( 491 ) 

 20. Malimbus nitens (Gray). 



Ploceus nitens Gray, Zonl. Misc. i. p. 7 [1831 — "Africa." Terra typica: Sierra Leone (collected by 

 Capt. Edw. Sabine)]. 



We have, besides some (parti}' from spirits !) from Liberia (Demery coll.) and 

 a series from the Gold Coast, the following specimens : 



7 <? ad., 1 ? ad., 2 c? jnv., Degama in Southern Nigeria, February, March, 

 May, June, July 1902. Dr. W. J. Ansorge coll. " Iris blood-red in the adult males 

 and female, reddish brown or grey-brown in the young ; bill pale blue in the adults 

 and very pale blue in the young ones ; feet dark slate or dark blue in adult and 

 young." (Nos. 145, 284, 333, 395, 416, 435, 455, 534, 535, 566.) 



The female has the red throat-patch lighter, and is smaller, the wing being 

 3 mm. shorter. The young birds have the throat up to the chin dull red, the 

 forehead tinged with red. 



1 cf ad., Oguta, Southern Nigeria, 13.x. 01. Ansorge coll. (No. 283.) 



1 c? ad., Ogrugu, on the Amambara Creek, Niger, 5. iii. 01. Braham coll. 



1 ? ad., Rio Moonda, Gaboon. Dn Chailln coll. 



1 S, Efulen, Kamerun, 10. xii. 02. Bates coll. 



It seems that generally the specimens from the Niger have larger bills than 

 those from the Gold Coast and Liberia, bnt this difference does not seem to be quite 

 constant, and our series seems not to be large enough to be sure about it. 



21. Malimbus malimbica malimbica (Daud.). 



Tonagra malimbica Daudin, Ann. Mas. Paris i. p. 151. PI. x. fig. 1 (1802 — £ , "Malimbe, royaume 



de Congo," Perrein coll.). 

 Malimbus cristatus Tieillot, Ois. Chant, p. 71. PI. 42 (1805 — Malimbe !). 



Hab. Kamerun to Angola. 



The birds from South Kamerun (Efulen, Bates coll.), Gabun, Congo and 

 Angola have larger bills (cf ad. bill 18 — 20 mm.), slightly longer crests, and the 

 young birds as well as some which are apparently fully adult, have the greater 

 part of the abdomen and the under tail-coverts blackish slaty grey, instead of pure 

 black. 



1 S " Gabun " (ex Bartlett coll.). 



1 S ad., 1 3 juv., Canhoca, Angola, 25. xi., 10. xii. 03. Dr. W. J. Ansorge 

 coll. " Iris dark brown ; feet slate-black ; bill black." (Nos. 1264, 1414.) 



An unsexed specimen without exact locality, collected by Zenker in " Kamerun " 

 agrees better with the northern form, but it is probably a dark female of the 

 southern form. Specimens collected by Bates in Efulen are typical malimbica. 



22. Malimbus malimbica melanobrephos subsp. nov. 



Specimens from the Gold Coast have slightly smaller bills (bill <$ ad. 16-5 — 

 18 mm.), slightly shorter crests, and the young are underneath perfectly black or 

 somewhat brownish black, but not in the least greyish ! 



Hab. Upper Guinea from Liberia to the Gold Coast and Togo. Type : c? ad. 

 Gold Coast (Fauti preparation). No. 719 in the Tring Museum. 



