103 Mr. t). A. Bannerman on rare JBii'ds [Ibis, 



{I. c), but it is noteworthy tliat all six birds were obtained 

 in March "at the end of the dry season," as Mr. Bates tells 

 us in his paper. C. vexillarius apparently only visits this part 

 of Cameroon at this time of year. 



In an interesting footnote Messrs. Sclater and Praed 

 (Ibis, 1919, p. 659) point out that we may accept as the 

 type of this species a bird in the British Museum collection, 

 Brit. Mus. Reg. No. 55/12/19/63, obtained by James Barlow, 

 Esq., from Siena Leone. From information on the label it 

 appears to have been the bird originally descril)ed by Gould. 

 I agree with Messrs. Sclater and Praed that Ave may accept 

 this bird as the type of the species. 



Merops persicus chrysocercus. 



Merops chrysucercus Cabanis & Heine, Mus. Hein. ii. 

 J 860, p. 139— Type locality : Senegal. 



The two specimens obtained by Mr. Bates at Akonolinga, 

 Nyong River, do not belong to the typical race but to 

 M. persicus chrtjsocercus. There is a specimen in the 

 British Museum named by Dr. Ilartert M. p. chryso- 

 cercus from Oued Nca, whicli almost exactly resembles 

 Mr. Bates's bird (No. 5272) both in the colouring of the 

 upper parts and in the length of the two middle tail- 

 feathers. The back has not got the golden wash ascribed to 

 this species. The second specimen obtained ])y Mr. Bates is 

 immature. I cannot find that Mr. Bates Ir s obtained tliis 

 Blue-cheeked Bee-eater previously in Cameroon. 



Melittophagns gularis australis. 



Merupiscus yularls australis Reichw. J.f. O. 1885, p. 222 — 

 l^ype locality: Gaboon and Cameroon. 



Mtlittophagus austruiis Sharpe, Ibis, 1904, p. 611; 1905, 

 p. 465; 1907, p. 431 ; Bates, Ibis, 1908, p. 564. 



Melittophagus (jularis australis J^aics, Ibis, 1909, p. 24. 



Without counting the two birds from Bitye which 

 Mr. Bates obtained in 1909 and 1910, there are seven other 

 speciuiens in the British Museum i'roni Cameroon whicli 

 Mr. Bates obtained at Efulen and on the Ja River. These 



