302 Dr. P. L. Sclater on the Birds of the Zambesi Region. 



submitted to my examination by his brother, Mr. R. Dickinson, 

 I have had great pleasure in determining the species — a task 

 in which, however, I should mention, I have received much 

 assistance from Mr. J. H. Gurney's extensive knowledge of this 

 group of birds. 



The late Dr. Dickinson was surgeon to the Oxford and 

 Cambridge Central-African Mission under the late Bishop 

 Mackenzie. 



Dr. Dickinson commenced his collection of birds at Quilimane, 

 on the coast, where he was waiting, for some time, for an 

 opportunity to proceed up the river, in September 1861. Here 

 he obtained about fifteen specimens. Upon reaching Magomero 

 — the mission-station in the Mananja Mountains — at an eleva- 

 tion of some 3000 feet above the sea-level, about two months 

 later, he appears to have again resumed his collections, the 

 eighteen next succeeding birds being registered as from this 

 locality. 



Upon the mission-station being abandoned in April 1862, 

 Dr. Dickinson accompanied the other members of the party in 

 their retreat to Chibisa, the highest point of the navigation of 

 the Shire. The rest of Dr. Dickinson's collection, numbering 

 some eighty specimens, were obtained at this locality, where 

 he continued to reside until his death, which took place on the 

 17th of March, 1863. 



Dr. Kirk informs me that the late Dr. Dickinson was hard 

 worked by his professional engagements during the whole of the 

 time he spent on the Zambesi, and was, moreover, continually 

 laid up by fever. In addition to this, he was much attached to 

 the study of Diatomacece, and made a considerable collection of 

 these objects. Under these circumstances, it is only to be 

 wondered that he was enabled to turn his attention to orni- 

 thology so far as to amass the present collection, which em- 

 braces a very fine series of Raptorial birds, numbering forty- 

 eight specimens, besides examples belonging to other groups. 

 With regard to the latter, they are mainly duplicates of the 

 series obtained by Dr. Kirk during the Zambesi expedition. 1 

 have not thought it necessary, therefore, to register their names, 

 as Dr. Kirk is preparing notes upon his own collections, and has 



