HYPIIANTORNIS HEUGHNI 113 



Mr. A. L. Butler informs me that be saw tlieiti " in 

 enormous flocks up the White Nile from February to April, 

 literally millions. The flocks look like great wreaths of smoke 

 in the distance and pass overhead with a rush like a hiu-ricane. 

 Dr. Sukri Dib, Egyptian Army, collected, for me, two full 

 plumaged specimens at Fashoda in August, where he found 

 tliera extremely plentiful and breeding." 



Capt. Dunn, while at the mouth of the Zeraf River, found 

 the species acquiring the breeding plumage in May ; Emin 

 has collected specimens in the transition stage on May 6, and 

 in full dress on July 10, so it is probable that the bright 

 plumage lasts from the end of May to the end of December. 

 In its more eastern range it has been found in the Magois 

 country near lake Stefanie by Dr. Donaldson Smith, and at 

 Sagantal by Erlanger. 



Hyphantornis heiiglini. 



Ploeeus heuglini, Eeichen. Zool. Jahrb. 1886, p. 147 Gazelle B., Niger, 

 Sassa, Lado ; id. J. f. O. 1902, p. 36 Togo ; id. Vog. Afr. iii. p. 84 

 (1904). 



Hyphantornis heuglini, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii. p. 468 (1890) ; Shelley, 

 B. Afr. I. No. 547 (1896). 



Male in full plumage. Entire throat and sides of head black ; remainder 

 of head, sides of neck and the under parts golden yellow, with a chestnut 

 shade towards the lower half of the black throat ; the yellow of the crown 

 commences at the nape to shade into the olive yellow of the back ; mantle 

 with very obscurely marked brown centres ; tail yellowish brown, with 

 narrow yellower outer edges to the feathers ; wings blackish brown, with 

 yellowish edges to the feathers ; inner edges of quills and under wing- 

 coverts ashy buff, the latter mottled with yellowy brightest along the bend 

 of the wing. "Iris huffy white; bill black; tarsi and feet flesh-colour" 

 (Forbes). Total length 5-5 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 2-8, tail 1-6, tarsus 

 0-85. <?, 9. 85, Sassa (Bohndorff). 



Adult female. Diflers in the forehead, crown and back being ashy brown, 

 with broad dark brown centres to the feathers of the mantle ; sides of head 

 pale brown, with an indistinct buff eyebrow; under parts buff, slightly 

 washed with yellow on the cheeks and throat. 



