1. CAPEIMULGUS. 557 



what larger on the scapulars ; primaries deep brown, first, second, 

 and third with large white spots, that on the first not reaching the 

 shaft, that on the second extending to the shaft and often to the 

 outer web, that on the third always distinct on both webs, at least 

 small iudications of a white spot on the inner web of the fourth 

 primarj- ; wing-coverts with fulvous-isabelline spots ; two outer- 

 most rectrices with their tips white for about two inches ; chin, 

 throat, and breast resembling the upper parts in coloration ; no 

 distinct white spots on the throat, but generally an obsolete whitish 

 space in the middle of it ; abdomen fulvous isaboUiae with blackish- 

 brown bars; lower abdomen and under tail-coverts less frequently 

 barred and often almost uniform. Total length about 9*5 inches, 

 wing 6-2 to 6'5, tail 4' 7 ; tarsus feathered in front, 0-6 inch in 

 length. 



AduU female. Similar to the male, but wants the white spots on 

 the primaries and the white tips to the outer tail-feathers, the 

 primaries being irregularly barred with brownish buflf. 



Young. Paler and less distinctly marked ; the young male has no 

 white on the primaries and rectrices. 



There are great variations in colour, some specimens being very 

 rufous in tint, others more brown, and others again very dark grey. 

 Heuglin believed that the rufous tint is a sign of age, which is 

 certainly not the case. Judging from the specimens which I 

 have seen, this tint seems to be independent of age and sex and 

 merely an individual character. Sharpe's C. cinnamomeits is an 

 extremely rufous specimen, but others from North-eastern Africa 

 are almost identical. 



Hab. From the absence of specimens from so many countries it 

 is difficult to define the distribution of this species, but it is certainly 

 much larger than has hitherto beeu supposed. It ranges through- 

 out Abyssinia from the Bogos Country to Shoa and the Adal Coast, and 

 to Makarungu in Eastern Africa, and doubtless occurs from North- 

 eastern Africa to the northern parts of Western Africa, at least from 

 Liberia to Lagos. 



A specimen procured by Mr. Blanford in E. Persia is probalily 

 referable to this species, and Pv.adde records the occurrence of a 

 single specimen in the Caucasus. These two localities, however, 

 require confirmation. 



a. 2 ad. sk. Koomavlee, Abyssinia, Sharps Coll. 



March 18 ( W. Jesse). 



b. 2 ad. sk. Kokai, Bugos-land, Aug. 9 Salvin-Godman Coll. 



( W. Jesse). 



c. d, P. c? 2 ad. Kokai, Aug. 9 ( W. Jesse). Sharpe & Tweeddale 

 sk. Colls. 



f-i. J ad. sk. Ain, Bogos, July o ( W. Jesse). Tweeddale, Shai-pe, 



& Salvin-Godman 

 Colls. 

 k, I. (5 ad. et Ain, 1200 ft., Aug. 16. W. T. Blanford, Esq. 



imm. sk. [C-]- 



m, n, o. c? ad. et Bogos-Lind. Mr. Esler [C.]. 



imm. sk. 



