234 BULLETIN 15 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Someren, however, found the latter to be a glossy blue-black bird 

 and suggested that the name yammelmna must be used instead of 

 tropicalis. It has recently been found, however, that Stanley's type 

 came from Mozambique, not Ethiopia, so pammelaina replaces ater, 

 not tropicalis. 



The characters of this race are: (1) Smaller size, wings 96-109 mm; 

 and (2) much more bluish sheen on the whole body than in the 

 nominate form. 



The dimensions of the present series are as follows : Males — wings 

 100-105 (average, 102.5) ; tail 84-91 (average, 88.4) ; culmen 12.5: 15 

 (average, 13.9 mm). Females — wings, 99; tail, 86-88 (average, 87), 

 culmen, 13-14 (average, 13.5 mm). 



The immature bird collected on August 17 is in an early stage of 

 the post Juvenal molt. The adults taken at the same time (August 

 13-29) are not molting but are in fairly worn plumage. Inasmuch as 

 the breeding season in Kenya Colony is from JNIarch to June, it ap- 

 pears that the juvenal plumage is worn for only a few months. The 

 adults molt just after the nesting season and are through by the end 

 of June. 



This flycatcher was met with in many places. I find the following 

 entries in Mearns's diary: Plains south of, and at base of Endoto 

 Mountains, July 19-24, 40 birds noted; Er-re-re, July 25, 10 seen; 

 Le-se-dun, July 26, 2 birds; 18 miles south of Malele, July 28, 4 

 noted; Northern Guaso Nyiro Eiver, July 31, 10 birds; Lekiundu 

 Eiver, August 4-8, 40; Meru and Kilindini, Equator, August 9-10, 

 14 seen; Tharaka district, August 12-14, 200; Tana River, August 

 15-23, 166 noted ; Thika River, August 23-26, 2 seen ; west of Ithanga 

 Hills, August 28, 4 birds ; between the Thika and Athi River, August 

 29, 30 noted; Athi River near Juja Farm, August 30, 20 birds 

 observed. 



CHLOROPETA NATALENSIS SIMILIS Richmond 



Chloropeta similis Richmond, Auk, vol. 14, p. 163, 1897: Mount Kilimanjaro. 

 Specimens collected: 1 male, Escarpment, 7,390 feet, Kenya Colony, September 

 10, 1912. 



In the study of this specimen and those collected by the Smith- 

 sonian-Roosevelt expedition, I have examined a series of 15 birds, 

 including 2 of the typical, southern form, and the type and 3 para- 

 typical topotypes of similis, and 7 topotypes of kenya. I have no 

 hesitancy in declaring that Chloropeta kenya Sharpe ^^ is a synonym 

 of similis. Furthermore, on the basis of Gyldenstolpe's notes ^* and 

 those of Sassi ^^ I am equally confident that Chloropeta schubotzi 



»» Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 12, p. 35, 1901 : Mount Kenya. 

 " Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Hand!., 1924. p. 206. 

 s5Ann. naturh. Hofmus. Wien, vol. 30, p. 249, 1916. 



