— 133 - 



As the young bird is on the whole similar to the adults, 

 one might possibly — owing to the length of wing — refer it 

 to F. a. minor (Rchw.) but as it was found in the same locality 

 as that in which F. a emini was shot, it is scarcely conceivable 

 that these two forms could be found in the same place. 



Irides dark-brown; bill black; lead-grey. 



Telephonus seneyalus orientalis (Cab.). — v. d. Decken's Reise III 



p. 27 (1869). 

 1 (5 ad. 26. 4. Mombasa. 



If we examine the literature on the forms belonging to 

 this group, we shall find that at least 14 are described (Com- 

 pare Z e d 1 i t z , J. f. 0. 1915, p. 54—54 and Neumann, 

 J. f. 0. 1907, pp. 366—379). But not more than one form is 

 given for East Africa, viz. the above-mentioned. Reich enow 

 (J. f. 0. 1915, p. 82) expresses the opinion that this form cannot 

 be considered as a good one, any more than P. s. armenus Oberh. 

 However, as the other 13 forms are North, West and South 

 African respectively, and as the East African specimen of this 

 group cannot possibly be referred to any of them, one should 

 be compelled — if R e i c h e n o w is right — to name at least 

 another new form. On comparing all the specimens belonging 

 to this race found in the Berlin Museum I have come to the 

 same opinion as Z e d 1 i t z (op. cit.), that F. s. orientalis must 

 constitute the name for the coastal form in British East Africa. 



v. Someren (Journ. E. Afr. & Ug. N. H. S., 1918, 

 p. 256), however, styles the specimen he procured in Mombasa 

 (the "terra typica" for F. s. orientalis) F. senegalus. This is, 

 however, only known from N.W. Africa, Senegal, etc., and there- 

 fore his individual should in all probabilify be called F.s. orientalis. 

 Whether it is correct, as the same author does (Nov. Zool. XXV., 

 1918, p. 276), to name the Elgon specimen F. s. orientalis, is 

 in my opinion, open to question. — Neumann (op. cit.) has 

 stated that the greater or lesser humidity of the locality seems 

 to play a certain part in the origin of different varieties or 

 forms of this family and in certain districts with about the 

 same natural conditions, temperature and moisture these varieties 

 have become sub-species. 



Between the South and East African forms of F. senegalus 

 there is a very great variation, then it is out of the question 

 that the coastal form from Mombasa can be identical with the 

 true F. s. senegalus and that the Elgon form again should be 

 the same as the coasal form is not very probable. 



I have myself one specimen from Mombasa and two from 

 Lumbwa near (Kisumu on Victoaia Nyanza), The former is 

 undoubtedly a good orientalis, but the latter, — which were 

 thus shot far in the interior of the country — differ so much 



