432 Mr. W. R. Ogilvic-Grant on 



on Abba Island. I had liglited some reeds to smoke out rats 

 when a flock of these birds arrived to catch the insects which 

 had been driven out by the fire. The species was only 

 observed in flocks in a few localities. The cry is unlike tliat 

 of the typical Bee-eater. — R. M. H.] 



93. "^Upupa epops. 



Upupa epops Linn.; Witherby, p. 263; Grant & Reid, 

 p. 673 ; N. C. Roths. & Wollast. p. 23. 



[The Hoopoe was distributed all along the river, but Avas 

 not common. — R. M. H.] 



94. IrUISOR ERYTIlRORHYNCnUS. 



Irrhor erythrorhynchus Grant, Bull. B.O.C. xii. no. Ixxxiv. 

 pp. 36,37 (1901). 



a, b. c? et (^ imni. Fashoda, 31st March. Nos. 257, 

 258. 



c,d. ?. Goz-Abu-Gumar, 18th May. Nos. 510, 511. 



Iris hazel ; bill and feet red. 



Mr. Hawker^s specimens belong to the true /. erythro- 

 rhynchus (Lath.). 



[The Red-billed Wood-Hoopoe was generally found in 

 flocks and made a great deal of noise. — R. M. H.] 



In the ' Catalogue of Birds ' Salvin divided the forms of 

 Irrisor with the head metallic green or purj)le into two 

 species as follows : — 



1. /. viridis. With the tail more or less purple. 



2. I. erythrorhynchus. With the tail more or less 

 greenish blue. 



The colour oF the tail cannot, however, be relied on as a 

 specific distinction. 



Salvin considered that the birds with black bills were 

 merely the young of those with red bills. It is perfectly 

 true that in the red-billed forms the young have the bill 

 dusky, but there can be little doubt tliat the great majority 

 of the specimens considered by him to be the young of 

 /. erythrorhynchus represent distinct species. Young birds 

 may be recognised by the bufl:' feathers on the chin and 

 throat. The whole group appears to be much in need of 



