BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 469 



The size variations of the adults are as follows: Males — wing, 

 66-68 (average, 66.8); tail, 51-56 (54); culmen, 10-10.5 (10.1); 

 tarsus, 16-17 (16.3 mm). Females— wing, 66-69 (67); tail, 51.5-57 

 (55) ; culmen, 9.5-10 (9.8) ; tarsus, 16-17 (16.5 mm). 



This seed-eater occurs from Eritrea to British Somaliland, Shoa, 

 and Arussi-Gallaland, where it seems to be restricted to fairly high 

 ground. Heuglin found it numerous at altitudes of from 4,000 to 

 11,000 feet in Bogosland and Tigre ; Blanf ord ^^ found it "very com- 

 mon throughout the highlands, generally amongst bushes, in small 

 flocks or singly. It keeps much to the ground. I never saw it at 

 lower elevations." Lovat and others have noted that this finch 

 prefers the wooded areas to open or cultivated places. Erlanger ** 

 found it in some numbers at Harrar, Gara Mulata, and Adis Abeba 

 and in Arussi-Gallaland. 



Lort Phillips ^^ separated the British Somaliland birds under the 

 name pallidior on the basis of paler, grayer color on the breast and 

 sides. This race, which I have not seen, is accepted by Sclater " but 

 has been seriously questioned hy other authors, such as Shelley " 

 and Bannerman.-" 



Erlanger found nests with fresh eggs from April to October and 

 suggests that there may be more than one brood involved. The usual 

 clutch is composed of three or four eggs, which are said to be pale 

 greenish white sparingly flecked with violet-gray and pale or dark 

 reddish brown. Judged by the x^vj worn plumage of all the 

 present specimens, it would seem that the breeding season extends 

 later than October, as it appears that only birds recently through 

 breeding would be so abraded. 



POLIOSPIZA ATROGULARIS REICHENOWI (Salvadori) 



Serinus reichenowi Salvadoki, Ann. Civ. Mus. Geneva, vol. 26, p. 272, 1888: 



Cialalaka, Shoa. 

 Specimens collected: 



3 adult males, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 27-May 8, 1912. 



1 immature male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, May 19, 1912. 



1 adult female, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 27, 1912. 



2 adult males, 2 adult females, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 9-11, 1912. 



1 adult male, Tana River at mouth of Thika River, Kenya Colony, August 

 23, 1912. 



The material available for study (18 specimens) does not permit 

 any attempt at a review of the forms of the yellow-rumped seed- 



" Observations on the geology ancl zoology of Abyssinia, p. 413, 1870. 



" Journ. fiir Orn., 1907, p. 30. 



" Ibis, 1898, p. 398. 



" Systema avium ^thiopicaruni, pt. 2, p. 819, 1930. 



^^ The birds of Africa, vol. 3, p. 231, 1902. 



=0 Ibis, 1910, p. 297. 



106220—37 31 



