290 Capt. G. E. Shelley on 



II. Report on the Birds. By Capt. G, E. Shelley. With 

 Field-notes by F. J. Jackson. 



Mr. Jackson's collection of birds contains about 220 speci- 

 mens, referable to 126 species. It is, as might have been 

 expected, very characteristic of the Masai-land avifauna, 

 which has been so well investigated by the late Dr. Fischer. 

 It contains many additions to our National Museum. 

 Amongst these may specially be remarked Ploceusjacksoni, 

 a new species from Kilima-njaro (which I have named after 

 its discoverer), Philetcerus cabanisi, Vidua fischeri, Pyron,ie- 

 lana diademata, and Trachyphonus erythrocephalus, Cab., a 

 much larger species and very distinct from the T. shelleyi, 

 Hartl., with which I once confounded it. There are also 

 examples of two rare Somali forms, Telephonus jamesi and 

 Cinnyris albiventris. The Kilima-njaro collection does not 

 contain any of the Alpine species first made known to us by 

 Mr. H. H. Johnston, but this may be accounted for by 

 Mr. Jackson's expedition never having ascended above the 

 level of the happy hunting-ground of the sportsman. 



As the avifauna of the Kilima-njaro district possesses 

 certain well-marked peculiarities, I have thought it best to 

 prepare two distinct lists ; one devoted to the birds procured 

 in the above-mentioned locality, the other to those obtained 

 in Manda Island and in other places near Lamu. It will 

 be understood that the field-notes are taken entirely from 

 Mr. Jackson's journals. 



A. Species from the district of Kilima-njaro. 



1. Circus macrurus (Gm.). 



? . Lamu (21. 1. 87). Shot in the open plain between 

 Kake and Taveita. 



2. Melierax poliopterus. Cab. 



Shot Avhile eating a lizard in the open plain between 

 Taveita and Lake Chala. Tliis bird was fairly plentiful in 

 the plains, where, early in the morning, it was to be seen 

 beating up and down, flying very low, looking out for mice 

 and lizards. 



