558 MOTACILLID^. 



streaks of dusky brown ; flanks rather more strongly washed with 

 sandy buft'; axillaries and xuider wing-coverts smoky brown, 

 washed with sandy buff : under surface of quOls dusky, ashy isabel- 

 line along the inner web. Total length G--t inches, culmen 0-65, 

 wing 3-6, tail 2-25, tarsus Tl. 



The specimen described is in breeding-plumage, which is conse- 

 quently much worn. A specimen kiUed in March is in full moult 

 into winter plumage, and has already assumed the broad sandy-buff 

 edo-es to the wing-coverts and quiUs ; the outside tail-feathers are 

 more rufescent on the edges and tips than the bird described, which 

 has the light portions of these feathers almost faded out to white. _ 



A male obtained on the 20th of November by Mr. Andersson is in 

 such worn and abraded plumage that the whole of the upper surface, 

 including the wings, is nearly uniform, without any trace of light 

 maro-ins to the feal^Jiers. On the chest are some very distinct trian- 

 gular spots of blackish brown. 



This species presents a remarkable variation in colour in a large 



series all these differences, however, appearing to be accounted 



for by the natural variations of age or season. In the extensive 

 series contained in the British Museum are examples in nearly every 

 stao-e of plumage and from nearly every habitat of the species. 



The present bird differs from A. nicholsoni in its uniform upper 

 surface and especially in the tail, which in the last-named bird has 

 the penultimate feather blackish, with only a narrow outer edging 

 of rufous-buff' along the outer web and round the tip ; sometimes a 

 small wedge-shaped spot is present at the end of the inner web: the 

 outer feather is of the same character in both the birds ; but in A. 

 nicholsoni the light portion of the feather is pale rufescent, becoming 

 whiter at the tip, and the shaft appears to be always darker 



brown. . . . , , 



From Anthus sordidus it is also easily distinguished by its uni- 

 form upper surface and by the absence of the triangular reddish 

 mark at the end of the penultimate feather. 



In the winter plumage the colour- of the upper parts is more 

 ashy buff and the sandy-coloured edges to the wing-coverts and 

 quUIs are much i^lainer and more distinct ; the spots on the breast 

 are less pronounced, being obscured by the sandy-coloured edges to 

 the feathers, which resemble the rest of the under surface. 



Anthus gouldi of Fraser is a small West-African form of A. pyr- 

 rhonotus, rather darker in colour above and deeper coloured under- 

 neath, especially on the under tail-coverts, which are deep tawny 

 buff. ' The type measures : — Total length 6-6 inches, culmen 0-55, 

 wing 3-55, tail 2-8, tarsus 1-00. 



Bab. The whole of South Africa, from the Cape Colony to Ben- 

 guela on the west coast and the Zambesi on the east, occurring in 

 Eastern Africa as far north as Shoa. In Western Africa a small 

 dark race occurs from the Niger to Senegambia, while the represen- 

 tative form of the Gaboon and Congo region is subspecificaUy 

 distinct. 



