Vol. xlii.] 116 



Mr. W. L. ScLATER communicated tlie following notes 

 on the nomenclature and taxonomy of African Birds 

 (no. 4) : — 



PODICEPS NIGRICOLLIS. 



The Black-necked Grrebe of Africa has recently been 

 named as a distinct subspecies, Proctopus nigricollis gxirnet/i, 

 by Roberts (Ann. Trans. Mus. Pretoria, vi. 1919, p. 118 : 

 Lamberts Bay), on account of its smaller size, shorter bill, 

 and paler ear-plumes, \vhich are pale yellow without any 

 chestnut wash. 



An examination of the small African series in the Museum 

 confirms Mr. Roberts''s distinctions, and the Abyssinian 

 birds appear to be more or less intermediate. Mr. Peringuey 

 has most kindly forwarded three examples of the South- 

 African Black-necked Grebe, hitherto unrepresented in the 

 Museum collections, and they certainly are smaller than 

 the European birds and also paler and more slaty in colour. 

 It also seems that there is no seasonal change of plumage in 

 the South-African race. 



The following are measurements, in millimetres, of the 



African and European examples : — 



Bill. Wing. 



Cape Colony 21 125 



„ „ 20 125 



Damaraland 22 124 



Angola 21 118 



Abyssinia 23 131 



„ 23 123 



„ 25 180 



France 24 128 



Italy 25 128 



Gallilee 25 135 



Hartert gives 20-24 127-136 



I think that under these circumstances Mr. Roberts's 

 distinctions may be upheld. 



HiMANTORNIS H^MATOPUS and H. WHITESIDEI. 



H. wJdtesidei was originally described from Lolanga on 

 the Upper Congo. The only other known example was 



