net VN/'f«*- ■y-ssse' t»/t^ ^ The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022570257 ^k [ 197 1 VI, On a collection of Birds from Iforth-Eastern Abyssinia and the JBopos Comitry. By Otto Finsch, Ph.D., C.M.Z.S. With notes by the collector, "V\^illiam Jesse, C.M.Z.S.,. Zoologist to the Abyssinian Expedition. Bead June 10th, 1869. [Plates XXIII. to XXVII.] Having for a long time past directed my attention to the study of the avifauna of Africa, I was much pleased to have an opportunity of examining the fine collection of birds brought home by Mr. Jesse, the indefatigable zoologist attached to the late Abyssinian expedition. This collection was formed on the Abyssinian coast-region at Zoulla and Massowah, in north-eastern Abyssinia, and in the Bogos country, all of which parts of Africa had been already tolerably well explored. With the successful endeavours of Drs. Ehrenb©rg and Hemprich, the latter of whom lies buried on the island of Tan-el-had, opposite Massowah, began our acquaintance with the avifauna of the Abyssinian coast-lands. Their extensive work 'Symbolse physicae' is, from its unwieldy size, and also from the fact of its being without systematic arrangement of any kind, too seldom referred to, and many of the valuable discoveries therein contained have not received the attention they deserve at the hands of scientific men. Dr. Riippell, the reexplorer of Abyssinia after the celebrated Bruce, obtained many novelties, and published the results of his explorations in handy and convenient volumes. The extensive collections made by Major Harris have only become the property of science in a limited degree, not having been published in a connected form. Amongst those who have enriched our knowledge of the avifauna of Abyssinia I must mention Salt, Theophile Lefebvre, Ferret, and Galinier, travellers whose names will be for ever engraved in the annals of science ; nor must I forget to mention the collection formed during a voyage in the Red Sea by Mr. James Daubeny, and recorded by Dr. Sclater in Sir William Jardine's ' Contributions to Ornithology ' for 1852 (p. 123). During the last ten years, however, our knowledge of the ornithology of North- eastern Africa has been most satisfactorily- extended by the explorations of Hofrath v. Heuglin and Dr. A. Brehm in the Bogos country. The first-mentioned naturalist, undoubtedly our first authority on, Abyssinian zoology, made a' long residence in the Bogos country when attached to the German expedition in search of the much lamented Dr. Eduard Vogel, having been elected by the German nation to the command of this once much talked-of, but now almost forgotten, expedition. From the end of July to VOL. VII. — PART IV. May, 1870. 2 f 198 DE. 0. PINSCH ON BIEDS PEOM NOETH-EASTEEN the end of October he successfully explored the Bogos country ; and many new birds were discovered, a few of which, however, have since been referred to previously described species. Dr. A. Brehm, who was attached to the hunting expedition of the Duke Ernst II. of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, during his short visit of two months, made many valuable observations on the habits of the mammals and birds, which were published in a popular work bearing the ill-chosen title of ' Results of a Voyage to Abyssinia" — ^ill- chosen, because the author never entered Abyssinia proper, having only reached the coast-land of Samchara and the plateau of Mensa, in the Bogos country, about 4000 feet above the level of the sea. After such important explorations by so many celebrated travellers, it might be supposed that the researches of Mr. Jesse had not been productive of any great results. His fine and surprisingly rich collection, containing about 735 skins, proves the contrary. Although there are only two new, or, I should rather, say hitherto overlooked species in the collection, namely, a Lark {Aloemon jessei) and a Shrike (Lanius fallax), we were astonished at the fine series of specimens, all of them bearing a label on which was accurately marked the locality, date, and sex, the latter point being always determined by anatomical dissection. These series of specimens have enabled us to become better acquainted with many species than was before possible, by exhibiting to us the individual aberrations and variations of the birds themselves, which knowledge is in many respects more valuable than the discovery of new species. Our knowledge of the geographical distribution of birds has also been increased by adding species to the avifauna of North-eastern Africa which were either little known (such as Cossypha gutturalis and Charadrius pecuarius) or entirely unknown (as Cotyle fuligula, Nectarinia jardinei. Sterna macroptera, Hypolais olivetorum, and E. elaica) to, be inhabitants of that part of Africa. The occurrence of many species new to Abyssinia and the Bogos country is also of great interest. For Abyssinia I may mention Aquila imperialis (observed on the Eed Sea for the first time near ZouUa), Bubo ascalaphus, Otus brachyotus (shores of the Red Sea), Himantopus melanopteriis ; for the Bogos country, Halcyon senegalensis, Irrisor aterrimus, Nectarinia pulchella, Thamnobia albifrons, Zosterops abyssinica, Turdus pelios, Cratercypus limbatus, Or. leucocephalus, Platystira senegalensis, Lanius nubicus, Colius macrourus, Pogonorhyn- cJius u/ndatus, Megalcema pusilla, Oxylophus afer. Indicator sparmanni, and Cursorius chalcopterus. The total number of species collected by Mr. Jesse is 219, being more than a quarter of all the birds known to inhabit north-eastern Africa, supposing the total number to be somewhere about 800. Riippell enumerates only 532 ; Heuglin ten years after- wards 754, and in his fauna of the Red Sea 325 species. Dr. Brehm observed during his short visit 172 species. The results of Mr. Jesse's expedition are therefore not less ' Ergebnisse einer Eeise nach Habeseh im Gefolge Seiner Hoheit des regierenden Herzogs von Sachsen- Coburg-Gotha Ernst II., von Dr. A. E. Brehm (Hamburg, 1863). ABYSSINIA AND THE BOGOS COtJNTEY. 199 than those obtained by any of his predecessors, especially when the short period of his stay is taken into consideration ; and the present collection of birds will always remain a proof of the diligence and zeal of this indefatigable collector. I have given critical remarks, to the best of my power, on all interesting or disputed points connected with the determination of the species in the following list; while Mr. Jesse has furnished some field-notes as to habits and the colour of the eyes, legs, &c., which, as far as I can judge myself, seem to have been recorded with most com- mendable accuracy. Fam. VULTURID^^ 1. VULTUE FULVTJS (Gml.). Gypsfulvus, Riipp. Syst. Ueters. p. 9. no. 4a; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 46; id. Faun, des Eothen MeereSj no. 4 c. Vultur fulvm, Finsch & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 31. no. 1 d. a. Senafe. April 1868. The plumage of this specimen is strongly tinged with ochre-brown,, like the so-called Vultur fulvus orientalis of Schlegel. Bill greyish horn-colour, along the culm en yellowish. Long. al. Caud. Culm. Bostr. a rict. Tars. Dig. interm. Measurements . . 1' lU" 10" 33'" 2" 10" 4" 3" 11"' '■2 The length of the bill is taken from the front to the apex. The measurements of the toes are exclusive of the claw. All dimensions are given in old French feet and inches, the inches being divided into twelve lines. [Common in the highlands. — W. J.'\ ' The fuH titles of tlie works referred to are : — a. SystematiscLe Uebersiolit der Vogel Nord-Ost-Afrika's, von Dr. Eduard KiippeU, Prankfurt a. M. 1845 (mit 50 Abbildungen). 6. Systematisclie Uebersicht der Vogel !N"ord-Ost-Afrika's, mit Eiascbluss der Arabischen Kiiste, des Eothen Meeres und der Nil-QueUen-Lander, siidwiirts bis zum iv. Grade nordl. Breite, von Dr. Th. von Heuglin (aus dem Februarhefte des Jahrganges 1856 der Sitzungsberichte der mathem.-naturw. Classe der Kaiserl. Akademie der "Wissenschaften (Wien, Band xix. pp. 265-324) besonders abgedruckt. c. Th. V. HeugUn's Forschungen uber die Fauna des Eothen Meeres und der Somali-Kiiste. Ein systematisches Verzeichniss der Saugethiere und Vogel (Mittheilungen aus Justus Perthe's geographischer Austalt iiber wichtige neue Forschungen auf dem Gesammtgebiete der Geographie von Dr. A. Petermann, 1861, pp. 11-32). d. We trust we shall be allowed to refer to this unpublished work, which is more than half printed off, and win be published very shortly. The fuU title will be : — Baron Carl Claus von der Decken's Eeisen iu Ost- Africa. Vierter Band : Die Vogel Ost-Africa's von Dr. 0. Finsch und Dr. G. Hartlaub. Mit 11 Tafeln in Buntdruck. It will contain descriptions of aU the birds, about 457 species, known from Eastern Africa, from the southern extremity of Mozambique up to Cape Gardafui and the Somali coast. 2 f2 200 DE, O. riNSCH ON BIEDS FEOM NOETH-EASTEEN 2. NBOPHEOJf PILEATUS (Burch.). . Neophron pileatus, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 9. no. 3; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 3; id. Faiin.'d. Rotb. M. no. Ij Brebm, Erg. Reisin. Habesch, p. 205.no. 1; Finsch & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 35. no. 3, Cathartes monachtis, Temm. PL Col. 232. a. 3 . Zonlla. June 6thj 1868. b. ZouUa. June 6tb, 1868. [Common from the coast to the highlands. — TFl J".] 3. Gypaetos meeidionalis, Keys. & Bias. Gypaetos meridionalis, Keys. & Bias. Wirbelth. Eur. p. xxviii, Anm. (1840) ; Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 1. no. 1 ; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 1 ; ic?. Faun, des Roth. M. no. 6. a. 6 ad. Senafe. April 1868. b. 2 ad. Senafe. April 1868. c. 2 ad. Senafe. April 14tb, 1868. The distinctive characters pointed out by MM. Keyserling and Blasius for the African Oypaetus (founded on specimens from the Cape of Good Hope) seem to be permanent. Besides the specimens collected by Mr. Jesse, there were two other specimens killed by a gentleman during the expedition. All these birds have the basal portion of the tarsus about three-quarters of an inch to one inch naked, and the space between the angle of the mouth and the ears devoid of black hairs, which are always present in the European G. harhatus. The latter species has the tarsus feathered to the base, otherwise there is no difference. The males are very deep fulvous under- neath. The following are the dimensions of the specimens brought by Mr. Jesse : — Long. al. Oaud. Culm. Rict. Tars. Dig. int. No. 1, c? . . 2' 4" 17^" 33'" 3" 4'" 3" 2'" 3" 1"' No. 2, 6 . . — 17 23 3 6 3 6 3 5 No. 3, 6 . . 2 3 16 24 3 6 3 4 3 1 No. 4, $ . . 2 3 18 21 3 1 3 8 3 3 No. 5, ? . . 2 2i 15J 23 3 4 3 4 3 1.— 0. F. [The female (c) had the iris yellow, with an outer ring of blood-red; strong hairs over the nostrils; bill bluish horn-colour; feet bluish horn-colour; talons darker. I obtained three specimens of this splendid bird, among them a fine adult male. They were very plentiful in. and about the camp at Senafe and further up the country. 1 never observed them lower than Rayrayguddy, and never saw the bird in the Bogos country. In flight and habits this species resembles the Kites much more -than the Vultures. I had no opportunity of finding out whether it ever killed its own game, as there was always a superabundance of carrion about, though I never saw it feasting on a carcass ; it always seemed to confine itself to picking up odd pieces of offal about the camp. — W. t/^] ABIS8INIA AND THE BOGQS COUNTRY. 201 4. Aqtjila impeeialis, Bechst. Aquila imperialis, Biipp. Syst. Uebers'. p. 10. no. 12 ; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 14. a. d. ZouUa. March 3iA, 1868. A very interesting specimen. It has not yet assumed the full livery, but has the black plumage mixed with some brown feathers, and on the shoulders a white patch is already visible. Not before recorded from the Abyssinian coast-land. — 0. F. [This was the only specimen seen or obtained by me, and was shot at Zoulla. It measured 6 ft. 5| in. from tip to tip of the wings, and 2 ft. 5 in. from the tip of the beak to the extremity of the tail. Contents of stomach, birds. Iris brownish yellow or stone-colour ; cere greenish ; beak bluish horn-colour ; legs and feet yellow ; talons nearly black. — W. /.] 5. Aquila bapax, Temm. Aquila naevioides , Cuv. ; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 16. albicans, Riipp. Neue Wirbelth. t. 13 ; Brehm, Reise nacb Habesch, p. 206. ^ rapax, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. pp. 7, 10. no. 15 ; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 18 ; Brehm, Reise nach Habesch, p. 206 ; Pinsch & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 44. no. 8. senegalla, Heugl. Faun. d. Roth. Meer. no. 7. substriata, Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 19. a. S . Senafe. April 1868. b. 6 . Senafe. April 1868. , c. 6. Senafe. April 1868. d. $. Rayrayguddy. April 27th, 1868 (no. 489). e. 6 . Rayrayguddy. April 27th, 1868 (no. 407). /. S . Grabena-Weldt-Gonfallon. A,ugust 6th, 1868 (no. 1592). g. Mohaber. July 9th, 1868 (no. 1513). h. 6 . Maragaz. July 27th, 1868 (no. 1028). The fine series of specimens in Mr. Jesse's collection shows every gradation in colour, from pale brown (as in A. albicans, Riipp.) to dark brown. The male specimen (e) is throughout blackish brown, as in A. ncevia, excepting some of the upper tail-coverts, which are pale ochre-brown. Other specimens are light ochre-brown mixed with dark brown, especially on the shoulders. A. rapax is very nearly allied to our A. ncevia, but is distinguished by the shorter tarsus and the elliptically shaped nostrils, which are situated perpendicularly, as in ^. clanga. Pall. No. 1, (?) . . . F. [Iris crimson. I have only two specimens of this species. On first looking over Dr. Finsch's list ' Since the above was written I have examined the type of De rUippi in the Turin Museum myself. It is a young bird of the present species. — 0. F. 244 DE. O. riNSCH ON BIEDS TEOM NOETH-EASTEEN I perceived that he had divided my Crateropodes into three species, C. leucopygius, C. limbatus, and C. leucocephalus. This struck me as extraordinary, as from observation of these birds in the flesh I had mentally classed them in two species, though ignorant of their names. The first two I took to be one species, with only difierences of plumage ascribable to age alone. While preparing these notes the doubt of the three species again struck me, and I examined the birds side by side, and finally referred to Dr. Finsch's notes to see what remarks he had made; I there find he has made the same observations as I have. Had I entertained a doubt on the subject of C. leuco- pygius and C. limbatus being other than one species, I would have brought home a larger series ; but so certain did I feel of their identity, that, though shooting other specimens, I saci'ificed them to preserve other species which I considered more valuable at the time. All three are similar in their habits and cry, which is very noisy ; on alarm they fly from one bush to the other in a regular string, and are very annoying, as they often give the alarm to game or other birds the sportsman may be in pursuit of.— r. /.] [Since these notes were written, I have communicated my opinion to Dr. Otto Finsch, and have received a letter from him wishing me to record my opinion that C. limbatus is a synonym of C. leucopygius. — W. Jl] 87, Crateeopus limbatus, Eupp. Riipp. Syst. Uebers. pp. 48, 60. no. 202 ; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 288. a. cJ. Kokai. August 10 (no. 76). b. Kokai. August 10 (no. 78). A doubtful species, and probably the former (C leucopygius) in immature state. One specimen has the front white like a supercilium ; the head, sides of head, and chin are dark brown, with indistinct ashy edgings of the feathers ; the rump dirty white, like the female of the preceding species. Another specimen shows the whole forehead greyish white, passing into brown on the top of the head. Both species are of the same size. Iris crimson. The series in Mr. Jesse's collection proves that C. limbatus is probably nothing more than the young of C. leucopygius. There are intermediate forms with the head partially white (front and supercilium in the one, the whole forehead in the other). — 0. F. 88. Ckateeopus leucocephalus, Riipp. Crateropus leucocephalus, Riipp. Atlas, tab. 4; id. Syst. Uebers. p. 60. no. 198 : Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 281. a. 6. Ain. July 6 (no. 1468). b. S . Ain. July 6 (no. 586) . c. 6. Waliko. July 21 (no. 510). d. J . Waliko. August 2 (no. 996) . ABYSSIiSIA AND THE BOGOS COTJNTET. 245 Long. al. Caud. Culm. Tars. 4" 1'" 4" 1'" 8i"' 15'" . 3 9i — 7 141 . . ad. • jun. A young bird in the collection of Mr. Jesse has only the chin and the region adjoining the angle of the mouth -whitish ; the head brownish grey ; vent and crissum brighter, tinged with fulvous. — O.F. [Iris lemon-yellow. Four specimens procured, two at Ain in July, and two at Waliko, on the Anseba. No. 586 b, $, Ain, 6th July 1868, had the iris brown. I did not observe this species while with the army. — W. J.] 89. Ptcnonotus aesinoe (Licht.). Ixos arsino'e, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 60. no. 196; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no, 279; id. Fauna d. Roth. Meer. no. 114; Brehm, Habesch, p. 214. no. 69; Finsch & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 296. no. 139. a. Ain. July 6. b. S- Rairo. August 13 (no. 1921). c. $. Kokai. July 6 (no. 1715). [This bird was found to be very common from Ain to the Anseba, and proved to be a great nuisance, as rarely a day passed without my shooting one, taking it for a new species. — W.J.'\ Fam. MUSCICAPIDiE. 90. MusciCAPA GEISOLA, Linn. Muscicapa grisola, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 61^ no. 207 ; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 295 ; id. Fauna d. Roth. Meer. no. 117; Brehm, Habesch^ p. 215, no. 70; Finsch & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 300, no. 141. a. Zoulla. June 13. b. 6 . Mai Wallet. August 18. It is very probable that occasional specimens of our common Flycatcher remain the whole year in Africa, as Mr. Jesse obtained it in the month of June. Long. al. Caud. Culm. Tars. 3" 3'" 2" 2'" 41"' 7"'— O.F. [I only procured two specimens of this species, and did not observe it anywhere else but at Maiwallet, and this only in the plain. — W. J.] 91. MusciCAPA FUSCULA, Sundev. Oefvers. Akad. Forh. 1850, p. 105. Le gobe-mouche ondule, Levaill. 1. 156. f. 1. ? Muscicapa undulata, Vieill. ? Butalis adusta, Boie. VOL. VII. — PART IV. May, 1870. 2 m a. Rayrayguddy. Long. al. Caud. Culm. Lat. rostr. ad basin, 2" 5'" 1" 9'" sr 31"' 3 5 1 9 3i H 246 DE. 0. FINSCH ON BIEDS PEOM NOETH-EASTEEN Alseonax undulata, Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 53. Muscicapa minuta, Heugl. {nee Schilling) Syst. Uebers. no. 396. minima, Heugl. Joum. f. Ornith. 1863^ p. 301. Tars. 7 [M. minima, Heugl.) The single specimen in the collection of Mr. Jesse agrees in every respect with the representation of Levaillant's Uondule (male), and proves evidently the occurrence of that southern species in North-east Africa. Heuglin's M. minima from central Abys- sinia, of vphich the Bremen Museum possesses a typical specimen from Gondar, is also undoubtedly the same. That specimen has the under surface a little darker, washed with brownish fulvous, and shows the obsolete dark markings on the breast more decidedly than the specimen in Mr. Jesse's collection, which is of a rather brownish white underneath. — 0. F. [Only observed at the above locality. — W. J!] 92. Terpsiphone melanogastea (Sws.). Muscipeta melanogastra, Sws. B. W. Afr. ii. (1837) p. 55. " Tschitrea melampyra, Verr." Hartl. W. Afr. p. 90. Muscipeta f err eti, G-uer. Rev. Zool. 1843, p. 162. melanogastra, Eiipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 61. no. 311; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 303. Tschitrea melanogastra, Brehm, Habesch, p. 315. no. 71. Terpsiphone melanogastra, Finsch & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 309. a. 6 . b. 3 . Sooroo. April 5 (no. 140) . c. ?. Sooroo. April 5 (no. 139). d. 6. Kokai. July 13 (no. 813). e,/. S . Kokai. July 13 (nn. 1913 et 1753). A careful comparison of these birds with specimens from Western Africa has convinced us that there is no difference. The females in the collection agree in every respect with the types of T. melampyra, Verr., in the Bremen Museum. The male marked a has the two middle tail-feathers very much developed (13 inches), and white; the upper tail-coverts are also white, but the back is chestnut. The male, no. 140, has the two middle tail-feathers less developed, but also white; in the male, no. 813, all the tail-feathers are chestnut, like the back. The females have no prolonged tail-feathers. Antinori's interesting observations prove that there is a very great variation in colour in this species according to the season of the year and age of the bird (see his Cata- logue, pp. 46-50). A description of all the known African species of the genus Terpd^phone will be given in our ' Birds of East Africa.' — 0. F. ABYSSINIA AND THE BOGOS COTJNTEY. 247 [Iris dark brown, eyelid turquoise-blue ; beak slate-colour, skin at the gape same as eyelid ; legs and feet slate-colour, toes black. I did not get any specimens of the male bird with the two white tail-feathers in very good condition, though an officer of my acquaintance obtained a good many. I did not see one with a white tail during my Bogos trip in July and August ; possibly this distinction is carried only in the breeding- season, all the white-tailed specimens having been obtained in April and previously. — W. /.] 93. Platystika peieit (Vieill.). Muscicapa molitor, Hahn, Vog. aus Asien, etc. (1822)^ Liefer, xx. t. 2. Platystira melanoleuca et P. molitor, Licht. Nomencl. p. 20. pririt, Hartl. W. Afr. p. 94; Heugl. Faun, des Eoth. Meer. no. 120; Finsch & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 314. no. 147. a. S. Waliko. July 27 (no. 460). b. (J . Undel. July 27. c. d. Young. Waliko. July 27. e. S ■ Bairo. August 13 (no. 58) . The two old males {a and b) agree in every respect with specimens from Damaraland and Gaboon in the Bremen Museum. The specimen e, marked male, has instead of a black a broad chestnut band across the throat, and the indistinct superciliary stripe pale fulvous — differences which are considered to be peculiar to the female. The two specimens c and d are young birds, apparently having left the nest only a short time. They have all the feathers on the crown, and some on the back, spotted with pale brownish white, as in our common Flycatcher; and the secondaries and tectrices are margined with pale brownish. In the one there is an indication of a chestnut cross band on the throat ; in the other the throat-feathers have only pale brownish apical spots, not forming a distinct cross band. — O. F. [Iris lemon-yellow. This species common up the pass to Senafe. I cannot see any difference between this bird and P. senegalensis on comparing my specimens. — W. Jl] 94. PliATYSTIEA SENEGALENSIS (Linn.). Platyrhynchus velatus, VieUl. Platystira succincta, Licht. Nomencl. p. 20 (2). senegalensis, Biipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 61. no. 212; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 303; Hartl. W. Afr. p. 94; Finsch & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 317. no. 148. S . Waliko. August 2 (no. 1275). The only specimen in the collection of Mr. Jesse is marked as male, and is of great interest, because it has not a black but a dark chestnut cross band on the throat, showing that this character does not belong only to the female. Otherwise it agrees 2m2 248 DE, 0. riNSCH ON BIEDS PEOM NOETH-EASTERN very well with male specimens from Western Africa in the Bremen Museum; the measurements are a little larger. Long. tota. Al. Caud. Culm. Tars. 44" 2"- 4'" 1" 7" 5'" 8'" . . . Abyssinia. 4| 2 1 16 5 8 . . . Senegal.— 0. F. [Iris lemon-yellow. Only one specimen procured: I doubt whether different from P. pririt. — W. J.'] Fam. AMPELID^. 95. Bkadtoenis chocolatinus (Riipp.). Muscicapa chocolatina, Rtipp. Neue Wirbelth. p. 107; id. Syst. Uebers. pp. 49 et 61. no. 310, t. 20. Muscicapa fumigata, Guer. Rev. Zool. 1843, p. 161. Bradyornis chocolatinus, Finscb & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 323. a and b. Senafe. May 25. A very rare species. Excepting that the bill is a little stouter, this bird may be considered a typical Bradyornis. Dr. Eiippell's Curruca chocolatina (Syst. Uebers. 1. 14) is, as proved by a careful comparison of the type in the Senckenbergian Museum, the same species as his Muscicapa chocolatina. The measurements are given in the following list : — Long. tota. Al. Caud. Cnlm. Tars. c. 6" 3" 3"'-3" 4'" 2" 8"'-10"' 5"'-5i"' 10'" CoU. Mr. Jesse. — 3 3 2 9 5 10 Muscicapa chocolatina. — 3 3 2 8 4f 9i Curruca chocolatina. The only species of Bradyornis, besides the above-mentioned Br. chocalatinus, are Br. mariquensis, Sm., of South and West Africa, Br. pallida, Miill. (Mmciapa pallida, Miill. Beitr. t. viii.), and Br. pammelcena, Stanl. (Sylvia pammelcena, Stanl. in Salt's Trav. in Abyss. ; Melanopepla atronitens. Cab. ; Bradyornis ater, Sundev.), from South- eastern and North-eastern Africa. — 0. F. [Iris dirty white. I only procured two specimens of this bii-d, both at Senafe on the same day. Con- tents of stomach Coleoptera. — W. J.'\ 96. Campephaga phcenicea (Lath.). Ceblepyris phmnicea, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 61. no. 214; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 307. Lanicterus phceniceus, Hartl. Journ. f. Orn. 1865, p. 172. a. d- Senafe. April 16 (no. 444). [Iris dark brown ; beak black ; legs and feet black. I never either procured or observed another specimen of this bird, either during the ABYSSINIA AND THE BOGOS COUNTEY. 249 campaign or in the Bogos country. A friend at Eayrayguddy sent me up the wing of one and promised to procure specimens should I be in want of any. I requested he would, but I did not receive any more. Either the birds had left the neighbourhood, or his duties were too pressing. — W. /.] 97. DiCEUEUS DIVAKICATUS (Licht.). Edolius lugubns, Hempr. & Ehrb. Symb. Phys. t. viii. (jun.). Dicrurus canipennis, Sws. B. W. Afr. i. p. 254. lugubris, Eiipp. Syst. Uebers. p, 61. no. 216; Bvehm., Habesch, p. 215. no. 72. divaricatus, Finsch & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 323. no. 150. a. s . Undel Wells. May 27. b. ? . Undel WeUs. May 27. c. $ . Senafe. May 22 (no. 902) . Both sexes {a and h), shot at Undel Wells, are alike, except that the female has the tail less furcated. The specimen c seems to be not quite old, because it has the under tail- coverts edged with white and of a more uniform dark black colour, without the steel-blue lustre. It agrees with D. lugubris, Ehrb., a species which cannot be separated from I), divaricatus, as already mentioned by the late Mr. Strickland (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1850, p. 217). The specimens a and b agree in every respect with specimens from Benguela in the Bremen Museum. Long. al. Eectr. inter. Eectr. ext. Culm. 4" 9'" 3" 7"' 4" 1'" c. 7'" 4 10 3 6 3 11 7 4 6 3 6 3 9 7i Tars. 9i"' a. 10 b. 9 c.—O. F. [Iris crimson. Off the plains, among the hills, I found this bird rather common, always in paii'S. It is very bold, driving Crows and Kites away from the neighbourhood of its nest. It feeds much after the manner of the Flycatchers, sitting on the top branch of a dead tree and making a dash straight up in the air at any passing insect, hovering a second or two, and then returning to its perch. — W. J.^ Fam. LANIID^. 98. Lanius fallax, sp. nov. (Plate XXV.) a. c? . Kairo. August 13 (no. 1454) . b. $ . Rairo. August 13 (no. 67) . c. 2 • Eairo. August 14 (no. 38). d. 2 ■ Ain. August 17 (no. 92). Supra dilute cinereus ; area latissima utrinque a rostro per oculum ducta nigra, supra minus distincta, albo marginata; subtus totus albus, pectore et abdomine conspicue 250 DE. 0. PINSCH ON BIEDS FEOM NOETH-EASTEEN cinerascente lavatis ; remigibus nigricanti-fuscis, a basi ad medium fere pure albis, mi- noribus limbo apicali albo ; scapularibus fuscis apicibus albo marginatis, pogonio intemo versus basin sensim albiore; subalaribus albis; rectricibus mediis fusco-nigris, limbo apicali tenui albo, extima fere tota alba, scapo latius fusco; secunda fusca, macula terminaU majore alba ; rostro nigricante, mandibulae dimidio basali albo ; pedibus plumbeis. Male. All the upper parts, including the rump and upper tail-coverts, delicate ashy grey ; a very narrow frontal margin and a broad stripe, which covers the lorum, eye, and region of the ear black, margined above by an indistinct narrow whitish line; cheeks, chin, and throat white, all the remaining underparts of a light ashy grey, much lighter than the back ; vent and under tail-coverts white, the same as the under quill-coverts, which are washed faintly with grey ; primaries brownish black, on the basal half of both webs nearly white, forming a conspicuous white speculum ; secon- daries brownish black, on the basal half of the inner web whitish, and tipped broadly with white ; quill-coverts brownish black, some newly developed secondaries have the basal half white, the same as the primaries ; the longest of the shoulder-coverts whitish, but almost covered by the lesser shoulder-coverts ; the tail-feathers black, tipped with white, narrowest on the two middle ones, increasing in breadth externally ; the outmost tail-feather white, with the shaft blackish ; the second feather margined with white on the outer web. Bill blackish horn-brown ; the basal half of the mandible pale horn- colour ; legs dark horn-brown. The three females are similar, but want the narrow black frontal margin ; the bill is paler; two specimens show the middle of the breast tinged faintly with isabelline colour. All the specimens are in change of plumage. In moulting the female shows the back washed faintly with pale brown, indistinctly barred with darker lines. Long. tota. Al. Eectr. med. Eectr. ext. Culm. Tars. 8" 4" 0'" 3" 10'" 3" 8" 13'" s. — 3 11 3 8 2 7k 12 s. — 4 1 4 — n 13 5. — 4 2 3 7 — n 13 S- Being unable to refer this Shrike with certainty to any of the allied species, I must consider it to be new. It comes nearest to L. lahtora, Sykes, which occurs also on the shores of the Bed Sea, but differs in the pale greyish tint of the under parts, which are decidedly white in L. lahtora. Otherwise there is scarcely any difference. The greyish tint of the belly, which all the specimens in Mr. Jesse's collection exhibit, shows its relation to L. algeriensis, Less. ; but in this species the grey tone is much darker, the upper parts are dark ashy grey, and the outermost tail-feather is black with a broad white apical spot. L. pallidirostris, Cass., also an allied species, has the bill pale horn- colour, the under parts white. L. pallens is distinguished at once by the white rump. ABYSSINIA AND THE BOGOS COUNTRY. 251 I believe I am not mistaken in referring the L. algeriensis in the list of the birds collected by Mr. Daubeny (Sclater, Contrib. to Ornith. 1852, p. 125; Heugl. Fauna d. Roth. Meer. no. 127) at Mokkolla, near Massowa, to this species. L. algeriensis, noticed by Mr. Strickland (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1850, p. 217) from Cordo- fahn, is certainly not this species, but very probably L. palUdirostris, Cass. — 0. F. [Iris brown ; legs blue-grey. I procured four specimens, all more or less moulting: three were from Rairo, the foiirth was shot a few miles from Ain, on the plain towards Mai Wallet. I believe I shot two specimens of this Shrike at Koomaylee, but was too unwell to preserve them ; this was in the middle of March. — W. /.] 99. Lanius collurio, L. Enneoctonus collurio, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 62. no. 321; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 318 j id. Fauna d. Roth. Meer. no. 130. Lanius collurio, Finsch & Hartl. Vogel Ostafr. p. 331. no. 154. a. ? . Senafe, AprH 25th (no. 467). [Iris brown ; beak brown ; legs and feet brown. The only specimen procured or observed. — W. J.'] 100. Lanius senatoe, Linn. Lanius senator, Linn. S. N. ed. x. p. 94. Lanius rufus (Briss;)^ Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 62. no. 217; Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 317; id. Fauna d. Roth. Meer. no. 131. : paradoxus, Brehnij Journ. f. Orn. 1854^ p. 75 (Anm.); Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 321. rutilans (Temm.) : Hartl. West Afr. p. 103. a. Adult. b. S . Young. Amba. August 21st (no. M). I at first mistook the specimens in Mr. Jesse's collection for the L. paradoxus, Brehm, because they showed the tail-feathers, inclusive of the two middle ones, on the basal third white on both webs, this being the distinguishing character of that species. After having examined a larger series of skins I find that this is not a character of specific value ; for a female from the Hercynian Mountains agrees in that respect, whereas the male from the same locality has the two middle tail-feathers, as usual, of a uniform black. There is in general a great variation amongst specimens of this Shrike, accord- ing to age and season. The old male {a) in Mr. Jesse's collection agrees in every respect with a German specimen, except in having the two middle tail-feathers white at the base, as already mentioned ; the upper tail-coverts are also white throughout, whereas in the German specimens these feathers are pointed with black. The specimen J is a young one, having changed its first plumage: the head and 252 DR. 0. riNSCH ON BIEDS FEOM NORTH-EASTERN hinder part of the neck are pale rufous, with obsolete dark cross lines ; back brown ; rump greyish brown ; hind part of the rump and upper tail-coverts pale isabelline white, like the shoulders, which are tinged with brown on the centre of each feather and the outer margin of the quill-coverts and tertiaries; quills dark brown, with a white speculum, as in the old bird ; lores and an indistinct supercilium, like the whole undersurface, white, washed with isabelline fulvous on the flanks ; ear-spot dark brown ; tail-feathers as in the old one, but the ground-colour brown, not black. Bill pale horn- brown, in the adult black, with the basal portion of the mandible pale. A careful comparison has also convinced me that the West-African L. rutilans, Temm., said to differ in its lighter tints, and iu having the shoulders and quill-coverts margined externally with pale brown or white, is by no means separable. All the specimens which show these differences are in imperfect plumage, and bear more or less remains of the immature plumage. An old male from the Gold Coast (type of L. ladius, Hartlaub) is quite similar to a German specimen ; but the rufous colour on the head is darker, and the white speculum on the primaries is scarcely visible, being represented on the outer web by pale rufous, just as in young birds. Another male from the Casamanse is as darkly coloured above as European specimens, but exhibits light brown margins on the quill-coverts ; the under parts are strongly washed with cinnamomeous fulvous, and marked with obscure cross lines, which are apparently the remains of a younger dress ; the two middle taU- feathers are also white on the base, but only on the outer web. A female from the Casamanse river agrees with a European female in every respect, except in having pale margins on the quill-coverts, which are only partially exhibited in the European bird. Both these have the back much lighter than in the male, and the under parts tinged with pale ochreous-fulvous ; in the African bird the black feathers on the forehead have the rufous margins more visible. Another female from the Casamanse has the back rather paler brown, the forehead more mixed with white, forming an indistinct supercilium ; the light margins on the coverts are less visible, and scarcely more developed than in European specimens; the under surface is white, as in the male, faintly tinged with ochre-yellow. Ignorance of these variations, which Naumann has pointed out, has caused some of them to be taken for specific characters, and species have been founded on them — such as L. pectoralis, Miiller (Journ. f. Orn. 1855, p. 450. no. 583), and L.jardinei, Miiller (ib. no. 584). A Lanius from Tigreh, described by Von Heuglin (Journ. f. Orn. 1861, p. 195. no. 34) as probably different, belongs also to L. senator. It may be remarked that Levaillant's ^^ Piegrieche rousse" (tab. 63) refers to our European bird, as has been already pointed out by Professor Sundevall. I append the measurements of several specimens from Europe and Africa to prove that there is no difference in size. ABYSSINIA AND THE BOGOS COUNTET. 253 Long. al. Caud. Culm. Tars. 3" 6'" 2" 9"' c. 6"' 10"' . . ad. Bogos. 3 8 2 10 6 10 . . jun. Bogos. 3 10 3 6 10 . . <^. Germany. 3 8 2 9 ^ 9| . . ?. Germany. 3 7-3" 9'" 2 6-2" 10"' 5|-6'" 9"'_10'" West Africa | [Iris brown. One other immature male specimen from Amba. — W. J.'] 101. Lanius nubicus, Licht. Lanius personatus, Temm. ; Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 62. no. 218. Leucometopon nubicus, Heugl. Fauna d. Roth. Meer. no. 129. Collurio nubicus, Hartl. W. Afr. p. 103. a. (J. Ain. August 17th (no. 98). b. c?. Gelamet. August Ilth (no. 4). The Bogos country seems to be a new locality for this widely distributed species. Von Heuglin mentions it only from North Arabia. — 0. F. [Iris brown. In Dr. O. Finsch's note on this species he mentions Bogos as a new locality ; I may therefore observe that Gelamet is not thirty miles from the coast plain, and is of a much lower elevation than Bogos. Gelamet belongs properly, I believe, to Hamazan. Ain, where the second specimen was procured, is, of course, lower still. I do not remember to have observed this species on the Anseba. — TF. J!] 102. Lanius fiscus. Cab. Lanius fiscus, Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 74. Laniarius collaris, Riipp. {nee L.) Syst. Uebers. p. 62. no. 230. Telophorus collaris, (Lath.) Heugl. Syst. Uebers. no. 325. Collurio smithii, Brehm^ Habesch, p. 215. no. 73. a. S ■ Senafe. April 25 (no. 465) . b. 6. Bejook. July 13 (no. 783). c. ^' K^ H <, rrj J.Smil. liLh. LANIUS FALLAX. MiSrilFajiiaj^, k' ^::^ ^1 : '^.-'. < CO o ^ s ^ CO