18/1.] MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE BIRDS OF CAMEROONS. 603 



of Cameroons, the bad character of the natives doubtless deterring 

 collectors from paying the place a visit. Mr. Crossley has suffered 

 much from their unwillingness to work, no inducement being suffi- 

 cient to make them take the least trouble about any thing, and their 

 profound laziness rendering it necessary to carry all his own collections 

 himself from the mountains to the coast. 



Beyond the record of some new birds sent by Captain Burton, 

 and described by Mr. Gr. R. Gray in the * Annals of Natural 

 History' for 1862 (3rd series, vol. x. p. 443), and the names of a few 

 species given in my catalogue, for which I had been indebted to 

 Mr. Cutter, nothing whatever had been done in the way of collecting 

 in the present locality. 



In this paper the nomenclature employed is principally that used 

 in my ' Catalogue of African Birds.' 



Order PICARI.E. 

 Fam. Alcedinidje. 



1. Ceryle rudis. 



Ceryle rudis (L.) ; Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 6. 



Two specimens are sent by Mr. Crossley, killed on the 4th and 

 14th of February respectively. I had already received it from 

 Cameroons in spirits through Mr. Cutter (cf. Cat. I. c). 



2. Alcedo qtjadribrachys. 



Alcedo quadribrachys, Bp. ; Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 6. 



One beautiful specimen, killed on the 2nd of January, 1871. 

 Previously received in spirits from Mr. Cutter. 



3. Ispidina PICTA. 



Ispidina pieta (Bodd.) ; Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 7. 

 One specimen. 



4. Halcyon dryas. 



Halcyon dryas, Hartl. ; Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 8. 



Two specimens, killed on the 30th of November, 1870. It is doubt- 

 ful whether the specimen already received by me through Mr. 

 Cutter, and recorded as H. tnalimbica (I. c. p. 8) is not really of the 

 present species ; but there is a little difficulty in settling the point, 

 owing to the birds having been preserved in spirit. 



5. Halcyon cyanoleuca. 



Halcyon cyanoleuca (V.) ; Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 8. 

 One specimen, killed on the 20th of January, 187!. 



6. Halcyon senegalensis. 



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

 One example, obtained on the 26th of January, 1871. 



