— 39 — 



Qallinago nigripennis Bpt. — Rchw. I. p. 236. 



1 (5 ad. 6. 5. Loudiani. — 1 (5 ad. 30. 6. Mount Elgon. 



This bird is undoubtedly more common than the precedin}^ 

 species, at least in the regions I marched through and explored. 



The first specimen was procured in a swamp, a few miles 

 north of Londiani, at about 8.500 ft. above sea-level. 



Wing 128 mm, culmen 71 mm, tarsus 35 mm. 



At this place the species was rather common, and again at 

 Eldoret I saw some more individuals. 



The other specimen brought home was shot on the eastern 

 slopes of Mount Elgon, about 13.000 ft. above sea -level. On 

 different occasions later on I observed the bird at other ele- 

 vations. Still, it seems beyond doubt that G. nigripennis is a 

 pronounced highland bird, which even occurs in the alpine region 

 where only a few icy -cold mountain streams can offer the bird 

 the required possibilities of existence. 



Wing 130 mm, culmen 64 mm, tarsus 30 mm. 



The measurements given above would seem to suggest that 

 the specimen in question belongs to G. media. The length of 

 the culmen expecially agrees more with that bird, but the indivi- 

 dual is a young bird, which in other respects is quite in agree- 

 ment with G. nigripennis., whence there is no doubt as to its 

 identity. 



Otididae. 



Otis melanog aster Riipp. — Rchw. I. p. 256. 

 1 cT ad. 7. 9. Mount Kenia. — 1 Q ad. 20. 4. Lake Naiwasha. 



At Lake Naiwasha — at about 8.000 ft. high — this bustard 

 was quite numerous. 



It frequented the acacia- plains, which at some places 

 reaches down to the shores of the lake, where it ran about in 

 the tall grass and knew well how to lie concealed. It was 

 seldom seen to fly and when this happened at any time it would 

 soon settle again about 50 to 100 yards from the spot from 

 where it took wing. 



The female, which was shot at Lake Naiwasha, has the 

 following measurements: wing 360 mm, tarsus 130 mm, culmen 

 40 mm, tail 160 mm. 



According to H e u g 1 i n the length of the bare part of 

 the tibia in this species is 55 mm but in the closely related 

 Otis hartlaubi, it is 64 mm. It this 9 specimen the bare part 

 of the tibia is 67 mm. and in the male specimen, shot in the 

 neighbourhood of Mount Kenia (Tana river) it is only is 

 57 mm. 



The male specimen exhibits the following measurements: 

 wing 340 mm, tarsus 133 mm, culmen 41 mm, tail 164 mm. 



