666 Messrs. Sclater and Mackworth-Praed on [II)is, 



Sylvietta brachyura nilotica. 



Sy/vietta hrachijiira liilotica Neumann, vide infra. 

 Sylvu'lla brdchijurn apud Butler, Ibis, 1905, p. 331, 1908, 

 p. 228, 1909, p. 82. 



[B. coll.] 1 Erkowit Mch. R.S. ; 1 Doka May, Kas. ; 



6 Koseires Apl. July, Aug. Sen.; 1 Taufikia Feb. 



U.N. ; ] Wau Apl., 1 Gamaiza Apl. B.G. 

 [C. & L. coll.] 2 Siukat Mch., 1 Erkowit Apl. R.S. ; 



6 Kamisa Dec. Sen. : 1 Jebel Ahmed Aga Jan., 



1 Tonga Mch., 2 nr. Lake No Feb. U.N. 



In naming these birds we found it necessary to examine 

 all the species of Sylvietta with rufous undersides. We 

 came in the main to the same conclusion as Zedlitz in 

 his valuable paper on the genus, J. f. O. 1916, pp. 93-100, 

 that there are three distinct groups. 



The first of these, the "^rufescens" group, is of large size, 

 with a large bill, a dark streak through the eye, and a 

 whitish eyebrow. Underside all one colour. Confined to 

 South Africa. 



The second group is the "" whytii-jacksoni'^ gi'oup, of 

 smaller size, with no dark eye-streak, and the eyebrow and 

 cheeks strongly rufous. Underside all one colour, some- 

 times sliglitl}' paler in the centre of the abdomen. East and 

 Central Africa. 



The third group is the " bracliyuia^^ group, of size 

 similar to the last, and in some cases very close to it, but 

 always with a dark or grey eye-streak, and with a noticeable 

 white patch in the centre of the belly ; in some cases on the 

 throat as well. N.W., Central, W., and N.E. Africa. 



I. '' llufescens ■" group. 

 1. Sylvietta rufescens rufescbns. 



Dicaum lufescens Vieill. Nouv. Diet. ix. 1817, p. 407 : 

 Oliphant river, Cape Colony (e;^ Levaillaut). 



Vieillot founded his Dicceum rnfescens on Levaillant's 

 plate (Ois. d'Afr. iii. pi. 135). 



Levaillant figured this bird from specimens obtained at 



