from Deelfontein, Cape Colony. 343 



No one since Layard's time (cf. B. S. Afr. pp. 112, 113, 

 1867) seems to have recognised that there are two distinct 

 forms of Great Tit in South Africa, a grey species and a 

 brown-backed species. The series brought by Messrs. 

 Seimund and Grant shews that the brown back is constant 

 throughout the year, perhaps a little greyer in the winter 

 plumage, but never blue-grey like that of the other form. The 

 young birds also have brown backs and dull blackish heads. 

 The brown-backed bird is the true P. afer of Gmelin, 

 founded on the " Black-breasted Titmouse " of Latham, and 

 the grey bird is Parus cinerascens of Vieillot, founded on 

 the Mesange grisajoue blanche of Levaillant (Ois. d'Afr. iii. 

 pi. cxxxix. fig. 2, err. pro fig. 1). 



[This Tit was met with all the year round both on the 

 veldt and the kopjes, but mostly on the former; it was not 

 very common. It was generally seen in little parties, in 

 company with other small birds. We found a nest with 

 young, but they were destroyed by some predaceous beast.] 



89. Anthoscopus minuttjs. (PI. YIN. fig. 1.) 



Anthoscopus capensis (Gm.) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard, pp. 327, 

 801 (1875-84), pt. 



JEgithalus capensis, pt., Stark, Faun. S. Afr., Birds, i. 

 p. 310 (1900) ; Shelley, B. Afr. ii. p. 216 (1900; ; Sharpe, 

 Bull. B. O. C. xiii. p. 59 (1903). 



Anthoscopus minutus Sharpe, Hand-1. B. iv. p. 340 (1903). 



a, b. S ? ad- Deelfontein, Aug. 9, 1902. 



c, d. <$ ; e. ? ad. „ Sept. 3-8, 1902. 



The specific name capensis dates from Gmelin (S. X. i. 

 p. 1011), whose Parus capensis is founded on the "Petite 

 Mesange du Cap de Bonne Esperance" of Sonnerat (Voy. 

 Indes, ii. p. 206, pi. 115). It is difficult to understand how 

 the plate could ever have been associated with Anthoscopus 

 capensis, auct. The bird is described and figured as ashy grey 

 with white edgings to the wing-feathers and the tail white 

 below. If the plate really represents any actual species, it 

 comes nearest to Sienostira scita, but it is a figure which ig 

 unrecognisable and the name capensis should be dropped. 



