MALIMBUS SCUTATUS 



According to Dr. Reichenow (Vog. Afr. iii. p. 23), the 

 typical M. seutatus ranges from Sierra Leone to the Niger, 

 where it meets with a southern subspecies, 31. seutatus scuto- 

 fartitus, which ranges from the Niger into Gaboon. This 

 latter form is distinguishable only by black markings on some 

 of the feathers down the centre of the red shield-patch on the 

 crop, which character is not a constant one, being well marked 

 on a female procured by Crossley in Camaroons on February 9, 

 1871, and entirely absent in a male obtained by him on the same 

 day. In a male from Onitscha (Forbes) there are a few black 

 streaks towards the middle throat and one towards the chest, 

 while his immature specimen, from the same locality, is a 

 typically coloured M. seutatus. In only one of the Fantee 

 birds I have examined have I found a trace of black on the 

 red crop-patch. From the above observations I cannot look 

 upon the type of S. se^dopartitns as more than a variety of 

 M. seutatus ; but this variety apparently occurs most frequently 

 in Camaroons birds ; in a similar manner Anapleetes gurnei/i 

 seems to be most abundant in Benguela, and both are forms 

 that it would be intei'esting to know more about, and study 

 their moult in captivity. 



Dr. Ansorge has procured specimens in April, May, and 

 from August to December in the Lower Niger, and accoi'ding 

 to Dr. Reichenow it is a common species in Camaroons along 

 the wooded slopes of the mountains, and he describes the nest 

 as being of a retort shape, constructed of dry pliant rootlets 

 and measuring 6*7 inches high by 4 wide, with the entrance 

 passage 25 inches in length, hanging down and of looser 

 structure than the oval part of the nest. He found five of 

 these nests on one palm tree, hung at about 20 feet from the 

 ground. The eggs, two in number, were pure white and 

 measured 0'84 x 0'64. 



In Gaboon, specimens have been collected hj Du Chailhi 



