba alba, Motacilla, 246, 247. 
albicauda, Mirafra, 2, 16, 17. 
albicollis, Corvultur, 78, 79. 
Corvus, 78. 
albicrissalis, Bradypterus alfredi, 170, 
cle 
albifrons, Hremopteryx albifrons, 34, 35. 
Platysteira cyanea, 242. 
albiscapulata, Saxicola, 144. 
Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris, 
148, 144, 145. 
albiventris, Alseonax minimus, 218. 
Camaroptera brevicaudata, 194 
Cinnyris venustus, 357, 358. 
Parus, 87. 
Parus albiventris, 87. 
albofasciata, Saxicola, 147. 
Saxicola torquata, 146, 147. 
albonotatus, Coliuspasser albonotatus, 


159. 


481 


482 BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


albus, Corvus, 72-74, 80. 

Alethe, 12. 

alexanderi, Amadina fasciata, 437. 
Eremomela griseoflava, 186-188. 

alfredi, Bradypterus alfredi, 170. 


alinderi, Nectarinia reichenowi, 351. 


alleni, Cisticola cinereola, 208, 209. 
Ploceus, 410. 

Allocotops calvus, 329. 

alopex, Mirafra, 24, 25. 

alpina, Seicercus, 163, 164. 

Alseonax adusta adusta, 218. 
adusta angolensis, 218. 
adusta fiilleborni, 218. 
adusta subadusta, 218. 
eaerulescens kikuyuensis, 220. 
minimus albiventris, 218. 


minimus djamdjamensis, 217-219. 


minimus grotei, 218. 
minimus interpositus, 220. 
minimus kumboensis, 218. 
minimus marsabit, 220. 
minimus minimus, 218, 219. 
minimus murinus, 218-220. 
minimus neumanniana, 218, 219. 
minimus obscurus, 218. 
minimus okuensis, 218. 
minimus pumilus, 218-220. 
minimus roehli, 218, 219. 
minimus subtilis, 218. 


murinus djamdjamensis, 217, 218. 


poensis. 218. 


alter, Cinnyrus habessinicus, 352, 353. 


altirostris, Galerida, 29. 

altumi, Bradypterus, 166, 171. 

Amadina fasciata alevanderi, 437. 
fasciata candida, 4387. 
marginalis, 487. 


amaurora, Melocichla mentalis, 209, 


210. 
ambigua, Cisticola robusta, 204. 


ambiguus, Laniarius ferrugineus, 281, 


282. 


Amblyospiza albifrons aethiopica, 412- 
414. 


albifrons melanota, 4138. 
albifrons montana, 412-414. 
albifrons unicolor, 412, 413. 

Ammomanes, 5. 

Ampelis phoenicea, 58. 

Amydrus ruppellii, 340. 
walleri, 338. 

Anaplectes blundelli, 415. 
melanotis, 414, 415. 

anderssoni, Oriolus auratus, 65. 
Tephrocorys, 389. 

Andropadus, 12. 
eugenius, 122. 
fricki, 121. 
fricki kitungensis, 122. 
insularis fricki, 2, 3, 121, 122. 
insularis kilimandjaricus, 121. 
insularis kitungensis, 121, 122. 
insularis oleaginus, 122. 
insularis somaliensis, 121, 122, 
insularis subalaris, 121, 122. 


angolensis, Alseonax adusta, 218. 
Euplectes capensis, 423. 
Fringilla, 471. 
Hirundo, 42. 
anguitimens, Eurocephalus, 322. 
ansorgei, Pomatorhyuchus australis, 


Pseudoaleippe abyssinicus, 102. 
Anthoseopus ecaroli rothschildi, 3, 89. 
earoli sylviella, 89. 
musculus, 90. 
musculus guasso, 90. 
rothschildi, 89. 
sharpei, 89. 
Anthreptes collaris, 367. 
collaris elachior, 367. 
ecollaris garguensis, 367. 
collaris jubaensis, 367. 
collaris teitensis, 367. 
collaris ugandae, 367. 
longuemarei haussarum, 368. 
neumanni, 368. 
orientalis, 367, 368. 
orientalis barbouri, 368. 
orientalis orientalis, 367-869. 
Anthus campestris, 251. 
campestris campestris, 251. 
cervinus, 251. 
cinnamomeus, 253. 
gouldii omoensis, 255. 
gouldii turneri, 254, 255. 
latistriatus, 252, 253. 
leucophrys omoensis, 255. 
leucophrys zenkeri, 255. 
nicholsoni, 6, 251, 253. 
nicholsoni hararensis, 251, 252. 
nicholsoni longirostris, 252. 


nicholsoni neumannianus, 252, 253. 


nicholsoni nivescens, 8. 
nicholsoni nyassae, 252. 
raaltenii, 253. 

richardi cinnamomeus, 253. 
richardi lacuum, 258, 254. 
rufogularis, 256. 

rufulus, 253. 

saphiroi, 255. 

sordidus, 251, 252. 

antinorii, Lanius, 265, 267, 268. 
Psalidoprocne, 56. 

Apalis, 12. 

Apalis cinerea cinerea, 173, 174. 
cinerea granviki, 173, 174. 
cinerea minor, 173, 174. 
cinerea sclateri, 174. 
flavida aequatorialis, 176, 177. 
flavida flavocincta, 175-177. 
flavida golzi, 176, 177. 
flavida malensis, 8, 176, 177. 
flavida neumanni, 176, 177. 
flavida viridiceps, 8, 176, 177. 
flavigularis, 177. 
malensis, 177. 
minor, 173. 
pulchra, 177. 
ruwenzorii, 177. 
thoracica, 177. 


INDEX 


approximans, Archolestes, 307. 
Euplectes capensis, 425. 
Malaconotus poliocephalus, 307-309. 

Aquila verreauxi, 3, 14. 

arabica, Ptyonoprogne obsoleta, 54, 55. 
Streptopelia roseogrisea, 2. 

arabs, Choriotis arabs, 3. 

Ploceus galbula, 411. 

archeri, Buteo rufofuscus, 7. 
Eremomela griseoflava, 8, 186-188. 

Archolestes approximans, 307. 

Ardeola ralloides, 3. 

arenicola, Galerida, 31. 

argentea, Cisticola natalensis, 204. 
Oenanthe, 184. 

argenticeps, Philemon, 329. 

Argya aylmeri, 100. 
aylmeri aylineri, 3, 100, 101. 
aylmeri mentalis, 100, 101. 
keniana, 100, 101. 
loveridgei, 100, 101. 
rubiginosa emini, 97, 
rubiginosa heuglini, 97. 
rubiginosa rubiginosa, 96-99, 101. 
sharpei, 98. 
sharpii, 97. 

Arizelocichla, 12. 
bamendae, 119. 
schubotzi, 119. 
tephrolaema kikuyuensis, 119. 
tephrolaema tephrolaema, 119. 
usambarae, 119. 

armenus, Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 

290, 291, 298, 294. 
arnaudi, Pseudonigrita arnaudi, 383, 


arsinoe, Pycnonotus, 112. 

Pyenonotus barbatus, 112, 113. 
arturi, Nectarinia kilimensis, 347. 
arvensis, Alauda, 38. 

Alauda arvensis, 38. 
ascensi, Macronyx, 259. 
aschani, Camaroptera  brevicaudata, 

194 
atactus, Dicrurus adsimilis, 62. 
ater, Turdoides hartlaubi, 938. 
athi, Mirafra africana, 21, 24. 
Atimastillas, 12. 
atricapilla, Motacilla, 160. 

Sylvia atricapilla, 160. 
atriceps, Pseudoalcippe, 103. 
atrocoeruleus, Laniarius funebris, 277. 
atrogularis, Linaria, 471. 

Poliospiza atrogularis, 471. 
aucheri, Lanius excubitor, 262. 
aucupum, Steganura, 465. 
aurantiigula, Macronyx, 3, 259, 260. 
auratus, Oriolus auratus, 65, 66. 
aureoflavus, Ploceus, 411. 
aurifrons, Zosterops senegalensis, 370. 
axillaris, Pratincola, 146. 

Saxicola torquata, 146, 147, 

Urobrachya axillaris, 428. 
aylmeri, Argya, 100. 

Argya aylmeri, 3, 100, 101. 
babaeculus, Bradypterus, 166, 170. 


483 


badius, Lanius senator, 274. 
bafirawari, Bradornis, 8, 223-225. 
baglafecht, Loxia, 399. 

Ploceus baglafecht, 14, 399. 
bairdii, Prinia, 216. 
bambarae, Thamnolaea cinnamomeiven- 

tris, 143. 
bamendae, Arizelocichla, 119. 
barakae, Parus, 84. 

Parus afer, 3, 82-84. 
barbouri, Anthreptes orientalis, 368. 
barratti, Bradypterus, 166, 170. 

Batis bella, 237. 

minor chadensis, 238, 239. 

minor erlangeri, 237-239. 

minor minor, 238. 

minor nyansae, 238, 239. 

minor suahelicus, 238, 

molitor littoralis, 236. 

molitor molitor, 286, 237, 

molitor montana, 236. 

molitor puella, 236, 287. 

molitor soror, 236, 237, 240. 

molitor taruensis, 236. 

orientalis, 239. 

orientalis bella, 239, 240. 

orientalis minor, 242. 

orientalis orientalis, 240. 

orientalis somaliensis, 237, 239, 241. 

perkeo, 288, 240-242. 

puella, 286. 

soror pallidigula, 236, 240. 
bella, Batis, 237. 

Batis orientalis, 239, 240. 

Pachyprora, 239. 
belli, Pytilia, 441, 443. 
bengalus, Uraeginthus bengalus, 456. 
benguellensis, Bradypterus brachypte- 

rus, 166, 167. 
bergeri, Laniarius, 276. 
Bessornis intercedens, 152. 
bicolor, Laniarius ferrugineus, 281. 

Speculipastor, 3, 332. 

blanchoti, Malaconotus poliocephalus, 
308, 309. 
blanfordi, Laniarius, 293. 
Psalidoprocne, 56. 
Tephrocorys, 39, 40. 
Bleda, 12. 
blicki, Cinnyris venustus, 2, 3, 356-359. 
blundelli, Anaplectes, 415. 
blythii, Onychognathus, 8. 
bodessa, Cisticola chiniana, 2, 199, 200, 
201. 

Cisticola subruficapilla, 200. 
boehmi, Dinemellia dinemelli, 378. 
bohmi, Eurocephalus riippelli, 323. 

Lanius excubitorius, 272. 
bojeri, Hyphantornis, 410. 

Ploceus, 3, 410, 411. 

Bostrychia carunculata, 11, 14. 

bottae, Oenanthe, 6, 1386. 

bottegi, Francolinus castaneicollis, 12. 

bowdleri, Bradornis pallidus, 228, 225. 

brachypterus, Bradypterus’ brachyp- 
terus, 166, 167, 170. 


484 


brachyura, Camaroptera, 192. 
Bradornis, 222. 
bafirawari, 8, 223-225. 
grisea, 224. 
griseus, 225. ; 
griseus erlangeri, 226. 
griseus neumanni, 224. 
microrhynchus, 223. 


microrhynchus erlangeri, 223, 225, 
226-228. 

microrhynchus microrhynchus, Doo: 
225. 

microrhynchus pumilus, 223, 225, 
226, 228. 

microrhynchus taruensis, 223, 225. 


murinus suahelicus, 228. 
nigeriae, 223. 

pallidus, 223. 

pallidus bowdleri, 225, 225. 
pallidus granti, 223-225. 
pallidus modestus, 225, 
pallidus murinus, 224, 225, 228. 
pallidus pallidus, 223-228. 
pallidus suahelicus, 224, 225, 228. 
pallidus subalaris, 223-225. 
parvus, 224. 

sylvia, 223. 

tessmanni, 223. 

Bradyornis fischeri, 229. 
microrhynchus, 225. 
muscicapina, 224. 
pumilus, 228. 

Bradypterus alfredi albicrissalis, 170, 

171. 


alfredi alfredi, 170. 

alfredi fraterculus, 2, 3, 166, 170, 
ala. 

alfredi nyassae, 170, 171. 


alfredi 
alfredi 


roehli, 170. 

sjoOstedti, 170, 171. 

alfredi usambarae, 170, 171. 
altumi, 166, 171. 

babaeculus, 166, 170. 

babaeculus fraterculus, 170. 
barratti, 166, 170. 

brachypterus abyssinicus, 3, 166, 


167. 

brachypterus benguellensis, 166, 
167. 

brachypterus brachypterus, 166, 
167, 170. 


brachypterus centralis, 166, 167. 
cinnamomeus, 167-169. 
elgonensis, 168. 
salvadorii, 168. 
transvaalensis, 166. 
brevicaudata, Camaroptera, 191, 192. 
brevicaudata brevicaudata, Camarop- 
tera, 192, 193. 
brevicaudus, Lamprotornis purpurop- 
terus, 335, 336. 
brevipes, Monticola, 132. 
brubru, Nilaus, 326. 
brubru brubru, Nilaus, 327. 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


brunneiceps, Erythropygia leucoptera, 
155. 


Lagonosticta, 445. 

Lagonosticta senegala, 445-447. 
brunneigularis, Uraeginthus bengalus, 

455-457. 
brumnescens, Cisticola, 198. 
brunnescens brunnescens, Cisticola, 198, 
463. 

Bubalornis albirostris intermedius, 376. 
albirostris scioanus, 376, 377. 

Buceros abyssinicus, 6. 

budongoensis, Ploceus emini, 401. 
Seicercus, 164. 

Budytes feldegg feldegg, 250. 
feldegg superciliaris, 250. 
flavus cinereocapilla, 249. 
flavus flavus, 249. 
kaleniezenskii, 250. 

Buphagus erythroryuchus caffer, 345, 

346. 
erythrorynchus erythrorynchus, 
345, 346. 

Burnesia, 216, 217. 

Buteo rufofuscus archeri, 7. 

cabanisi, Lanius, 270. 

Nigrita, 385. 

Pseudonigrita, 385. 
caecus, Otus senegalensis, 2, 8. 
caerulescens, Cichlomyia, 231. 

Hypodes cinereus, 221. 
caesia, Graucalus caesia, 60, 61. 
eaffer, Buphagus erythrorynchus, 345, 

346. 

caffra, Cossypha, 150. 

Cossypha caffra, 152. 
Calamocichla schillingsi, 116. 
Calamoherpe gracilirostris, 166. 
Calamonastes simplex, 171, 172. 

simplex erlangeri, 172. 

simplex hilgerti, 172. 

Calamornis gracilirostris, 166. 

ealvus, Allocotops, 329. 

Camaroptera brachyura, 192. 
brachyura pileata, 193. 
brevicaudata, 191, 192. 
brevicaudata abessinica, 191-195. 
brevicaudata albiventris, 194. 
brevicaudata aschani, 194. 
brevicaudata brevicaudata, 

193. 
brevicaudata 


192, 


erlangeri, 192-194. 
brevicaudata griseigula, 191-195. 
brevicaudata pileata, 193. 
griseigula, 195. 
griseiventris, 191. 
griseoviridis abessiniea, 191. 
superciliaris, 192, 
toroensis, 192. 

cameroonensis, Lanius collaris, 263. 
Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 294. 

ecamerunensis, Telophonus senegalus, 

293. 

Campephaga flava, 57. 
flava flava, 57, 58. 
flava petiti, 57, 58. 


INDEX 


Campephaga hartlaubii, 57. 

nigra, 57, 58. 

phoenicea, 57, 58, 59. 

quisealina, 58. 

rothsehildi, 57, 59. 

xanthornoides, 57, 59. 
Campephagidae, 57. 
campestris, Anthus, 251. 

Anthus campestris, 251. 
candida, Amadina fasciata, 457. 

Mirafra, 2, 3, 16, 19. 
caniceps, Odontospiza, 2, 436. 

Pitylia, 486. 

Sigmodus, 321. 
cantillans, Mirafra, 16, 19. 
capensis, Corvus, 75. 

Corvus capensis, 75, 76. 

Tringa carunculata, 328. 
eapicola, Streptopelia, 6. 
Caprimulgus stellatus simplex, 38. 
cardinalis, Quelea cardinalis, 418-420. 
Carine noctua somaliensis, 2, 8. 
carlo, Lagonosticta, 445. 
earolinensis, Sitta, 237. 
carunculata, Bostrychia, 11, 14. 

Paradigalla, 329. 
castaneiceps, Ploceus, 411. 
castaneicollis, Francolinus, 14. 


castanopterus, Passer castanopterus, 
387. 
catharoxanthus, Malaconotus  polio- 


cephalus, 307-509. 
cathemagmenus, Rhodophoneus cruen- 
tus, 310, 311. 
ecatholeucus, Pomatorhynchus senega- 
lus, 289, 295. 
Telophonus senegalus, 293. 
centralis, Bradypterus brachypterus, 
166, 167. 
Chlorocichla, 120. 
Chlorocichla flaviventris, 120, 121. 
Estrilda rhodopyga, 451, 452. 
Pytilia, 441. 
Quelea quelea, 417. 
Turdus libonyanus, 124-126. 
Turdus pelios, 124, 
Centrites niger, 251. 
Cercomela dubia, 38, 12, 140. 
melanura airensis, 1388. 
melanura erlangeri, 138. 
melanura lypura, 8, 137, 1388, 140. 
secotocerca enigma, 12, 140. 
scotocercea turkana, 138, 159. 
turkana, 138. 
Cercotrichas melanoptera, 1558. 
podobe pcdobe, 38, 158. 
Ceropsis melanocrissus, 45, 
Certhia tacazze, 346. 
Certhilauda, 5, 17. 
cerviniventris, Phyllastrephus cervini- 
ventris, 118, 119. 
cervinus, Anthus, 251. 


106220—37——32 


485 


chadensis, Batis minor, 288, 239. 
Mirafra cantillans, 15. 
Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 

296, 
Tschagra senegala, 293. 

Chalcomitra cruentata, 3, 365-365. 
gutturalis, 363. 
hunteri, 363, 364, 566. 
scioana, 365. 
senegalensis aequatorialis, 363. 
senegalensis inaestimata, 363. 
senegalensis lamperti, 363. 

chalybeus, Lamprotornis, 333. 
Lamprocolius chalybeus, 3338, 3384. 

changamwensis, HEuplectes hordeacea, 


294, 


Charadriola singularis, 256, 258. 
Charitillas, 12. 
charmosyna, Wstrilda charmosyna, 453. 

Habropyga, 4538. 
Chasmorhynchus, 329. 
cheniana, Mirafra, 16. 
chloris, Nicator chloris, 314, 315. 
Chlorocichla centralis, 120. 

flaviventris centralis, 120, 121. 

flaviventris meruensis, 120, 121. 

flaviventris mombasae, 120, 121. 
chloronota, Sylvietta leucophrys, 186. 
Chloropeta kenya, 234, 235. 

massaicus, 235. 

natalensis similis, 234, 235. 

schubotzi, 234. 

similis, 234. 

Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus fricki, 2, 
302-305. 

sulfureopectus modestus, 308, 304. 

sulfureopectus similis, 303. 

sulfureopectus suahelicus, 803-3805. 

sulfureopectus sulfureopectus, 305. 
chloropterus, Lamprocolius, 334. 
chocolatina, Muscicapa, 229. 
chocolatinus, Dioptrornis, 14. 

Dioptrornis chocolatinus, 229, 230. 
Choriotis arabs arabs, 3. 

kori struthiunculus, 3. 

Cichladusa guttata guttata, 153-155. 

guttata miilleri, 154. 

guttata rufipennis, 154. 
Cichlomyia, 220. 

caerulescens, 231. 
cinerascens, Hypodes cinereus, 221. 

Sporopipes, 395. 

Sporopipes frontalis, 395, 396. 

Turdus libonyanus, 125. 
cinerea, Apalis cinerea, 173, 174. 

Creatophora, 328. 

Euprinodes cinerea, 174. 

Motacilla, 248. 

Motacilla cinerea, 248. 

Muscicapa, 220. 

Tephrocorys cinerea, 39, 40. 
cinereigula, Pytilia afra, 439. 
cinereocapilla, Budytes flavus, 249. 

Motacilla, 249. 


486 


cinereola, Cisticola, 208. 
Cisticola cinereola, 208. 
Hypodes cinereus, 221. 
Muscicapa, 220. 

cinereus, Euprinodes, 173. 
Hypodes cinereus, 221. 
Rallus, 328. 

cinnamomea, Sylvia, 167. 

cinnamomeus, Anthus, 253. 
Anthus richardi, 253. 


Bradypterus, 167-169 
Cinnyricinclus leucogaster friedmanni, 
2, 330-832. 


leucogaster lauragrayae, 331, 332. 
leucogaster leucogaster, 331. 
leucogaster verreauxi, 331. 

Cinnyris afer, 363. 
falkensteini, 3860. 
habessinicus alter, 352, 353. 
habessinicus habessinicus, 352, 355. 
habessinicus hellmayri, 354. 
habessinicus turkanae, 352, 353. 
hunteri, 364. 
hypodila, 367. 
mariquensis hawkeri, 354, 356. 
mariquensis osiris, 854, 355, 356. 
mariquensis suahelicus, 354, 355. 
mediocris, 361. 
mediocris ftilleborni, 361. 
mediocris garguensis, 361. 
mediocris keniensis, 361, 362. 
mediocris mediocris, 361, 362. 
mediocris usambaricus, 361. 
nectarinoides, 350. 
reichenowi, 362, 363. 
reichenowi kikuyuensis, 362. 
reichenowi reichenowi, 362. 
senegalensis lamperti, 363. 
stuhlmanni, 362, 363. 
suahelica, 354. 
venustus albiventris, 357, 358. 
venustus blicki, 2, 3, 356-359. 
venustus falkensteini, 357-360. 
venustus fazoglensis, 856-358, 3690. 
venustus igneiventris, 357-359. 
venustus niassae, 357. 
venustus sukensis, 358. 

Cisticola, 196. 
aridula lavendulae, 3, 197. 
aridula tanganyika, 197. 
brachyptera katonae, 206, 207. 
brachyptera reichenowi, 206, 207. 
brachyptera zedlitzi, 206, 207. 
brunnescens, 198. 
brunnescens brunnescens, 198, 463. 
chiniana bodessa, 2, 199, 200, 201. 
chiniana fischeri, 199. 
chiniana heterophrys, 199. 
chiniana humilis, 198, 199. 
chiniana simplex, 199. 
chiniana ukamba, 199. 
cinereola, 208. 
cinereola alleni, 208, 209. 
cinereola cinereola, 268. 
cinereola schillingsi, 208, 209. 
galactotes haematocephala, 203. 
galactotes lugubris, 202, 203. 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Cisticola galactotes nyansae, 203. 
humilis, 198. 
hunteri hunteri, 202. 
hunteri kilimensis, 202. 
hunteri masaba, 202. 
hunteri prinioides, 202. 
hunteri wambuguensis, 202. 
juncidis perennia, 196. 
juncidis uropygialis, 196. 
katonae, 206. 
lavendulae, 197. 
lugubris nyansae, 208. 
nana, 207. 
natalensis argentea, 204. 
natalensis inexpectata, 204, 205. 
natalensis kapitensis, 204, 205. 
orientalis, 209. 
prinioides, 202. 
robusta abaya, 204. 
robusta ambigua, 204. 
robusta omo, 204. 
robusta robusta, 204. 
robusta tana, 205. 
schillingsi, 209. 
strangei kapitensis, 205. 
subruficapilla bodessa, 200, 
subruficapilla fricki, 200. 

citerior, Pytilia, 441. 

citrinelloides, Serinus, 474. 

Spinus citrinelloides, 474. 

clamans, Spiloptila, 210. 

Clamator jacobinus hypopinarus, 2, 3. 
jacobinus jacobinus, 99. 
serratus serratus, 2. 

clara, Motacilla, 247. 

claudei, Pseudoalcippe abyssinicus, 102. 

Coceopygia melanotis kilimensis, 448, 

449. 


melanotis quartinia, 448, 449. 
cognitus, Phyllastrephus, 118. 
Coliuspasser albonotatus abyssinica, 

albonotatus albonotatus, 429. 

albonotatus eques, 429. 

albonotatus sassii, 429. 

ardens laticauda, 428, 481. 

ardens suahelica, 480, 431. 

ardens teitensis, 4380, 481. 

concolor, 481. 
collaris, Anthreptes, 367. 

Lanius collaris, 263. 

Mirafra, 8. 
collybita, Phylloscopus collybita, 163. 

Sylvia, 163. 

Colonocinela, 132. 
Columba olivae, 12. 
Comatibis, 5. 
communis, Sylvia, 160. 

Sylvia communis, 160. 
concinnatus, Prionops, 319. 
concolor, Coliuspasser, 431. 
confusus, Harpolestes senegalus, 293. 

Pomatorhynchus, 290, 291. 
congener, Stelgidocichla latirostris, 123. 
congicus, Dryoscopus gambensis, 285. 

Lanius collaris, 268, 264. 


INDEX 


conradsi, Pytilia, 441. 
Coracias abyssinicus, 6. 
Coraphites melanauchen, 34. 
corax, Corvus, 76. 
coronatus, Lanius, 292, 293. 
Corvidae, 72. 

Corvultur albicollis, 78, 79. 
albicollis crassirostris, 
crassirostris, 14, 78-80, 

Corvus affinis, 81. 
albicollis, 78. 
albus, 72-74, 80. 
capensis, 75. 
capensis capensis, 75, 76. 
capensis kordofanensis, 75, 76. 
capensis minor, 75. 
corax, 76. 
corax edithae, 74, 76, 77. 
eorax ruficollis, 76. 
erassirostris, 78. 
edithae, 76. 
phaeocephalus, 73. 
rhipidurus, 80. 
seapulatus, 80. 

Corythaixoides leucogaster, 14. 

Cosmophoneus sulphureopectus suaheli- 

cus, 305. 

Cosmopsaris regius, 8, 337. 
regius magnificus, 336, 337. 

Cossypha eaffra, 150. 
eaffra caffra, 152. 
eaffra iolaema, 152. 
eaffra mawensis, 152, 153. 
caffra namaquensis, 152. 
heuglini, 149. 
heuglini euronota, 150. 
heuglini heuglini, 149, 150. 
heuglini intermedia, 149-151. 
heuglini occidentalis, 149. 
heuglini subrufescens, 150, 151. 
semirufa donaldsoni, 12, 151. 
semirufa intercedens, 151, 152. 
semirufa saturatior, 150, 151. 
semirufa semirufa, 150. 

costae, Turdus libonyanus, 125. 

Cotyle minor, 53. 
rufigula, 54. 

craspedoptera, 

420-422. 

craspedopterus, Ploceus, 420. 

crassirostris, Corvultur, 14, 78-80. 
Corvultur albicollis, 79. 

Corvus, 78. 
Euplectes capensis, 424. 

Crateropus guttatus, 153. 
hindei, 95. 
hypoleucus, 94. 
rubiginosa, 96. 
rubiginosus rubiginosus, 97. 
smithi omoensis, 94. 
smithii, 91. 
smithii lacuum, 93. 

crawfurdi, Eremomela griseoflava, 187, 

188. 

Creatophora cinerea, 328. 

Criniger strepitans, 115. 

cristata, Prionops cristata, 317, 318. 


79. 


Euplectes hordeacea, 


487 


eristatus, Prionops, 317. 

Crithagra flavivertex, 467. 

crocatus, Ploceus ocularius, 408, 409. 

croceus, Macronyx croceus, 259. 

cruentata, Chalecomitra, 3, 368-365. 
Nectarinia, 365. 

cruentus, Lanius, 210. 

Rhodophoneus cruentus, 8, 310, 312 
cryptoleuca, Platysteira, 243. 
Cryptolopha mackenziana, 165. 

umbrovirens emvoensis, 163. 
cucullata, Hirundo, 45. 
cucullatus, Lanius, 293. 

Spermestes cucullatus, 432; 433. 
curruca, Motacilla, 159. 

Sylvia currueca, 159. 

Cursorius cursor littoralis, 8. 
cursor somaliensis, 7. 

curtus, Parus albiventris, 87. 

Cyanochen cyanopterus, 14. 

Cyanomitra olivacea neglecta, 366. 
olivacea ragazzii, 366. 

cyanopterus, Cyanochen, 14. 

cypriaca, Oenanthe leucomela, 135. 

Cypsiurus parvus myochrous, 2. 

damarensis, Pomatorhynchus austra- 

lis, 288 

Pytilia, 441. 
danakilensis, Spiloptila, 210. 
daurica, Hirundo, 45. 
deckeni, Hurocephalus ritippelli, 8, 322, 

3823. 

degener, Laniarius funebris, 277, 279. 

degeni, Mirafra fischeri, 22, 23. 

Dendropicos abyssinicus, 14. 

desertorum, Alaemon alaudipes, 28. 
Alauda, 28. 

Dicruridae, 61. 

Dicrurus adsimilis adsimilis, 62. 
adsimilis atactus, 62. 
adsimilis divaricatus, 61-63. 
adsimilis fugax, 62, 63. 
adsimilis jubaensis, 62. 

dinemelli, Dinemellia dinemelli, 377. 
Textor, 377, 378. 

Dinemellia dinemelli boehmi, 378. 
dinemelli dinemelli, 377. 
ruspolii, 377. 

Dioptrornis chocolatinus, 14. 
chocolatinus chocolatinus, 229, 230. 
fischeri, 229. 
fischeri fischeri, 229. 

Dioptrornis reichenowi, 230. 

distinguenda, Sylviella, 181. 

divaricata, Muscicapa, 61. 

divaricatus, Dicrurus adsimilis, 61-63. 

djamdjamensis, Alseonax minimus, 

217-219. 

Alseonax murinus, 217, 218. 

Pinarochroa sordida, 140, 141. 
dodsoni, Pyenonotus, 105. 

Pyenonotus dodsoni, 105-109. 
dohertyi, Laniarius, 306. 

Pomatorhynchus australis, 287—289. 

Telophorus, 306. 
domesticus, Passer, 390. 
domicella, Hirundo, 46. 


488 


donaldsoni, Cossypha semirufa, 12, 151. 
Ploceipasser, 381. 
Plocepasser, 381, 382. 
Turacus leucotis, 14. 

doreadichroa, Seicercus 

164. 

dorsalis, Lanius, 8, 267, 268, 269. 
Pseudonigrita arnaudi, 3583-885. 

dowashanus, Phyllastrephus, 118. 

Drepanoplectes jacksoni, 432. 

Drepanorhynechus, 352. 
reichenowi, 351. 

Drymoica robusta, 204, 
uropygialis, 196. 

Drymophila abyssinica, 101. 

Dryodromas smithii, 211. 

Dryoscopus affinis, 284. 
cubla hamatus, 288. 
erwini, 275. 
funebris, 275. 
gambensis, 284. 
gambensis congicus, 285. 
gambensis erwini, 285. 
gambensis erytheae, 285, 286. 
gambensis gambensis, 285, 286. 
gambensis malzacii, 286. 
gambensis nyanzae, 286. 
gambensis sextus, 285. 
hamatus, 285. 
maizacii erythreae, 285. 
occidentalis, 284. 
pringlii, 3, 287. 
suahelicus, 284. 

dubia, Cercomela, 2, 12, 140. 
Myrmecocichla, 140. 

ducis, Riparia paludicola, 53. 

dukhuensis, Motacilla alba, 246. 

dumonti, Mino, 329. 

edithae, Corvus, 76, 

Corvus corax, 74, 76, 77. 

edmundi, Ploceus, 399. 

edolioides, Melaenornis, 231. 
Melaenornis edolioides, 232. 
Melasoma, 231. 

Edolius lugubris, 62. 

elachior, Anthreptes collaris, 367. 

elaeica, Hippolais pallida, 161. 
Salicaria, 161. 

elegans, Lanius excubitor, 262. 
Streptopelia decipiens, 8. 

Eleocerthia ragazzii, 366. 

elgonensis, Bradypterus, 168. 
Linurgus, 473. 

Linurgus elgonensis, 473. 
Merula, 126. 

Onychognathus walleri, 338, 339: 
Pogonocichla, 158. 

Turdus olivaceus, 126, 127, 
Zosterops, 373. 

ellioti, Galerida theklae, 31, 32. 

Hmberiza hortulana, 477. 
paradisaea, 464. 
poliopleura, 475. 
schoeniclus, 389. 
tahapisi, 477. 


umbrovirens, 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


emini, Argya rubiginosa, 97. 
Hirundo, 47. 
Hirundo rufula, 45-47. 
Ploceus, 398. 
Ploceus emini, 400, 401. 
Pomatorhynchus australis, 288. 
Pseudonigrita arnaudi, 383, 384. 
Sporopipes frontalis, 395, 396. 
Sycobrotus, 400. 
eminibey, Sorella, 3, 392. 
emmae, Saxicola torquata, 146. 
enchora, Pseudonigrita cabanisi, 386. 
enchorus, Pseudonigrita, 385. 
enigma, Cercomela scotocerea, 12, 140. 
Hnneoctonus niloticus, 273. 
eques, Coliuspasser albonotatus, 429. 
Vidua, 429. 
Hremialector lichtensteinii abessinicus, 


lichtensteinii hyperythrus, 3, 8. 
eremita, Geronticus, 11. 
eremobius, Ploceus baglafecht, 399. 
Hremomela flavicrissalis, 189. 
flaviventris abdominalis, 190. 
flaviventris karamojensis, 188. 
griseoflava, 186. 
griseoflava abdominalis, 3, 187, 188, 
190, 191. 
griseoflava alexanderi, 186-188. 
griseoflava archeri, 8, 186-188. 
griseoflava crawfurdi, 187, 188. 
griseoflava erlangeri, 187, 189-191. 
griseoflava flavicrissalis, 8, 187-189, 
190, 191. 
griseoflava griseoflava, 186-189. 
griseoflava karamojensis, 187, 188, 
189. 
griseoflava tardinata, 188. 
Eremopteryx albifrons albifrons, 34, 35. 
albifrons melanauchen, 35. 
albifrons sincipitalis, 34, 35. 
leucotis leucotis, 32-34. 
leucotis madaraszi, 33, 34. 
leucotis melanocephala, 33, 34. 
leucotis smithi, 34. 
nigriceps, 34, 35. 
nigriceps melanauchen, 34. 
signata, 35, 37, 38. 
signata harrisoni, 37. 
verticalis, 38. 
Eressornis, 321, 322. 
Hrithacus rubecula rubecula, 159. 
eritreae, Galerida, 29. 
Passer griseus, 389, 390. 
erlangeri, Batis minor, 237-239. 
Bradornis griseus, 226. 
Bradornis microrhynchus, 223, 225, 
226-228. 
Calamonastes simplex, 172, 
Camaroptera brevicaudata, 192-194. 
Cercomela melanura, 138. 
Hremomela griseoflava, 187, 189- 
191. 
Eurocephalus anguitimens, 325. 
Eurocephalus riippelli, 8, 322-325, 
326. 


INDEX 


erlangeri, Indicator minor, 2, 3. 
Nectarinia melanogastra, 351. 
Nilaus brubru, 326, 327. 
Pinarochroa sordida, 12, 141. 
Plocepasser mahali, 380, 381. 
Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 

292, 295-297, 302. 

Prinia somalica, 8, 216. 

Sylvietta, 185. 

Telophonus senegalus, 291, 293. 

Tephrocorys cinerea, 38, 40. 

Zosterops, 374, 375. 
ernesti, Pinarochroa sordida, 141, 142. 
erwini, Dryoscopus, 284. 

Dryoscopus gambensis, 285. 
erythreae, Dryoscopus gambensis, 285, 

286. 

Dryoscopus malzacii, 285. 

Lagonosticta, 445. 

Seicercus umbrovirens, 14, 164. 
erythrogaster, Laniarius, 277. 
erythronotos, Hstrilda, 454. 
erythropterus, Lanius, 289, 292. 

Pomatorhynechus senegalus, 

291, 294, 295. 

Erythropygia hamertoni, 8. 
leucoptera brunneiceps, 155. 
leucoptera leucoptera, 155. 
leucoptera sclateri, 156. 
leucoptera vulpina, 155, 156. 

erythroryncha, Tanagra, 345. 

erythrorynchus, Buphagus erythroryn- 

chus, 345, 346. 

Estrelda quartinia, 448. 

Estrilda astrild macmillani, 449, 450. 
astrild massaica, 449, 450. 
astrild minor, 449, 450. 
astrild nyanzae, 449, 450. 
astrild peasei, 449-451. 
charmosyna charmosyna, 453. 
charmosyna kiwanukae, 454. 
charmosyna nigrimentum, 454. 
charmosyna pallidior, 454. 
erythronotos, 454. 
ochrogaster, 452. 
paludicola ochrogaster, 3, 452. 
peasei, 451. 
rhodopyga centralis, 451, 452. 
rhodopyga hypochra, 451. 
rhodopyga polia, 451, 452. 
rhodopyga rhodopyga, 451. 

eugenia, Stelgidocichla latirostris, 122, 

123. 

eugenius, Andropadus, 122. 

Eulabes, 329. 

Kuodice cantans inernata, 435, 436. 
cantans meridionalis, 2, 434, 485. 
eantans orientalis, 435. 
cantans tavetensis, 434. 

Euplectes capensis angolensis, 423. 
capensis approximans, 425. 
capensis crassirostris, 424. 
capensis kilimensis, 3, 423-427. 
capensis knysnae, 424. 
capensis litoris, 423, 425. 


291, 


289— 


489 


Euplectes capensis macrorhynchus, 424. 


capensis xanthomelas, 423-426, 428. 
capensis zambesiensis, 424, 425. 
franciscana franciscana, 422, 423. 
franciscana pusilla, 422. 
hordeacea changamwensis, 420. 
hordeacea craspedoptera, 420-422. 
hordeacea sylvatica, 421, 422. 
nigroventris, 423. 

rufigula, 423. 

taha stricta, 428. 

xanthomelas, 423. 

Eupodotis canicollis somaliensis, 8. 

EKuprinodes cinerea cinerea, 174. 
cinerea sclateri, 175. 
cinereus, 173. 
flavocinctus, 175. 

Hurillas, 12. 

Eurocephalus anguitimens, 322. 
anguitimens erlangeri, 325. 
riippelli, 322. 
ruippelli béhmi, 323. 
rtippelli deckeni, 8, 322, 323. 
riippelli erlangeri, 8, 322-325, 326. 
rlippelli fischeri, 322, 323. 
riippelli riippelli, 322, 324, 325. 

euronota, Cossypha heuglini, 150. 

eurycricotus, Zosterops virens, 372. 

Eurystomus afer aethiopicus, 14. 

eversmanni, Phylloscopus trochilus, 162. 

excubitor, Lanius, 262. 

excubitorius, Lanius, 270, 271. 
Lanius excubitorius, 271-273. 

explorator, Monticola, 132. 

falkensteini, Cinnyris, 360. 
Cinnyris venustus, 357-360. 

familiaris, Prinia, 216. 

fayi, Pyecnonotus layardi, 111. 
Pycnonotus tricolor, 111. 

fazoqlensis, Cinnyris venustus, 356-358, 

360. 
Nectarinia, 360. 

feldegg, Budytes feldegg, 250. 
Motacilla, 250. 

feminina, Ploceus, cucullatus, 406. 

ferreti, Tchitrea, 243. 
Terpsiphone viridis, 243-245. 

ferrugineus, Laniarius, 284. 
Laniarius ferrugineus, 280. 

filifera, Hirundo smithii, 44. 

filiola, Nectarinia kilimensis, 347, 

fischeri, Bradyornis, 229. 
Cisticola chiniana, 199. 
Dioptrornis, 229. 
dioptrornis fischeri, 22°. 
Eurocephalus riippelli, 322, 323. 
Linura, 464. 
Minatrass1G.elteeet oie 
Mirafra fischeri, 22, 23. 
Phyllastrephus fischeri, 118. 
Spreo, 333. 

Sylvietta whytii, 181, 183. 

fischeri, Vidua, 463, 464. 

Fiscus, 268. 


348. 


490 


flava, Campephaga, 57. 

Campephaga, flava, 57, 58. 

Motacilla, 249. 
flavicollis, Macronyx, 14, 259, 260, 261. 
flavicrissalis, Hremomela, 189. 

Eremomela, griseoflava, 8, 187, 188, 

189-191. 

flavifrons, Poicephalus, 14. 

flavigularis, Apalis, 177. 

flavilateralis, Zosterops 

3869, 370. 

fiavivertex, Crithagra, 467. 

Serinus flavivertex, 467. 
flavocincta, Apalis flavida, 175-177. 
flavocinctus, Euprinodes, 175. 
flavus, Budytes flavus, 249. 
franciscana, Euplectes franciscana, 422, 

423. 

Francolinus africanus, 6, 14. 
africanus friedmanni, 2. 
ceastaneicollis, 14. 
eastaneicollis bottegi, 12. 
castaneicollis ogoensis, 12. 
sephaena, 6. 
sephaena jubaensis, 8. 

fraseri, Tympanistria tympanistria, 3. 

frater, Pomatorhynchus australis, 289. 

fraterculus, Bradypterus alfredi, 2, 3, 

166, 170, 171. 

Bradypterus babaeculus, 170. 
frenata, Oenanthe bottae, 136, 137. 

Saxicola, 136. 
fricki, Andropadus, 121. 

Andropadus insularis, 2, 3, 121, 122. 

Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus, 2, 

302-305. 

Cisticola subruficapilla, 200. 

Lagonosticta, 443, 444. 

Melaniparus afer, 82. 

Othyphantes, 397, 398. 

Parus afer, 2, 82, 83. 

Phyllastrephus strepitans, 115, 116. 

Ploceus, 2, 397, 398. 

Zosterops senegalensis, 2, 3, 369, 


senegalensis, 


370. 
friedmanni, Cinnyricinclus leucogaster, 
2, 330-332. 


Francolinus africanus, 2. 
Fringilla afra, 489. 
angolensis, 471. 
luteola, 401. 
macroura, 460. 
Fringillaria poliopleura, 475. 
saturatior, 478. 
striolata jebelmarrae, 479. 
striolata saturatior, 3, 478. 
tahapisi septemstriata, 477, 478. 
tahapisi tahapisi, 477. 
Fringillidae, 465. 
frobenii, Ploceus cucullatus, 406. 
frontalis, Spinus citrinelloides, 474. 
Sporopipes frontalis, 395, 396. 
fuertesi, Tephrocorys cinerea, 38, 40. 
fugax, Dicrurus adsimilis, 62, 63. 
fulgens, Passer castanopterus, 2, 3, 387, 
388, 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


fiilleborni, Alseonax adusta, 218. 
Cinnyris mediocris, 361. 
Macronyx, 259. 

funebris, Dryoscopus, 275. 

Laniarius funebris, 275, 276, 278. 
fuscocolaris, Riparia riparia, 52. 
gadowi, Nectarinia killimensis, 347. 
gaikwari, Sylvietta, 185. 
galactotes, Agrobates, 7. 
galbula, Ploceus, 411. 

Galeopsar salvadorii, 8, 14, 342, 343. 

Galerida, 7. 
altirostris, 29. 
arenicola, 31. 
cristata somaliensis, 29, 30. 
eritreae, 29. 
isabellina, 29. 
theklae ellioti, 31, 32. 
theklae praetermissa, 30-382. 

galinieri, Lioptilornis, 103, 104. 
Parisoma, 103. 

gallarum, Mirafra hypermetra, 19-21. 
Trachyphonus erythrocephalus, 14. 

galtoni, Pomatorhynchus, 293. 

gambensis, Dryoscopus, 284. 
Dryosecopus gambensis, 285, 286. 

garguensis, Anthreptes collaris, 367. 
Cinnyris mediocris, 361. 
Zosterops virens, 371-8738. 

Geokichla litsipsirupa litsipsirupa, 130. 
litsipsirupa simensis, 14, 180, 131. 
litsipsirupa stierlingi, 130. 

Geronticus, 5. 
eremita, 11. 

glaucovirens, Lamprocolius, 14. 

Glottis nebularia, 3. 

golzi, Apalis flavida, 176, 177. 

gongonensis, Passer, 389, 390, 391. 
Pseudostruthus, 390. 

gracilirostris, Calamoherpe, 166. 
Calamornis, 166. 

graculinus, Prionops, 320. 

Sigmodus retzii, 320, 321. 
Granatina ianthinogaster hawkeri, 459. 

ianthinogaster ianthinogaster, 457, 

458. 

ianthinogaster montana, 457, 458. 

janthinogaster roosevelti, 457, 458. 

jianthinogaster rothschildi, 457, 458. 

ianthinogaster ugandae, 458. 

ianthogaster ugandae, 458. 
granti, Bradornis pallidus, 223-225. 
granviki, Apalis cinerea, 173, 174. 
Graucalus caesia caesia, 60, 61. 

caesia preussi, 61. 

caesia pura, 60. 

purus, 60. 
graueri, Poliospiza striolata, 472. 

Prinia mistacea, 212-214. 
grisea, Bradornis, 224. 
griseigula, Camaroptera, 195. 

Camaroptera brevicaudata, 

195. 

griseigularis, Muscicapa, 222, 

Pytilia afra, 439, 


191-— 


INDEX 


griseiventris, Camaroptera, 191. 
Streptopelia decipiens, 8. 

griseoflava, Eremomela, 186. 
Eremomela griseoflava, 186-189. 

griseus, Bradornis, 225. 

grotei, Alseonax minimus, 218. 
Phyllastrephus, 118. 

Pytilia, 441. 
guasso, Anthoscopus musculus, 90. 

Sorella eminibey, 392. 
gularis, Nicator, 314. 

Nicator chloris, 314. 
guttata, Cichladusa guttata, 153-155. 
guttatus, Crateropus, 1538. 

Laniarius ferrugineus, 280. 
guttifer, Pogonocichla, 156-158. 
gutturalis Chalcomitra, 368. 
Gymnocephalus, 329. 

Gymnoderas, 329. 

Gymnoris pyrgita kakamariae, 393. 
pyrgita massaica, 2, 393, 394. 
pyrgita pallida, 393. 
pyrgita pyrgita, 393, 394. 
pyrgita reichenowi, 393. 

Gymnoschizorhis personata, 3, 14. 

Gypaetus barbatus meridionalis, 14. 

Gyps, 5. 

habessinicus, 

352, 352. 

Lanius senegalus, 292. 

Nectarinia, 352. 

Habropyga charmosyna, 453. 
minor, 449. 

habyssinicus, Pomatorhynchus senega- 

lus, 292, 294-296. 
haematocephala, Cisticola galactotes, 
203. 

Haleyon leucocephala hyacinthina, 3. 
pallidiventris, 3. 

hamatus, Dryoscopus, 283. 

Dryoscopus cubla, 283. 
hamertoni, Erythropygia, 8. 


Cinnyris habessinicus, 


hararensis, Anthus nicholsoni, 251, 252. 


Harpolestes australis littoralis, 287. 

longirostris, 290. 

senegalus, 290. 

senegalus confusus, 293. 

senegalus mozambicus, 293. 
harrisoni, Kremopteryx signata, 37. 
harterti, Mirafra, 21, 22, 24. 

Serinus, 466. 

Terpsiphone viridis, 245. 
hartlaubii, Campephaga, 57. 

Lanicterus, 57. 

Turdoides, 93. 
haussarum, Anthreptes longuemarei, 

368. 
hawkeri, Cinnyris mariquensis, 354, 356. 

Granatina ianthinogaster, 459. 
Helionympha raineyi, 354. 
helleri, Planesticus, 126. 

Pogonocichla, 156, 157. 

Turdus olivaceus, 126. 
hellmayri, Cinnyris habessinicus, 354. 
hemprichii, Saxicola torquata, 148. 
Herpystera, 216. 


491 


Heteromirafra, 5, 17. 
heterophrys, Cisticola chiniana, 199. 
Heterotetrax, 5. 
humilis, 7. 
Heterotrogon, 12. 
heuglini, Argya rubiginosa, 97. 
Cossypha, 149. 
Cossypha heuglini, 149, 150. 
Neotis, 7. 
Oenanthe bottae, 1387. 
hildebrandti, Lagonosticta rubricata, 
444, 
Spreo, 3438. 
hildegardae, Phyllolais, 178. 
hilgerti, Calamonastes simplex, 172. 
Pelicinius cruentus, 312. 
Poliospiza atrogularis, 470. 
eat cruentus, 8, 310-312, 
3. 
Streptopelia capicola, 8. 
Sylvietta brachyura, 179. 
hindei, Crateropus, 95. 
Turdoides, 95, 96. 
Hippolais pallida elaeica, 161. 
pallida pallida, 161. 
Hirundinidae, 40. 
Hirundo abyssinica, 50. 
abyssinica abyssinica, 50, 51. 
abyssinica maxima, 50. 
abyssinica puella, 50, 51. 
abyssinica unitatis, 50, 51. 
aethiopica, 43. 
angolensis, 42. 
cucullata, 45. 
daurica, 45. 
domicella, 46. 
emini, 47. 
lucida, 42. 
lucida lucida, 42. 
lucida rothschildi, 42. 
lucida subalaris, 42. 
riparia, 52. 
rothsehildi, 42. 
rufula emini, 45-47. 
rufula melanocrissa, 3, 45-48. 
rufula rufula, 46. 
rustica, 40, 41, 47. 
rustica rustica, 40. 
senegalensis hybrida, 49. 
senegalensis monteiri, 48, 49. 
senegalensis saturatior, 48. 
senegalensis senegalensis, 45, 46, 48, 
49. 
smithii, 44. 
smithii filifera, 44. 
smithii smithii, 44. 
transitiva, 41. 
holomelaena, Psalidoprocne 
laena, 55. 
holospodium, Parisoma, 222. 
hortulana, Emberiza, 477. 
huillensis, Serinus flavivertex, 467. 
humeralis, Lanius, 268. 
Lanius collaris, 263, 265. 
humilis, Cisticola, 198. 
Cisticola chiniana, 198, 199. 
Heterotetrax, 7. 


holome- 


492 


hunteri, Chalcomitra, 3638, 364, 366. 

Cinnyris, 364. 

Cisticola hunteri, 202. 
hyacinthina, Halcyon leucocephala, 3. 
hybrida, Hirundo senegalensis, 49. 
Hypargos macrospilotus, 438. 

niveoguttatus, 438. 
hypermetra, Mirafra, 21. 

Mirafra hypermetra, 20. 
hypervthrus, Hremialector 

steinii, 3, 8. 
Hyphantornis bojeri, 410. 

lineolatus, 404. 

ocularius, 409. 

vitellinus uluensis, 403. 
Hyphantospiza kilimensis, 473. 
Hyphanturgus melanoxanthus, 409. 
Hypochera, 463. 
hypocherina, Vidua, 462, 463, 464. 
hypochra, Hstrilda rhodopyga, 451. 
Hypodes, 220. 

cinereus caerulescens, 221. 

cinereus cinerascens, 221, 

cinereus cinereola, 221, 

cinereus cinereus, 221. 

cinereus kikuyuensis, 3, 220, 221. 

cinereus pondoensis, 220, 221. 
hypodila, Cinnyris, 367. 
hypoleuca, Turdoides, 94-96. 
hypoleucus, Crateropus, 94. 
hypophyrrhus, Malaconotus 

phalus, 309. 
hypopinarus, Clamator jacobinus, 2, 3. 
hypospodia, Pinarochroa sordida, 141. 
hypostictus, Spinus citrinelloides, 474. 
ianthinogaster, Granatina ianthinogas- 
ter, 457, 458. 

Uraeginthus, 457. 
icterops, Sylvia communis, 160. 
igneiventris, Cinnyris venustus, 

359. 
Illadopsis, 12. 
immutabilis, Prinia mistacea, 212-215. 
inaestimata, Chalcomitra senegalensis, 
368. 
incerta, Lagonosticta, 445. 
indica, Saxicola torquata, 146. 
Indicator minor erlangeri, 2, 3. 

variegatus jubaensis, 3. 

inexpectata, Cisticola natalensis, 204, 
205. 

inornata, Huodice cantans, 485, 436. 

insignis, Parus niger, 85, 86. 

intercedens, Bessornis, 152. 

Cossypha semirufa, 151, 152. 

Lanius excubitorius, 270-273. 

Mirafra, 24. 

Mirafra africanoides, 24, 25. 
intermedia, Cossypha heuglini, 149-151. 

Quelea quelea, 416. 
ntermedius, Bubalornis albirostris, 376. 

Ploceus intermedius, 402, 403. 

Prionops cristata, 318. 

Sigmodus retzii, 320, 321. 

Textor, 376. 


lichten- 


polioce- 


307— 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


interpositus, Alseonax minimus, 220. 
Malaconotus poliocephalus, 307, 
308. 
involucratus, Tangavius aenius, 311. 
iolaema, Cossypha caffra, 152. 
isabellina, Galerida, 29. 
Oenanthe, 136. 
Saxicola, 136. 
Sylviella, 185. 
Sylvietta, 185. 
isabellinus, Lanius ecristatus, 275. 
jacksoni, Drepanoplectes, 482. 
Nectarinia, 346, 347. 
Platysteira, 242. 
Platysteira peltata, 242. 
Sylviella, 180. 
Sylvietta whytii, 180-188. 
Trachyphonus erythrocephalus, 2. 
Zosterops virens, 371-3873. 
jacobinus, Clamator jacobinus, 99. 
jamesi, Pomatorhynchus, 8. 
Pomatorhynechus jamesi, 299-3801. 
Telephonus, 299. 
jebelmarrae, Fringillaria striolata, 479. 
jessi, Pytilia, 441. 
johnstoni, Sylvietta, 181. 
jubaensis, Anthreptes collaris, 367. 
Dicrurus adsimilis, 62. 
Francolinus sephaena, 8. 
Indicator variegatus, 3. 
Pytilia melba, 448. 
Zosterops, 370. 
Zosterops senegalensis, 
371. 
kaffensis, Zosterops virens, 871-873. 
kakamariae, Gymnoris pyrgita, 393. 
kaleniezenskii, Budytes, 250. 
kapitensis, Cisticola natalensis, 
205. 


369, 370, 


204, 


Cisticola strangei, 205. 
Pseudonigrita arnaudi, 383-385. 
karamojensis, Hremomela flaviventris, 

8. 
Eremomela griseoflava, 187, 188, 
189. 
katonae, Cisticola, 206. 
Cisticola brachyptera, 206, 207. 
kavirondensis, Mirafra fischeri, 23. 
Ploceus luteolus, 401. 
keniana, Argya, 100, 101. 
keniensis, Cinnyris mediocris, 361, 362. 
Linurgus elgonensis, 474, 
Onyechognathus walleri, 339. 
Phyllastrephus, 117, 118. 
Pogonocichla cucullata, 156. 
Pogonocichla margaritata, 3, 156, 
Ne 
Sylvietta leucophrys, 185, 186. 


kenya, Chloropeta, 234, 235. 
kikuyuensis, Alseonax caerulescens, 


220. 
Arizelocichla tephrolaema, 119. 
Cinnyris reichenowi, 3862. 
Hypodes cinereus, 3, 220, 221. 
Lagonosticta senegala, 445-447, 448. 
Oriolus larvatus, 72. 


INDEX 


kikuyuensis, Oriolus monacha, 67, 71, 
(2. 
Spinus citrinelloides, 474. 
Xenocichla, 119. 
Zosterops, 371. 
Zosterops virens, 371-373. 
kilimandjaricus, Andropadus insularis, 
ate 
kilimensis, Cisticola hunteri, 202. 
Cocecopygia melanotis, 448, 449. 
Huplectes capensis, 3, 423-427. 
Hyphantospiza, 473. 
Linurgus kilimensis, 3, 473, 474. 
Nectarinia, 347. 
Nectarinia kilimensis, 347, 348. 
Pseudoalecippe abyssinicus, 102. 
kirki, Pytilia, 441, 448. 
Pytilia melba, 440, 441. 
kismayensis, Pomatorhynchus jamesi, 
299-301. 
kisumui, Ploceus, 402, 403. 
kitungensis, Andropadus fricki, 122. 
Andropadus insularis, 121, 122. 
kivuensis, Pomatorhynchus australis, 
289. 
kiwanukae, Estrilda charmosyna, 454. 
klaasi, Lampromorpha, 247. 
Knestrometopon, 342. 
knysnae, Euplectes capensis, 424. 
kordofanensis, Corvus capensis, 75, 76. 
kordofanicus, Rhodophoneus cruentus, 
SO. 
krameri, Psittacula, 6. 
kumboensis, Alseonax minimus, 218. 
lacuum, Anthus richardi, 253, 254. 
Crateropus smithii, 98. 
Parus niger, 3, 84-87. 
Turdoides leucopygia, 91-93, 94. 
ladoensis, Pytilia, 441. 
laeta, Seicereus, 164. 
Lagonosticta brunneiceps, 445. 
carlo, 445. 
erythreae, 445. 
fricki, 448, 444. 
incerta, 445. 
rhodopareia, 448, 444. 
rubricata hildebrandtii, 444. 
rubricata rhodopareia, 448, 444. 
rubricata umbriventer, 444. 
rufopicta, 445. 
rufopicta lateritia, 445. 
senegala abayensis, 445-447. 
senegala brunneiceps, 445—447. 


senegala kikuyuensis, 445-447, 448. 


senegala ruberrima, 445, 446. 

senegala somaliensis, 445, 446, 448. 
lamperti, Chaleomitra senegalensis, 363. 

Cinnyris senegalensis, 363. 
Lamprocolius chalybeus chalybeus, 333, 

334. 

chalybeus sycobius, 333. 

chloropterus, 334. 

glaucovirens, 14. 
Lamprocolius splendidus splendidus, 


superbus, 344. 


493 


Lampromorpha klaasi, 247. 
Lamprotornis chalybeus, 333. 
purpuropterus, 334. 
purpuropterus aeneocephalus, 
purpuropterus brevicaudus, 
336. 
purpuropterus purpuropterus, 
335. 
tenuirostris, 340. 
Laniarius aethiopicus, 280, 282. 
bergeri, 276. 
blanfordi, 298. 
dohertyi, 306. 
erythrogaster, 277. 
ferrugineus, 284. 
ferrugineus aethiopicus, 280, 281, 
288. 
ferrugineus 
ferrugineus 
ferrugineus 
ferrugineus 
ferrugineus 
ferrugineus 
ferrugineus 
ferrugineus 
ferrugineus 


33D. 


9° 
OOD, 


334, 


ambiguus, 281, 282. 
bicolor, 281. 
ferrugineus, 280. 
guttatus, 280. 
limpopoensis, 280. 
major, 281, 282. 
mossambicus, 280. 
natalensis, 280. 
pondoensis, 280. 
ferrugineus somaliensis, 281, 282. 
ferrugineus sublacteus, 281, 282. 
ferrugineus transvaalensis, 280. 
ferrugineus turatii, 281. 
funebris atrocoeruleus, 277. 
funebris degener, 277, 279. 
funebris funebris, 275, 276, 278. 
funebris lugubris, 277. 
funebris rothschildi, 276, 277. 
ruficeps, 8. 
Lanicterus hartlaubii, 57. 
Laniidae, 261. 
Lanius antinorii, 265, 267, 268. 
eabanisi, 270. 
collaris cameroonensis, 263. 


collaris collaris, 263. 
collaris congicus, 263, 264. 
collaris humeralis, 263, 265. 
collaris marwitzi, 263. 
eollaris pyrrhostictus, 263. 
eollaris smithi, 263. 
collaris subcoronotus, 263. 


collaris uropygialis, 263, 264. 
coronatus, 292, 293. 

eristatus isabellinus, 275. 
cristatus phoenicuroides, 275. 
cruentus, 310. 

ecucullatus, 293. 

dorsalis, 8, 267, 268, 269. 
erythropterus, 289, 292. 
excubitor, 262. 

excubitor aucheri, 262. 
excubitor elegans, 262. 
excubitor leucopygos, 262. 
excubitor pallidirostris, 261, 262. 
excubitorius, 270, 271. 
excubitorius bohmi, 272. 
excubitorius excubitorius, 271-273. 
excubitorius interecedens, 270-273. 
excubitorius princeps, 271. 
excubitorius tschadensis, 272. 


494. 


Lanius humeralis, 263. 
pallidirostris, 261. 
phoenicuroides, 275. 
poliocephalus, 315. 
senator badius, 274. 
senator niloticus, 273, 274. 
senator senator, 273. 
senegalus, 292. 
senegalus habessinicus, 292. 
somalicus, 265, 268. 
somalicus mauritii, 8, 266, 267. 
somalicus somalicus, 8, 265-267. 
lateritia, Lagonosticta rufopicta, 445. 
lathamii, Quelea quelea, 417. 
laticauda, Coliuspasser ardens, 428, 431. 
latirostris, Stelgidocichla latirostris, 
123: 
latistriatus, Anthus, 252, 2538. 
lauragrayae, Cinnyricinclus leucogaster, 
Soloos: 
lavendulae, Cisticola, 197. 
Cisticola aridula, 3, 197. 
Leioptila, 104. 
lepida, Prinia, 216. 
Leptoptilus, 5. 
leucogaster, Cinnyricinclus leucogaster, 
331 


Corythaixoides, 14. 
leucomela, Motacilla, 134. 

Oenanthe leucomela, 134, 135. 
leucomelas, Parus niger, 85, 86. 
Jeuconotus, Parus, 88. 
leucophrys, Sylviella, 185. 

Sylvietta leucophrys, 185, 186. 
leucopsis, Sylviella, 180, 181. 

Sylvietta brachyura, 179, 180, 184. 
leucoptera, Erythropygia leucoptera, 

155 


Salicaria, 155. 
leucopygia, Turdoides leucopygia, 91, 92. 
leucopygos, Lanius excubitor, 262. 
leucotis, Eremopteryx leucotis, 32-84. 
leucotis, Loxia, 32. 
limbata, Turdoides leucopygia, 91, 92. 
limpopoensis, Laniarius ferrugineus, 
280. 
Linaria atrogularis, 471. 
lineolatus, Hyphantornis, 404. 
Linura fischeri, 464, 
Linurgus, 12. 
elgonensis, 473. 
elgonensis elgonensis, 473. 
elgonensis keniensis, 474. 
kilimensis kilimensis, 3, 473, 474. 
kilimensis rungwensis, 478, 474. 
Lioptilornis, 103, 104. 
galinieri, 103, 104. 
rufocinctus, 104, 
Lioptilus, 104. 
nigricapillus, 1038. 
litoris, Euplectes capensis, 423, 425. 
litsipsirupa, Geokichla litsipsirupa, 130. 
littoralis, Batis molitor, 236. 
Cursorius cursor, 8. 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


littoralis, Harpolestes australis, 287. 
Ploceus, 402, 403. 
Pomatorhynchus australis, 3, 287, 

288. 

Pycnonotus dodsoni, 105, 106. 
longicauda, Motacilla, 247. 
longirostris, Anthus nicholsoni, 252, 

Harpolestes, 290. 
lonnbergi, Phyllastrephus cerviniven- 

ELIS, 243, LES; 109) 

Lophoceros melanoleucos, 6. 

loringi, Sylvietta whytii, 181-184. 

lovati, Ploceus, 399. 

loveridgei, Argya, 100, 101. 

Loxia abyssinica, 406. 
baglafecht, 399. 
leucotis, 32. 
nubilosa, 464. 

lucida, Hirundo, 42. 

Hirundo lucida, 42. 
lucidipectus, Nectarinia pulchella, 348, 

349. 

ludoviciae, Turdus, 12. 

lugubris, Cisticola galactotes, 202, 203. 
Edolius, 62. 

Laniarius funebris, 277. 

Melaenornis edolioides, 231, 

Muscicapa, 281. 

Oenanthe, 14, 135. 

Rhynchastatus, 277. 

Saxicola, 135. 

Stephanibyx, 3. 

Sylvia, 202. 

Luscinia megarhyncha africana, 2, 159. 
megarhyncha megarhyncha, 159. 

Lusciniola abyssinica, 166. 

Lusciola africana, 159. 

luteola, Fringilla, 401. 

luteolus, Ploceus leuteolus, 401, 402. 

Lybius tsanae, 11, 14. 
undatus, 14. 

lypura, Cercomela melanura, 8, 187, 

1388, 140. 

Sylvia, 187. 

Machetes pugnax, 329. 

mackenziana, Cryptolopha, 165. 
Seicercus umbrovirens, 164, 165. 

maemillani, Estrilda astrild, 449, 450. 

Macronix tenellus, 256, 

Macronyx ascensi, 259. 
aurantiigula, 3, 259, 260. 
aurantiigula subocularis, 260. 
croceus croceus, 259. 
croceus vulturnus, 259. 
flavicollis, 14, 259, 260, 261. 
fiilleborni, 259. 

macrorhyncha, Sylvietta, 185. 

macrorhynchus, Euplectes capensis, 424. 

macrospilotus, Hypargos, 4388. 

macroura, Fringilla, 460. 

Vidua, 460-463. 
maculicollis, Serinus, 465. 

Serinus dorsostriatus, 465, 466. 
madaraszi, Hremopteryx leucotis, 33, 34. 
magnificus, Cosmopsaris regius, 336, 337. 


H29 
ave. 


INDEX 


major, Laniarius ferrugineus, 281, 282. 


Parus, 88. 
Sylviella, 181, 182. 
Malaconotus poliocephalus approxi- 


mans, 307-309. 
poliocephalus blanchoti, 308, 309, 
pees catharoxanthus, 307— 
09. 
poliocephalus hypophyrrhus, 309. 
policcephalus interpositus, 307, 308. 
poliocephalus monteiri, 308. 


poliocephalus poliocephalus, 307- 
309. 

poliocephalus schoanus, 308, 309, 
310. 


malensis, Apalis, 177. 

Apalis flavida, 8, 176, 177. 

Ploceus melanoxanthus, 409. 
Malurus pulchellus, 178. 
malzacii, Dryoscopus gambensis, 286. 
mandanus. Pomatorhynchus jamesi, 

299-301. 
margaritae, Sporaeginthus, 453. 
marginalis, Amadina, 487. 
marginata, Mirafra, 15. 

Mirafra cantillans, 15-17, 19, 24. 
marsabit, Alseonax minimus, 220. 

Phyllastrephus fischeri, 118. 
martensi, Prionops poliocephalus, 316. 
marwitzi, Lanius collaris, 263. 

Phoeniculus purpureus, 3. 
masaba, Cisticola hunteri, 202. 
massaica, Estrilda astrild, 449, 450. 

Gymnoris pyrgita, 2, 393, 394. 

Mirafra poecilosterna, 26, 27. 

Psalidoprocne holomelaena, 55. 

Zosterops, 370. 
massaicus, Chloropeta, 235. 

Nilaus, 328. 
maura, Motacilla, 148. 

Saxicola torquata, 146-148. 
mauritii, Lanius somalicus, 8, 266, 267. 
mawensis, Cossypha caffra, 152, 153. 
maxima, Hirundo abyssinica, 50. 
mediocris, Cinnyris, 361. 

Cinnyris mediocris, 361, 362. 
megarhynecha, Luscinia megarhyncha, 

159. 
melaena, Pentholaea, 142. 

Saxicola, 142. 

Melaenornis ater tropicalis, 231, 233. 

edolioides, 231. 

edolioides edolioides, 232. 

edolioides lugubris, 231, 232. 

edolioides ugandae, 232. 

lugubris schistacea, 232. 

pammelaina, 231, 282. 

pammelaina pammelaina, 251, 238. 

pammelaina tropicalis, 233, 234. 
melampyra, Terpsiphone, 244. 
melanauchen, Coraphites, 34. 

Eremopteryx albifrons, 35. 

Eremopteryx nigriceps, 34. 
Melaniparus afer fricki, 82. 
melanocephala, Hremopteryx leucotis, 


Tylibyx, 11. 


495 


Melanocorypha sibirica, 38. 
melanocrissa, Hirundo rufula, 3, 45 48. 
melanocrissus, Ceropsis, 45. 
melanogastra, Nectarinia melanogastra, 
350, 351. 
melanoleucos, Lophoceros, 6. 
Melanopepla tropicalis, 233. 
melanoptera, Cercotrichas, 158. 
Prionops, 320. 
Prionops cristata, 3, 319, 320. 
melanorhynchus, Plocepasser, 379, 381. 
Plocepasser mahali, 379, 380. 
melanota, Amblyospiza albifrons, 413. 
melanotis, Anaplectes, 414, 415. 
Ploceus, 414. 
melanoxanthus, Hyphanturgus, 409. 
melanoxanthus, Ploceus nigricollis, 409, 
410. 
melanura, Saxicola, 135. 
Melasoma edolioides, 231. 
melba, Pytilia, 441. 
Melierax metabates neumanni, 2. 
Melittophagus revoillii, 3. 
Melocichla mentalis amaurora, 209, 210. 
mentalis orientalis, 209, 210. 
meneliki, Oriolus, 69. 
mentalis, Argya alymeri, 190, 101. 
Platysteira peltata, 2438. 
meridionalis, Aidemosyne cantans, 434. 
Alaemon alaudipes, 28. 
Huodice cantans, 2, 434, 485. 
Gypaetus barbatus, 14. 
meruensis, Chlorocichla 
120, 121. 
Mirafra, 19. 
Merula elgonensis, 126. 
simensis, 130. 
microrhynechus, Bradornis, 223. 
Bradornis microrhynehus, 223, 225. 
Bradyornis, 225. 
micrura, Sylvietta brachyura, 180. 
milanjensis, Turdus, 126. 
minima, Sylvietta, 181, 183. 
minimus, Alseonax minimus, 218, 219. 
Mino, 329. 
dumonti, 329. 
minor, Apalis, 173. 
Apalis cinerea, 173, 174. 
Batis minor, 288. 
Batis orientalis, 242. 
Corvus capensis, 75. 
Cotyle, 53. 
Hstrilda astrild, 449, 450. 
Habropyga, 449. 
Nilaus, 326, 328. 
Nilaus brubru, 8, 326, 327. 
Pomatorhynchus australis, 287-289. 
Pycnonotus tricolor, 111. 
Riparia paludicola, 53, 54. 
minuta, Pisobia, 3. 
Mirafra africana athi, 21, 24. 
africanoides, 6. 
africanoides intercedens, 24, 25. 
albicauda, 2, 16, 17. 
alopex, 24, 25. 
candida, 2, 3, 16, 19. 
eantillans, 16, 19. 


flaviventris, 


496 


Mirafra cantillans chadensis, 15. 
cantillans marginata, 15-17, 19, 24. 
eantillans simplex, 15. 
cheniana, 16. 
eollaris, 8. 
fischeri, 16, 17, 24, 27. 
fischeri degeni, 22, 23. 
fischeri fischeri, 22, 28. 
fischeri kavirondensis, 23. 
fischeri omoensis, 22, 
fischeri torrida, 24, 
harterti, 21, 22, 24. 
hypermetra, 21. 
hypermetra gallarum, 19-21. 
hypermetra hypermetra, 20. 
intercedens, 24. 
marginata, 15. 
meruensis, 19. 
passerina, 17. 
poecilosterna massaica, 26, 27. 
poecilosterna poecilosterna, 25-27. 
pulpa, 2, 17, 19. 
schillingsi, 19. 
sharpei, 8. 
tropicalis, 21. 

mistacea, Prinia, 212. 

Prinia mistacea, 212-214. 

modestus, Bradornis pallidus, 225. 
Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus, 308, 

304. 
molitor, Batis molitor, 286, 237. 
mombasae, Chlorocichla flaviventris, 
120, 121. 
monacha, Oriolus, 66. 
Oriolus monacha, 67-70. 
monachus, Pseudoalcippe abyssinicus, 
102. 
montana, Amblyospiza albifrons, 412— 
414. 
Batis molitor, 236. 
Granatina ianthinogaster, 457, 458. 

monteiri, Hirundo senegalensis, 48, 49. 
Malaconotus poliocephalus, 308. 

Monticola brevipes, 182. 
explorator, 182. 
rupestris, 182. 
saxatilis, 131. 

mossambicus, Laniarius ferrugineus, 

280. 

Motacilla aguimp aguimp, 247. 
aguimp vidua, 247. 
alba, 246. 
alba alba, 246, 247. 
alba dukhuensis, 246. 
atricapilla, 160. 
cinerea, 248. 
cinerea cinerea, 248. 
cinerocapilla, 249. 
clara, 247. 
curruea, 159. 
feldegg, 250. 
flava, 249. 
leucomela, 184. 
longicauda, 247. 
maura, 148. 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Motacilla oenanthe, 134. 
phoenicurus, 158. 
rubecula, 159. 
rubetra, 149, 
samamisica, 158. 
striata, 217. 
trochilus, 162. 
vidua, 247. 

Motacillidae, 246. 

mozambicus, Harpolestes 

293. 
Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 294. 

miilieri, Cichladusa guttata, 154. 
Telephonus senegalus, 293, 294. 

munzneri, Phyllastrephus, 118. 

murinus, Alseonax minimus, 218-220, 
Bradornis pallidus, 224, 225, 228. 

Muscicapa chocolatina, 229. 
cinerea, 220. 
cinereola, 220. 
divaricata, 61. 
griseigularis, 222. 
lugubris, 231, 
paradisi, 244, 
stellata, 157, 
striata, 224. 
striata striata, 217. 

Muscicapidae, 217. 

muscicapina, Bradyornis, 224. 

Muscipeta, 244. 

musculus, Aegithalus, 90. 
Anthoscopus, 99. 

myochrous, Cypsiurus parvus, 2. 

Myrmecocichla dubia, 140. 

namaquensis, Cossypha caffra, 152. 

nana, Cisticola, 207. 

natalensis, Laniarius ferrugineus, 280. 

nebularia, Glottis, 3. 

Nectarinia cruentata, 365. 
fazoqlensis, 3860. 
habessinicus, 352. 
jacksoni, 346, 347. 
kilimensis, 347. 
kilimensis arturi, 347. 
kilimensis filiola, 347, 348. 
kilimensis gadowi, 347. 
kilimensis kilimensis, 347, 348. 
melanogastra erlangeri, 351. 


senegalus, 


melanogastra melanogastra, 3850, 
851. 
melanogastra nectarinoides, 350, 
851. 


osiris, 355. 
pulehella, 351. 
pulchella lucidipectus, 348, 349. 
pulchella pulchella, 848, 349. 
reichenowi, 3, 351. 
reichenowi alinderi, 351. 
tacazze, 346. 
unisplendens, 346, 347. 
Nectariniidae, 346. 
nectarinoides, Cinnyris, 350. 
Nectarinia melanogastra, 350, 351. 
neglecta, Cyanomitra olivacea, 366. 
Neotis heuglini, 7. 


INDEX 


neumanni, Anthreptes, 368. 
Apalis flavida, 176, 177. 
Bradornis griseus, 224. 
Melierax metabates, 2. 

Passer griseus, 890. 
Ploceus baglafecht, 399. 
Sigmodus retzii, 321. 
neumanniana, Alseonax minimus, 218, 
219. 
neumannianus, Anthus nicholsoni, 252, 
253. 

niassae, Cinnyris venustus, 357. 

Nicator chloris chloris, 314, 315. 
chloris gularis, 314. 
gularis, 314. 

nicholsoni, Anthus, 6, 251, 253. 

niger, Centrites, 251. 

nigeriae, Bradornis, 223. 

nigra, Campephaga, 57, 58. 

nigricans, Sigmodus retzii, 320, 321. 

nigricapillus, Lioptilus, 103. 

nigriceps, Hremopteryx, 34, 35. 
Spinus, 14, 475. 

nigrimentum, Estrilda charmosyna, 45+. 

Nigrita, 12. 
eabanisi, 385. 

nigroventris, Euplectes, 423. 

Nilaus afer, 326, 328. 
brubru, 326. 
brubru brubru, 327. 
brubru erlangeri, 826, 327. 
brubru minor, 8, 326, 327. 
massaicus, 328. 
minor, 326, 328. 
ruwenzorii, 328. 

niloticus, Enneoctonus, 273. 
Lanius senator, 273, 274. 
Phoeniculus purpureus, 3. 

niveoguttata, Spermophaga, 488. 

niveoguttatus, Hypargos, 438. 

nivescens, Anthus nicholsoni, 8. 

notatus, Oriolus, 65. 

Oriolus auratus, 65, 66. 

nothus, Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 293, 

294 


Notiocichla, 182. 
novae-guinea, Tropidorhynchus, 329. 
nubicus, Torgos tracheliotus, 3. 
nubilosa, Loxia, 464. 
nyansae, Batis minor, 238, 239. 
Cisticola galactotes, 203. 
Cisticola lugubris, 2038. 
Platysteira cyanea, 242. 
nyanzae, Dryoscopus gambensis, 286. 
Estrilda astrild, 449, 450. 
nyasae, Onychognathus walleri, 338. 
nyassae, Anthus nicholsoni, 252. 
Bradypterus alfredi, 170, 171. 
obseurus, Alseonax minimus, 218. 
obsoleta, Ptyonoprogne, 54, 55. 
occidentalis, Cossypha heuglini, 149. 
Dryoscopus, 284. 
ochrogaster, Estrilda, 452. 
Estrilda paludicola, 3, 452. 
ocularius, Hyphantornis, 409. 
Odontospiza caniceps, 2, 436. 


497 


Oenanthe argentea, 134. 
bottae, 6, 136. 
bottae frenata, 186, 137. 
bottae heuglini, 187. 
isabellina, 186. 
leucomela eypriaca, 135. 
leucomela leucomela, 134, 135. 
lugubris, 14, 135. 
oenanthe oenanthe, 134. 
phillipsi, 12. 
rostrata, 134. 

oenanthe, Motacilla, 134. 

Oenanthe oenanthe, 134. 
ogoensis, Francolinus castaneicollis, 12. 
okuensis, Alseonax minimus, 218. 
oleaginus, Andropadus insularis, 122. 
olivaceus, Turdus, 6. 
olivae, Columba, 12. 
omdurmanensis, Alaemon alaudipes, 28. 
omo, Cisticola robusta, 204. 
omoensis, Anthus gouldii, 255. 

Anthus leucophrys, 255. 

Crateropus smithi, 94. 

Cryptclopha, umbrovirens, 163. 

Mirafra fischeri, 22. 

Prionops cristata, 317, 318. 

Seicercus umbrovirens, 14, 163, 164. 

Turdoides leucopygia, 38, 91-94. 

Zosterops abyssinicus, 374. 
Onychognathus, 342. 

blythii, &. 

morio riippellii, 14, 340. 

morio shelleyi, 340. 

tenuirostris, 340. 

walleri elgonensis, 338, 339. 

walleri keniensis, 339. 

walleri nyasae, 338. 

walleri preussi, 338. 

walleri walleri, 3, 338, 339. 
orientale, Parisoma plumbeum, 221, 222. 
orientalis, Anthreptes, 367, 368. 

Anthreptes orientalis, 367-869. 

Batis, 239. 

Batis orientalis, 240. 

Cisticola, 209. 

Euodice cantans, 485. 

Melocichla mentalis, 209, 210. 

Pogonocichla, 156, 157. 

Pomatorhynchus, 293-295. 
Oviolidae, 65. 

Oriolus auratus anderssoni, 65. 
auratus auratus, 65, 66. 
auratus notatus, 65, 66. 
larvatus kikuyuensis, 72. 
neneliki, 69. 
monacha, 66. 
monacha kikuyuensis, 67, 71, 72. 
monacha monacha, 67-70. 
monacha permistus, 66-71. 
monacha reichenowi, 67, 69-72. 
monacha rolleti, 67, 69-71, 72. 
monachus permistus, 66. 
notatus, 65. 
roleti, 71. 

osiris, Cinnyris mariquensis, 354, 355, 

306. 

Nectarinia, 355. 


498 


Othyphantes fricki, 397, 398. 
stuhlmanni, 398. 
Otus senegalensis caecus 2, 3. 
Pachyprora bella, 289. 
pachyrhyncha, Poliospiza, 472. 
pallida, Gymnoris pyrgita, 393. 
Hippolais pallida, 161. 
Quelea cardinalis, 2, 3, 418, 419. 


Stelgidocichla latirostris, 122, 123. 


pallidigula, Batis soror, 286, 240. 
pallidior, Estrilda charmosyna, 454. 
Poliospiza, 469. 
Sylvietta, 181. 
pallidirostris, Lanius, 261. 
Lanius excubitor, 261, 262. 
pallidiventris, Halcyon, 3. 
pallidus, Bradornis, 228. 
Bradornis pallidus, 223-225, 
Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 
Pycnonotus tricolor, 111. 
Telophonus senegalus, 293. 
paludicola, Riparia paludicola, 53. 
pammelaina, Melaenornis, 231, 252. 
Melaenornis pammelaina, 231, 233. 
Paradigalla carcunculata, 329. 
paradisaea, Emberiza, 464. 
Steganura, 464, 465. 
paradisi, Muscicapa, 244. 
Paridae, 82. 
Parisoma, 103. 
galinieri, 103. 
holospodium, 222. 
leucomelaena somaliensis, 8. 
plumbeum orientale, 221, 222. 
plumbeum plumbeum, 221. 
pulpum, 222. 
subeaeruleum, 108. 
Parophasma, 103, 104. 
Parus afer barakae, 3, 52-84. 
afer fricki, 2, 82, 83. 
afer thruppi, 83. 
albiventris, 87. 
albiventris albiventris, 87. 
albiventris curtus, 87. 
barakae, 84. 
leuconotus, 88. 
major, 88. 
niger insignis, 85, 86. 
niger lacuum, 3, 84-87. 
niger leucomelas, 85, 86. 
niger purpurascens, 85-87. 
parvus, Bradornis, 224. 
Passer castanopterus 
387. 
castanopterus fulgens, 2, 3, 387, 388. 
domesticus, 390. 
gongonensis, 889, 390, 591. 
griseus eritreae, 389, 390. 
griseus neumanni, 390. 
griseus swainsonii, 389, 391. 
griseus ugandae, 390. 
iagoensis rufocinctus, 386. 
iagoensis Shelleyi, 386. 
rufocinctus, 386. 
Passeriformes, 15. 


228. 
294. 


castanopterus, 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


passerina, Mirafra, 17. 
pauper, Phyllastrephus, 115, 116. 
peasei, Estrilda, 451. 
Estrilda astrild, 449-451. 
Prodotiscus regulus, 3. 
Pycnonotus dodsoni, 105-107, 110, 
utah 
Pycnonotus layardi, 105, 110. 
Pelicinius cruentus hilgerti, 312. 
pelios, Turdus libonyanus, 124, 125. 
peltata, Platysteira, 242. 
Pentholaea melaena, 142. 
Penthetria laticauda suahelica, 480. 
percivali, Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 
295, 296. 
Pytilia, 441. 
Telephonus, 298. 
perennia, Cisticola juncidis, 196. 
perkeo, Batis, 238, 240-242. 
permistus, Oriolus monacha, 66-71. 
Oriolus monachus, 66. 
personata, Gymnoschizorhis, 3, 14. 
perspicillata, Terpsiphone viridis, 244, 
245. 
petiti, Campephaga flava, 57, 58. 
Petrophila rufocinerea rufocinerea, 
132-134. 
Petrophila rufocinerea sclateri, 132, 133. 
rufocinerea tenuis, 138, 134. 
Petrornis, 132. 
phaeocephalus, Corvus, 73. 
phaeocephalus, Pycnonotus, 111. 
Philemon argenticeps, 329. 
phillipsi, Oenanthe, 12. 
phoenicea, Ampelis, 58. 
Campephaga, 57, 58, 59. 
Urobrachya axillaris, 428. 
Phoeniculus purpureus marwitzi, 3. 
purpureus niloticus, 3. 
phoenicuroides, Lanius, 275. 
Lanius cristatus, 275. 
Phoenicurus phoenicurus phoenicurus, 
158. 
phoenicurus samamisicus, 158. 
phoenicurus turkestanicus, 158. 
phoenicurus, Motacilla, 158. 
Phoenicurus phoenicurus, 158. 
Pholia sharpii, 332. 
Pholidauges sharpii, 332. 
Phormoplectes, 12. 
Phyllastrephus cerviniventris cervini- 
ventris, 118, 119. 
cerviniventris lonnbergi, 2, 3, 118, 
119. 
cognitus, 118. 
dowashanus, 118. 
fischeri fischeri, 11S. 
fischeri marsabit, 118. 
fischeri placidus, 117, 118. 
grotei, 118. 
keniensis, 117, 118. 
munzneri, 118. 
pauper, 115, 116. 
rufescens, 115, 116. 
sharpei, 115, 116. 
sokokensis, 118. 
strepitans, 3, 115, 117. 


INDEX 


499 


Phyllastrephus strepitans fricki, 115,] Ploceus nigricollis melanoxanthus, 409, 
6. 410 


strepitans strepitans, 115. 

Phyllolais hildegardae, 178. 
pulchella, 178. 

Phylloscopus collybita collybita, 163. 
trochilus eversmanni, 162. 
trochilus trochilus, 162, 163. 

Picathartes, 329. 

pileata, Camaroptera brachyura, 193. 
Camaroptera brevicaudata, 195. 

Pinarochroa sordida, 14, 141. 
sordida djamdjamensis, 140, 141. 
sordida erlangeri, 12, 141. 
sordida ernesti, 141, 142. 
sordida hypospodia, 141. 
sordida rudolfi, 141, 142. 
sordida schoana, 140-142. 

Pisobia minuta, 3. 

Pitta, 5. 

Pitylia caniceps, 436. 

placida, Xenocichla, 117. 

placidus, Phyllastrephus fischeri, 117, 

118. 

Planesticus helleri, 126. 

Platysteira cryptoleuca, 248. 
eyanea aethiopica, 242. 
eyanea albifrons, 242. 
eyanea nyansae, 242. 
jacksoni, 242. 
peltata, 242. 
peltata jacksoni, 242. 
peltata mentalis, 248. 

Ploceidae, 376. 

Ploceipasser donaldsoni, 381. 

Plocepasser donaldsoni, 381, 382. 
mahali erlangeri, 380, 381. 
mahali melanorhynchus, 379, 380. 
mahali propinquatus, 380. 
melanorhynchus, 379, 381. 

Ploceus aethiopicus, 415. 
alleni, 410. 
aureofiavus, 411. 
baglafecht baglafecht, 14, 399. 
baglafecht eremobius, 399. 
baglafecht neumanni, 399. 
bojeri, 8, 410, 411. 
castaneiceps, 411. 
craspedopterus, 420. 
cucullatus abyssinicus, 406. 
cucullatus feminina, 406. 
cucullatus frobenii, 406. 
edmundi, 399. 
emini, 398. 
emini budongoensis, 401. 
emini emini, 400, 401. 
fricki, 2, 397, 398. 
galbula, 411. 
galbula arabs, 411. 
intermedius intermedius, 402, 403. 
kisumui, 402. 403. 
littoralis, 402, 403. 
lovati, 399. 
luteolus kavirondensis, 401. 
luteolus luteolus, 401, 402. 
melanotis, 414, 
melanoxanthus malensis, 409. 


nigricollis vacillans, 410. 
ocularius abayensis, 408, 409. 
ocularius crocatus, 408, 409. 
ocularius suahelicus, 409. 
reichenowi, 398. 

reichenowi reichenowi, 297. 

rubiginosus, 407. 

rubiginosus rubiginosus, 407. 

rubiginosus trothae, 408. 

stuhlmanni, 398. 

vitellinus reichardi, 404, 

vitellinus uluensis, 403, 404. 

vitellinus vitellinus, 404. 
plumbea, Stenostira, 221. 
plumbeiceps, Terpsiphone viridis, 244, 

245. 

plumbeum, Parisoma plumbeum, 221. 

podobe, Cercotrichas podobe, 3, 158. 
Turdus, 158. 

poecilosterna, Alauda, 25. 

Mirafra poecilosterna, 25-27. 
poensis, Alseonax, 218. 
Pogonocichla cucullata keniensis, 156. 

elgonensis, 158. 

guttifer, 156-158. 

helleri, 156, 157. 

margaritata keniensis, 3, 156, 157. 

orientalis, 156, 157. 
Poicephalus flavifrons, 14. 
polia, Estrilda rhodopyga, 451, 452. 
poliocephalus, Lanius, 315. 

Malaconotus poliocephalus, 307-309. 

Prionops poliocephalus, 315, 316. 
poliogaster, Zosterops, 374. 
poliopleura, Emberiza, 475. 

Fringillaria, 475. 

Poliospiza atrogularis atrogularis, 471. 
atrogularis hilgerti, 470. 
atrogularis reichenowi, 469, 470. 
atrogularis somereni, 470. 
atrogularis xanthopygius, 470. 
pachyrhyncha, 472, 
pallidior, 469. 
striolata affinis, 471, 472. 
striolata graueri, 472. 
striolata striolata, 471-473. 
striolata ugandae, 472. 
tristriata tristriata, 468. 

polius, Turdus olivaceus, 126. 

Pomatorhynchus australis ansorgei, 288. 
australis damarensis, 288. 
australis dchertyi, 287—289. 
australis emini, 288. 
australis frater, 289. 
australis kivuensis, 289. 
australis littoralis, 3, 287, 288. 
australis minor, 287—289. 
econfusus, 290, 291. 
galtoni, 298. 
jamesi, 8. 
jamesi jamesi, 299-301. 
jamesi kismayensis, 299-301. 
jamesi mandanus, 299-301. 
orientalis, 295-295. 
senegalus, 290-292. 


500 


Pomatorhynechus senegalus 
290, 291, 293, 294. 
senegalus cameroonensis, 294. 
senegalus catholeucus, 289, 295. 
senegalus chadensis, 294, 296. 
senegalus erlangeri, 291, 292, 295- 
297, 302 


armenus, 


voVa. 
senegalus 
294, 295. 
sevegalus habyssincus, 
296. 
senegalus 
senegalus 
senegalus 
senegalus 
senegalus 
senegalus 


erythropterus, 289-291, 


292, 294— 
mozambicus, 294. 
nothus, 293, 294. 
pallidus, 294. 
percivali, 295, 296. 
remigialis, 295. 
rufofuseus, 294. 
senegalus senegalus, 294. 
senegalus sudanensis, 295, 296. 
tschagra, 290, 291. 
pondoensis, Hypodes cinereus, 220, 221. 
Laniarius ferrugineus, 280. 
Prinia mistacea, 214. 
praetermissa, Alauda, 30. 
Galerida theklae, 30-82. 
Pratineola axillaris, 146. 
preussi, Graucalus caesia, 61. 
Onychognathus walleri, 338. 
princeps, Lanius excubitorius, 271. 
pringlii, Dryosconus, 3, 287. 
Prinia bairdii, 216. 
familiaris, 216. 
lepida, 216. 
mistacea, 212. 
mistacea affinis, 214. 
mistacea graueri, 212-214. 
mistacea immutabilis, 212-215. 
mistacea mistacea, 212-214. 
mistacea pondoensis, 214. 
mistacea tenella, 212, 213. 
rufifrons, 210. 
somalica erlangeri, 8, 216. 
somalica somalica, 8. 
prinioides, Cisticola, 202. 
Cisticola hunteri, 202. 
Priniops, 210. 
Prionopidae, 315. 
Prionops concinnatus, 319. 
cristata cristata, 317, 318. 
cristata intermedius, 318. 
cristata melanoptera, 3, 319, 320. 
cristata omoensis, 317, 318. 
cristata vinaceigularis, 318, 319. 
eristatus, 317. 
graculinus, 320. 
melanoptera, 320. 
poliocephalus adamauae, 316. 
poliocephalus martensi, 316. 
poliocephalus poliocephalus, 
316. 
poliocephalus talacoma, 316. 
pristoptera, Psalidoprocne, 56. 
Prodotiscus regulus peasei, 3. 
promiscua, Saxicola torquata, 146. 
propinquatus, Plocepasser mahali, 380. 


315, 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


Psalidopreene antinorii, 56. 
blanfordi, 56. 
holomelaena holomelaena, 55. 
holomelaena massaica, 55. 
pristoptera, 56, 
Pseudoalecippe abyssinicus abyssinicus, 
14, 101, 102. 
abyssinicus ansorgei, 102. 
abyssinicus claudei, 102. 
abyssinicus kilimensis, 192. 
abyssinicus monachus, 102. 
atriceps, 103. 
Pseudocalyptomena, 5. 
Pseudochelidon, 5. 
Pseudonigrita arnaudi 
384. 
arnaudi dorsalis, 388-885. 
arnaudi emini, 383, 384. 
arnaudi kapitensis, 383-385. 
eabanisi, 385. 
eabanisi enchora, 386. 
enchorus, 3885. 
Pseudostruthus gongonensis, 390. 
Psittacula krameri, 6. 
Pterocles senegalensis somalicus, 2. 
Ptyonoprogne obsoleta, 54, 55. 
obsoleta arabiea, 54, 55. 
rufigula pusilla, 54, 55. 
rufigula rufigula, 54, 55. 
puella, Batis, 236. 
Batis molitor, 238, 2387. 
Hirundo abyssinica, 50, 51. 
pugnax, Machetes, 329. 
pulehella, Nectarinia, 351. 
Nectarinia pulehella, 348, 349. 
Phyllolais, 178. 
pulechellus, Malurus, 178. 
pulehra, Apalis, 177. 
pullaria, Agapornis, 14. 
pulpa, Mirafra, 2, 17, 19. 
pulpum, Parisoma, 222. 
pumilis, Bradornis microhynchus, 223, 
225, 226, 228. 
Alseonax minimus, 218-220. 
Bradyornis, 228. 
pura, Graucalus caesia, 60. 
purpurascens, Parus niger, 85-87. 
purpuropterus, Lamprotornis, 334. 
Lamprotornis purpuropterus, 334, 
3835. 
purus, Graucalus, 60. 
pusilla, Euplectes franciscana, 422. 
Ptyonoprogne rufigula, 54, 55. 
Pyromelana francisecana, 422. 
Riparia rupestris, 54. 
Pyenonotidae, 105. 
Pyenonotus arsinoe, 112. 
arnisoe somaliensis, 112-114. 
barbatus arsinoe, 112, 118. 
barbatus schoanus, 112-115. 
dodsoni, 105. 
dodsoni dodsoni, 105-109. 
dodsoni littoralis, 105, 106. 
dodsoni peasei, 105-107, 110, 111. 
dodsoni spurius, 106, 107, 109. 
dodsoni teitensis, 105. 
layardi fayi, 111. 


arnaudi, 383, 


INDEX 


Pycnonotus layardi peasei, 105, 110. 
phaeocephalus, 111. 
somaliensis, 12, 112. 
spurius, 105, 109. 
tanganjicae, 111. 
tricolor, 108. 
tricolor fayi, 111. 
tricolor minor, 111. 
tricolor pallidus, 111. 
xanthopygos reichenowi, 115. 

Pyrgita swainsonii, 389. 

pyrgita, Gymnoris pyrgita, $93, 394. 

pyrgita, Xanthodina, 398. 

Pyromelana franciscana pusilla, 422. 
flammiceps rothschildi, 420. 

Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax, 11, 14. 

pyrrhostictus, Lanius collaris, 263. 

Pyrrhula striolata, 471. 

Pyrrhulauda signata, 35. 

pyrrhuloides, Pyrrhulorhyncha, 389. 

Pyrrhulorhyncha pyrrhuloides, 389. 

Pytilia afra, 3, 439. 
afra cinereigula, 439. 
afra griseigularis, 439. 
belli, 441, 443. 
centralis, 441. 
citerior, 441. 
conradsi, 441. 
damarensis, 441. 
grotei, 441. 
jessi, 441. 
kirki, 441, 443. 
ladoensis, 441. 
melba, 441. 
melba affinis, 440, 441. 
melba jubaensis, 443. 
melba kirki, 440, 441. 
melba soudanensis, 440-442. 
percivali, 441. 
tanganjicae, 441. 
useguhae, 441. 

quartinia, Coccopygia melanotis, 448, 

449 


Hstrelda, 448. 

Quelea cardinalis cardinalis, 418420. 
cardinalis pallida, 2, 3, 418, 419. 
quelea aethiopica, 415-417. 
quelea centralis, 417. 
quelea intermedia, 416. 
quelea lathamii, 417. 
quelea sanguinirostris, 416. 

quiscalina, Campephaga, 58. 

raaltenii, Anthus, 253. 

raffertyi, Rhinoptilus africanus, 2. 

ragazzii, Eleocerthia, 366. 
Cyanomitra olivacea, 366. 

raineyi, Helionympha, 354. 

ralloides, Ardeola, 3. 

Rallus cinereus, 328. 

regia, Vidua, 468. 

regius, Cosmopsaris, 8, 3387. 
Todus, 244. 

reichardi, Ploceus vitellinus, 404. 

reichenowi, Cinnyris, 362, 363. 
Cinnyris reichenowi. 362. 


106220—37——33 


501 


tone: Cisticola brachyptera, 206, 
Me 
Dioptrornis, 230. 
Drepanorhynchus, 351. 
Gymnoris pyrgita, 395. 
Nectarinia, 3, 351. 
Oriolus monacha, 67, 69-72. 
Ploceus, 398. 
Ploceus reichenowi, 397. 
Poliospiza atrogularis, 469, 470. 
Pycnonotus xanthopygos, 115. 
Serinus, 469. 
Spiloptila, 210. 
Streptopelia, 8. 
remigialis, Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 
295. 
Telephonus, 293. 
retzii, Sigmodus, 521. 
revoillii, Melittophagus, 3. 
Rhinocorax rhipidurus, 80, 81. 
Rhinoptilus africanus raffertyi, 2. 
rhipidurus, Corvus, 80. 
Rhinocorax, 80, 81. 
rhodopareia, Lagonosticta, 448, 444. 
Lagonosticta rubricata, 443, 444. 
Rhodophoneus cruentus cathemagme- 
nus, 310, 311. 
cruentus cruentus, 8, 310, 312. 
cruentus hilgerti, 8, 310-312, 313. 
cruentus kordofanicus, 310, 312. 
rhodopyga, Estrilda rhodopyga, 451. 
Rhynchastatus lugubris, 277. 
Riparia minor schoensis, 54. 
paludicola ducis, 53. 
paludicola minor, 53, 54. 
paludicola paludicola, 53. 
paludicola sudanensis, 53, 54. 
riparia fuscocollaris, 52. 
riparia riparia, 52. 
riparia shelleyi, 52. 
rupestris pusilla, 54. 
riparia, Hirundo, 52. 
Riparia riparia, 52. 
robusta, Cisticola robusta, 204. 
Drymoica, 204. 
roehli, Alseonax minimus, 218, 219. 
Bradypterus alfredi, 170. 
Turdus olivaceus, 126. 
rolleti, Oriolus, 71. 
Oriolus monacha, 67, 69-71, 72. 
roosevelti, Granatina ianthinogaster, 
457, 458. 
rostrata, Oenanthe, 134. 
rothschildi, Anthoscopus, 89. 
Anthoscopus ecaroli, 3, 89. 
Campephaga, 57, 59. 
Granatina ianthinogaster, 457, 458. 
Hirundo, 42. 
Hirundo lucida, 42. 
Laniarius funebris, 276, 277. 
Pyromelana flammiceps, 420. 
Rougetius rougetii, 3, 14. 
rubecula, Erithacus rubecula, 159. 
Motacilla, 159. 
ruberrima, Lagonosticta senegala, 445, 
446. 


502 


rubetra, Motacilla, 149. 
Saxicola rubetra, 149. 
rubiginosa, Argya rubiginosa, 96-99, 

101 

Crateropus, 96. 
rubiginosus, Crateropus rubiginosus, 97. 

Ploceus, 407. 

Ploceus rubiginosus, 407. 
rudolfi, Pinarochroa sordida, 141, 142. 
rufescens, Phyllastrephus, 115, 116. 
ruficeps, Alauda, 38. 

Alauda arvensis, 38. 

Laniarius, 8. 

Tephrocorys cinerea, 38. 
ruficollis, Corvus corax, 76. 
rufidorsalis, Spiloptila rufifrons, 211. 
rufifrons, Prinia, 210. 

Spiloptila rufifrons, 210. 
rufigula, Cotyle, 54. 

EKuplectes, 423. 

Ptyonoprogne rufigula, 54, 55. 
rufipennis, Cichladusa guttata, 154. 
rufocinetus, Lioptilornis, 104. 

Passer, 386. 

Passer iagoensis, 386. 
rufocinerea, Petrophila 

132-134. 

Saxicola, 132. 

rufofuscus, Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 
294. 

rufogularis, Anthus, 256. 

rufopicta, Lagonosticta, 445. 

rufuensis, Turdoides hypoleuca, 94, 95. 

rufula, Hirundo rufula, 46. 

rufulus, Anthus, 253. 

rungwensis, Linurgus kilimensis, 473, 
474. 

rupestris, Monticola, 132. 

riippellii, Amydrus, 340. 

Eurocephalus, 322. 


rufocinerea, 


Hurocephalus ritippelli, 322, 324, 
325. 
rippellii, Onychognathus morio, 14, 


340. 
ruspolii, Dinemellia, 377. 
rustica, Hirundo, 40, 41, 47. 
Hirundo rustica, 40. 
ruwenzorii, Apalis, 177. 
Nilaus, 328. 
Salicaria elaeica, 161. 
leucoptera, 155. 
salvadorii, Bradypterus, 168. 
Galeopsar, 8, 14, 342, 348. 
samamisica, Motacilla, 158. 
samamisicus, Phoenicurus phoenicurus, 
158. 
sanguinirostris, Quelea quelea, 416. 
saphiroi, Anthus, 255. 
Sarcops, 329. 
sassii, Coliuspasser albonotatus, 429. 
Serinus flavivertex, 467. 
saturata, Stelgidocichla latirostris, 122, 
23. 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


saturatior, Hirundo senegalensis, 48. 
Tephrocorys cinerea, 39. 
saxatilis, Monticola, 131. 
Turdus, 131. 
Saxicola albiscapulata, 144. 
albofasciata, 147. 
frenata, 136. 
isabellina, 136. 
lugubris, 185. 
melaena, 142. 
melanura, 135. 
rubetra rubetra, 149. 
rufocinerea, 1382. 
Saxicola semirufa, 144. 
torquata albofasciata, 146, 147. 
torquata axillaris, 146, 147. 
torquata emmae, 146. 
torquata hemprichii, 148. 
torquata indica, 146. 
torquata maura, 146-148. 
torquata promiscua, 146. 
scapulatus, Corvus, 80. 
schillingsi, Calamocichla, 116. 
Cisticola, 209. 
Cisticola cinereola, 208, 209. 
Mirafra, 19. 
schistacea, Melaenornis lugubris, 232. 
Schlegelia wilsoni, 329. 
schoana, Pinarochroa sordida, 140-142. 
schoanus, Malaconotus poliocephalus, 
308, 309, 310. 
Pyenonotus barbatus, 112-115. 
Uraeginthus bengalus, 455, 456. 
Zosterops virens, 372, 378. 
schoeniclus, Emberiza, 389. 
schoensis, Riparia minor, 54. 
schubotzi, Arizelocichla, 119. 
Chloropeta, 234. 
scioana, Chaleomitra, 365. 
scioanus, Bubalornis albirostris, 
377. 
selateri, Apalis cinerea, 174. 
Erythropygia leucoptera, 156. 
Huprinodes cinerea, 175. 
Petrophila rufocinerea, 132, 133. 
secotti, Zosterops virens, 372, 373. 
scutatus, Spermestes, 482, 483. 
Spermestes cucullatus, 432, 433. 
Seicercus alpina, 163, 164. 
budongoensis, 164. 
laeta, 164. 
umbrovirens doreadichroa, 164. 
umbrovirens erythreae, 14, 164. 
umbrovirens mackenziana, 164, 165. 
umbrovirens omoensis, 14, 163, 164. 
umbrovirens umbrovirens, 14, 163, 
164. 
umbrovirens yemensis, 164. 
wilhelmi, 163. 
semirufa, Cossypha semirufa, 150. 
Saxicola, 144. 
Thamnolaea, 144. 


376, 


saturatior, Cossypha semirufa, 150,151.} senator, Lanius senator, 273. 


Fringillaria, 478. 
Fringillaria striolata, 3, 478. 


senegalensis, Hirundo senegalensis, 45, 


46, 48, 49. 





INDEX 


senegalus, Harpolestes, 290. 
Lanius, 292. 
Pomatorhynchus, 290-292. 
Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 294. 
sephaena, Francolinus, 6. 
septemstriata, Fringillaria 
477, 478. 
Serinus citrinelloides, 474. 
Serinus dorsostriatus maculicollis, 465, 
466. 


tahapisi, 


flavivertex flavivertex, 467. 
flavivertex huillensis, 467. 
flavivertex sassii, 467. 
harterti, 466. 
maculicollis, 465. 
reichenowi, 469. 
taruensis, 466. 
tristriatus, 468. 
serratus, Clamator serratus, 2. 
sextus, Dryoscopus gambensis, 285. 
sharpei, Anthoscopus, 89. 
Argya, 98. 
Mirafra, 8. 
Phyllastrephus, 115, 116. 
sharpii, Argya, 97. 
Pholia, 332. 
Pholidauges, 382. 
shelleyi, Onychognathus morio, 3490. 
Passer iagoensis, 386. 
Riparia riparia, 52. 
Spreo, 343. _ 
sibirica, Melanocorypha, 88. 
Sigmodus, 342. 
eaniceps, 321. 
retzii, 321. 
retzii graculinus, 320, 321. 
retzii intermedius, 320, 321. 
retzii neumanni, 321. 
retzii nigricans, 320, 321. 
retzii tricolor, 320, 321. 
signata, Eremopteryx, 35, 37, 38. 
Pyrrhulauda, 35. 
simensis, Geokichla litsipsirupa, 14, 130, 
3 


Merula, 130. 
Similis, Chloropeta, 234. 
Chloropeta natalensis, 234, 235. 
Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus, 303. 
simplex, Calamonastes simplex, 171, 
17 


Caprimulgus stellatus, 3. 
Cisticola chiniana, 199. 
Mirafra cantillans, 15. 
Thamnobia, 171. 
sincipitalis, Eremopteryx albifrons, 34, 
35. 
singularis, Charadriola, 256, 258. 
Sitta carolinensis, 237. 
sjéstedti, Bradypterus alfredi, 170, 171. 
smithi, Eremopteryx leucotis, 34. 
Lanius collaris, 263. 
Zosterops, 371. 
smithii, Crateropus, 91. 
Dryodromas, 211. 
Hirundo, 44. 
Hirundo smithii, 44. 


503 


smithii, Spiloptila rufifrons, 211. 
Turdoides leucopygia, 91, 92. 

Smithornis, 5. 

sokokensis, Phyllastrephus, 118. 

somalica, Prinia somalica, 8. 
Streptopelia capicola, 2, 8. 

somalicus, Lanius, 265, 268. 

Lanius somalicus, 8, 265-267. 

Pterocles senegalensis, 2. 

somaliensis, Andropadus insularis, 121, 

122. 

Batis orientalis, 237, 289, 241. 

Carine noctua, 2, 8. 

Cursorius cursor, 7. 

Hupodotis canicollis, 8. 

Galerida cristata, 29, 30. 

Lagonosticta senegala, 
448. 

Laniarius ferrugineus, 281, 282. 

Parisoma leucomelaena, 8. 

Pycnonotus, 12, 112. 

Pycnonotus arsinoe, 112-114. 

somereni, Poliospiza atrogularis, 470. 
Zosterops virens, 372, 373. 

sordida, Pinarochroa, 14, 141, 

sordidus, Anthus, 251, 252. 

Sorella eminibey, 3, 392. 
eminibey guasso, 392. 

soror, Batis molitor, 236, 237, 240. 

soudanensis, Pytilia melba, 440-442. 
Zonogastris, 440. 

speciosa, Terpsiphone viridis, 244. 

Speculipastor bicolor, 3, 332. 

Spermestes cucullatus cucullatus, 482, 

433. 
eucullatus scutatus, 482, 433. 
scutatus, 432, 433. 

Spermophaga, 12. 
niveoguttata, 4388. 

Spiloptila clamans, 210. 
danakilensis, 210. 
reichenowi, 210. 
rufifrons rufidorsalis, 211. 
rufifrons rufifrons, 210. 
rufifrons smithii, 211. 
rufifrons turkana, 211. 

Spinus citrinelloides citrinelloides, 474. 
citrinelloides frontalis, 474. 
citrinelloides hypostictus, 474. 
citrinelloides kikuyuensis, 474. 
nigriceps, 14, 475. 

Spizocorys, 5, 17. 


445, 446, 


splendidus, Lamprocolius splendidus, 
334. 
Turdus, 334. 


spleniata, Tephrocorys, 39, 40. 
Sporaeginthus margaritae, 453. 
Sporopipes cinerascens, 395. 
frontalis abyssinicus, 395-397. 
frontalis cinerascens, 395, 396. 
frontalis emini, 395, 396. 
frontalis frontalis, 395, 396. 
Spreo fischeri, 333. 
Spreo hildebrandati, 348. 
shelleyi, 343. 
superbus, 344. 


004 


spurius, Pycnonotus, 105, 109. 
Pycnonotus dodsoni, 106, 107, 109. 
Steganura, 463. 
aucupum, 465. 
paradisaea, 464, 465. 
Stelgidillas, 12. 
Stelgidocichla, 12. 
latirostris congener, 128. 
latirostris eugenia, 122, 123. 
latirostris latirostris, 128. 
latirostris pallida, 122, 1238. 
latirostris saturata, 122, 123. 
stellata, Muscicapa, 157. 
Stenostira plumbea, 221. 
Stephanibyx coronatus suspicax, 2. 
lugubris, 3. 
stierlingi, Geokichla litsipsirupa, 130. 
strepitans, Criniger, 115. 
Phyllastrephus, 3, 115, 117. 
Phylastrephus strepitans, 115. 
Streptopelia capicola, 6. 
eapicola hilgerti, 8. 
capicola somalica, 2, 8. 
decipiens elegans, 8. 
decipiens griseiventris, 8. 
reichenowi, 8. 
roseogrisea arabica, 2. 
striata, Motacilla, 217. 
Muscicapa, 224. 
Muscicapa striata, 217. 
stricta, Euplectes taha, 428. 
striolata, Poliospiza striolata, 471-478. 
Pyrrhula, 471. 
Struthiolithus, 4. 
struthiunculus, Choriotis kori, 3. 
stuhlmanni, Cinnyris, 362, 363. 
Othyphantes, 398. 
Ploceus, 398. 
Zosterops senegalensis, 370. 
Zosterops virens, 372, 373. 
Sturnidae, 328. 
suahelieca, Cinnyris, 354. 
Coliuspasser ardens, 4380, 431. 
Penthetria laticauda, 430. 
Terpsiphone viridis, 244, 245. 
suahelicus, Batis minor, 238. 
Bradornis murinus, 228. 
Bradornis pallidus, 224, 225, 228. 
Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus, 303- 


305. 
Cinnyris mariquensis, 354, 355. 
Cosmophoneus sulphureopectus, 
305. 


Dryoscopus, 284. 
Ploceus ocularius, 409. 
subadusta, Alseonax adusta, 218. 
subalaris, Andropadus insularis, 121, 
122. 
Bradornis pallidus, 223-225. 
Hirundo lucida, 42. 
subeaeruleum, Parisoma, 103. 
subcoronotus, Lanius collaris, 263, 
sublacteus, Laniarius ferrugineus, 281, 
282. 
subocularis, 
260. 


Macronyx aurantiigula, 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


subrufescens, Cossypha heuglini, 150, 
151. 
subrufipennis, Thamnolaea, 145. 
Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris, 
143. 
subtilis, Alseonax minimus, 218. 
sudanensis, Pomatorhynchus senegalus, 
295, 296. 
Riparia paludicola, 53, 54. 
Tschagra senegala, 293. 
sukensis, Cinnyris venustus, 358. 
sulfureopectus, Chlorophoneus sulfureo- 
pectus, 303. 
superbus, Lamprocolius, 344. 
Spreo, 344. 

superciliaris, Budytes feldegg, 250. 
Camaroptera, 192. 

suspicax, Stephanibyx coronatus, 2. 

swainsonii, Passer griseus, 389-391. 
Pyrgita, 389. 

sycobius, Lamprocolius chalybeus, 333. 

Sycobrotus emini, 400, 

sylvatica, Euplectes hordeacea, 421, 422. 

Sylvia atricapilla atricapilla, 160. 
cinnamomea, 167. 
eollybita, 163. 
communis, 160. 
communis communis, 169. 
communis icterops, 160. 
curruca curruca, 159. 
lugubris, 202. 
lypura, 137. 

sylvia, Bradornis, 223. 

sylviella, Anthoscopus caroli, 89. 

Sylviella distinguenda, 181. 
isabellina, 185. 
jacksoni, 180. 
leucophrys, 185. 
leucopsis, 180, 181. 
major, 181, 182. 

Sylvietta brachyura hilgerti, 179. 
brachyura leucopsis, 179, 180, 184. 
brachyura micrura, 180, 
brachyura tavetensis, 180. 
erlangeri, 185. 
gaikwari, 185. 
isabellina, 185. 
johnstoni, 181. 
leucophrys chloronota, 186. 
leucophrys keniensis, 185, 186. 
leucophrys leucophrys, 185, 186. 
macrorhyncha, 185. 
minima, 181, 183. 
pallidior, 181. 
whytii abayensis, 2, 181-184. 
whytii fischeri, 181, 183. 
whytii jacksoni, 180-183. 
whytii loringi, 181-184. 
whytii whytii, 181, 182. 
zedlitzi, 181. 

Sylviidae, 159. 

Symplectes, 12. 

tacazze, Certhia, 346. 

Nectarinia, 346. 

tahapisi, Emberiza, 477. 

Fringillaria tahapisi, 477. 

talacoma, Prionops poliocephalus, 316. 


SS Sse 


INDEX 


Tanagra erythroryncha, 345. 
tana, Cisticola robusta, 205, 
tanganjicae, Pyenenotus, 111. 
Pytilia, 441. 
tanganyika, Cisticola aridula, 197. 
Tangavius aeneus aeneus, 311. 
aeneus involucratus, 311. 
taranta, Agapornis, 11, 14. 
tardinata, Eremomela griseoflava, 188. 
taruensis, Batis molitor, 236. 
Bradornis microrhynchus, 223, 225. 
Serinus, 466. 
tavetensis, EHuodice cantans, 484, 
Sylvietta brachyura, 180. 
Tchitrea, 2438, 244, 
ferreti, 2438. 
teitensis, Anthreptes collaris, 367. 
Coliuspasser ardens, 430, 431. 
Pycnonotus dodsoni, 105. 
Telephonus jamesi, 299. 
percivali, 293. 
remigialis, 298. 
senegalus miilleri, 293, 294. 
Telophonus senegalus camerunensis, 


senegalus catholeucus, 293. 
senegalus erlangeri, 291, 293. 
senegalus pallidus, 293. 
trivirgatus, 293. 
Telophorus dohertyi, 306. 
tenella, Prinia mistacea, 212, 213. 
tenellus, Tmetothylacus, 256. 
Macronix, 256. 
tenuirostris, Lamprotornis, 340. 
Onychognathus, 340. 
tenuis, Petrophila rufocinerea, 133, 134. 
Tephrocorys anderssoni, 39. 
blandfordi, 39, 40. 
cinerea cinerea, 39, 40. 
cinerea erlangeri, 38, 40. 
cinerea fuertesi, 38, 40. 
cinerea ruficeps, 38. 
cinerea saturatior, 39. 
spleniata, 39, 40. 
ee Arizelocichia tephrolaema, 
tephronotus, Turdus, 3, 128, 129, 
Terpsiphone, 248, 244. 
melampyra, 244. 
viridis, 244. 
viridis ferreti, 243-245. 
viridis harterti, 245. 
viridis perspicillata, 244, 245. 
viridis plumbeiceps, 244, 245. 
viridis speciosa, 244. 
viridis suahelica, 244, 245. 
viridis viridis, 244, 245. 
tessmanni, Bradornis, 2238. 
Textor dinemelli, 377, 378. 
intermedius, 376. 
Thamnobia simplex, 171. 
Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris albi- 
seapulata, 143, 144, 145. 
cinnamomeiventris bambarae, 148. 
cinnamomeiventris subrufipennis, 
148. 
cinnamomeiventris usambarae, 143. 


505 


Thamnolaea semirufa, 144. 
subrufipennis, 148. 
thoracica, Apalis, 177. 
thruppi, Parus afer, 83. 
Timeliidae, 91. 
Tmetothylacus tenellus, 256. 
Todus regius, 244. 
Torgos tracheliotus nubicus, 3. 
toroensis, Camaroptera, 192. 
torrida, Mirafra fischeri, 24. 
Trachyphonus' erythrocephalus 
larum, 14. 
erythrocephalus jacksoni, 2. 
transitiva, Hirundo, 41. 
transvaalensis, Bradypterus, 166. 
Laniarius ferrugineus, 280. 
traversii, Urobrachya, 428. 
Urobrachya axillaris, 14, 428. 
tricolor, Pycnonotus, 108. 
tricolor, Sigmodus retzii, 320, 321. 
Tringa carunculata capensis, 328. 
tristriata, Poliospiza tristriata, 468. 
tristriatus, Serinus, 468. 
trivirgatus, Telophonus, 293. 
trochilus, Motacilla, 162. 
Phylloscopus trochilus, 162, 163. 
tropicalis, Melaenornis ater, 231, 233. 
Melaeornis pammelaina, 238, 234. 
Melanopepla, 233. 
Mirafra, 21. 
Tropidorhynchus novae-guinea, 329. 
trothae, Ploceus rubiginosus, 408. 
tsanae, Lybius, 11, 14. 
tschadensis, Lanius excubitorious, 272. 
tschagra, Pomatorhynchus, 290, 291. 
Tschagra senegala chadensis, 293. 
senegala sudanensis, 293. 
senegala warsangliensis, 298, 294. 
Turacus leucotis donaldsoni, 14. 
turatii, Laniarius ferrulgineus, 281. 
Turdidae, 124. 
Turdoides hartlaubii, 93. 
hartlaubii ater, 93. 
hindei, 95, 96. 
hypoleuca, 94-96. 
hypoleuca rufuensis, 94, 95. 
leucopygia lacuum, 91-93, 94. 
leucopygia leucopygia, 91, 92. 
leucopygia limbata, 91, 92. 
leucopygia omoensis, 3, 91-94. 
leucopygia smithii, 91, 92. 
Turdus abyssinicus, 127. 
aethiopicus, 280. 
libonyanus centralis, 124-126. 
libonyanus cinerascens, 125. 
libonyanus costae, 125, 
libonyanus pelios, 124, 125. 
ludoviciae, 12. 
milanjensis, 126. 
olivaceus, 6. 
olivaceus abyssinicus, 14, 127, 128. 
olivaceus elgonensis, 126, 127. 
olivaceus helleri, 126. 
olivaceus polius, 126. 
olivaceus roehli, 126. 
olivaceus uluguru, 126. 


gal- 


506 


Turdus pelios centralis, 124. 

podobe, 158. 

saxatilis, 131. 

splendidus, 334. 

tephronotus, 3, 128, 129. 
turkana, Cercomela, 1388. 

Cercomela scotocerca, 138, 139. 

Spiloptila rufifrons, 211. 
turkanae, Cinnyris habessinicus, 352, 

353. 
turkestanicus, 
urus, 158. 

turneri, Anthus gouldii, 254, 255. 
Tylibyx melanocephala, 11. 
Tympanistria tympanistria fraseri, 3. 
ugandae, Anthreptes collaris, 367. 

Granatina ianthinogaster, 458. 

Granatina ianthogaster, 458. 

Melaenornis edolioides, 232. 

Passer griseus, 390. 

Poliospiza striolata, 472. 
ugogoensis, Uraeginthus bengalus, 455. 
ukamba, Cisticola chiniana, 199. 
uluensis, Hyphantornis vitellinus, 408. 

Ploceus vitellinus, 403, 404. 
uluguru, Turdus olivaceus, 126. 


Phoenicurus phoenic- 


umbriventer, Lagonosticta rubricata, 
umbrovirens, Seicercus umbrovirens, 
14, 1638, 164. 


undatus, Lybius, 14. 

unicolor, Amblyospiza albifrons, 
413. 

unisplendens, Nectarinia, 346, 347. 

unitatis, Hirundo abyssinica, 50, 51. 

Uraeginthus bengalus bengalus, 456. 

bengalus brunneigularis, 455-457. 

bengalus schoanus, 455, 456. 

bengalus ugogoensis, 455. 

ianthinogaster, 457. 

Urobrachya axillaris axillaris, 428. 

axillaris phoenicea, 428. 

axillaris traversii, 14, 428. 

axillaris zanzibarica, 428. 

traversii, 428. 
uropygialis, Cisticola juncidis, 196. 

Drymoica, 196. 

Lanius collaris, 263, 264. 
usambarae, Arizelocichla, 119. 
usambarae, Bradypterus alfredi, 170, 

ale 

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris, 

148. 
usambaricus, Cinnyris mediocris, 361. 
useguhae, Pytilia, 441. 
vacillans, Ploceus nigricollis, 410. 
verreauxi, Aquila, 3, 14. 

Cinnyricinelus leucogaster, 331. 
verticalis, Eremopteryx, 38. 

Vidua eques, 429. 

fischeri, 463, 464. 

hypocherina, 462, 468, 464. 

macroura, 460-463. 

regia, 463. 


412, 


BULLETIN 153, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 


vidua, Motacilla, 247. 

Motacilla aguimp, 247. 

vinaceigularis, Prionops cristata, 318, 
319. 

viridiceps, Apalis flavida, 8, 176, 177. 

viridis, Terpsiphone, 244 

Terpsiphone viridis, 244, 245. 
vitellinus, Ploceus vitellinus, 404. 
vulpina, Erythropygia leucoptera, 155, 

156. 
vulturinum, Acryllium, 3. 
vulturnus, Macronyx croceus, 259. 
walleri, Amydrus, 338. 

Onychognathus walleri, 3, 338, 339. 
wambuguensis, Cisticola hunteri, 202. 
warsangliensis, Tschagra senegala, 293, 

294. 


whytii, Sylvietta whytii, 181, 182. 
wilhelmi, Seicercus, 163. 
wilsoni, Schlegelia, 329. 
Xanthodina pyrgita, 393. 
xanthomelas, Euplectes, 423. 
Euplectes capensis, 423-426, 428. 

xanthopygius, Poliospiza, atrogularis, 

470. 


xanthornoides, Campephaga, 57, 59. 
Xenocichla kikuyuensis, 119. 
placida, 117. 
yalensis, Zosterops, 373. 
yemensis, Seicercus umbrovirens, 164. 
zambesiensis, Euplectes capensis, 424, 
425. 
zanzibarica, Urobrachya axillaris, 428. 
zedlitzi, Cisticola brachyptera, 206, 207. 
Sylvietta, 181. 
zenkeri, Anthus leucophrys, 255. 
Zonogastris soudanensis, 440. 
Zosteropidae, 369. 
Zosterops abyssinica, 374. 
abyssinicus abyssinicus, 374. 
abyssinicus omoensis, 374. 
elgonensis, 373. 
erlangeri, 374, 375. 
jubaensis, 370. 
kikuyuensis, 371. 
massaica, 370. 
poliogaster, 374. 
senegalensis aurifrons, 370. 
senegalensis flavilateralis, 369, 370. 
senegalensis fricki, 2, 3, 369, 370. 


senegalensis jubaensis, 369, 370, 
371. 

senegalensis stuhlmanni, 370. 

smithi, 371. 


virens eurycricotus, 372. 
virens garguensis, 371-3738. 
virens jacksoni, 371-373. 
virens kaffensis, 371-378. 
virens kikuyuensis, 371-373. 
virens schoanus, 372, 373. 
virens scotti, 372, 373. 
virens somereni, 372, 373. 
virens stuhlmanni, 872, 373. 
yalensis, 373. 


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