1917-] ^irds from British East Africa. 417 



mm. 



4. Ad.d'(testesmedium) Wingl93. E. Ja. 27 Feb. White breast and 



Gr. L. B. « foreneck. 



5- Ad. d". „ 189. „ 26 Jan. 



,6. Ad. 2. „ 152. „ 30 Apr. 



7. Ad. 9 (ova in ovary) „ 160. „ 27 Mar. 



G. L. B. 



8. Ad. 2 (ova in ovary) „ 170. „ 23 Mar. 



G. L. B. 



9. Ad. $. „ 171. Efulen. 1 Feb. 



10. Ad. 5 . „ 160. E. Ja. 10 Feb. 



11. Ad. 2 . „ 162. „ 27 Dec. 



Specimens 4-11 agree exactly with Reichenow's descrip- 

 tion of P.jacobi, and this therefore becomes a synonym. 



Since the above was written^ Dr. Hartert has very kindly 

 sent me information about the specimens from South and 

 East Africa in Tring Museum. Two males — one from Natal, 

 the other from East London — are large, having wing- 

 measurements of 235 and 243 mm. respectively ; the others 

 average just over 200 mm. None have black necks, but all 

 are from Natal or East Cape Colony. I am still inclined 

 to believe in the presence of two separate species in this 

 district. For, even allowing that there may be disparity of 

 size in the sexes (there is such in P. camerunensis, but not 

 apparently in P. senegalefisis proper), there is still the fact 

 that the large eastern and small Senegal birds assume a 

 black neck, and the intervening central and southern form 

 does not. I should not, however, feel justified in giving 

 this third form a name on the very incomplete material 

 available. 



Limnocorax niger. 



Rallus niger Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. pt. 2, 1789, p. 717 [Cape]. 



Limnocorax niger C. Grant, Ibis, 1915, p. 46. 



($ ad. Thika. 5th September. Wing 106 mm. 



Iris red; bill light green; legs red. 



I met with the Black Rail on one occasion only, several 

 being seen on the road beyond Chania Bridge where it 

 passes through a small papyrus swamp. 



