On Species of Macronyx and Tmetothylacus. 101 



Mr. F. W. Riggcnbach has lately sent to the Tring 

 Museum six adult males, one adult female, and two young 

 birds in first plumage of this Wagtail, all from the banks of 

 the Oum Rbiah or Waad Moorbey, from the Mhoiwla, a 

 day's march from Mazagau, to llahamma. The female 

 diflers from the male in being smaller (wing 5 mm. shorter), 

 and in having the crown of the head dark grey with black 

 spots and a black patch in front, just above the white fore- 

 head, while the upper throat is mixed with white. The 

 young are like those of M. alba alba, but have darker ear- 

 coverts. 



The accompanying text-figures represent the heads of a 

 fully adult male of M. alba sub per sonata, from one of 

 Mr. Riggenbach's specimens (text-fig. 10), and corresponding 

 heads of M. alba, alba (text-fig. 9) and M. alba per sonata 

 (text-fig. 11). 



VII. — Notes on the East- African Species of Macronyx and 

 Tmetothylacus. By P. J. Jackson, C.B., C.M.G. 



(Plate III.) 



I trust that the accompanying notes on the three species of 

 Macronyx, one of which is new to science, and also on their 

 near ally, the remarkable Tmetothylacus tenellus of Cabanis, 

 found in British East Africa, may prove of interest to 

 readers of the ' Ibis/ 



Of the species of Macronyx, the largest and at the same 

 time the commonest is M. croceus. This fine and conspicuous 

 bird occurs along the coast from Witu to Mombasa and 

 throughout the two Protectorates westward to Uganda. It is 

 particularly plentiful in the Nandi country, at an altitude of 

 6500 feet, and again at the Eldoma Ravine and on the eastern 

 foot-hills of Mau. It frequents open grass-country inter- 

 spersed with short scrub and acacia-trees, and is almost 

 invariably found iu pairs all the year round. It is very 

 tame and confiding, and is easily approached. It has a short 

 pleasing song, which it warbles forth on the wing, or while 



