184 BULLETIN 15 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



SYLVIETTA WHYTII ABAYENSIS Mearns 



Figure 13 



Sylvietta whytii aiayensis Meiarns, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 61, no. 20, 



p. 4, 1913 : Gato River, Ethiopia. 

 Si'EXJiMENS collected: 



1 female, Gidabo River, Ethiopia, March 17, 1912, 



3 males, 4 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April &-May 14, 

 1912. 



1 female, Tertale, Ethiopia, June 8, 1912. 



Soft parts: Iris yellowish brown; bill olivaceous-browii above, 

 pale reddish brown below; feet and claws light brown. 



One of the Gato River males is the type of this race. 



This race is only slightly different from loringi, but as the differ- 

 ence (paler color below, more olivaceous tone above) seems to be 

 constant, I consider it recognizable. 



To the brief account of its range given under the preceding race, 

 I may add here that this race appears to be completely isolated from 

 the others, or, at least, the species is not yet known from the inter- 

 vening area of northern Kenya Colony. 



The size variations of the present series are given in table 35. 



Table 35. — Measurements of nine specimens of Sylvietta whytii abayensis from 



Ethiopia 



The birds are in somewhat abraded plumage, but I can not detect 

 any signs of molting. Unfortunately, nothing seems to be known 

 of the breeding season of this bird, but it is probably in April, as 

 its relative, S. hraehyv/ra leucopsis, nests during that month in the 

 Gurra country. 



Erlanger ^^ was the first to record this species from Ethiopia (Djal- 

 aban and Gambo). I am not aware of any other published records 

 from that country, but Sclater and Mackworth-Praed ^- mention a 

 series collected by Zaphiro in southern Shoa. 



Besides the actual specimens collected, Mearns observed this bird 

 as follows: Aletta, March 7-13, 1 seen; between the Abaya Lakes 



fiir Orn., 1905, p. 732. 

 11 Q r. aaa 



" Journ. „ 



«Ibls, 1918, p. 669 



