in the Somdli country, Eastern Africa. 245 



when tapping the hollow bark of trees in search of insects^ which 

 they shake out and feed on. I shot them on the Plateau. 



9. Dendromus hemprichii (Ehrenberg). 



This small Woodpecker is commoner than the last, and also 

 inhabits the Plateau. 



10. SCHIZORHIS LEUCOGASTER (Ruppell). 



Called by the natives Gobiyun in some places, Fat in others : 

 it ranges into more southern regions. They feed in thickly- 

 leaved trees, are very cunning when pursued, and chatter in- 

 cessantly as they climb about, like Magpies, but with a noise 

 resembling a cat's cry. 



11. OXYLOPHUS GLANDARIUS (L.). 



12. CoRVU3 AFFiNis, Riippell. Somali, Tukka. 



13. CoRVUs UMBRiNus, Suudcval (?). 



I saw several of these birds (perhaps from being in a transition 

 state) marked with white tips to their front feathers, ranging 

 from the neck to tlie abdomen in a succession of small semi- 

 circles. It would appear that disease was the cause of this phe- 

 nomenon, since scarcely any two of them were marked alike, 

 some having more white, whilst others had less ; they flew about 

 in common with the Corvus affinis and their own (I believe) um- 

 brinous brethren. Blyth says, " Not having seen a description 

 of this bird, we are not quite certain that it is correctly identi- 

 fied, especially as the late H. E. Strickland remarked of it, after 

 noticing C. scapulatus [jihcEOcephalus, Cab.), 'Distinguished by 

 the length and curvature of the beak, and by the grey-brown 

 tint of the head and neck.' " 



14. Amydrus blythii, Hartlaub, Journ. f. Orn. 1859, p. 32. 

 I found these birds all over the country ; they follow the cattle 



in small flocks, seldom exceeding six or seven in number. Eye 

 dark. 



15. NoTAUGES suPERBUS (Riippcll). Somali, Shiynberload or 

 Cow-bird, 



This beautiful bird I found extending to 7° S. lat. They 

 move about in large flocks, like the India Maina, following after 

 the herds of cows, whence its name is derived. Iridcs white. 



