PARUS AFER. 241 



p. 39 (1883) ; Sharpe, eel. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 329, 835 (1884) ; 



Sousa, Jorn. Lisb. 1888, p. 226 Quindumbo 1 ; Fleck, J. f. 0. 1894, 



p. 412 Damara 1 ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 124 (1896) ; Marshall, Ibis, 



1896, p. 244 Salisbury 3 ; Stark, Faun. S. Afr. I. p. 305, figs. (1900) ; 



Marshall, Ibis, 1900, p. 233 Mashona 3 . 

 Paras cinerascens, Vieill. Layard, Ibis, 1869, p. 73 Colesberg 1 ; Ayres, 



Ibis, 1871, 154 Transvaal 2 . 

 Parus cinereus (nee Vieill), Layard B. S. Afr. p. 112 (1867) ; id. Ibis, 



1869, p. 72 Swellendam 1 . 



Adult. Lores, cheeks, ear-coverts, sides of neck and nape white ; 

 remainder of the head and neck, the upper tail-coverts and a central band 

 down the chest bluish black ; back and least series of wing-coverts ashy 

 grey ; remainder of the wings dark brown with w T hite edges to the feathers, 

 broadest on the coverts and inner secondaries ; tail black with narrow white 

 ends to the feathers, which colour extends down the exterior web of the outer 

 feather ; remainder of the breast, ashy grey, paler towards the black parts. 

 Bill black, iris dark brown, tarsi and feet leaden grey. Total length 5-5 

 inches, culmen 0-5, wing 3-15, tail 2-5, tarsus 0-85. $ , 15. 4. 66 Damara. 



Type of P. afer intermedins. Similar in plumage. Total length 5'3, 

 culmen 0-45, wing 2-9, tail 21, tarsus 0-8. ? , 7. 6. 77 Potchefstroom. 



Type of P. afer parvirostris. Similar in plumage. Total length 5-3, 

 culmen 0-4, wing 3-05, tail 2-25, tarsus 0-8. g, 12. 4. 95 Salisbury (Guy 

 Marshall). 



The South African Cole Tifc, including its local races, ranges 

 over South Africa generally south of about 10° S. lat. 



I have divided it, in my key, into three : a large billed race 

 inhabiting: South-western Africa to the west of a line drawn 

 from the Upper Quanza river to Bast London, while a line 

 drawn from Durban to Nyasa Lake would pass through the 

 centre of the range of the other two subspecies, and the 

 southern boundary of Mashonaland maybe accepted as dividing 

 the form with a medium sized bill from its northern little billed 

 race. These races are alike in colouring and size with the 

 exception of the bill, which decreases as we follow a line from 

 Cape Town to Nyasa Lake. As these forms have never pre- 

 viously been recognised I have placed a number nest to the 

 localities quoted to indicate to which race the references 

 specially refer. 



[April, 1900. 16 



