160 BULLETIN 15 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



to the east of the Nile, and also in Ethiopia south to the Shoan lakes 

 and to Ariissi-Gallaland. It occurs west to Lake Chad. 



Grote ^^ has summarized the data on this bird's migrations in Africa 

 and finds that one line of flight passes along the Nile Valley and 

 another along the Red Sea and Arabia. In Darfur, Lynes recorded 

 the birds as early as the middle of October and observed them depart- 

 ing in March. Meinertzhagen ^^ found the spring migration to extend 

 later into the year in Egypt than in Asia Minor (March 24 to April 11 

 in Egypt, as against early March in Palestine). 



Geyr von ScliAveppenburg ^^ has given further details, which make 

 it unnecessary to say more here. 



The specimen is in worn plumage, and badly damaged by shot. 

 This warbler does not molt appreciably in its winter quarters until 

 long after its arrival (January and February). 



SYLVIA COMMUNIS COMMUNIS Latham 



Sylvia communis Latham, Supplement (I) to the general synopsis of birds, 



p. 287, 1787: England. 

 Specimens collected: 1 female, Ethiopia (no exact locality), March 6, 1912. 



The whitethroat occupies a much more extensive winter range than 

 does S. curruca curruca, as it occurs south to central Tanganyika 

 Territory regularly, and occasionally even to Southern Rhodesia and 

 to Damaraland. In western Africa it ranges south to the Gold Coast 

 and Northern Nigeria (south to the northern border of the Upper 

 Guinea forest area). 



It is a common bird in Ethiopia, where it begins to arrive late in 

 September, The spring migration starts in the middle of March. 

 Van Someren ^^ has, however, found individuals lingering as late as 

 April in Kenya Colony. 



The present specimen is in molt. 



The Caucasian race icterops is known to winter in northern Somali- 

 land but has not yet been reported from Ethiopia. It is slightly 

 larger and is darker above and has paler, less rufous, more grayish 

 edges to the secondaries. 



SYLVIA ATRICAPILLA ATRICAPILLA (Linnaeus) 



Motacilla atricapilla Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, p. 187, 1758: Europe; re- 

 stricted type locality, Sweden. 

 Specimens collected : 1 male, Loco, Ethiopia, March 13, 1912. 



The familiar blackcap of Europe winters in Africa south to Gam- 

 bia and French Guinea in the west, to Ruwenzori in central Africa, 



2'^ Mitteil. Zool. Mus. Berlin, vol. 16, pt. 1, p. 35, 1930. 

 z' Ibis, 1922, p. 10. 



2sVerh. VI Int. Orn. Kongr. in Kopenhagen, pp. 89-101, 1926 (publ. 1929) ; and Journ. 

 fur Orn., 1930, p. 49. 



«»Nov. Zool., vol. 29, p. 233. 1922. 



