BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 331 



j)reseiit one, were new at that point. I have examined a series of all 

 four races, and my findings support those recorded by Bowen. 



The present race and the nominate form have no white on the outer 

 tail feathers ; the other tAvo — verreauxi and Iauragraya£—\\^VQ white 

 on the outer webs of the lateral pair of rectrices. The present sub- 

 species differs from typical leucogaster in being larger; wings, 105- 

 113 mm as against 97-104 mm. Therefore, G. I. friedmanni may be 

 characterized briefly as a large form with no white in the tail. 



The specimen from near Gardula is the type. 



The Loco male is much darker and more bluish than the Ourso and 

 Gardula specimens. When held away from the light, it is fluorite 

 violet above, while the others are madder violet suffused with auricula 

 purple. The Loco bird is also distinguished from the others by having 

 a slenderer bill. 



The four adults have wing lengths of 105, 106, 109, and 109.5 mm, 

 respectively. The Ourso birds are in worn plumage ; the Gardula and 

 Loco specimens are fairly f reslily feathered. 



Neumann ^^ records males in breeding plumage in December and 

 February, birds molting into breeding plumage in the same months, 

 and young birds in February, April, and May, in southern Ethiopia. 

 I am not aware of any more definite information as to the breeding 

 season of this bird in Ethiopia. 



Bowen, Sclater, and others give Ethiopia as the northern limit of 

 the distribution of the violet-backed starling in eastern Africa, but it 

 has been reported from Bogosland in southern Eritrea as well. It has 

 recently been found to occur in southwestern Arabia ^^ and at Sinkat, 

 Red Sea Province, Sudan.^* The latter is typical leucogaster^ the 

 former is probably the same. 



In Ethiopia, the species is found in the river valleys and in the 

 middle higlilands, but not above 8,300 feet. That it is somewhat local 

 may be inferred from the fact that Mearns did not see it in his journey 

 through the Hawash Valley, and Arussi-Gallaland. Erlanger ^® found 

 it only very seldom, except to the south of Ginir, where it was more 

 numerous. 



Mearns recorded 20 of these starlings at Loco March 13, and 1 

 between the Abaya Lakes and Gardula, March 26. 



CINNYRICINCLUS LEUCOGASTER LAURAGRAYAE Bowen 



Cinnyricinclus leucogaster lauragrayac Bowen, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadel- 

 phia, vol. 82, p. 166, 1930 : Meru, Kenya Colony. 



Specimens collected: 1 male, 2 females, Meru Forest, Kenya Colony, August 

 10, 1912. 



«2Journ. fiir Orn., 1905, pp. 237-238. 



^ Sclater, Ibis, 1917, p. 140. 



"Bowen, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Plilladelphia, vol. 83, p. 68. 1931. 



sojourn, fiir Orn., 1905, p. 707. 



