BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 381 



These three cases are mere samples of what one finds; they are not 

 imiisiial in any sense. It might therefore seem as though the racial 

 characters were not constant and the forms not valid, but the situ- 

 ation is much complicated by the fact that the birds are much given 

 to w^andering considerable distances when not breeding and so two 

 forms, which, when breeding, may be geographically distinct, may 

 otherwise be found together. If collectors would only take the 

 trouble to note in every case whether or not the specimens procured 

 were in breeding condition at the time, the matter could be 

 cleared up. 



These wandering birds have caused many misidentifications, 

 which, in turn, have caused many divergent opinions. Thus, Van 

 Someren '" writes that aethiopiciis has the back darker than any 

 other race of afer, while all other workers are agreed tliat while afer 

 and aethiopimis are quite similar, the latter may be told by its 

 lighter upper parts. Van Someren refers birds from Moroto and 

 Kisumu to aefhJopicm but tlie birds of that region are really 

 maJhelicus, or, at least, intermediate between suaheUcus and 

 rufohuccalis'. 



Although I recognize praedi I have little faith in its validity as 

 dark-backed individuals occur somewhat sporadically in Ethiopia 

 and Kenya Colony. The only reason why it is kept distinct here 

 is that I hesitate to synonymize it without seeing at least as much 

 material as that on which it was originally described. Likewise. I 

 feel that further material may show that afer and aethiopicus are 

 less distinct than now thought. The material available gives no clue 

 to ages and molts, but the character of the upper tail co.erts and 

 central rectrices seems suspiciously like a matter of age. 



Although several writers liave suggested that this bird was some- 

 what migratory, their statements seem to have been based more 

 on the hope that they could thereby account for tlie presence of 

 different looking individuals in the same region than on any direct 

 observational evidence. However. Grote " writes that Mikindani, 

 Tanganyika Territory, the eastern race suahelicus is found only 

 during the rainy season when it breeds, and after which it departs, 

 usually arriving about the end of April. 



EURYSTOMUS AFER PRAEDI Banneiman 



Eurystomu.s afer pravdl BANxmiMAN, Bull. Brit. Ori!. CI., vol. 41, p. 70, 

 1921 :^Guatt), Ethiopia. 



ISpecimens collected: 



Male, Loco, Ethiopia, March 13, 1912. 



'"Nov. 2k)ol., vol. 29, 1922, p. 74. 

 " Journ. f. Oriiith., 1912. p. 525. 



