1895.] ok birds feom western somali-land. 



Cyclophoeid.t. 



457 



7. On a Collection of Birds made by Dr. A, Donaldson 

 Smith during his recent Expedition in Western Somali- 

 land. By R. Bowdler Sharpe^ LL.D., F.L.S., &c. 



[Eeeeived June 24, 1895.] 



(Plates XXVII. & XXYIII.) 



The collection made by Dr. Donaldson Smith has proved to be 

 of great importance, and some of his discoveries have been ex- 

 tremely interesting. The country through which he passed after 

 leaving the Shebeh Eiver has never been explored by a naturalist, 

 and the result of Dr. Donaldson Smith's expedition has been to 

 make us acquainted with quite a number of new species. The 

 route taken has been described by the explorer in the ' Geogra- 

 phical Journal ' for February of the present year (pp. 124-127), 

 where a map of the country is given. 



Starting from the Shebeli River, Dr. Smith marched in a north- 

 westerly direction over gradually rising ground, till he reached an 

 elevation of more than 5000 feet, and at Gineh, where he stayed 

 for some time, the height is 6920 feet. In this neighbourhood, 

 and on the Darro Mountains (8000 feet) he obtained several of 

 his most interesting birds, as also in the vicinity of Sheik Husein 

 and Sheik Mahomed. 



This exploration of Dr. Donaldson Smith's enables us to make a 

 comparison of the avifauna of Western Somali-land with that of 

 Abyssinia and Shoa and with that of the more southern regions 

 of the Lake Country, and also of East Africa. I have tberefoz'e 



