324 



BULLETIN 15 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



The present specimens from Gato River near Gardula and from 

 Bodessa and Tertale appear to be the first typical ruppelli recorded 

 from Ethiopia since the description of erlangeri. Though records 

 previous to Zedlitz's paper were referred to rilppeUi, the name was 

 used in a much wider sense. Neumann,^* however, met with the 

 species at Suksuki River, Mole River, Lake Zwai, and Lake Abaya 

 and stated that there was no difference between these birds and 

 others from East Africa. The typical form appears to be the domi- 

 nant one in southern Shoa, but erlangeri occasionally occurs there 

 as well, or at least large individuals occur that are more like er- 

 langeri than rilppelli. 



The measurements of the present series are given in table 63. 



Table 63. — Measurements of 27 specimens of Eurocephalus riippelli riippelli 



Like all the forms of this genus, the present bird is a denizen of 

 the acacia-mimosa thornbush country and also of the rather sparse 

 woodlands. 



Eight of the birds taken at Gato River are in molt in the wings and 

 tail, as are also three others from east of Lake Stefanie, the Marsabit 



•*Journ. fur Orn., 1905, p. 215. 



