obtained in British East Africa. 55 



Kageyi); Shelley, B. Africa, i. p. 79 (1896) ; O. Neum. 

 J. f. O. 1900, p. 302. 



a. ^ ad. ^ 



b, c. ? ad. t Ntebi, March 7, 1893. 

 d. ? juv. J 



[The young of this species is much more rufous above 

 than the adult, and the underparts are of an isabelline 

 colour.— R. B. S.] 



166. SCHCENICOLA APICALIS. 



Schoenicola apicalis (Cab.) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. vii. 

 p. 110 (1883); Shelley, B. Africa, i. p. 77 (1896). 



Bradypterus apicalis Hartert, Nov. Zoo), vi. p. 48 (1900). 



No. 1019. ? ad. Nandi, 6500 feet, April 30, 1898. Iris 

 greyish hazel ; bill brown, lower mandible white; feet bluish 

 flesh-colour. 



No. 1114. S afh Kakamega, 4600 feet, May 15, 1898. 

 Iris hazel-brown ; bill black, lower mandible horn-blue ; feet 

 brown, with slaty tint. 



In Nandi this bird is plentiful in the marshy hollows where 

 the grass, reeds, and rushes grow rank and tall, and where 

 there is excellent cover. When it is flushed, which is 

 a somewhat difficult task, it will fly only a short distance, 

 twenty yards or so, before dropping into some rank thicket, 

 from which it is almost useless to try and move it. Occasion- 

 ally the birds will settle on a tall reed or grass-stem suffi- 

 ciently long to enable them to survey the cause of their 

 alarm. This is the most favourable opportiinit}' for a shot, 

 since, if it be successful, this bird can easily be marked down. 

 If killed in flight they are most difficult to retrieve, owing to 

 the lack of any landmark, and many are lost in consequence. 

 In Kakamega they frequent the open country away from the 

 marshy hollows, but here the grass is tall and exceedingly 

 rank and rush-like. 



No. 1115. ^ ad. Kakamega, 4600 feet. May 15, 1898. 



167. Melocichla mentalis. 



Melocichla mentalis (Fraser) ; Shelley, B. Africa, i. p. 7Q 

 (1896) ; Sharpe, Bull. B. O. C. vi. p. xlviii (1897 : Ntebi). 



