— 41 — 



The frontal- patch is also considerably smaller. The length of 

 the culmen from the edge of the frontal-patch, of young and 

 old birds is as follows: 



juv. ad. 



9 47 mm. 56 mm. 9 



9 45 rnm. 53 mm. cf 



It seems also as if the length of the wing and tarsus in 

 the young bird should, as a rule, be greater than in adults. In 

 young birds the superciliary stripe is not always white but some- 

 times yellowish brown or straw-coloured, nearly the same colour 

 as that of the foreneck. This stripe then continues along the 

 dark portion of the head and neck as a lateral border to the 

 white patch of the throat. 



The frontal patch, which becomes larger with age and in 

 old individuals, extends far behind the eyes, later on replacing 

 the superciliary stripe. 



In the four individuals the respective measurements are as 

 follows: 



wing tarsus wing tarsus 



cf juv. 167 mm. 73 mm. cf ad. 153 mm. 64 mm. 

 9 juv. 173 mm. 68 mm. 9 ad. 160 mm. 68 mm. 

 The female specimen of the 8. 8. from Kisumu had a well- 

 developed ovary with large eggs. 



Irides dark-brown; bill greyish blue or greyish green (in 

 the young bird with a lighter tip), frontal-plate lighter in the 

 young bird than in the full-grown; legs dark lead-coloured (in 

 the young bird light greyish green). 



Rallidae. 



Limnocorax niger (Gm.). — Rchw. I. p. 279. 



Kudubiri . . . ki-kamba. 

 4 (5,5 ad. 22. 4., Lake Naiwasha. — 1 (5 ad. 22. 8., Kendu. 



This bird was quite common at Lake Naiwasha. On the 

 22. 4. in a tussock among some tall rushes out in the water, I found 

 a nest, which then contained two eggs of a light yellowish brown 

 colour with small and large dark brownish spots. 



Although the hen had already begun to lay her eggs both 

 the male and female were continually occupied in carry new 

 material to the nest. The noteworthy thing was, however, that 

 above the depression itself there was an arch or roof, consisting 

 of large and small dry rushes and stalks. Whether the birds 

 themselves had arranged this superstructure or whether it was 

 a temporary accumulation I am not in a position to say, as this 

 was the only nest I saw of this species. 



Wing 96, 102, 103, 106 mm, tarsus 39—41 mm. 



Irides blood-red; bill greenish yellow; legs coral- red. 



