BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 409 



as Uganda males (typical crocatus) have shorter wings than abay- 

 ensk males. It may be, then, that there is a constant size differ- 

 ence between the two forms. I have seen no real crocatus from 

 Kenya Colony, but only published records. 



The present adult males have the following dimensions : Wing, 73, 

 73.5, 78; tail, 59, 59, 61; culmen, 16.5, 17, 17.5; tarsus, 18.5, 19.5, 

 20.5 mm, respectively. 



The bird collected near Gardula, on March 27 is in molt and has 

 the black feathers coming in on the chin and throat. It was labeled 

 as a female, but the black on the chin and throat suggests an error 

 on the part of the collector. 



The coastal belt and the subcoastal area of eastern Africa are in- 

 habited by the race sualielicus, characterized by its more golden 

 brownish forehead and cheeks. This bird is said by Neumann -^ 

 and by Sclater to range from the Zambesi north to Lamu. Zedlitz,^^ 

 however, calls attention to Revoil's specimen from southern Somali- 

 land identified by Oustalet as ^'Hyphantornis oculanus,''^ and writes 

 that it is probably suahelicus. Bowen ^^ records suahelicus from 

 Meru and Mount Kenya, but it seems that his birds may have been 

 intermediate between sualielicus and ahayensis. Zedlitz considers 

 dbayenis to be a blending of suahelicus and crocatus. 



This weaver lives in the thornbrush savannahs and is also found 

 about the edges of wooded areas. Little has been recorded of its 

 habits in Ethiopia and western Kenya Colony. The race crocatus 

 breeds from April to June in Uganda. 



PLOCEUS NIGRICOLLIS MELANOXANTHUS (Cabanis) 



Hyphanturgus melanoxanthus Cabanis, Journ. fiir Orn., 1878, pp. 205, 232: 



Mombasa. 

 Specimens collected: 



1 male, 1 female, Tharaka district, Kenya Colouy, August 13-14, 1912. 



1 male. Tana River, camp 3, Kenya Colony, August 16, 1912. 



Neumann ^^ separated the birds of southern Shoa under the name 

 P. melanoxanthus malensis on the basis of the fact that the black 

 ocular stripe was more distinct behind the eye than in typical mela- 

 noxanthus. I have examined a male and a female topotype of 

 malensis and can not see any difference between them and comparable 

 specimens of melanoxanthus. Sclater ^^ has also found malensis to be 

 untenable. 



-= Journ. fur Orn., 1905, p. 339. 



2« Journ. fur Orn., 1916, p. 13. 



^ Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelpbia, vol. 83, p. 74, 1931. 



28 Orn. Monatsb.. vol. 12, p. 162, 1904. 



» Systema avium ^thiopicarum, pt. 2, p. 746, 1930. 



