ALCIPPE NIGRICAPILLA. 209 



to the end of the wing ; second primary does not reach beyond the end 

 of the secondaries. Tail of one colour, rounded and nearly of the same 

 length as the wing. Tarsus scaled in front. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



a. Under tail-coverts not chestnut ; back yel- 



lowish brown, contrasting with the crown. 



a 1 . Crown and nape black nigricapilla. 



b 1 . Crown and head slaty grey abyssinica. 



b. Under tail-coverts chestnut ; above ashy brown 



with a whitish forehead galinieri. 



Alcippe nigricapilla. 



Lioptilus nigricapillus (Vieill.), Sharpe, Cat. B. M. iv. p. 262 (1879); 

 Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 1292 (1896). 



Adult. Forehead, crown and back of neck jet black ; back and edges 

 of the feathers of the wings and tail yellowish brown ; remainder of wings 

 and tail dark brown ; lores, eyelids and chin black ; cheeks, ear-coverts, 

 sides of neck, throat and centre of chest pale grey, centre of abdomen white, 

 sides of body and thighs pale brown ; under tail-coverts buff ; axillaries and 

 under wing-coverts buff; inner margins of quills white. " Bill pinkish flesh 

 colour, iris dark lake red, tarsi and feet flesh colour" (T. Ayres). Total 

 length 7 inches, culmen 06, wing 3 - 2, tail 3-9, tarsus 0-9. Macamac, 

 $ 2. 7. 74 (T. Ayres). 



The Natal Black-capped Hill Tit inhabits South Africa 

 south of the Orange and Limpopo rivers. 



All that I know regarding this species is summed up by 

 Mr. Layard as follows : " Levaillant found this bird only in the 

 forests of Bruintjes Hoogte, and even there sparingly. Major 

 Bulger procured it in the neighbourhood of Windvogelberg. 

 We ourselves saw it near the summit of the Kat-berg, and 

 Mr. T. C. Atmore has sent us several specimens from Eland's 

 Post ; Mr. H. Bowker has also forwarded it from the Trans- 



[March, 1900. 14 



