622 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THK [Nov. 17, 



Hind neck indistinctly ashy Hind neck decidedly ashy grey, 



grey. contrasting with head. 



Lower back and rump same Lower back and rump entirely 

 as rest of upper surface, and uniform isabelline, with no shaft- 

 streaked in the same manner. streaks. 



Upper tail-coverts dark brown, Upper tail-coverts light ash- 



with rufescent margins. colour, paler than the tail, and 



margined with whitish. 



Upper wing-coverts and quills Upper wing-coverts and quills 



dark brown, with broad rufous brown, broadly margined with 



margins. pale sandy, shading off into white 



on the margins. 



Ear-coverts deep rufous, with Ear-coverts very pale sandy. 

 slight fulvous shaft-streaks. 



*&■ 



Cheeks and throat white, with Cheeks and throat pure white, 



a few black spots. unspotted. 



Under surface of body isabel- Under surface of body white, 



line, with vinous tinge on flanks ; with a few triangular spots of 



breast broadly streaked with dusky black on the breast, 

 black. 



Under wing-coverts deep isa- Under wing-coverts very pale 



belline vinous. isabelline sand-colour. 



Male. Differs from the female in having a very much larger bill, 

 and in being generally larger than his mate. This fact I can 

 establish satisfactorily by five carefully sexed specimens shot by Mr. 

 T. C. Atmore and the late Mr. Andersson. These are marked all 

 males bv their collectors, and measure as follows : — 



1 . c? , Colesberg (T. C. Atmore) . . 



2. d , Eland's Post {T. C. Atmore) 



3. <$ , Nonnberg (T. C. Atmore) . . 



4. cJ, Great Namacpia Land (C. J. 



Andersson) 7'8 0'95 4-4 3'5 l'l 



5. d , Tjobis, Daniara Land (C. J. 



Andersson) 7"9 .. 4'35 3'45 1" 15 



A specimen (not sexed) collected in Benguela by Mr. Monteiro 

 is also in the Museum. It differs from any of the others before me 

 in not having the vinous or isabelline tint clearly developed, the 

 upper surface being ashy brown, with distinct shaft-lines. The 

 under surface is entirely white, with a few small triangular streaks 

 of blackish on the chest. It measures as follows : — Total length 

 7'2 inches, culmen 0'9, wing 3"95, tail 3*15, tarsus 1*05; and I 

 think it is very probably a young bird. 



It appears therefore from the foregoing measurements that the 

 female averages from 3'65-3-75 inches in length of wing, and 



