594 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant on Birds from 
50. PRINIA MURINA. 
Prinia murina (Heugl.); Grant, p. 419; Butler, p. 332. 
Prinia mystacea Riipp.; Reich. ii. p. 590 (1905) ; 
Neumann, 1906, p. 276. 
a. 3. Renk, January 28th. 
6. g. Moradar, February 1st. 
c-e. 6 2. Baro River, February 14th & 16th. 
51. MELocicHLa MENTALIS. 
a-c. 6 9. Kaig, March 4th & 6th. 
The three specimens collected for Mr. McMillan on the 
Baro River have the feathers of the rump pale cinnamon- 
buff, in marked contrast to the upper tail-coverts, which are 
dark chestnut-brown. One specimen in the British Museum 
from Accra and three in the Jackson Collection from 
Mt. Elgon are perfectly similar in plumage to the birds 
from Kaig. On the other hand, the type specimen of 
M. mentalis and other examples from Accra, Fantee, &c., have 
the feathers of the rump reddish brown, much like the 
upper tail-coverts. I am at present unable to account for 
this rather marked difference in plumage, but as it is ex- 
tremely unlikely that two distinct forms occur together in 
the same locality, I have merely called attention to these 
differences. 
Dr. Reichenow [Vo6g. Afr. ni. pp. 5388, 539 (1905)] 
distinguishes three subspecies of M. mentalis, viz.: the 
tvpical form from West Africa; M. m. atricauda from 
Equatorial Africa and Uganda; and M. m. orientalis, ranging 
from Lake Victoria to Lake Nyasa. 
I have carefully re-examined the large series of these 
birds now available, including a number collected by the 
Ruwenzori Expedition. I find it impossible to recognise 
more than two forms, which should probably stand as 
follows :— 
(1) MELocicHLa MENTALIS. 
Drymoica mentalis Fraser, P. Z. 8. 1848, p. 16 (type in 
the British Museum). 
Argya amauroura Pelz. Verh. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien, xxxii. 
p. 503 (1882). 
