662 Messrs. Sclater and Mackworth-Praed on [Ibis, 



wider black throat-band and larger size. We cannot tliink 

 these differences sufficient to uphold this race. 



In the very large series before us it is true that wider 

 throat-bands appear in the north-east than in the north- 

 west, but only exceptionally ; while the wing-nieasureraents 

 also seem to us insufficient grounds for separation. They 

 are as follows for series of 20 adults from each locality : — 

 Nortliern West Africa av. 97*7 ; Sudan and Uganda av. 

 99-7 ; north-east Africa and Arabia av. 102-7. 



Melittophagus pusillus meridionalis. 



Melittophagus meridionalis Sharpe, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus. 

 xvii. 1892, p. 45 : Natal. 



Melittophayus pusiUiis ocularis Reichw. O. M. 1900, p. 86 : 

 Nubia. 



Meiittophayus pusillus apud Butler, Ibis, 1905, p. 349, 

 1908, p. 242, 1909, p. 85. 



[B. coll.] 1 Roseires Sept. Sen.; 14 Khartoum Jan. Feb. 

 May Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. ; 2 Gardain May, B.G. ; 

 4 Mongalla, July-Sept. 

 [C.&L.coU.] 4 Senga Dec, 1 20 miles above Seunar 

 Jan. Sen. ; 1 Meliit Jan., 1 Renk Mch., 1 Lake No 

 Feb. U.N. 

 [Chr. coll.] 3 Yei Dec. L.E. 



We have followed C. Grrant (Ibis, 1915, p. 295) in 

 regarding this, the Sudanese form oP the Little Bee-eater, 

 as identical with that of South Africa. 



Melittophagus variegatus variegatus. 



Merops variegatus Vieill. Nouv. Diet. xiv. 1817, p. 25: 

 Malimbe, Congo (ex Levaillant). 



Melittophagus variegatus Ileichw. V. A. ii. p. 304. 



This species is mentioned by Reichenow as iiaving been 

 secured at Meshra el Rek, B.G., by Bohudorff and Schwein- 

 furth. It is not represented in these collections, nor can we 

 find any other record of its occurrence within our limits. 

 There are specimens in the Museum from the iieadwaters of 



