80 BIRDS OF DAMARA LAND. 



When I first observed the nest there was no bird present ; 

 but after waiting awhile, one appeared and was on the 

 point of entering the nest, when it perceived me and 

 moved slowly out of view. Not feeling quite certain of 

 its identity, I waited for nearly another hour to get a 

 second sight of it, when both parent birds came and 

 settled quite close to the nest, and I killed the male. 



The irides in this species are brownish yellow. 



Measurements of a male and a female : 



Male. Female, 



in. lin. in. lin. 



Entire length 37 33 



Length of folded wing ... 2 1 11 



tarsus 7 ..... 7 



middle toe ....04 04 



tail 16 14 



bill 05 04 



[The disturbed state of tlie nest above referred to, and the 

 presence in it of only one egg, and that of comparatively large 

 size, suggest the probability of a parasitic intrusion by one of the 

 smaller Cuckoos. 



The male specimen from which Mr. Andersson took the 

 measurements above recorded is now in the collection of Mr. R. 

 B. Sharpe. ED.] 



99. AntllOSCOpUS Carol! (Sharpe). Andersson's Blossom-pecker. 



JEgiihalus minutus, Sharpe's Cat. No. 330. 

 JEgithalm Caroli, Sharpe, in Ibis, 1871, p. 415. 



This species, which, as far as my experience goes, is 

 very rare, resembles the preceding one in its habits and 

 also in its general appearance ; but the lower part of the 

 belly, instead of being light yellow, is yellowish brown. 



[Mr. R. B. Sharpe, who possesses three specimens of this little 

 bird, which were all procured by Mr. Andersson at Ovaquenyama 



