93 [Vol. xix. 



the South- African M. a. africana by the more striking 

 coloration of the nppersurface, caused by the blackish 

 centres of the feathers being larger and more defined. 

 The lesser upper wing-coverts are bright cinnamon-rufous 

 with more or less semicircular dark brown markings 

 towards the base. This form inhabits Uganda and is also 

 found east of Lake Victoria Nyanza. We have examples 

 from Entebbe {Jackson), Bukoba [Stuhlmann), Buguera 

 (Emm), Fort George [Ansorge), Toro (^Ansorge), and a male 

 shot by Dr. Ansorge on the Kiboko River in Ukamba, 

 25. iv. 98. This last occurrence is remarkable^ as^ on the 

 Athi plain, at no great distance, M. a. athi, Hartert, is found. 

 This form is distinguished at a glance from M. a. tropicalis 

 by its mealy appearance, and more especially by the lesser 

 upper wing-coverts, which are greyish-brown with blackish 

 centres and pale greyish edges. Captain Shelley is perhaps 

 right in regarding it as a species and not as a geographical 

 race, but it is doubtful if M. a. tropicalis and M. a. athi 

 ever occur together. Typical M. a. athi inhabits the Athi 

 plains in British East Africa, and a very similar form is 

 found near the Escarpment Station, at elevations of 6500 feet 

 and higher. It is darker, the edges to the feathers of the 

 upperside browner, the bill longer and more slender, and the 

 tail generally a little longer. 1 propose to name this form 



MlKAFRA ArRICANA DOHERTYI, Subsp, U., 



in memory of the late William Doherty, who collected a 

 series of it. 



"■ Mirafra africana tropicalis is not synonymous with 

 M. a. occidentalis (Hartl.), described from Gaboon. Through 

 the kindness of Professor Schauinsland I have been able to 

 compare it with the type of M. occidentalis. The latter is 

 not at all brightly coloured on the upperside, being dull 

 greyish, with the darker centres of the feathers less extended, 

 less well defined, and more in the form of streaks. Though 

 distinct from M. a. tropicalis, it is not always easy to 

 distinguish single specimens of M. a. occidentalis from the 

 South-African 3f. a. africana, but M. a. occidentalis is less 



