— 150 — 



feathers dark olive-green with a dark blackish brown tip about 

 20 cm. iu width. Whether this individual is to be considered 

 as a hybrid between rolleti and percivali or a causal vari- 

 ation is difficult to decide with any degree of certainty. It was 

 found, however, as already mentioned in the company of the two 

 other young birds, which are undoubtedly percivali with black 

 central tail-feathers. 



Wing, tarsus, culmen, 



132 mm. 24 mm. 25 mm. roll and perc? 

 • 130 mm. 24 mm. 25 mm. 



129 mm. 23 mm. 25 mm. 



Sturnidae. 



Buphagus erythrorhynchus (Stanl). — Rchw. II. p. 667. 



1 (5 ad. 10. 4. Nairobi. — 1 (5 ad. 18. 4. Kiambu. — 2 ^6 ad. 20. and 22. 4. 



Mount Elgon. — 1 (5 ad. 25. 8. Kisumu. — 1 (J ad. 20. 9. Mombasa. — 1 2 ad. 



10. 4. Nairobi. — 4 QQ ad. 17. and 26. 4. Mount Elgon. 



This Oxpecker was found abundantly at all places through 

 which our expedition passed. With reference to the differences 

 in the colours of the plumage of this species Z e d 1 i t z (J. f. 0. 

 1911, p. 598) and Neumann (J. f. 0. 1905 p. 237) have al- 

 ready given a detailed study thereof, — I am not, however, quite 

 in agreement with Z e d 1 i t z when he says that the deep-brown 

 colour on the throat and fore-neck is always a distinguishing 

 feature of the juvenile dress, for one of the cf specimens (from 

 Elgon) which has the darkest colour on these parts, is a full- 

 grown individual, shot by the nest. 



Another male from Elgon has a grey throat and grey head- 

 like the young bird but has the fore-neck almost of the same 

 yellowish brown colour as the under surface. Bill coral-red. 



Most of my specimens are light yellowish brown on the 

 underparts but some, shot in the same locality and at about the 

 same time, are dark greyish brown And in the series of 11 skins 

 brought home no two specimens are alike. Zedlitz is cer- 

 tainly right in stating that the dark-brown on the fore-neck in 

 the abraded dress pales considerably, but even in the fresh new 

 dress the colour of the fore-neck, as well as that of other parts 

 of the body, varies. 



Wing, tarsus, 



111 — 120 mm. 19—21 mm. cTcT. 

 113—120 mm. 20-21 mm. 99. 



Irides dark-brown, reddish yellow, or with a yellow ring 

 innermost surrounded by another of red; bill coral-red; legs dark 

 greyish brown. 



