ohitiiarii. 49 



His first expedition on the C ontinentof Africa was that to 

 the Zambesi, when he formed one of the members of Major 

 Gibbons^s "Cape to Cairo" Expedition, which started from 

 Chinde on I8th July, 1898. 



He formed on the Zambesi and the Kafue Rivers a collec- 

 tion of about 1000 bird-skins of 212 species, several of which 

 were new to science, and the results were published in the 

 ' Ibis ' for 1899 and 1900, After his work on the Zambesi 

 Collection was completed, he left England and joined the 

 Gold Coast Constabulary, taking part in the relief of Kumassi 

 .in 1900 (medal and clasp). He was accompanied by a 

 Portuguese collector named Jose Lopez, whom he brouo-ht 

 from the Cape Verde Islands and who remained with him 

 throughout his wanderings. He collected many specimens 

 during his stay in West Africa. Ho visited Fernando Po in 

 1902 and formed another valuable collection. 



He next undertook a daring expedition, in company with 

 his brother Claud, of the Scots Guards, and Capt. Gosling, of 

 the Rifle Brigade, from the Niger to the Nile ; during the 

 three years which it occupied both his companions met their 

 death. Undaunted by misfortune, sickness, and danger 

 Alexander triumphed and gave his results to the world in 

 tw^o large volumes entitled ' From the Niger to the Nile.-' 

 He received the gold medals of the Royal Geographical 

 Society of Antwerp (in 1907) and the Royal Geographical 

 Society of London (in 1908). The full ornithological results 

 of this expedition have not yet been published. 



In his last trip he ascended Cameroon and then travelled 

 through Wadai, where he met his death, and now lies buried 

 beside his brother at Maifoni, a British post near Lake Chad. 



During his lifetime Alexander published n.any papers in 

 the 'Zoologist,' 'Ibis,' and 'Bulletin Br. Ornith. Club,' 

 besides the two volumes referred to above, and the "■ Birds cf 

 Kent" in the 'Victoria History of the County of Kent.' 



VOL. VII. 



