232 Capt. G. E. Shelley on Birds from the 



18. PyCNONOTUS LAYARDI. 



Pycnonotus layardi, Guruey ; Shelley, Ibis, 1893, p. 13, 

 1894, p. 468; Reichen. \og. Deutsch-Ost-Afr. p. 207. 

 Zomba. One specimen. 



19. Criniger fusciceps, 



Xenocichla fusciceps, Shelley, Ibis, 1893, p. 13; 1894, 

 pp. 10,468, pi. i.fig. 2. 



Milanji, Oct. One specimen. 



It appears to me that the real characters for distinguishing 

 the genus Xenocichla from the genus Criniger may be 

 summed up as follows : — 



a. Bill deeper than broad at nostrils and much 



compressed at the sides ; culmen nearly straight, 

 and the keel of the lower mandible distinctly 

 curved upwards XenocicJda . 



b. Bill wider than deep at nostrils and not much 



compressed at the sides tbroughout its length ; 

 culmen strongly curved ; keel of the lower man- 

 dible horizontal, never distinctly curved upwards. Criniger group. 



The genus Xenocichla, I consider, should consist of only 

 the following six species : — 



1. X. syndactyla (the type); 2. X. poliocephala \ 3. X. 

 a^avieri not known to me); 4. X. notata ; 5. X. eximia ; 

 6. X. canicapilla. 



20. Melocichla orientalis. 



Cisticola orientalis, Sharpe; Shelley, Ibis, 1893, p. 15; 

 1894, p. 12. 



Melocichla orientalis, Reichen. Vog. Deutsch-Ost-Afr. 

 p. 220. 



Zomba. One specimen. 



It appears to me that the genus Melocichla should be recog- 

 nized as distinct from Cisticola. 



The range of this genus is from Accra and Lado south to 

 Benguela and the Zambesi. 



Three rather doubtful subspecies have been recognized : — 



1. Drymoeca mentalis, Eraser, P. Z. S. 1880, p. 16 (Accra). 



2. Cisticola grandis, Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. 1880, p. 56 



