Vol. xH.] 70 



Abrantes, and now exhibit, both have the 6th primary 4 mm 

 longer than the 2nd, this being a characteristic of Plueni- 

 cui'us j^h. algeriensis, if that is found to be a good form, 



I also exhibit a nestling in down of the Purple Heron 

 [Ardea p. purpurea) from a colony breeding in a marshy 

 lake, near Torres Novas, on the north bank of the Tagus. 



Mr. D. A. Bannekman sent the following description of a 

 new race of Eurystomus afer from the highlands of Central 

 Abyssinia which he proposed to name : — 



Enrystonms afer praedi, sub=p. nov. 



Adult male. Similar to K. afW afer and E. afer a^fhio/'irns, 

 but the entire upp r parts several shades darker chestnut 

 than in the typical form, and many shades darker tlian in 

 E. a. a'thiopicus, closely approaching in shade the colour 

 of the upper parts in Eurystomus gularis gidaris. The upper 

 tail-coverts much darker blue and in the type-specimen 

 almost black. In the adult birds from Gofa and Walamo, 

 the central tail-coverts are deep chestnut, but in the type 

 from Gruatti they are almost black. Under surLice much 

 deeper purple and less mauve than in E. a. oithiopicus, and 

 than the majority of specimens of E. a. afer, the darkest 

 examples of which nearly appro »ch it however. Bill yellow, 

 iris brown, legs greenish yellow. Winji' 188 mm. ; bill 

 (exposed culmen) 22 ; tarsus 43. (The adult feniale from 

 Gofa has a wing of 180 mm.) 



Immature male. Upper parts similar to the adult ; upper 

 taii-coverts black, outer feathers fringed with blue. Under 

 surface, throat, and chest chestnut-brown; breast and belly 

 dull greenish blue. All the feathers of the under surface, 

 from the throat to the under tail-coverts, have dark shaft- 

 sti'eaks. Upper mandible and tip of lower mandible dusky 

 horn-colour. 



We have four examples of this new race in the British 

 Museum : the type from Gnatti, Central Abyssinia (Blundell 

 Lovat Expedit.), recorded by Ogilvie-Grant as E. afer (Has, 

 I'JOO, p. 318), and three from Walamo (0200 ft"). Katfa 



