140 BULLETIN 15 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Neumann ^° found a ne.st with eight eggs of this rail in the Kollu 

 district on September 23, This is all the data I know of with 

 regard to the breeding season of this bird. 



• LIMNOCORAX FLAVIROSTRA (Swainson) 



GulUnula flainrofitra Swainson, Bd.s. West Afr., vol. 2, p. 244, pi. 28, 1837: 

 Senegal. 



The black crake was observed in several localities in Kenya Colony, 

 although no specimens were taken. Meru swamp, August 9, 4 

 birds ; Thika River, August 27, 1 seen : west of Ithanga Hills, August 

 28, 2 noted; Athi River, August 30 to September 1, 5 birds seen. 



GALLINULA CHLOROPUS BRACHYPTERA (Brehm) 



Slagnicola brachyptera Beehm, Vogelf. p. 331, 1855: Middle Africa. 



Specimen's collected: 



Male, Hor, Kenya Colony, June 2G, 1912. 



The race hrcachyptera is very close to the East Indian orientalis, 

 but is slightly larger (average) and has longer toes. In studying this 

 bird I have assembled a series of 8 adults of the present form, and 

 have seen specimens (216 in all) of 13 of the 16 supposed subspecies, 

 the only ones not examined being guami, centralis, and portoricensis. 

 The last two are probably not distinct anyway. However, only the 

 four races known to occur in Africa need enter into the present 

 study. These are: 



1. G. c. chloropus. — Northern Africa (Atlas Mountains an-d 

 Egypt), south to the Sudan and Arabia (but not Eritrea, Ethiopia, 

 or Somaliland). This form is characterized by the olivaceous-brown 

 edges of the upper wing coverts which give the folded wing a 

 brownish appearance from above, and by its size. Wings, male 173- 

 190. female 163.5-176 millimeters. 



2. G. c. hrachyptera. — The whole of Africa south of tlie Sahara 

 and the Egyptian (not Anglo-Egyptian) Sudan. This form does 

 not occur in Arabia. It is characterized by the bluish-slate color 

 of the upper wing coverts; size smaller than chloropus; wings, male 

 156-171; female, 153-154 millimeters. 



"Journ. f. Ornith., 1006, p. 298. 



