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Distingtiishing characters. — From the typical species may be 

 recognised bv the spot of briglit blue bebind the ear-coverts. 



(This beautiful little bird was noticed in the cocoa plantations, 

 where on account of its sinall size it is diflicult to sec. — W. P. L.) 



Corythornis cristata cristata. 



Alccdo cristata Pai.las /;/ V^roeg., Cat. Adiiinh., n" 55, 1764. 

 — Type locality : Cape of Good Hope. 



Mr. Kemp secured a séries of the Mahichite Kingtisher at Agou- 

 lerie and it bas also been obtained at Lagos by Mann (Stuttgart 

 Muséum). There is a skin from Lagos, ex Gould collection, in 

 the British Muséum. 



In Northern Nigeria Ai.exander shot two spécimens at Maifoni 

 and FoKKES obtained it at Shonga. 



There are two island races of this Kingfisher. The typical form 

 ranges throughout Africa south of the Sahara. Mr. Sclater inclines 

 to the belief that C. c. nais, the Princes Island race, perhaps 

 occurs in Gaboon and N. Angola. I am bv no means certain of 

 this. The forms hère recognised are : 



I. — Corythornis cristata cristata. 

 Cf. supra. 

 Synonyni. — Alcedo cyanostigina Rûpp. 



Range. — Kepresented in the British Muséum from : 



West Africa : Senegambia, Portuguese Guinea, Sierra Leone, 

 Libéria, Gold Coast, Southern and Northern Nigeria, French 

 Equatorial Africa, Gaboon, Congo Mouth, Benguella. 



East Africa : Kenva Colonv, Tanganvika Territorv, Abvssinia, 

 Sudan, Nvasaland, Uganda, Congo, Khodesia. 



South Africa : Zambesi River district, Port : East Africa, 

 Rhodesia, Natal, Transvaal, Orange River Colonv, Cape Colonv. 



