On Birds from the vicinity of Zomba. 281 



Amaurornis moluccana (Wall.). 



Of this Rail, too, more material might possibly show that 

 it differs. Two skins are rather deep slaty-grey below. 



PORPHYRIO CALVUS {?ELLIOTI =NEOBRITANNICUS) . 



It is difficult to come to any satisfactory conclusions about 

 the forms of P. calvus. See Meyer and Wigles worth in the 

 ' Birds of Celebes.' ; 



EXCALFACTORIA LEPIDA Hartl. 



Hitherto known only from New Britain. 



Megapodius eremita Hartl. 



New Hanover birds have been described as M. hueskeri 

 by Cabanis and Reichenow, but they do not seem to differ 

 from typical M. eremita. 



The interest attached to this little collection of mostly 

 large and showy birds makes the lack of knowledge of the 

 less conspicuous forms very much felt. New Hanover 

 would undoubtedly be a most fruitful ground for ornitho- 

 logical field-work. 



XVIII. — On a Collection of Birds from the vicinitij of Zomba, 

 British Central Africa, forwarded by Lieut. -Col. W. H. 

 Manning. By Capt. G. E. Shelley. With a Note by 

 P. L. Sclater. 



[Lieut. -Col. W. H. Manning, who has been Acting- 

 Commissioner of the Protectorate of British Central Africa 

 during the absence of Mr. Alfred Sharpe, C.B., has not failed 

 to continue the good work in Natural History inaugurated 

 by his predecessors, and has forwarded to me a collection of 

 birds, made in the vicinity of Zomba, and in the district 

 between that and Lake Shirwa, by the Scientific Staff. The 

 collection consists of 118 specimens, which have been ex- 

 amined by Capt. Shelley, and referred to 58 species. A list of 

 the names is added, with references to the pages of Shelley's 

 ' Birds of Africa.' All the species have been recorded in 

 former lists of the birds from this part of Africa, except four, 

 to which Capt. Shelley calls special attention. — P. L. S.] 



SER. VII. VOL. V. U 



