50 FIELD COLUMBIAN MUSEUM ORNITHOLOGY, VOL. i. 



Trachyphonus margaritatus. Shelley, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., 

 Vol. IX, p. 103 (1891). 

 $ Robeleh. 

 9 Robeleh. 



Two specimens of this species were obtained at the above 

 place on our return journey, and were the only ones seen that 

 could be identified with certainty. They were sitting close 

 together on a limb, and awoke the echoes with their loud, shrill 

 * cries, at the same time making the most absurd contortions 

 of the neck, wings and tail, assuming very grotesque positions. 

 So busily engaged were they with their own affairs, that they paid 

 no attention whatever to Mr. Dodson as he approached them, 

 and both birds were secured at one shot. These specimens dif- 

 fered so greatly from all those in the British Museum collection 

 that at first I was inclined to regard them as representing a dis- 

 tinct species, but finally decided the differences shown would be 

 merely incidental to a phase of plumage. The two examples are 

 black upon the back, covered thickly with white spots, the tail 

 also black, with broad yellowish- white bars going half way to the 

 shaft. The specimens in the British Museum had the feathers 

 much worn, and the black replaced by a dark brown, and the 

 white spots were much fewer. It would be interesting to learn 

 if the Somali bird also turns brown at any stage of its plumage, 

 and loses the spots as the feathers become worn. 



76. Barbatula affinis. 



Barbatula affinis. Reichen, Orn. Centralb. , p. 114 (1879), 

 Shelley, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. p. 41. (1891). 



$ $ Hullier. 



This little Barbet was seen occasionally from the northern 

 limit of the Haud, southwards. It was not common at any time. 



77. Tricholsema stigmatothorax. 



Tricholaema stigmatothorax, Cab. J. f. Ornith., pp. 205, 240 

 (1878), Sharpe, Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 493 (1895). 

 $ Le Gud. 



ORDER PSITTACIFORMES. 

 FAM. PSITTACID^:. 



78. Pceocephalus rufiventris. 



Pionus rufiventris. Riipp., Syst. Ueb., Vogel, N. O. Afr. , pp. 

 83, 94, t. 32 (1845). 



