156 Mr. J. H. Gurney's Notes on 



and that it is not, as had been previously supposed, a distinct 

 species. 



164. Drymceca curvirostris, Sundev. Curve-billed Dry- 

 mceca. See note under no. 149. 



171. Eremomela brachyura (VieilL). Short-tailed Ere- 

 momela. 



I think Mr. Layard is in error in stating that this species 

 has been obtained by Mr. Ayres in Natal. I have not seen it 

 from that colony. 



Sylvietta micrura (Riipp.). Short-tailed Sylvietta. 



Mr. Layard does not include this species in his ' Catalogue ;' 

 but a single example has been sent to me from Natal (Ibis, 

 1865, p. 265). It is a common bird in collections from Damara 

 Land ; and Dr. von Heuglin, who met with it as far north as 

 Nubia, states (Sitzungsb. Akad. Wissensch. Wien, 1856, p. 21) 

 that " in its habits and call it bears a great resemblance to Sitta 

 eui'op(sa." 



177. Calamoherpe gracilirostris, Hartl. Slender-billed 

 Reed-Warbler. 



Mr. Layard has omitted to record that the type-specimen of 

 this species and also those of Camaroptera natalensis, Turdus 

 gurneyi, Butalis ccsrulescens, Estrelda nitidula, and Megalophonus 

 rostratus, were procured by Mr. Ayres in addition to Cisticola 

 ayresi, the discovery of which by that naturalist is mentioned 

 by Mr. Layard (p. 94). I trust I may here be allowed to sup- 

 ply this accidental omission, in justice to my valued correspon- 

 dent, who has also subsequently added an eighth new species 

 to the Soiith-African avifauna by the discovery of another un- 

 described Finch, Estrelda carmelita, to which I shall more parti- 

 cularly refer in its proper order. 



I may add that four of the above-mentioned species appear to 

 be of considerable rarity, as of Turdus gurneyi, Estrelda nitidula, 

 and Estrelda carmelita I have only seen the single type-speci- 

 mens, and of Butalis carulescens only the type-pair, one of 

 which (as the sexes agree in plumage) I have placed in the 

 British Museum. 



