1917-] Birds from British East Africa. 381 



Iris dark brown ; bill black. 



RUppell's Wood- Shrike was common, and generally to be 

 found in pairs. 



German authors recognise five subspecies of this bird. 

 I iiave examined the specimens in the British Museum from 

 the whole of north-eastern Africa, and even with the aid of 

 Zedlitz's key (J. f. O. 1915, p. 50) can find no distinctions 

 in size or coloration which are in any way constant. 



Prinia mystacea. 



Prima mistacea Riipp. Neue Wirb. 1835, p. 110 

 [Abyssinia]. 



Prinia mystacea Reichw. Vog. Afr. iii. 1905, p. 590. 

 (J . Tliika. 31st August. Wing 51 mm. 



(^ . Ithanga Hills. 8th October. „ 48 mm. 

 Iris reddisli brown ; bill dark ; legs light brown. 



Camaroptera griseoviridis griseigula. 



Cumaroptera griseiyula Sharpe, Ibis, 1892, p. 158 [River 

 Voi, Teita]. 



Camaroptera griseoviridis griseigula Zedlitz, J.f. 0. 1911, 

 p. 340. 



$ . Ithanga Hills. 29tii September. Wing 56 mm. 



Iris dark brown ; bill dark ; legs light brown. 



Calamonastes simplex. 



Thuvinobiu simplex Cab. J. f. O. 1878, pp. 205, 221 

 [Zanzibar]. 



Calamonastes simplex Reichw. Vog. Afr. iii. 1905, p. 573. 

 $ . Tsavo River. 2nd August. Wing 62 mm. 

 ^ . „ 14th August. „ 54 mm. 



Iris red ; bill black ; legs light brown. 



Cisticola chiniana can tans. 



Drymceca canluns Heuglin, Ibis, 1869, p. 96. 



Cisticola chiniana cantans O. Grant, Ibis, 1913, p. 605. 



(J ad. Tsavo Swamp. 4th August. Wing 66 mm. 



^ iram. Tsavo River. 13th August „ 61 mm. 



Iris dark brown ; bill and legs light brown. 



Common. 



