AMBLYOSPIZA CAPITALBA 309 



ever, possible that the types of A. seildopica are hybrids between 

 A. melanota and A. nnicolor, for they are described as inter- 

 mediate between those two species, both in the colouring of the 

 head and neck and in the size of the bill, and were procured 

 near the junction of the range of those two forms, both of 

 which may be regarded as subspecies of A. albifrons. The 

 three forms resembling each other in the pattern of the 

 plumage from the nestling to the adult stage, when they all 

 assume the same amount of white on the forehead and base of 

 primaries and are then distinguishable mostly by the shade of 

 colourinof of the head, and neck. 



Amblyospiza capitalba. (PL 36, fig. i.) 



CoryphegQathus capitabus, Bp. Consp. i. p. 451 (1850) Ashantee. 

 Amblyospiza capitalba, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii. p. 504 (1890) Gold 

 Coast, Abeokuta ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 457 (1896) ; Nehrkorn, 

 Kat. Eiers. p. 132 (1899) egg ; Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1902, p. 36 Togo ; 

 Eeichen. Vog. Afr. iii. p. 101 (1904). 

 Adult male. Similar to that of A. albifrons, with the same amount of 

 white on the wing but more on the head, and it is a smaller and paler 

 bird, differing in the remainder of the head, the neck and front of the 

 mantle being lighter cinnamon, and the breast, thighs and under tail- 

 coverts much paler grey. " Iris brown ; bill blackish ; feet lead grey " 

 (Eeichenow). Total length 5-8 inches, culmen 0-95, wing 3-35, tail 2-4, 

 tarsus 0'9. Gold Coast (CJssher). 



Adult female. Similar to that of A. albifrons. Wing 3-2. ? , 

 Commendah (Blissett). 



The Ashantee Grosbeak- AVeaver ranges over West Africa 

 from the Gold Coast into Angola. 



The type came from Ashantee. According to Ussher, 

 who was twelve yeai's on the Gold Coast, it is a scarce bird 

 there, but was procured for him by Aubin from the forest of 

 Denkera. Other specimens have been collected by J. Hickman 



