BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 437 



lower belly dirty yellow, similarly barred. The forehead is scarlet, 

 the top of the head black ; the back is brown, varied with white, and 

 the quills are earthy brown, bordered largely with yellow. This 

 may be a stage of the young bird." Whatever this specimen may 

 be, it certainly is not L. guifsohaUto. The description agrees best 

 with L. imdatus, to wdiich species the specimen should probably be 

 referred. 



Two of the birds from Ourso (September 5 and October 5) are 

 in molting condition. The tail molt is centrifugal; the wing molt 

 apparently commences at the carpal joint. Another specimen, taken 

 on May 11 on the south shore of Lake Tsana, is likewise in molt. 

 It appears, therefore, that the molting season, and probably the 

 breeding season as well, is of long duration. 



Besides the specimens obtained, this species was observed at the 

 following places : Loco near the Gidabo River, March 15-17, 6 seen ; 

 Black or North Lake Abaya, March 18, 2: Lake Abaya, March 26-29, 

 2 seen. 



According to Zedlitz this barbet occurs at altitudes of from 1,200 

 to 2,000 meters (4,000 to 6,600 feet). He found it quite abundant at 

 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) at Ela Bered, while it was absent in the 

 Barca steppes in the Thornbush country at Tacazze. Neumann ^ 

 records it as high as 2,200 meters (7,300 feet), and adds that it 

 does not inhabit true forest, but rather the fringe of trees along 

 stream banks. 



Erlanger notes that Hilgert observed birds in the process of nest 

 building on November 24 at Abu-el-Kater, while according to Zed- 

 litz the breeding season appears to be during the summer rains; 

 that is, starting not earlier than the middle of March. 



LYBIUS ALBICAUDUS SENEX (Reichenow) 



Pogwiorhynchus scnex Reichenow, Journ. f. Ornith., 1887, p. 59: Ikange, 

 Ukamba, Kenya Colony. 



Specimens collected: 



Male, Tana River, camp 5, Kenya Colony, August 20, 1912. 

 Female, Bowlder Hill, Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 28, 

 1912. 



Sclater" considers senex a distinct species, but, as Van Someren^ 

 has shown, individuals of this form approach albicaudus^ which is geo- 

 graphically adjacent to it, and the two are therefore better treated 

 as conspecific aggregates. Incidentally, the Thika River bird is such 

 a connecting type. This barbet, which is local and uncommon, 



s Journ. f. Ornitli., 1904, p. 38G. 

 « Syst. Avium Ethiop., 1924, p. 270. 

 'Nov. Zool., vol. 29, 1922, pp. 55-56. 



