2. MELITTOPHAGUS. 53 



Adult. Similar to M. bullocli, but having a narrow superciliary 

 line of blue across the base of the forehead and above the eye, as 

 well as a cheek-stripe of brighter blue below the black ear-coverts. 

 Total length 8-3 inches, culmcn 1-45, wing 3-9, tail 3-5, tarsus 0-45. 



Hah. N.E. Africa. 



a. Ad. sk. Sennaar {Kotscliy). Sharpe Coll. 



9. Melittophagus boleslavskii. 



Merops bullockii, J^ierth. Naum. 1852, p. 41 (pt). 



Merops boleslavski, Pelz. Sitz. k. Akad. Wien, xxx. p. 320 (1858) ; 



Hartl. J.f. O. 1861, p. 107; Heual. Orn. N.O.-Afr. i. p. 206 



(1869). 

 Spheconax boleslavskii, Cab. 8,- Heine, Mus. Hein. Th. ii. p. 133 



(1860). 

 Merops frenatus, pt., Heiu/l. J.f. O. 1864, p. 335 ; Finsch S;- Hartl. 



Vocj. Ostafr. p. 188 (1870). 

 Melittophagus boleslavskii, Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 101, no. 1227 



(1869) ; Dresser, Monoyr. Merop. p. 137, pi. 33 (1885). 



Adult. Similar to M. hullocM, but having the throat golden yel- 

 low instead of crimson. Total length 8-5 inches, culmen 1-5, 

 wing 3'95, tail 3-5, tarsus 0-4. 



The occurrence of this yellow-throated form along with true M. 

 bulhcki both in Eastern and Western Africa induces me to think 

 that it is an occasional variety of the latter, rather than a distinct 

 species. There is no sign of its being a young bird, as has been sug- 

 gested by some authors. 



Hah. Senegambia and North-eastern Africa. 



a. Ad. sk. Casamance. Purchased. 



10. Melittophagus albifrons. 



Merops buUockoides (!), Smith, S. Afr. Q. Jotirn. (2) ii. p. 320 

 (1834); id. III. Zool. S. Afr. pi. ix. (18.38); Eeichenb. Handb., 

 Merop. p. 77, pi. 450. figs. 3248-49 (1852); Kirk, Ibi^, 1864, 

 p. 324; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 70 (1867) ; Sharjje, Cat. Afr. B. 

 p. 4 (1871); Buckley, Ibis, 1874, p. 363; Barratf, Ibis, 1876. 

 p. 197; Bocaye, Orn. Anyola, p. 93 (1877); Sharpe & Bouvier, 

 Bull. Soc. Zool. France, iii. p. 475 (1878) ; Sharpe, ed Layard' s B. 

 S. Afr. pp. 99, 804. pi. iv. fig. 1 (1876-84) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1879, 

 p. 289; Sharpe in Oates Matabele Land, p .301 (1881); Ayres, 

 Ibis, 1886, p. 284 ; Souza, Jam. Lisb. p. 220 (1888). 



Melittophagus buUockoides, Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 86 (1846) ; id. Cat. 

 Fissir. Brit. iWzes. p. 72 (1848) ; Bp. Consp. i. p. 164(1850); Gray, 

 Hand-l. B. i. p. 101, no. 1225 (1869); Ayres, Ibis, 1871, p. 150; 

 Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 242 ; Dresser, Monoyr. Merop. p. 129, pi. 35 

 (1885). 



Coccolarynx buUockoides, Reichenb. Handb., Merop. p. 83 (1862). 



Spheconax albifrons. Cab. ^- Heine, Mm. Hein. Th. ii. p. 133 (1860). 



Merops smithii, Schl. Mus. Pays-Bas, Merops, p. 9 (1863). 



Merops albifrons, Fin^^ch i^- Hartl. Viiy. Ostafr. p. 187 (1870). 



Melittophagus albifrons, Fischer, Zeitschr. yes. Orn. i. p. ,360 (1884). 



