25. LAMPROTORNIS. 157 



5-65 inches, and the tail is of about the same length, whereas in 

 a fine specimen from Keren the wing is 6-7 inches and the tail 

 8 inches. The other males have the wing from 6'6 to G-75 inches. 

 A female collected by Mr. Blanford has the wing 6-55 inches, while 

 a female obtained by Mr. Jesse at Waliko had the wing only 5-6 

 inches. A specimen in the Shelley collection, obtained by the late 

 Dr. Hildebrandt on the Adi River, has a coppery bronze crown, a 

 steel-blue back instead of purple, no velvety spots on the scapulars, 

 and the outer aspect of the wing steel-green ; on the under surface 

 there is a remarkable absence of golden copper on the breast and of 

 purple on the flanks. This specimen is not in the best condition, 

 but I can scarcely believe that the differences arc due to age. 

 Hab. N.E. Africa, extending into Eastern and Central Africa. 



a. Ad. sk. Keren, Bniros (Esler). Sharpe Coll. 



b,c. (^ 2 ad. ; d. Auseba Valley, July 1868. W. T. Blanford, Esq. 



Ad. sk. [C.]. 



e,f. cJ^ad. sk. Waliko, July 1868 (JF. Tweeddale Coll. 



Jesse). 

 (J. <S ad. sk. Bejook, July 13, 1868 ( W. Tweeddale Coll. 



Jesse). 

 h. .Tuv. sk. Shoa {Harris). India Museum. 



i. \A. sk. Bari Negro Country {Knob- Sharpe Coll. 



lecker). 

 k. 2 ad. sk. Lado, March 9, 1879 {Emin Shelley Coll. 



Pasha). 

 I. (S ad. sk. Adi River, E. Africa, July Shelley Coll. 



1887 {Dr. Hildehrandt). 



3. Lamprotornis mevesi. 



Juida mevesi, Wahlb. J.f. O. 1857, p. 1 ; Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 23, 

 no. 6326 (1870) ; Gurney, in Anderss. B. Dam.-Ld. p. 159 

 (1872). 



Lamprotornis mevesi, Hartl. J. f. O. 1859, p. 12 ; Shatye, Cat. Afr. 

 B. p. 56 (1871) ; Hard. Ahhandl. nat. Ver. Bremen, iv. p. '48 

 (1875) ; Bocnge, Orn. Angola, p. 303 (1881) ; Sharjw in Gates' 

 Matabele-Land, App. p. 317 (1881) ; HolubSf Von Pek. Beitr. Orn. 

 Siidafr. p. 110 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Bayard's B. S. Afr. pp. 423, 

 846 (1884) ; Souza, Jorn. Lisb. xi. p. 152 (1887). 



Adult male. Very similar to L. caudatus, but much smaller, more 

 reddish purple on the lower back and rump ; the head and throat 

 glossy steel-blue with a purple gloss, but no bronze ; the scapulars 

 and wing-coverts without any subterminal spots of velvety black : 

 " bill and feet black ; iris brown " {AnchietaX Total length 13 

 inches, culmen 0-75, wing (r3, tail 7"5, tarsus 1-65. 



Young. More dusky than the adults, and v\ ith much less metallic 

 plumage, the feathers on the head more steel-blue, and the back and 

 wings greener, as well as the throat; the coppery bronze-colour on 

 the breast also absent. 



Hah. From Damara I^ajid to the Matabele country. 



