110 TUKDID.E. 



Merula olivacea (Linn.). 

 (Plate VI. figs. 5 & 7.) 



Turdus olivaceus, Sharpe, ed. Layard's Birds S. Africa, p. 200 (1875-84) ; 



Seebohm, Cat. Birds B. M. v. p. 227 (1881) ; Sharpe in Seebohnts Mon. 



Turdidce, i. p. 307 (1899); Nehrk. Cat. Eiersamml. p. 37 (1899); 



Stark $ Sclater, Fauna S. Africa, Birds, ii. p. 175 (1901). 

 Merula olivacea, Sharpe, Hand-l. iv. p. 127 (1903). 



Though the Museum series of the eggs of the Cape Ouzel is 

 quite a small one, it displays considerable variation in colour and 

 size, especially the latter. The ground-colour ranges from a delicate 

 verditer-blue to a much less striking bluish grey, the markings in 

 all cases being large and handsome and not very thickly distributed, 

 though more numerous at the obtuse end, and in colour ranging 

 from pale chestnut to purplish brown. In size they vary from 1/10 

 to 1-25 in length, and from *81 to '89 in breadth. 



2. S. Africa. E. L. Layard, Esq. [P.]. 



2. S. Africa. Crowley Bequest. 



1. S. Africa (E. L. Layard). Crowley Bequest. 



1. Transvaal (T. Ayres). Crowley Bequest. 



2. Nels Poort (T. Atmore). Crowley Bequest. 



Genus SEMIMERULA, Sel. 

 Semimerula fuscatra (I? Orb. $ Lafr.). 



Merula fuscatra, Seebohm, Cat. Birds B. M. v. p. 243 (1881) ; Nehrk. 



Kat. Eiersamml. p. 37 (1899) ; Sharpe in Seebohm's Mon. Turdidce, 



ii. p. 55 (1900). 

 Semimerula fuscatra, Sharpe, Hand-l. iv. p. 129 (1903). 



The eggs of D'Orbigny's Ouzel in the Collection resemble those 

 of M. samoensis very closely. Four examples measure from 1/12 

 to 1-24 in length, and from -78 to '86 in breadth. 



1. Chile. Old Collection. 



2. Chile. Old Collection. 



1. Santiago, Chile, Dec. G. O. S. Napier, Esq. [P.]. 



Semimerula gigas (Fraser). 

 (Plate VI. fig. 6.) 



Turdus gigas, Sel P. Z. S. 1858, p. 550 ; Sel. $ Salv. P. Z. S. 1879, 



p. 491. 

 Merula gigas, Seebohm, Cat. Birds B. M. v. p. 244 (1881) ; Nehrk. Kat. 



EiersammL p. 37 (1899); Sharpe in Seebohm 's Mon. Turdidce. ii. 



p. 57 (1900). 

 Semimerula gigas, Sharpe, Hand-l. iv. p. 129 (1903). 



The eggs of the Giant Ouzel vary in shape from a broad to 

 an elongated oval. They are blue of various shades, speckled, 

 mottled and spotted with reddish or purplish brown and lilac. 

 On some specimens the markings consist entirely of smalKspecks ; 



