104- On Species of Macron yx and Tmetothylacus. 



bird in the Rift Valley and on the Guashangishu plateau. 

 It is essentially a bird of the open grassy plains, and is 

 rather wild and difficult to approach ; when flushed it will 

 often fly so far that it is exceedingly difficult to mark it 

 down. Its habit, too, of running adds to the difficulty. 

 That it is a resident species, there can, I think, be little 

 doubt, as I have obtained specimens in May, June, August, 

 September, and October, and have seen it near Lake 

 Naivasha in February. 



The very remarkable Pipit Tmetothylacus tenellus Cab., 

 which has recently led Dr. Madarasz to believe that a bird 

 had been brought to light that would " entirely modify 

 the hitherto established principal characteristics of the 

 Order Passeriformes " *, is fairly well distributed throughout 

 British East Africa, though it is a distinctly local species. 

 It is found in the coast-regions both on the mainland of 

 Witu and on Patta Island north of Lamu, and again in 

 Juba-land. I have also seen it in the Baringo district, in 

 the Nyando Valley, and near Taveta. Four specimens were 

 obtained by Mr. A. B. Percival on the upper waters of the 

 river Tsavo, north-east of Kilimanjaro, in 190.2. It was at 

 Lake Jipi, some ten to twelve miles south of Taveta, that 

 Mr. Coloman Katona obtained the specimen described by 

 Dr. Madarasz, but unless he actually saw the bird wading in 

 the shallow water at the edge of the lake; I very much doubt 

 its being aquatic in its habits. My own experience points to 

 the reverse, as I have invariably found it in open bush-country 

 where the soil is dry and sandy, and at a considerable distance 

 from water. It is generally met with in small family-parties 

 of three or four together, and when flushed almost invariably 

 perches on a bush or small acacia-tree. It is rather wild and 

 by no means easy to approach. 



Tmetothylacus with its naked legs is, no doubt, a very 

 abnormal form, but the plumage of the young bird, which 

 is quite Anthme in character, at once shews that its nearest 

 ally is Ant J his. 



* Cf. Ibis, 1904, p. 653. 



