— 145 — 



Scoptelus castaneîceps. 



Irnsor casri7neïii'/>s Sharve. Ibis, 187 1, p 4 [4. — Type localily : 

 Denkera, (Cf. Ibis, 1872, p. 67.) 



The Chestnut-lieaded Wood-Hoopoe lias not hitherto been 

 recorded except iVoni the Gold Coast. It will probablv be foiind to 

 inhabit Toçoland and Dahomev which lie between the Gold Coast 

 and S. Nigeria. It is to niv mind a perfectly fixed species and 

 cannot in anv case be considered a race of ('. hollci as both birds 

 are found in the same districts of the Gold Coast and S. Nigeria. 



Mr. LowE shot a single example at the Iju water works on the 

 iSth December, 19 19. 



(This would appear to be the rarest of ail the Wood-Hoopoes. 

 I onlv saw the one obtained. It was shot in the top of an Oil 

 Palm'. — \V. P. L.) 



Famiiv MEROPIDAE. 



Merops malimbicus. 



Merops )nalimbicus Shaw, Nat. Mise, XVII, 1806, PI. 701. 

 — Tvpe localty : Congo(Cf. Daudin. Ann. Mus. d'Hist. Nat., 

 II, p. 440). 



Tliree spécimens — two maies and a female — of Shaw's verv 

 beautihil Pink-breasted Bee-eater were obtained bv Mr. Lowe at 

 Iju water works on 27th December, 1919. The sexes appear to be 

 alike. We hâve also in ihe Muséum a bird from Anambra Creek, 

 S. Nigeria, obtained in April, 1906. 



In Northern Nigeria Boyd Ai.exaxder obtained the bird at Ibi 

 on the Benne river and at the Simanka River in April it)04, also 

 at Serikim Kudu in Mav, 1904. 



It is a verv distinct species with its rich rose coloured under- 

 parts and the striking white chin and broad white streak on either 

 cheek. 



