BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 



343 



indicate that South African birds have on the average longer bills 

 than those of tropical and northeastern Africa. The western race, 

 sharpii, appears to be slightly smaller than maxima. 



Locality 



Ethiopia 



Do 



Tanganyika Territory 

 South Africa 



Do ._--. 



Cameroon (sharpii) . . 

 Ethiopia 



Do 



Tanganyika Territory 



South Africa 



Cameroon (sharpii) _ . 



The measurements given by Reichenow '^^ for the species (both 

 races together) are similar except that according to him the tail 

 varies from 120 to 135 while I find a range from 112 to 121 milli- 

 meters. Also, his bill measurements have a higher upper limit than 

 mine (85-100 millimeters). 



Although the giant kingfisher occurs throughout all of the region 

 represented by the present collection, it is noticeably scarcer in 

 Ethiopia and Eritrea than in the equatorial and southern parts of its 

 range. Neumann did not meet with it in his journey through Shoa, 

 and Erlanger obtained but two examples. The latter author writes *** 

 that this species was by no means common in the region traversed by 

 him. Further evidence of its scarcity may be construed from the 

 fact that neither Riippell nor Blanford mention it, although Von 

 Heuglin met with it in east Sennar. It seems to be fairly uncommon 

 in the Anglo- Egyptian Sudan as well. Sclater and Praed °^ write 

 that they have seen but three Sudanese examples, although Butler 

 records it as not uncommon along the rivers of that country. Lynes "" 

 did not find it in Darfur. 



The reason for its relative scarcity in the northern parts of its 

 range is ecological. The giant kingfisher is entirely piscivorous and 

 therefore restricted to the vicinity of water. Furthermore it does not 

 occur except where the stream banks are wooded, a condition which 

 eliminates a good percentage of the smaller streams. It is not nearly 

 as wide ranging as Ceryle rudis which occurs chiefly around non- 

 wooded streams, ponds, and open marshes. 



«= Vos. Afr., vol. 2, p. 290, footnote. 

 "Journ. f. Ornith., 1905, p. 445. 

 <»Ibis, 1919, p. G68. 

 ««Idem, 1925. 



