(420) 



126. Honticola sazatilis (L.). 

 <J Gambaga, 20. 2. 1899. 



127. Cossypha verticalis Hartl. 

 <?<? Gambaga, August 1898, January 1899. " Iris light brown." 



128. Cossypha albicapilla giflfardi Hart. 



C. g., Hartert in Bull. B. (I. Clii/j, vol. X. Xo. LXV. p. 5, October 1899. 



<S ? Gambaga, 29. 8. 1898 and 4. 1. 1899. "Iris crimson." 



Similar to C. albicapilla from Senegambia, but differing in having much 

 narrower white tips to the feathers of the crown and occiput, so that these parts do 

 not appear white, but black with narrow white crescentic bars. Wings and tail 

 longer than in C. alhicapilla albicdiiilhi, which seems to be restricted to Senegambia. 

 Wing 135-37, tail 145-48 mm. Sexes alike. 



A specimen from the Lower Niger in the British Museum belongs also to 

 giffardi, and so does probably my specimen from the Benue mentioned in Joarn. f. 

 Orn. 1880 p. 578. 



129. Bessonornis (? Cossypha) gambagae Hart. 



E.g., Hartert in Ball. B. O. Club, vol. X. No. LXV. p. 5, October 1899. 



Very similar to Bessonornis modestus Shelley, from Nyasaland, but differing in 

 its rnsty rufous flanks and under tail-coverts. The lateral rectriees have only an 

 elongate blackish mark on the outer webs and a small blackish spot on the inner 

 web of the dutermost rectrix, while in B. modestus they have a complete bar across 

 the tips. The remiges and larger wing-coverts have pale rushy-brown edges, and 

 the upper surface is paler and more ashy than in B. modestus. Wing and tail 

 shorter. Wiug 78 mm., tail (i3 mm. 



This interesting little bird has such a great similarity to a female Redstart 

 {Ruticilla phoenieurus), that I, when seeing it for the first time, thought it was 

 nothing else. A close comparison, however, showed that it was a bird closely allied 

 to Shelley's Bessonornis modestus, but differing as described above. Dr. Sharpe's 

 experienced eye at once saw its close relationship to Captain Shelle3''s species. I 

 would, however, be in a difficulty, if 1 had to say by what structural characters this 

 bird differed from a Ruticilla. It has such a different look from a Cossypha, and 

 its tail is so square, that I am inclined, for the present, to follow Shelley, who places 

 these forms in a genus called Bessonornis. 



The type of B. gambayae is a, female shot at Gambaga on Angast 27th, 1898. 

 Its iris was brown. 



13u. Saxicola oenanthe L. 

 ? Gambaga, 12. 12. 1898. 



131. Pentholaea albifrons (Rupp.). 

 tf cT Gambaga, June and July 1898. 



