— 143 — 



Corvus capensis kordofanensis Laubm. — V. 0. G. B. XIV, 

 1919, p. 103. 



2 5(5 ad. 2. 5.; 1 Q ad. 2. 5. Kapitiplains. - 1 g ad. 10. 7. Mount 

 Elgon, 7.000 ft. 



As a rule this bird is named Heferocorax c. minor (vide v. 

 Someren (Ibis 1916, p. 397) Sclater & Mack worth - 

 Praed (Ibis 1918, p. 424) and others). 



When the train, on the journey from Mombasa to Nairobi, 

 stopped at Kapitiplains Station a flock of these birds was obser- 

 ved out on the steppe. Three individuals were shot. Another 

 specimen was also shot later on at Elgon. 



On examining these lour specimens closely I made the 

 same observation as Neumann (J. f. 0. 1905, p. 230—231), 

 K 1 e i n s c h m i d t (J. f. 0. 1906, p. 78-82), Z e d I i t z (J. f. 0. 

 1911, p. 4) viz, that minor is by no means the smaller bird 

 within this group. 



Sclater & Mackworth-Praed (Ibis 1918, p. 424— 

 425) however, seem to have entirely overlooked the researches 

 of these three investigators, as they do not mention a word about 

 them but "include all birds from south of the Zambesi with a 

 wing-measurement of less than 330 mm. under the name H. c. 

 capensis. Birds from the north of the Zambesi to the Nile 

 valley (except those from Abyssinia) must be called E. c. minor, 

 with a wiug-measuiemeut of less than 330 mm. The Abyssinian 

 bird will probably require a new name." 



In general, however, specimens from East Africa have a 

 greater wing -measurement than 330 mm. and since the above- 

 mentioned writers have put this figure as the limit for C. c. 

 minor then — if this were correct — the great majority of them 

 should belong to another form. Probably some mis -print has 

 occurred, for the three German ornithologists, cited above, have 

 shown that the East African form usually has a longer wing 

 than capensis. 



My four specimens have the following measurements: 



My observations thus comfirm those of the above-named 

 German investigators. Besides, all my specimens are in the 

 moulting stage, hence it is not impossible that in individuals 

 with a full-grown dress the measurements are still greater. 



Two of the specimens have the fore -neck and head blue- 

 glossy. The back and wings also have a beautiful blue gloss. 



This race may best be distinguished from C. c. capensis 

 by the size of the bill, it being, as a rule, smaller in the former 



