854 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. xxvm. 



from Zanzibar to Uganda. The blue-fronted form, MeJlttophcujas 

 pusillw^ ciicuui^tldafi., extends from Zanzibar and Mount Kilimanjaro 

 to Shoa and Somali Land; the green-fronted bird, MeliUopluuj ns -jy^i^^l- 

 lus meridionalis^ occurs from Zanzibar, Uganda, and Loango to Angola 

 and Natal. It is possible, furthermore, that the latter may prove to 

 be separable into an eastern and a western race. 



We are sorry to differ from Mr. Hartert in this matter, and thus to 

 continue the alread}^ more than unfortunate shifting of names which 

 has fallen to the lot of this much buffeted species, but the facts as we 

 see them allow no other course. It should be mentioned, moreover, 

 that Doctor Reichenow, who undoubtedly had access to the type of 

 cyanostictus^ has arrived at precisely the same result as above set forth, 

 and gives at some length the reasons for his position." He, however, 

 treats meridional !s and ci/iinoKtictiix as distinct species. 



MELITTOPHAGUS OREOBATES Sharpe. 



MeUttophayus oreobates Sharpe, Ibis, 1892, p. 320 (Mount Elgon, British East 

 Africa). 



A single adult male of this rare bee-eater was taken b}' Doctor 

 Abbott at Maranu, at an altitude of 5,000 feet on Mount Kilimanjaro, 

 April 23, 1888. As will be noticed this specimen was obtained almost 

 two years before the type was collected by Mr. Jackson, so that 

 although the fact has so long remained unannounced Doctor Abbott 

 was in reality the discoverer of the species. 



MEROPS APIASTER Linnaeus. 

 Merops apiaster Linn.eus, Syst. Nat., 10th ed., I, 1758, p. 117 (Southern Europe). 



Six specimens, from the following localities: Mount Kilimanjaro, 

 5,000 feet, October 16, IT, 1889; Taveta, December 4, 1888; Lumi 

 River, near Mount Kilimanjaro, October 9, 1888; Aruscha-wa-chini, 

 southwest of Kilimanjaro, October 22, 1888. All are in the well- 

 known innnature plumage, but have a narrow dusky bar, though not 

 alwaj^s conspicuous, l)elow the yellow throat. "Iris red." One, 

 taken December 4, is in process of molt. 



MEROPS PERSICUS Pallas. 



Merops persica Palla.s, Reis. Russ. Reichs, II, 1773, p. 708 (Caspian Sea). 



Three specimens: two from the plains east of Mount Kilimanjaro, 

 December 11, 1888, and January 5, 1889; with one from Taveta, 

 November 8, 1888. "Iris red." These are very much more greenish 

 than specimens in ordinary plumage, differing further as detailed for 

 similar examples by Doctor Reichenow,'' and seem, as he suggests,* to 

 represent the winter dress of the species. 



«Ornith. Monatsber., 1900, pp. 86-87. ^Vogel Africas, II, 1902, p. 323. 



