398 Capt. G. E. Shelley an a 



Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 1884, p. 92 (Shoa) ; Fischer, J. f. O. 

 1885, p. 127 (Lamu). 



Hab. E. and W. Africa, south from about 16° N. lat. to 

 Zanzibar on the east coast and to Bissao on the west. 



" Fairly plentiful on the Webbe Shebeyli, generally in 

 flocks." 



17. Melittophagus pusillus cyanostictus. 



Mf^rops pusillus, P. L. S. Miill. S. N. Suppl. 1776, p. 95. 



Merops erythropterus, "Gm.," Heugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. 

 p. 208; Hartl. Abb. nat. Ver. Brem. vii. 1881, p. Ill (Lado). 



Merops variegatus, " Vieill.," Finsch & Hartl. Vog. Ostafr. 

 p. 193. 



Merops cyanostictus, Cab. in v. d. Decken's Reise Ostafr. 

 iii. 1869, p. 34; Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 1884, p. 110 

 (Shoa) ; Bohra. J. f. O. 1885, p. 47. 



Melittophagus pusillus, Shelley, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 569. 



Melittophagus cyanostictus. Fischer, J. f. O. 1885, p. 127. 



Hab. E. and S. Africa, from Abyssinia to Pangani. 



South from Pangani and in Benguela the specimens are 

 nearly intermediate between this subspecies and the common 

 South-African form, and the common South-African form 

 is again intermediate between these latter specimens and 

 those of West Africa, which are entirely without the blue 

 frontal and superciliary band. In the colouring of the head 

 and throat the present subspecies much resembles M. lafres- 

 nayei, but is smaller. 



" Apparently not common ; only seen along the water- 

 courses. Iris red, bill and feet black." 



18. Melittophagus revoili. 



Merops revoilii, Oustalet in RevoiFs Faune et Flor. Co- 

 malis, Ois. 1882, p. 5, pi. 1 (bad). 



Hab. Confined to Somali-land. 



Crown grass-green, with paler shaft-stripes, which are 

 tinted with cobalt-blue towards their ends ; sides cf the fore- 

 head and a broad eyebrow cobalt-blue ; ear-coverts and a 

 broad loral band through the eye black ; back of neck and 

 front of back rufous- baft", with the ends of the feathers 



