— 230 - 



nioides, having coni(> to that conclusion after comparing Kiliman- 

 jaro specimens with true prmoides. Fiom the description it 

 does not seem to differ in any noteworthy degree from Har- 

 t art's neumanni. 1 have compared my specimens with others 

 from Kilimanjaro, collected by Sjostedt, in the Stockholm 

 National Museum, and it seems as if the latter were in general 

 darker than Elgon specimens. A specimen found in Stockholm 

 from Kenia (thus wamhugensis, according to Mearus) exhibits no 

 difference from the Elgon birds. 



That wamhugensis should be considered a good form seems 

 doubtful to me. I have, it is true, not had any specimen for 

 comparison, but have in the series from Elgon young birds which 

 agree perfectly with Mearn's description (op. cit), whence I 

 think it quite probable that this form is only a juvenile phase 

 of prinoides. 



Finally, as far as neumanni is concerned, I entertain great 

 doubts in accepting it as a good, geographical form, inasmuch 

 as among the 14 Elgon specimens even this type is represented. 



When studying the forms belonging to this species I have 

 found that the young in general have a more reddish brown 

 head than the adults, and that the upper parts are also predo- 

 minantly brownish, sometimes uniformly coloured, the tail brow- 

 nish, and the feathers oftenest with rusty-brown edgings. Under 

 parts whitish, mingled with grey on the sides. The throat almost 

 pure white. The young birds have also the bill dark-brown 

 with the posterior half of the lower mandible yellowish. 



Among the 10 full-grown specimens there are rather great 

 differences, aud they can be referred now to one, now to another 

 of the previously mentioned forms. Thus, some have the whole 

 of the lower surface greyish, others have a whitish area along 

 the middle of the abdomen. A certain number of them have 

 the head rusty-brown, others dark greyish brown and in some 

 the crown is more spotted, with dark centres to the feathers, 

 than in others etc. The majority have the whole of the upper 

 parts brownish black, but in a few they are Ifghter, brownish 

 grey, approaching the young bird's. The tail-feathers are in all 

 of them more or less brownish grey. 



As 12 of the 14 specimens were shot at the same time 

 and within a limited area and there being so great differences 

 which can be referred to the distinctive features distinguishing 

 the various forms described, this goes to prove that a number 

 of these forms can hardly be considered as good ones but only 

 as individual variations in a bird which exhibits locally great 

 variation in the colour and design of the dress, and 1 am con- 

 vinced that future investigations of C. prinioides will corroborate 

 this opiuinion. 



Neumann says (Jouru. f. Orn., 1900, p. 304) that only 

 two birds have any likeness to prinioides, namely, two specimens 



