Melierax metabates of Heuglin. 249 



with Hartlaub*, looks upon M. metabates as a doubtful 

 species. 



We come next to Dr. Bowcller Sharpe, who, in the 

 ' Catalogue of Birds 'f, states his opinion that M. metabates 

 is " a very doubtful species," apparently established upon 

 an old specimen of M. polyzonus. Twenty-five years later 

 Dr. SharpeJ maintains the same opinion as regards Heuglin's 

 species, and Dr. Dubois § also considers it doubtful. 



Quite recently Dr. Beichenow || has said that Melierax 

 metabates was probably established on a specimen of M. poly- 

 zonus not in full plumage. 



In order to come to a definite conclusion ou this question, 

 it appears to me that there are only two courses — either to 

 examine the type of Heuglin's description or to compare 

 specimens from the White Nile with typical M. polyzonus. 



As for the type, I do not know whether it is still in 

 existence or where it is to be found. As regards specimens 

 of Melierax from the White Nile, I have already alluded to 

 two of them brought home by the late M archese Antinori, who 

 apparently did not find that they were different from others 

 from the Blue Nile, from Antub, near Khartoum, andDaberki ^[ 

 on the river Dinder. I have now before me three speci- 

 mens obtained by Antinori, and 1 find that they are absolutely 

 identical with others from Abyssinia and Shoa. Quite lately 

 Mr. Witherby ** has met with M. polyzonus pretty commonly 

 on the White Nile, and Mr. Ogilvie-Grant also attributes 

 to the same species several specimens collected by Mr. Hawker 

 at Jebel Auli and Kaka, on the White Nile ft- 



From all this, it appears that the bird from the White 

 Nile is Melierax polyzonus, and it is not likely that a nearly 

 allied species would be found in the same region. 



* Die Vogel Ost-Afr. pp. 90, 91, 855 (1870). 

 t Vol. i. p. 92 (1874). 

 % Hand-list, i. p. 248 (1899). 

 § Synopsis Avium, p. 839 (fasc. xii. 1902). 

 || Die Vogel Afrika's, ii. p. 545 (1901). 



% Daberki is not a place in Shoa, as stated by Dr. Reichenow (Die 

 Vog. Afr., Atlas, p. 13), but is on the river Dinder, about 13° N. lat. 

 ** Ibis, 1901, p. 270. 

 tt Ibis, 1902, p. 441. 



