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



that a wholly blacl\ bill is assumed by this bird, but whether 

 this is due to age or season is not clear. 



186. Centropus superciliosus superciliosus. White- eye - 

 browed Lark-heeled Cuckoo. 



Centropus superciliosus Hempr. & Ehr. Syrab. Phys. 1823, 

 fol. r : Southern Arabia. 



a. cJ imm. Amala River, 5400 ft. Oct. 18. 



b. ? imm. Narossura River, 5000 ft. Nov. 14. 



c. ($ imra. Weiwei River, 3000 £t. Jan. 8. 



</. ? imm. Slopes of Nakwai Hills, 3600 ft. Feb. 8. 



Total length in flesh: (J lo^ & 14^ inches; ? 15^ & 

 15 inches. Wing : (^ 160 & 152 mm. ; ? 154 & 147 mm. 



These four specimens still retain the barred wings and tail 

 of the immature dress, the rest of the plumage being similar 

 to the adults. All are worn, the October and January birds 

 are assuming by a moult the adult feathering of the wings 

 and tail. 



[Irides red ; bill black ; legs and toes bluish ; the 

 February bird having the bill bluish-horn with the culmen 

 black. Quite common.] 



Whilst naming these specimens I have taken the oppor- 

 tunity to examine the large series in the British Museum, 

 both of this species and of Centropus burchellii Sw. (Anim. 

 Menag. 1838, p. 321 : South Africa, ex Burchell, Cape 

 Colony), with the immature of which C. superciliosus appears 

 always to have been confounded, at least as regards its 

 occurrence south of the Zambesi. Mr. W. L. Sclater, in 

 Fauna of S. Afr. vol. iii. 1903, p. 208, has questioned 

 previous references to the occurrence of C. superciliosus in 

 southern Africa. 



That C. superciliosus comes within the South African 

 limit is shown by specimens taken on the Zambesi, but I can 

 find no evidence of its occurrence farther south. The birds 

 named C superciliosus in the British Museum collection 

 from southern Africa are undoubtedly the immature of 

 C burchellii, which has in this stage a distinct eye-streak ; 

 a good example being the female obtained by myself at 



