On the Oriolidse of the Ethiopian Region. 213 



• 



gratory influence which impels the young to wander south- 

 wards at the approach of winter. 



In presenting to the readers of ' The Ibis ' all the information 

 which I have been able to collect with reference to this rare and 

 interesting bird, I must take the opportunity of expressing my 

 obligations to Mr. G. R. Gray for the kind assistance which I 

 have received from him ; and in acknowledging the use which 

 he has accorded me of all the specimens of E. asiaticus and E. 

 veredus in the British Museum, I am glad to be able to add that 

 he recognizes the result of my labours, and agrees with me in 

 considering Eudromias veredus to be a good species. 



XVI. — On the Oriolidse of the Ethiopian Region. 

 By B. B. Sharpe, F.L.S. 



(Plates VIL, VIII.) 



The following sketch of the Orioles of Africa has been suggested 

 to me during a recent study of the species in my collection ; and 

 as my series is extensive, I trust I may be able to throw some 

 light upon the synonymy of the different species, some of which 

 are involved in considerable obscurity. Mr. Gray's ' Hand-list 

 of Birds ' indicates ten species of African Oriolidce as having 

 been distinguished by modern authors. This is very nearly 

 correct ; but he has omitted Oriolus crassirostris, Hartl., appa- 

 rently a very good species, and he has included 0. moloxita, 

 Riipp., as distinct from 0. monacha (Gmel.), to which I think 

 it may be undoubtedly referred. 



I am by no means certain that the results arrived at m the 

 present paper will be acquiesced in by all ornithologists ; but I 

 have done the best with the material at my command, and I can 

 only regret that so few of the specimens examined by me have 

 had the sexes accurately determined by collectors. In birds 

 which vary so much as Orioles in passing from the young to the 

 adult stages it is a matter of great importance to know the sexes 

 of specimens ; and if collectors would only think of the additional 

 value which information on this point confers on their treasures. 



