716 MR. SHARPE ON BIRDS FROM THE RIVER CONGO. [NoV. 4, 



45. Chalcopelia afra (L.) ; Fiasco u. Hard. Vog. Ostafr. 

 p. 554. 



Mr. Wakefield sends one specimen of this Dove, previously pro- 

 cured at Mombas by Von der Decken. 



46. (Ena capensis (L.) ; Finsch u. Hartl. Vog. Ostafr. p. 557. 

 Of universal occurrence along the entire east coast of Africa. 



8. On a Collection of Birds from the River Congo. By R. 

 Bowdler Sharpe, F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c, Senior Assistant, 

 Zoological Department, British Museum. 

 [Keceived September 9, 1873.] 



Captain Sperling, who procured the new Goatsucker described by 

 me (anted, p. 626), presented me at the same time with a small col- 

 lection of carbolized birds, which I have had made into skins and 

 added to the Museum. We know so little of the ornithology of the 

 Congo district that it seems desirable to place this collection on 

 record in the interests of geographical science. The only informa- 

 tion that I am aware of on the ornithology of the river Congo is 

 that given in the appendix to Tuckey's ' Voyage'*; and as at that 

 time the describerhad not the advantage of Dr. Hartlaub's excellent 

 ' Ornithologie Westafrika's,' it cannot be wondered at that the birds 

 are not very satisfactorily determined ; nor do all the specimens 

 now exist (if, indeed, they ever did) in the Museum galleries. The 

 nomenclature adopted is that of my ' Catalogue,' unless otherwise 

 stated. 



Macrodipteryx sperlingi, Sharpe, untea, p. 626. 



Caprimulgus rufigenis, Sm. ; Sharpe, Cat. p. 1. 

 One specimen, apparently belonging to this species. 



Merops ptjsillus (Mull.) ; Sharpe, Cat. p. 4. 

 " Shot at Kabinda in August."— R. M. S. 



Eurystomus afer (Lath.) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1871, p. 274. 

 One specimen. Known from Gaboon and from Angola; so that 

 its occurrence on the Congo is not surprising. 



Halcyon chelicutensis (Stanl.) ; Sharpe, Cat. p. 8. 

 Two specimens. 



Halcyon senegalensis (L.) ; Sharpe, Cat. p. 8. 

 " Kabinda, August."— R. M. S. 



Dendropicus cardinalts (Gm.); Sharpe, Cat. p. 18. 

 A pair of birds, male and female. 



* Tuckey, Capt. J. K. ' Narrative of an Expedition to Explore the Ei ver Zaire, 

 usually called the Congo, in South Africa in 1816' (4to, 1818). 



