306 ANTHUS PALLIDIVENTRIS. 



primary coverts and quills dark brown with narrow pale edges ; tail dark 

 brown with pale edges to the feathers and fading into pale ashy brown on 

 the outer feathers ; the two outer pairs of feathers are marked alike, with a 

 narrow whitish edging to their outer webs and ends ; eyebrow and eyelids 

 white, sides of head mostly ashy brown slightly mottled with white. 

 Beneath, white tinted with rufous buff on the lower throat and sides of the 

 body and under tail-coverts ; lower throat and front of chest strongly spotted 

 with dark brown ; centre of chest, sides of body and a few of the larger tail- 

 coverts with distinct brown shaft-stripes ; under wing-coverts dusky ash, 

 like the under surface of the quills. Bill : upper mandible horny brown, 

 lower one pale, inclining to dark brown at the tip ; tarsi and feet flesh colour. 

 Total length 67, culmen 06, wing 3-4, tail 26, tarsus 1-0, hind toe 0-45, 

 hind claw scarcely 0-4. Melinda (Kirk). 



The Melinda Pipit is represented in the British Museum 

 by a single specimen procured for me by Sir John Kirk 

 at Melinda, one of the British Bast African ports situated in 

 about 3° 30', S. lat. It much resembles in the pattern of the 

 plumage the type of A. latistriatus, but while the latter is an 

 unusually dark bird, the present one is unusually pale, and 

 the streaks on the flanks are longer and narrower. The 

 plumage shows no signs of immaturity. 



Anthus pallidiventris. 



Anthus pallidiventris, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. x. p. 560 (1885) Gaboon ; 

 Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 162 (1896). 



Adult. Upper parts uniform brown ; the feathers of the wings and tail 

 with pale edges inclining to white on the first primary ; tail with no sharply 

 defined pale pattern, but the outer feather gradually fades into ashy buff on 

 the end half and the whole of the outer web, penultimate feather likewise 

 fades into ashy white at the end ; eyebrow and cheeks buff ; ear-coverts 

 brown ; under parts mostly dull white with obscure dusky shaft-stripes on 

 the crop and front of the chest ; basal portion of thighs bare; tarsi, toes and 

 hind claw long. Total length 7-3 inches, culmen 0-65, wing 3'85, tail 2-9, 

 tarsus 1-25, middle toe with claw 1-1, hind toe with claw 1-0. Landana, 

 <?, 11. 5. 76 (Brit. Mus.). 



The Long-toed Plain-backed Pipit inhabits Gaboon and 

 the Loango Coast. 



