1921.] cnllected in Sontl/ern Cameroon. 113 



A comparison of Sharpe's desciiptiou with actual s|)eci- 

 mens is tliei'cfore very misleading-, and withont a series of 

 both forms one would be inclined to say that »S'. relclienovi 

 and S. elegans are synonymous. 



A closer examination, however, reveals the fact that these 

 two Rails, as might certainly be expected from their distri- 

 bution, are separable on characters which Sharpe oveilooked. 

 Dr. van Soraeren pointed out the differences to me, and they 

 are plainly visible: — 



The spots on the back o^ S. e.reichenovl ^ve\(i^% numerous 

 and less sandy-coloured than in S. e.e/er/aits ; the bill is also 

 shorter and iieavier. These characters serve to distinguish 

 the two forms from one another. 



Besides the Cameroon and Natal s|)ecimcns, we have in 

 the British Museuni a single female which closely resembles 

 the female of this species h'on\ ]\Iubinde, Uganda, but which 

 may prove to be se[)aiable when further material is available, 

 or it may be the female of >S', e. lurinr/i. 



The present range appears to be very douljtful— Uganda 

 and Cameroon. 



We have, therefore : — 



Sahothrura elegans elegans (Smith) — Type localitv : 



Port Natal. Banff e. Natal. 

 Sahothrura elegans reicfiknovi Sharpe — Type localitv: 



Cameroon. Ranc/e. Cameroon and ? Uganda, 

 Sarothjiura elegans buryi Ogilvie-Grant— Type locality : 



Dubar. Range. Wiigga Mountains, N. Somaiiland. 

 Sakothrura elegans loringi Mearns * — J ype locality: 



Mt. Kenia. Range. ? Kenya Colony. 



We have only a single female (the type) of S. buryi ; but 

 I feel certain that when the male is discovered, it will prove 

 to l)e a subspecies of S. elegans., and I tlierefore include the 

 Somaiiland bird as a subspecies of the Natal bird. 



* I have not seen the type or any specimens oi S. e. lorinyi Mearns 

 [Smithson. Miscell. Cull. 00. No. l-"]. 191.j, p. 8], and iiiohule it here on 

 the opinion of Mr. Chapin of tlie American ."Mnsenni o\ Xaliiral Ilistoiv. 

 SER, XI. VOL. 111. ( 



