of Nurth-emfern Africa. 97 



much broader rectrices with a double apical band, by its ratlier 

 smaller size and more curved but scarcely stronger bill. The 

 tint varies, however, considerably. The birds, before moulting, 

 which seems to take place in the beginning of the year, are 

 of course less brightly marked ; the rusty-red of the vertex and 

 the margins of the remiges especially then becomes more of a 

 cinnamon-colour; the mantle becomes of a dingy mouse-colour 

 with a slight tinge of brown and a very obsolete dark striation. 



This bird has a tolerably wide range in Abyssinia. We found 

 it in Tigre and Semien, as also in the basin of Lake Tana, at 

 from 5000 to 11,000 feet above the sea-level. It lives singly, 

 and in pairs, in thickets on the borders of the torrents and stony 

 islets, in the bushes and high grass, appears to be a permanent 

 resident, and is distinguished by its excellent ringing song. 



A similarly coloured but somewhat larger bird in the Frankfort 

 Museum exhibits an obsolete dark striation on the vertex, nar- 

 rower rectrices, and stronger feet ; its measurements are : — 

 wing 2" 5f"'; tail 2" 2'"; tarsus 10'"; but I doubt whether it is 

 to be referred to D. cantans. 



According to a communication by letter from Dr. Finsch, 

 Drymoeca cantans, ]i{eug\.,=D. sub?'uficapilla, Smith; but nei- 

 ther the figure nor the description and measurements given by 

 Smith justify this supposition. My bird is rather larger ; has a 

 much more powerful bill, a whole-coloured vertex not streaked with 

 brown, and a longer, much broader, and less graduated tail. The 

 measurements of D. subriificapilla, according to Smith, are : — 

 Length 5" (French measure) ; wing \" lOV"; tail 2" 1^'"; and 

 it has blackish streaks on the sides of the breast. 



15. Drymceca concolor, nob. 



(Plate II. fig. 1.) 



Similis Drymceca cantanti, Heugl., at Isetius tincta, tergo inter- 

 scapulio et scapiilai'ibus ex olivaceo saturate murino uin- 

 brinis immaculatis ; tectricibus alse et tertiariis fuinosis 

 obsolete et nee abrupte cinnamomeo rufescente marginatis ; 

 Cauda lata conspicue rufescente lavata; genis rufescentibus; 

 stria supraoculari et loris pallidioribus ; ciliis albidis. Oc- 

 cipite et nucha ex olivaceo rufis, immaculatis ; genis eodem 

 colore lavatis; macula anteoculari vix distincta fumosa ; 

 N. S. VOL. V. H 



