BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 



279 



cup-shaped structure of dried grasses and measures 30 mm in depth 

 and 60 mm in diameter (inside measurements). The two eggs were 

 fresh. They are pale blue, finely and sparingly dotted with earth 

 brown, the dots concentrating at the large pole to form an almost 

 solid brownish-gray patch. They measure 22 by 17 and 21 by 17.5 

 mm, respectively. Doctor Mearns noted that "both parents came to 

 the nest and uttered catlike cries and hissing sounds" as he came near. 

 To judge from Mearns's field notes, this shrike appears to be much 

 commoner in northern Kenya Colony than in Shoa, for while he 

 collected practically all the specimens he saw in the latter country, 

 his records for Kenya Colony are as follows : The plains at the base 

 of Endoto Mountains, July 19-24, 200 birds seen; Er-re-re, July 25, 

 10 noted, Le-se-dun, July 26, 10; Malele, July 27, 10 seen; 18 miles 

 south of Malele, July 28-29, 75 observed ; 40 miles south of Malele, 

 July 30, 20 seen; Northern Guaso Nyiro River, July 31, 20 noted; 

 Lekiundu River, August 4-8, 6 birds seen. From that point south- 

 ward the species was commonly observed, but as these records appear 

 to refer to the subspecies degener^ they are incorporated in the discus- 

 sion of that form. 



LANIARIUS FUNEBRIS DEGENER Hilgert 



Laniarius funehris degener Hilgert, Nov. Zool., vol. 18, p. 606, 1912 : Darassum, 



Gurraland. 

 Specimens coixected: 1 male, 4 females. Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 



14-17, 1912. 



The characters and distribution of this form have been stated in the 

 discussion of the nominate race. As already intimated, the charac- 

 ters of degener do not stand out on casual examination, but are fairly 

 constant in series. The dimensions of these five specimens are pre- 

 sented in table 55, and on comparison with the figures given for 

 funehris it may be seen that the present race is noticeably smaller in 

 size. 



In its habits this form is similar to funehris. 



Doctor Mearns noted this race as follows: Tana River, August 

 14-23, 500 birds seen; mouth of Thika River, August 23-26, 10. 



Table 55. — Measurements of five specimens of Laniarius funebris degener from 

 Tana River, Kenya Colony 



