142 Dr. von Heuglin on African Malurinse. 



p. 257; Sundev., OEfvers. 1850, p. 128; Heugl., Syst. Ueb. 

 No. 161. S. micrura, Hartl., Orn. Westafr. No. 188. 



Minimus; supra pallide murinus, subtus ex rufescente fulvus; 

 loris fumosis ; stria supraoculari, orbitis, mento, gula, genis 

 et abdomine medio albidis; rostro pallide fuscescente corneo; 

 iride helvola ; pedibus rubentibus. 



Long. tot. 3", rostr. a fr. 4>"'-U^"', al. 1" ll"'-2", caud. 10'", 

 tars. 6i"'-8"'. 



A charming, lively little bird, which is widely distributed in 

 North-east Africa. We found it, usually in pairs, in Southern 

 Nubia, Takah, the Bogos country, Abyssinia, Sennaar, on the 

 White Nile, and in Kordofan, and on the coast of the Red Sea, 

 southward as far as Tedjura. It lives upon tall trees and in the 

 bushes, and has a song and call-note not unlike those of the 

 European Nuthatch ; it does not climb, but hops and glides 

 through the bushes, usually with the tail elevated. Not found 

 at any considerable elevation, but in Abyssinia ascends to from 

 5000 to 6000 feet. 



Whether Sylvietta hrachijura, Lafr., really belongs to Oligo- 

 cercus micrurus is a question that I cannot decide. Hartlaub 

 unites the two, whilst Sundevall would rather refer the Oligo- 

 cercus obtained by Hedenborg in Sennaar to the first form. 

 Sundevall describes it as follows : — 



" Superne cinerea, subtus sordide fulva, ventre medio mentoque 

 albidis ; genis lineaque superciliari intensius fulvis. A. 

 55 [=2" 8'"], t. 18 [9"'J, c. 25 [11"'], r. 11 [vix 5'"]. 

 llostrum et pedes pallescentes." 



A bird obtained by Duke Paul of Wiirtemberg in Southern 

 Sennaar presents a light brownish-yellow frontal margin, ocular 

 region, and superciliary stripe; throat scarcely paler. Bill 

 4|", wing 2" 1'", tail nearly 12'", tars. 61'". It is possible that 

 two nearly allied species live in North-eastern Africa. 



Inhabits also Senegambia (Lafresnaye), Angola (Hender- 

 son) (?), Damara (Andersson). 



P.S. — February 8th, 1869. Professor Newton has called my 

 attention to a fact which was entii'ely overlooked by me in the 



