94 SPREO PULCHER 



The beautiful Spreo ranges from Senegaml)ia to the Xi,ner 

 and eastward to the Eed Sea. 



The home of the species is Northern Abyssinia, from 

 whence it wanders into West Africa. The type was procured 

 in Senegal where it has more recently been obtained by 

 Marche and De Compiegne. Dr. Eendall records it from 

 Bathurst on the Gambia and Verreaux received it from 

 Casamanse and Bissao. Captain Cliffard shot a specimen in 

 the Hinterland of the Gold Coast in the Mossi countr}-, and 

 Mr. Hartert found it abundant in small flocks in the Gandu 

 and Socoto countries of the Niger district to the north of 

 10° N. lat., which is its most southern known range. It 

 probably increases in numbers as we follow its range east- 

 ward, for according to Heuglin, it is the most abundant of the 

 Glossy Starlings, from Kordofan to the Ked Sea, and ranges 

 northward to 20° N. lat. It inhabits the open country below 

 (500 feet, where it is to be seen in small flocks. It breeds in 

 September and October, when scarcely a bush, on some of 

 the plateaux, is without a nest of this Starling. The nest 

 is large, constructed externally of twigs, lined with straw 

 and soft materials ; and contains three or four eggs, which 

 are clear greenish blue, with violet or brownish rod spots, 

 largest and most numerous towards the thick end, and 

 measures about 1"05 X 0"72. 



Blanford writes (Geol. c^- Zool. Abyss, p. 397): "This 

 species was never observed on the highlands or to the south 

 of Massowa, but it was common about Ailet, Ain, &c., at the 

 base of the hills, and in the Lebka and Anseba valleys, 

 usually occurring in small companies or flocks, and feeding 

 on the ground on insects, not unfrcquently in company with 

 Lanqn-ocolius cliahjhcrns, which it greatly resembles in flight 

 and habits." 



The Hon. N. D. Eothschild and Mr. \Yallaston (Ibis, 



