1873.] 



OF THE ETHIOPIAN REGION. 



619 



Hab. N. E. Africa : delta of Nile southwards to Cairo and the 

 Fayoom {Shelley, Von Heuglin) ; Soudan {Knoblecker). E. Africa: 

 Zanzibar (KirTc, Von der Dechen) ; Mosambique {Sperling). S. 

 Africa: Zambesi {Kirk); Transvaal {Ayres); Graham's Town 

 (Atmore). W. Africa: Cape Lopez {Verreaux, Mus. R. B. S.) ; 

 Ibadan {Hinderer) ; Accra {Haynes) ; Fantee {Ussher) ; Cape Pal- 

 mas {Fraser) ; Grand Bassam {Thomson) ; Casamanze ( Verreaux) ; 

 river Gambia {Laglaize, Mus. Brit.). 



Very great differences are to be observed in specimens of Centropus 

 senegalensis, even from the same locality. Thus some are dull 

 olive-brown on the back and wing-coverts, against which the rufous 

 wings stand out in clearer relief. All Egyptian specimens that I 

 have seen are like this, and this would seem to indicate a specific 

 distinction for C. cegyptius ; but this I cannot at present allow, for I 

 have exactly similar specimens from the Gambia, Fantee, and Ga- 

 boon. Owing to my specimens not being sexed, I am unable to state 

 whether this is a sexual difference or merely one of age ; but I think 

 it may very possibly be the male bird. In this group of Cuckoos the 

 female is generally the larger and finer bird; and from what my 

 friend Captain Marshall has told me about the Indian Centropi, the 

 males are more numerous than the females, which may account, in 

 the case of C. senegaleusis, for the rarity of the bright rufous birds. 

 But it is by no means improbable that this brown plumage is a sea- 

 sonal dress, as I have one or two specimens which seem to be inter- 

 mediate between the two forms. As to C. Burchelli, I believe I am 

 right in uniting it to C. senegalensis, as I did in my catalogue, as I 

 can see no difference between South-African and Fantee examples. 

 I subjoin the measurements of a series, which will show that size is 

 no specific character. o 



