BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 



219 



a specimen by means of a key with no named comparative material 

 available. However, the following key should help in the majority 

 of cases: 



KEY TO THE FORMS OF ALSEONAX MINIMUS IN EASTEKN AND NORTHEASTERN AFKICA 



a}. Bill not more than 5 mm wide at base m^inimus 



a'. Bill more than 5 mm wide at base. 



6\ Upperparts with a yellowish tone djamdjamensis 



6'. Upperparts with no yellowish tone. 



c*. Crown darker than the back neumanniana 



c*. Crown not darker than the back. 



(Z\ Underparts nearly as dark as the back roehli 



d^ Underparts much lighter than the back. 



e\ Wings less than 60 mm in length pumilus 



e^ "Wings more than 62 mm in length murinus 



Table 4S.— Measurements of 12 specimens of Alseonax minimus djamdjamensis 



from Ethiopia 



Besides the differences indicated in the key, on the whole pumilus 

 is browner, less grayish above, than murinus., but the latter varies 

 considerably in this regard. I have seen no material of roehli and 

 merely assume the characters given by Grote®^ are correct. 



The present series of djamdjamensis indicates that the birds of the 

 high plateau of Arussiland are slightly larger than those of the lower 

 Sidamo country north of the Abaya Lakes. The measurements are 

 given in table 43. 



Two of the Aletta and one of the Cofali birds approach neuman- 

 niana in having the top of the head noticeably darker than the rest 

 of the upperparts. Whether the two forms intergrade in the Sidamo 

 area is an open question. For the present I prefer to consider all 

 these specimens as djamdjamensis. 



** Orn. Monatsb., vol. 27, p. 62, 1919. 



