182 VANGIDZ 
(Sjéstedt), and Rio del Rey (Johnston). Mr. G. L. Bates, 
in his notes from Efulen, writes: “The ‘ Ebonde’ (Dicrurus 
atripennis), with outward curled tail-feathers, lives in the 
dense forest. It utters an agreeable call or short song.” 
Du Chaillu procured specimens in Gaboon, one of which 
is in the British Museum, and the type of D. sharpei was 
obtained by Marche at Doumé in the Ogowé province, 
November, 1876. Recently two examples of this species 
have been obtained by the Ruwenzori expedition in the Ituri 
forest to the west of Lake Albert. 
I have little to add to a remark I made, Ibis, 1901, p. 588, 
regarding D. atripennis, D. sharpet, and D. ludwigi; they are 
difficult to distinguish as species. I do not believe in the 
type of D. sharper: being anything but a bird in immature 
plumage of the present species. It has been described as 
most nearly allied to D. ludwigt, but differing in the slighter 
bill, its longer wing and in its colouring, it being of a blue 
shade, with scarcely any metallic gloss; bill and feet black. 
Length 7°2 inches, culmen 0°72, wing 4°2, tail 4°0, tarsus 0°56. 
This specimen appears to me to agree well with two others 
in the British Museum, one from the Gambia and the other 
an immature female obtained by Forbes at Shonga on the 
Niger. Dr. Reichenow, who keeps it as a distant species, 
gives its range as from Togoland to Gaboon and refers to it 
Emin’s specimen from Songa, and D. atripennis as ranging 
from the Gambia to Gaboon. 
Family I. VANGIDZ®. 
Bill very variable in form and colour, rarely black; nostrils generally 
exposed, Wing very constant in form, moderately pointed; second 
primary just reaching to the end of the secondaries, and both falling 
short of the tip of the wing by the length of the tarsus. Tail square or 
rounded, shorter than the wing. Tarsus scaled in front only. All the 
feathers rounded and of moderate length; no portion of head bare. 
