394 BULLETIN 15 3, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Previously this race was not known from north of Marsabit in 

 northern Kenya Colony. Sclater ^° merely gives "Kenya Colony, 

 south to * * * northern * * * Tanganyika TeiTitory." 

 Lonnberg ^^ obtained it near the Northern Guaso Nyiro River, and 

 Zedlitz ^2 doubted if this record could refer to 7nassaica. Then 

 van Someren ^^ recorded massaica from Serenli, Mandaira, El Wak, 

 and Marsabit, as well as from near the Northern Guaso Nyiro River. 

 The examples of inassaica collected by the Frick expedition extend 

 the known range to southern Shoa. 



The six specimens of pyrgita collected are in somewhat worn 

 plumage. Their dimensions are as follows : Males — wing, 84.5, 85.5, 

 87, 91; tail, 58.5, 63, 65, 65; culmen, 12, 12.5, 12.5, 13; tarsus, 18, 

 19, 19, 20 mm. Females— wing, 79, 85 ; tail, 56, 63, culmen, 13, 13.5 ; 

 tarsus, 18, 18 mm. 



This species appears to be not uncommon but is nowhere abun- 

 dant. I have not been able to find out anything about its breeding 

 season; the southern race massaica has been found nesting in June. 



GYMNORIS PYRGITA MASSAICA Neumann 



Gymnoris pyrgita massaica Neumann, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club, vol. 21, p. 70, 1908 : 



Kikuyu, Kenya Colony. 

 Specimens collbxjted: 



2 males, 2 females, Gato River near Gardula, Ethiopia, April 18-May 

 17, 1912. 



1 male, Sagon River, Ethiopia, May 19, 1912. 



3 males, Bodessa, Ethiopia, May 20-24, 1912. 

 1 male, Mar Mora, Ethiopia, June 14, 1912. 



1 female, Eudoto Mountains, Kenya Colony, July 20, 1912. 



1 female, 1 immature male, Le-se-dun, Kenya Colony, July 26, 1912. 



1 male, Tharaka district, Kenya Colony, August 14, 1912. 



2 males, Tana River, Kenya Colony, August 16-19, 1912. 



As already mentioned under the typical form, the present Ethiopian 

 specimens are the first ones known from that country and extend the 

 known range of the race northward by about 200 miles. 



All the specimens taken in May are in very worn plumage; the 

 bird collected on June 14 is in molt ; the July and August birds are 

 in fairly fresh feathering. The immature bird lacks the yellow on 

 the throat and has some obscure darkish spots on the back. The size 

 variations of the adults are as follows : Males — wing, 81-89 (average, 

 86.2) ; tail, 56.5-64 (60.4) ; culmen, 12-14 (13.2) ; tarsus, 18-20 (18.8 

 mm). Females — wing, 79, 85; tail, 56, 63; culmen, 13, 13.5; tarsus, 

 18, 18 mm. 



«" Systema avium ^thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 727, 1930. 



M Kongl. Svenska Vet.-Akad. Handl., 1911, p. 109. 



«2 Journ. fiir Orn., 1916, p. 44. 



« Journ. East Africa and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc, no. 35, p. 60 (136), 1930. 



