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



Melierax canorus metahates Hartert, Vog. pal. Faun, 

 p. 1164.. 



Melierax polyzoniis (Kiipp.) ; Butler, Ibis, 1908, p. 253, 

 1909, p. 89. 



[B. coll.] 6 Mougalla summer ; 1 Wau Apl. B.G. 



[Clir. coll.] 2 Yei Nov. & Dec. L.E. 



Melierax metabates neumanni. 



Melierax canorus neumanni Hartert, Vog. pal. Faun, 

 p. 1165 : Arbub near MeroAve, Dongola. 



Melierax polyzonus apud Butler, Ibis, 1905, p. 368. 



[B. coll.] 1 Erkowit Mcli. R.S. ; 1 Sherif Yakub Apl., 

 3 Koseires Sept. & Dec. Sen. ; 1 Kosti May, W.N. ; 

 1 Malakal May, U.N. 



[C. & L. coll.] 1 Siukat Mcli. R.S. ; 2 Kamisa Dec. 

 Sen.; 1 Jebet Ahmed Agha Jan. U.N. 



[Gurney coll.] 1 Meroe Feb. Ber. 



This race differs from typical M. m. metabates in having 

 the secondaries and wing-coverts more clearly barred with 

 black and white and not grey barred with lighter grey. 

 The tail-coverts are also not so closely barred and are often 

 practically unbarred in the centre. 



We take this to be a desert form of M. metabates and its 

 range to be from northern Nigeria through the northern 

 part of the Sudan to the Blue Nile and Red Sea Province, 

 but all birds south of KharLoum and north of Lake No may 

 be looked upon as intermediate. The range of M. m. meta- 

 bates practically encircles that of M. m. neumanni, as it 

 extends from Morocco through Gamlna, Nigeria, and across 

 to the Bahr el Ghazal, Mongalia, Abyssinia, and up to 

 Eritrea and Arabia. 



If, following Hartert, it is proposed to regard these birds 

 as specifically identical with the white-rumped grey- 

 shouldered M, canorus and M. poliopterus, the oldest specific 

 name is Falco musicus Daudin, Traite, ii. 1800, p. 116 

 (Cape Colony ex Levaillant), which antedates Falco canorus 

 Rislach, the description of which, though read in 1799, was 

 not apparently published until 1801. 



