- 2S8 - 



herein dealt with will be found split up into its various subspecies, 

 and the boxes clearly labelled with the naine of the race, original 

 référence, and localities from which the bird is represented in the 

 national collection. 



The two introductions which hère foUow hâve been written bv 

 the two principal collectors, Mr Wiixoughby Lowe and Mr Robin 

 Kemp; from thèse the reader will obtain some idea of the nature 

 of the country in which their collections were formed. Mr Lowe's 

 field-notes are given at the end of iny remarks on the species and 

 of course refer to the Nigérian race; only his initiais « W. P. L. » 

 are in every case appended. 



« 

 * * 



INTRODUCTION 



On the Birds of the Ijii water-works, near I.agos 

 by WiLLOUGHBY P. LowE, M. B. O. U. 



Lt Comd. Dane, R. N. of H. M. S. Dwarf, having invited me to 

 accompany him, in the interest of the British Muséum of Natural 

 History, to the West Coast of Africa, I left London on Novem- 

 ber 8th 1919 by the S. S. Gambia and reached Lagos on Decem- 

 ber I2th. Hère I disembarked and expected to get on board the 

 Dwarf in the course of a week or so. Howewer this was not to be 

 the case, for the crew were ill with fever and were detained at 

 Walfish Bay for over two months. As Nigérian birds were badlv 

 wanted for the national collection. I approached the authorities 

 for permission to begin work, and I am greatlv indebted to His 

 Excellency the Governor, Sir Hugh Clifford, to Col. Moor- 

 HOUSE and other officiais for ail facilities so promptlv granted. 



On December I4th I went withCapt. Buchan, of S. S. Gambia, to 

 see the Iju water-works, a pleasant spot situated 18 miles North of 

 Lagos, where we were greeted by Messrs Brown and Barker, the 

 engineers in charge. After hearing of mv mission, they very kindlv 

 invited me to stav and work at their bungalow until the Dwarf 



