238 PARUS RUFIVENTRIS. 



inner margins ; under wing-covert and under tail-coverts white. Total 

 length 5-6 inches, bill 0-4, wing 3-12, tail 2-5, tarsus 07 (Eeichenow). 



The Grey-backed White-breasted Tit inhabits Central 

 Africa. 



The type formed part of Emin and Stnhbnann's collection 

 from Ruansori, and is, I believe, the only specimen known of 

 this species. 



Parus rufiventris. 



Parus rufiventris, Bocage, Gadow, Cat. B. M. viii. p. 40 (1883) ; Sharpe, 

 ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 835 (1884) ; Eeichen. J. f. 0. 1887, p. 306 

 Leopoldsville ; Shelley, B. Afr. I., No. 122 (1896). 



Subspecies a. P. masukuensis, Subsp. nov. 



Parus pallidiventris (nee Eeichen.), Shelley, Ibis, 1897, p. 526 Masuku 

 range, and Nyika plateau. 



Adult. Entire head and upper neck glossy bluish black passing into deep 

 grey on the lower neck, back, and lesser wing-coverts ; remainder o£ the 

 wing, tail and a few of the upper tail-coverts blackish, the former with broad 

 white edges and the tail-feathers narrowly tipped with white, which colour 

 also extends down the outer web of the tail ; breast deep cinnamon passing 

 into slaty grey towards the crop ; under wing-coverts and partial inner 

 margins to the quills white ; remainder of the under surface of the quills 

 ashy brown. Bill black ; legs slate colour; iris brown. Total length 6'4 

 inches, culmen 0'45, wing 3-35, tail 3, tarsus 0'85. Caconda, 12. 77 

 (Anchieta). 



Types of P. masukuensis. Differ from the above only in having the 

 breast paler cinnamon, and broader white edges to the feathers of the wings 

 and tail. They are intermediate in colouring between P. rufiventris, Bocage, 

 and P. pallidiventris, Eeichen. Total length 63 inches, culmen 0-45, wing 3 - 3, 

 tail 2-7, tarsus 0-8. Nyika plateau, and Masuku range (A. Whyte). 



The Cinnamon-breasted Tit ranges from the Congo into 

 Benguela, and is i-epresented by a slightly paler breasted race 

 to the west of the northern portion of Lake Nyasa. 



