from Somali-Land and Abyssinia. 253 



Bure, the track subsequently intersecting the northern route 

 at Godeb, and then turning south through Liben and 

 Kutai. The crossing of the Blue Nile at Zamea, though 

 supposed to be less dangerous than that at Dedgen, proved 

 equally difficult and perilous, but all the animals and their 

 loads eventually got safely across. The journey over the hilly 

 ground to Adis Alain occupied many days, and it was not 

 until the 30th of June, 1902, that the capital was once 

 more reached. 



One of the primary objects of Mr. Degen's expedition was 

 to obtain examples of the fresh-water fishes of Abyssinia, 

 especially of Lake Tsana, and no opportunity was lost of 

 adding to the series. A preliminary report on the collection, 

 which contains many new and interesting fishes, has been 

 published by Mr. G. A. Boulenger, F.R.S. Under the 

 circumstances it is surprising that Mr. Degen should have 

 been able single-handed to collect and prepare so many 

 skins of mammals and birds. The series of the latter 

 includes examples of two new species, a Barbet (Melano- 

 bucco tsance) and a Lark [Mirafra degeni), as well as of two 

 specially rare and interesting Owls, one of which (Asio 

 abyssinicus) is new to the British Museum. 



As examples of most of the species represented in the 

 present collection were procured either by Lord Lovat 

 or by Mr. A. E. Pease during their recent expeditions 

 to Abyssinia, reference is made in most instances to the 

 articles on their collections already published in 'The Ibis.' 

 To save repetition the titles of these papers have been 

 abbreviated as follows : — 



Mr. Grant's article on the birds collected during the 

 expedition of Mr. Weld-Blundell and Lord Lovat (1898-9) 

 (Ibis, 1900, pp. 115-178 and pp. 30^-337) is quoted as 

 " Grant." 



Messrs. Grant and Reid's article on the birds collected on 

 Mr. Pease's expedition (1900-1) (Ibis, 1901, pp. 607-699) 

 is quoted as " Grant & Reid." 



SER. VIII. VOL. IV. T 



