ART. 10 BIRDS FROM SOUTHWEST AFRICA FRIEDMANN 11 



The status of leucolaema has been an unsettled question for many 

 years. Sharpe described the white-throated birds as a species; 

 Shelley and others considered them merely the winter plumage of 

 the black-throated Alario alario; still others looked upon leucolaema 

 as the immature males of alario. The present series, including the 

 white-throated adult males taken within two weeks of the finding of 

 a nest with eggs, conclusively does away with Shelley's contention 

 that leucolaema is the winter plumage of alario. Also the fact that 

 they are adults (with hard, firmly ossified skulls) shows that leu- 

 colaema can not be the young stage of alario. The two are cer- 

 tainly distinct — so distinct that I consider them full species as did 

 Sharpe, and not subspecies as does Sclater.^ In a case like this, 

 where a genus contains only two forms, it is not particularly neces- 

 sary to call them conspecific in order to emphasize their relationship. 



The two males reveal considerable variation in color; one has a 

 larger and deeper black patch on the breast and on the crown and 

 occiput; the former is also darker rufous above — deep hazel — while 

 the latter is tawny-cinnamon. The females are alike in color. The 

 dimensions of the present birds are as follows: Males: Wing, 67.5, 

 65; tail, 45, 43; culmen from base, 9.5, 9.5; females: Wing, 63, 64; 

 tail, 43, 44; culmen from base, 9, 9 mm, respectively. 



POLIOSPIZA ALBOGULARIS SORDAHLAE Friedmann 



Poliospisa alhogiilaris sordahlae Friedmann, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 

 45, pp. 65, 66, Apr. 2, 1932 (Mount Brukkaros, Southwest Africa). 



Mrs. Sordahl obtained two specimens of this long and relatively 

 slender-billed race of Poliospiza albogularis. Both are in worn 

 plumage. 



Mrs. Sordahl writes that " * * * these birds stay on the moun- 

 tain during the whole year, living on top of the mountain during the 

 hottest months, November, December, January, and February. Dur- 

 ing the cool months * * * also found at the lower levels and on 

 the foothills below the mountain." She often saw the birds in flocks 

 in the large tree aloes, apparently eating the seeds. A bird bath 

 and drinking fountain set up near the house was frequented also, 

 as many as 30 birds at one time being counted on it. 



A male from Van Rynsdorp, Cape Province, collected by de 

 Schauensee, approaches sordahlae in the bill character, but has a 

 .shorter wing. 



* Systema avium Aethiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 818, 1930. 



