— 26 — 



must perhaps be considered as a mere chance. Frona any point 

 of view the find is none the less of some interest. 



At Victoria Nyaiiza. 



Before reaching Victoria Nyanza we stayed for a few days at 

 Lumbwa, a few miles west of Londiani, on the Uganda Railway. 

 This place lies 6.220 feet above sea-level, but the surroundings 

 are at some places 7.000 feet and over. Only a few birds were 

 shot in this locality: Lanms collaris Jmmeralis, Campephaga 

 iiiifra nigra, Lanuirius stdplmreipectus suahelicus and Telophonns 

 senegalus eryihroptertts all of which we found in the valleys co- 

 vered with acacias and brushwood. 



Later on I stayed some time at Kisumu, formerly known 

 as Port Florence, the terminus of the Uganda railway. This 

 town lies at an elevation of about 3.760 feet at the eastern end 

 of the Kaviiondo Gulf, Victoria Nyanza, and has the most 

 rainy periods in December, February, March, Ai)ril with an 

 average monthly rainfall for a period of six years of 6 79, 5.02, 

 6.27, 6.88 ins. respectively, and a total of 47 39 ins. 1 arrived 

 here in the dry period, therefore a great number of the birds 

 shot are in moult. 



In the innermost parts of the Kavirondo Gulf there are 

 extensive, alnsost impenetrable i)apyrus groves and inside these, 

 where the shore commences, is a narrow belt hlled with bushes 

 and brushwood. Actophilus africanus, Tringa hjpoleucos, Bu- 

 bulcus ibis, were very common in the reeds and along the shores, 

 and although it was in the end of the month of August a fe- 

 male specimen of the first-mentioned species had well developed 

 eggs in the ovary. In the brushwood Streptopelia decipiens per mistily 

 Chalcomitra senegalensis aequatorialis, Nectarinia enjthrocerca, 

 J^loceus melanocephalus dimidiatus, Alseonax infulatus, Serinus 

 dorsostriatus dorsostriatus and others occurred in great numbers. 

 Such an abundance of Honey Birds as was found here I never 

 saw anywhere else. 



As my wanderings in the districts only lasted a few days 

 it goes without saying that I am not in a position to give any- 

 thing like a complete description of the bird-kingdom, but must 

 be content to mention the birds shot during my excursions. The 

 exceedingly beautiful Laniarius erythrogaster erythrogasier hopped 

 about in the dense brushwood and Columba guinea longipennis 

 was seen occasionally. 



At certain points the steppe-country reaches down almost 

 to the lake itself and Small flocks of Oena capensis were seen 

 flying back and fore between the low bushes growing here. — 

 Sorella emini-bey, Amadina fasciata alcxandri, Anomalospiza 

 iniberbis. Halcyon leucocephala leucocephala and many others also 

 occurred here, though less commonly. Colius striatus ugandensis 



