276 i\lr. K. B. Sharpe on the 



Hab. North Eastern Africa. Abyssinia {Riippel/, Heuglin); 

 Bogos Land {Blanford, Jesse) ; Senaar, Fazoglu, Kordofan 

 [Heuglin]', Gazelle River (Ardinori). Eastern Africa. Uza- 

 ramo {Speke) ; Zambesi {Kirk). Western Africa. Senegambia 

 [Mus. Lugd.) ; River Gambia {Mus. R. B. S.); Casamanze, Bissao 

 {Verreaux) ; Accra {Ussher); Sacconde, Rio Boutry {Pel); Ga- 

 boon {Verreaux) ; Ogobai River {Du Chaillu); Angola {Toulson, 

 Monteiro) . 



Dr. Finsch, in his lately published paper on the Abyssinian 

 collection of Mr. Jesse, writes : — 



" The North-Eastern African specimens are larger than West- 

 ern ; but thex-e are intermediate forms in specimens from East 

 Africa, which are also larger, and nearly as big as the Mada- 

 gascarian E. madagascariensis, Gm. The latter has been pro- 

 cured at Mozambique, and seems to be scarcely distinguishable 

 as a species.'^ Verreaux (/. c.) notices that the race from Ga- 

 boon, although not differing from Senegambian specimens in 

 coloration, is nearly a quarter as large again, but he considers it 

 to be only a larger race. 



. Hartlaub (/. c.) says, " a local race of this species from Gaboon 

 is distinguished by its somewhat brighter colour and by its 

 larger dimensions. I have examined specimens 11^ inches in 

 length.^' On the other hand Cassin (/, c.) remarks that the spe- 

 cimens sent by DuCliaillu from the Ogobai river were "rather 

 smaller than specimens from Sierra Leone." This confirms my 

 impression, hinted at in the account of E. glaucurus, that that 

 species occurs in Gaboon, and that its range extends across the 

 continent of Africa, whence it migrates into Madagascar. 



In Gaboon, M. Verreaux informs me that the present species 

 is a bird of passage, only remaining to breed, as his hunter 

 had procured young birds newly fledged. It affects marshy 

 places, and feeds on insects, seizing them in flight like a Bee- 

 eater. It is found in little troops of twenty or thirty. They 

 retire to the tops of high trees during the heat of the day and 

 night, always going to the tops of the trees, where they are con- 

 cealed by the foliage. The female only diff'ers from the male in 

 size ; it appears to be a little larger. The young are duller in 

 colour, but assume the brilliant coloration of the adult at the 



