STURNIN^. 31 



feed cbietly on lice and ticks, which they tind on cattle, and 

 are very annoying to can:iels who are galled by carrying 

 baggage, by pecking at and ^^I'eventing their sores from 

 healing ; five or six are generally to be seen clinging to one 

 animal at once. When cattle are sound in skin they seem 

 to enjoy being cleansed by these birds." 



In Northern Abyssinia, according to Dr. Blanford (Geol. 

 and Zool., Abyss., p. 402), it is "found both on the highland 

 and near the coast. It is much more abundant in the former." 

 It is apparently rare in the Egyptian Soudan, for Mr. A. L. 

 Butler observed it only at Jebel Ahmed Aga on the White 

 Nile, when creeping up to buffaloes in thick bush. 



Subfamily II. STURNINiE. 



Bill never red nor red and yellow. Feet adapted for running on the 

 ground, the claws being only moderately curved, and the hind one the 

 longest. They often breed in colonies in trees and cliffs, usually, but not 

 always, selecting holes for the reception of their nests, and assemble in 

 large flocks after the breeding season in the open country to feed on insects, 

 snails and worms, also on fruit when it is ripe. 



It is doubtful if all the genera entered in the Catalogue of the Birds in 

 the British Museum, vol. xiii., can be recognised. If we unite Chalcopsar, 

 with its one species, C. australis, to either Lamprotornis or Lamprocolius, 

 we have scarcely any character left for separating Lamprocolius, Sundev., 

 1835, from Lamprotornis, Temm., 1820. The genus Lamprotornis of my 

 following key presents four other fairly marked gi-oups : (1) with a large 

 angular notch on the inner webs of the primaries, and a flight graduation 

 of the tail, includes L. ornatns, L. spendidus and L. chrysonotus ; (2) 

 Heteropsar, Sharpe, for L. acuticaiidus, with a decidedly wedge-shaped tail ; 

 (3) Lainp)rocoliiis, Sundev., type L. phcenicopterus , with the tail square, and 

 the feathers fairly broad ; (4) Coccycolius, Oust., with its one species, C. iris, 

 is distinguished hy the narrow tail-feathers and the peculiar strong metallic 

 gloss resembling that of the Golden Cuckoos. These forms collectively 

 constitute one very natural group, to which Spreo is most nearly allied. 



The latter genus comprises two groups : (1) Those with the abdomen 

 white, including the typical species, S. hicolor, have the tail slightly longer 

 and more graduated, and the outstretched feet not reaching to the tip of 



