BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 87 



occurs at altitudes of from 3,000 to 8,000 feet, and also in the upper 

 stretches of the Blue and White Niles (the latter region is, however, 

 inhabited by 'purpurascens). Jesse ^° found it rather uncommon in 

 Bogosland, and Zedlitz did not see it at all in southern Eritrea and 

 northern Ethiopia. Neumami found that lacuum occurred up to 

 about 7,300 feet in the mountains of southwestern Ethiopia. 



The male taken at Loco on March 15 is in molting condition; the 

 other three specimens are in fine, fresh plumage. 



Mearns recorded seeing a few of these tits on the following occa- 

 sions — North or Black Lake Abaya, March 18, 4 birds; Galana 

 Kiver, March 19-20, 10 seen ; between the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, 

 March 26-29, 2 individuals noted. 



PARUS ALBIVENTRIS ALBIVENTRIS Shelley 



Parus alhiventris Shelley, Ibis, 1881, p. 116: Ugogo. 

 Spex^imens collectei): 



1 male, Taua River, Camp 6, Kenya Colony, August 21, 1912. 



2 males, 1 female, Escarpment, Kenya Colony, September 4-6, 1912. 



There are two races of this titmouse : The typical one, which occurs 

 in the interior of Kenya Colony and northern Tanganyika Territory 

 from Moroto and Ugogo, Kakoma, and Salanda, to Mount Lololokui 

 in the north and to Mount Elgon on the west, and a smaller race, 

 curtus, which occurs in the coastal districts of southern Kenya Colony, 

 inland to Taveta. In the nominate form the wings measure 79 to 86 

 mm in the males, 77 to 83 mm in the females, while in curtus the wing 

 length varies from 75 to 77 mm in the males and from 72 to 76 mm in 

 the females. The three males listed above have wings of 80, 80, and 

 81 mm, respectively ; the female, 77 mm. All are in fine, fresh plumage. 



The nominate race appears not to have been taken in Uganda, but it 

 is known from the Banso Mountains of Cameroon, rather a surprising 

 distribution in view of the fact that most birds common to the Came- 

 roon highlands and parts of East Africa are not infrequently found 

 in Uganda. 



Hinde^^ found it coimnon in the "neighborhood of swamps and 

 river-beds where there is some timber, such as mimosa, in proximity 

 to the water. Breeds in April and November." 



Granvik ^'' found this bird common on the eastern slopes of Mount 

 Elgon at an altitude of about 6,500 to 7,000 feet. 



Besides the four birds taken, Mearns observed a few others of this 

 species, as follows : Tana River, August 16-23, 18 birds seen ; junction 

 of Tana and Thika Rivers, August 23, 2 noted. 



^^Ex Finsch, Trans. Zool. Soc. London, 1870, p. 238. 



^ Ibis, 1900, pp. 494-495. 



»' Journ. far Orn., 1923, Sonderheft, p. 227. 



