308 



ZOOLOGICAL EESULTS OF THE EUWENZOEI EXPEDITION. 



than the latter does to S. sulphuratus (Linn.). A series of specimens can be laid out 

 showino- that the largest-billed example of the South African bird with a wing of about 

 3-3 inches intergrades more or less completely with the small-billed S. shelleyi with a 

 wino- of about 3-0 inches. I have examined typical examples of S. sulphuratus from 

 South and South-east Africa as far north as Macamac, near Lydenburg, in the 

 Transvaal ; of S. sharpei from Lakes Naivasha and Nakuro and Eldoma Eavine, all to 

 the east of Victoria Nyanza, and from Melsetter in Northern Gazaland ; and of 

 8. shelleyi from Mount Elgon, Entebbe, Mpanga Forest, Euwenzori, Mulema, Nyasa- 

 land, and Tete, on the Zambesi. 



The type of S. shelleyi is said by Prof. Neumann [cf. Orn. Monatsb. xi. p. 184 (1903)] 

 to be in the Berlin Museum, and to have come from Kafuro, Karagwe, to the west of 

 Victoria Nyanza ; but there is a specimen in the British Museum from Tete, procured 

 by the Livingstone Expedition, which is marked in Prof. Neumann's writing as 

 " Seriniis shelleyi Neum. typus." This bird appears to be in rather abnormal plumage, 

 having the dark markings on the head and upperparts nearly obsolete. 



After examining all the material available I can only conclude that S. sulphuratus is 

 barely separable from *S'. sharpei, and that ;S'. shelleyi must be regarded as synonymous 

 with the latter, or else as a very slightly smaller race. The comparative measurements 

 of a number of specimens in which the sex has been properly ascertained is as 

 follows : — 



I may here remark that male examples of the large-billed form from Zululand 

 differ considerably from Cape specimens, and have the green wash on the breast much 

 reduced. They closely resemble S. sharpei, except as regards the size of the bill. 



[A few examples of Sharpe's Canary were seen in the acacia-country around the 

 south end of Ruwenzori and again near Fort Portal, but they were rather uncommon. — 

 jR. B. W.I 



Chrysomitkis frontalis (Reichenow). 

 Spinus citrinelloides frontalis Reich. Vog. Afr. iii. p. 275 (1904). 

 Chrysomitris frontalis Grant, Ibis, 1908, p. 279 [Mufumbiro Volcanoes], 



a-f. 6 2 . Mubuku Valley, E. Ruwenzori, 6000 ft., 28th-31st Dec. 



1078, 1079. D. C. ; 2031. G.L. ■ 3059. R. B. W.'\ 



q, h. c? . Mubuku Valley, E. Ruwenzori, 6000 ft., 4th & 30th Jan. 



d. 

 3068. B. B. W.'] 



[Nos. 1068,1071, 

 [No. 2128. G. L. 



