118 Mr. D. A. Baunermau on rare Birds [Ibis, 



Sarothi'ura bohmi bohmi. 



Sarothrnra hohni Reicliw. Vogel Afrikas^ i. 1900, p. 290 

 — Type locality : Likulwe^ Congo. 



This distinct species was described by lleiclienow from 

 Liknhve, just north of Katanga in the southern Belgian 

 Congo. 



Unfortunately we have no typical ])irds in the British 

 Museum ; in fact, the specimen now sent home by Mr. Bates, 

 shot at Bityp, R. Ja, on the 29th of November, 1913, is the 

 first of its kind which we have seen. The occurrence of this 

 Bail so far from its typical locality at once suggested the 

 possibility of its being a distinct form. 



Dr. van Someren recently obtained two specimens of this 

 Bail — one from the Nairobi Rifle-range, the other from 

 Kisuniu. These birds differ from the Cameroon specimen 

 iu the highly streaked appearance of the wing-coverts caused 

 by each feather having two pronounced submarginal white 

 streaks, considerably wider than the streaks on the back. 

 1 am inclined to think that the bird which Mr. Bates 

 obtained at Bitye has not yet attained the fully adult 

 plumage, as only three feathers of the greater wing-coverts 

 are submarginally streaked with white. 



Mr. Chapiu now writes to me from America that he has 

 specimens of S. bohmi from Faradje (Upper Uele) and from 

 Medje. 



It is, of course, quite possible that this Rail extends its 

 range across central Africa, and that the Cameroon birds 

 are identical with the Nairobi specimens ; but should further 

 specimens be received from Cameroon and from the typical 

 locality, it will be worth while coniparing the specimens very 

 carefully, as the possibility of a distinct West African race 

 must not be overlooked. In any case, the occurrence of this 

 Rail in Cameroon is oi considerable interest. 



Since writing the above, I have examined a female Rail 

 obtained at Machakos, Brit. E. Africa, which 1 have named 

 Surothrura somerciii. It is (piite unlike any other Rail 

 which I have seen (a full description of this bird appeared in 

 Bull. B. 0. C. vol. xl. 1920, ])p. 8 & 28), and Dr. van Somereu 



