20 



ZOOLOGICAL RESULTS OF THE RUWENZOEI EXPEDITION. 



awaits one should the invitation be accepted, for the moss is like a sponge full of water 

 and moisture drips from the trees above. Long wisps of grey and straw-coloured lichen 

 swinging gently in the breeze give a look of great antiquity to the scene. 



Very few mammals inhabited the wet and gloomy regions between 9000 ft. and the 

 summit. The only species which existed in any numbers were Otomys dartmouthi and 

 Basymys montanus, which were extraordinarily numerous from 12,000 to 13,500 ft., 

 and the Hyrax [Procavia ruwenzorii), which was plentiful from 10,000 to 12,000 ft., 

 but was not found lower down. 



This is the real home of the Alpine Flycatcher {Cryptolopha alpina), and it is far 

 more numerous than any other species of bird found in this zone. The male utters 

 a short melodious song, not unlike that of the Willow- Wren, a bird which it closely 

 resembles in its habits. 



In this zone is found Stuhlmann's Sun-bird {Cinnyris stulihnanni), a bird with a 

 remarkably restricted range, for the species is entirely confined to a belt between 

 10,000 and 11,000 ft., and is by no means common. It is perhaps most plentiful just 

 on the border of the bamboo and tree-heaths, where the two zones intermingle, 

 and on this account it may sometimes be met with a little lower down, but never above 

 11,000 ft. 



The difficulty of working the high cold regions prevented much trapping, and the 

 list of animals which can be given as inhabiting the tree-heath-zone only includes : — 



Tree-Heath- and Moss-Zone (10,000 to 12,500 feet). 



Rousettus lanosus. 

 Myosorex blarina. 

 Crocidura fumosa montis. 

 Sylvisorex lunaris. 

 Chrysochloris stuhlmanni. 

 Felis pardus ruwenzorii. 

 ,, serval ? 



Mammals. 



Otomys dartmouthi. 

 Mus dennise. 

 Lophuromys aquilus. 

 Dasymys montanus. 

 Procavia ruwenzorii. 

 Cephalophus rubidus. 



Birds. 



Corvultur albicollis. 

 Ciunamopterus tenuirostris. 

 Serinus graueri. 

 Cinnyris stuhlmanni. 

 Parus fasciiventris. 

 Bradypterus cinnamomeus. 



Turdus abyssinicus. 

 Cossypha archeri. 

 Tarsiger ruwenzori. 

 Cryptolopha alpina. 

 Swift, small (not obtained). 

 Buteo ausruralis. 



