280 Mr. C. H. B. Grant on a Collection of 



In good dress and but little worn. This is an aberrant 

 specimen, inasmuch as it has on the inner web of the 

 fourth primary of the right wing a trace of white next 

 the shaft, on the inner web of the fifth a large white spot, 

 and on the inner web of the sixth a trace of white on the 

 middle of the web next the shaft ; in the left wing the 

 inner webs of the fourth and fifth primaries have large 

 white spots, the sixth has a small white spot, and the seventh 

 the merest trace of white on the middle of the web. Also 

 all the secondaries are barred on the outer webs and some 

 right across, where usually in adult males that partis wholly 

 white. 



This seems to point to its affinity with the probably more 

 ancient form of U. e. epops, and also goes to prove that only 

 general and average characters can be taken in the dividing 

 up of the Hoopoes, as much allowance must be made for 

 individual variation. 



[Irides brown; bill black, dirty flesh at base; legs and 

 toes bluish brown. Tolerably common.] 



Of this second group without a white band across the 

 primaries we have the following names to deal with : — 



Upupa minor Shaw, Gen. Zool. vol. ii. 1812, p. 139 : 

 Congo and Cape of Good Hope. 



Upupa cristaiella Vieill. Gal. Ois. vol. i. 1825, p. 306, 

 pi. 184 : Malimbe to Cape of Good Hope. Both of 

 these are founded on La Huppe d'Afrique, Audeb. & 

 Vieill. Ois. dor. Promerops, 1802, pi. ii., as also is 

 U. africana Bechst. 



Upupa decorata Hart). P. Z. S. 1865, p. 86 : Benguella, 

 The type is in the National Collection and is merely 

 a female of U. africana ; three specimens from 

 northern Angola in the Ansorge collection agree 

 perfectly with others from south and east Africa. 



Upupa africana maior Reichw. Orn. Centralb. 1879, p. 72 : 

 Malange, Angola. This must become a synonym of 

 U. africana ; the name also is preoccupied by U. major 

 Brehm. 



