( 26) 



he]]. The black-;ui<l-wbite wagtail is so tame that ho will sit within a few yards 

 and pour forth his beautiful notes. The tin}- honey-bird darts here, there, and 

 everywhere, like streaks of light, issuing forth its twit, twit, as it lights npon some 

 honey-bedewed blossom. Overhead the ungainly hornbill jdoiiglis its way above the 

 tree-tops, calling to its mate, and the screaming of the parrots as in great flocks 

 they make their flight along the river banks, or throngli the tangled mass of vege- 

 tation overhead, is almost deafening. By the little streams are countless numbers 

 of wonderful butterflies, some as large as swifts, and all (x/'r I) most gorgeously 

 coloured. The insect life baffles description. . . ." E.xaggerati'd as this statement 

 may perhaps be, it is of interest to hear it, since it seems to contradict tlie reports of 

 the scarcity of bird-life in the Great Forest. 



The birds collected by Dr. Ansorge belong to throe more or less faunistically 

 different countries. In the Athi Plain and at Nairobe ho collected in the southern 

 parts of the North-East African desert and steppe fauna, which reaches south at 

 least to Masailand (cf Drepanoplectes jacksoni, MiraJ'ra africana o.tM, Pf/s.'ie/- 

 difumis gongonensis and others); then the so-called East African fauna was touched; 

 while soon afterwards, without a very sharp line of demarkation, the West African 

 area was entered (cf Corythaeala cristntn, Cohonba nnicincla, and many others). 



It may here be remarked that at present a general account of the birds of 

 Africa is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, desideratum of ornithologists. The 

 publications on African birds are so numerous, and especially in small contributions 

 —often descriptions of one or two species or subspecies — and nearly all nations, as 

 German, British, French, Swedish, Portuguese, Italian, American, Austrian, partake 

 of the ornithological work in Africa, that it is most difficult, I think more difficult 

 than in any other country, to be informed about all the literatni-e. It is therefore 

 to be hoped that the works of Professor ISeichenow and ( 'aptain 8helley will 

 soon appear.* 



I am obliged to my friends Professor Reichenow, Dr. Sharpe, and Mr. Grant 

 for comiJaring some of the specimens with the types and other examples in their 

 collections, and thank them for their kindness. 



1. Phalacrocorax africanus (Gm.) 

 S ?. Ituri ]{iver, twenty-second day from Fort Mbeni, '20. h. 18'J9. 

 " Iris golden-brown. Feet black. Upper jaw dark grey with yellow edge, 

 lower yellow." 



2. Fodiceps cristatus L. 

 Lake Varangot, Fort Gerry, Torn, 13. 4. 1899. 



3. Nettapus auritus (Bodd.) 



? ad. Near Ripou Falls, Somerset Nile, 10. 3. 1899. 



" Iris dark brown. Feet greenish black. Upper bill greenish grey with a 

 greenish yellow patch on each side near the base. Lower bill pinkish grey with 

 orange-yellow skin between rami." 



4. Nettion capense (Gm.) 

 ? ad. Lake Varangot, Torn, Uganda Protectorate, 10. 4. 1899. 

 " Iris dark brown. Feet slate-blue ; bill slate-blnc witli dark central greenish 

 grey streak." 



* While this jaesed through the press Part I. of Vol. II. of Shelley's work hiis actually been issued. 



