'504 DR. E. BOWDLER SHARPE ON BIRDS [Dec. 3. 



Cerchneis NAUMANNI. 



Cerchneis nawmanni (Fleisch.) ; Beichenow. Vog. Af'rikas, i. 

 p. 644 (1901): Grant, Ibis, 1901, p. 294. 



Cerchneis cenchris, Hawker, Ibis, 1899, p. 79. 



a. 6 ad. Jira, Oct. 23, 1899. 



This is a very old male of the Lesser Kestrel, in somewhat 

 worn plumage, and doubtless on its southward journey. On com- 

 paring the series of 0. nawmanni and C. peMnensis in the British 

 Museum Collection, I am still of opinion that the latter must be 

 kept distinct, although it may not be more than a race. The 

 African specimens mentioned by Mr. Gurney in his critique of 

 my first volume of the 'Catalogue' (Ibis, 1881, p. 471) may after 

 all be C . pelcinensis, which is just as likely to occur in Africa as 

 Eryihropm amurensis. In fact, 1 now consider that the male 

 Lesser Kestrel procured by Dr. Hiudeat Machakos (cf. Ibis, 1898, 

 p. 583) is C. pekinensis, and not 0. nawmanni, as the lesser wing- 

 coverts are commencing to become grey. It is, how ever, somewhat 

 difficult to decide, as the individual still retains some traces of 

 immaturity. 



ASIO NISUELLA. 



Asio nisuella (Daud.) ; Sharpe, Hand-list B. i. p. 200 (1899) ; 

 Beichenow, A r 6g. Af'rikas, i. p. 659 (1901). 



a. 2 af '- Hills between Lakes ^tefanie and Rudolf, Dec. 8, 

 1899. 



Bubo abyssinicus. 



Buho abyssinicus (Guer.) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1898, p. 289 ; id. Hand-1. 

 B. i. p. 283 (1899). 



Asio ahyssinicus, Beichenow, A r bg. Afrikas, i. p. 661 (1901). 



a. 2 ad. Lake Eudolf, Dec. 9, 1899. 



This is a very dark specimen and very rufous in tint, but seems 

 to me to be of the same species as the birds from Jifa Uri in 

 Somali-land obtained by Mr. Hawker. The exact status of the 

 species remains to be determined, and it is desirable that the type- 

 should be compared. Professor Beichenow considers that it is an 

 Asio ; but the wing-formula given by him does not agree with that 

 of any one of our series, the 4th primary being of about the same 

 length as the 2nd and 3rd, while the 1st is much shorter than the 

 5th, and is, in fact, about equal in length to the long inner 

 secondaries. 



Bubo lacteus. 



Bubo lacteus (Temm.) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1885, p. 392 ; Oust. Bibl. 

 Hautes-Etudes, xxxi. Art. 10, p. 3 (1886) ; Salvad. Mem. Accad. 

 Torino, (2) xliv. p. 550 (1891 ; Warandab) ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1895, 

 p. 503 ; id. Hand-1. B. i. p. 283 (1899) ; Peel, Somali-land, p. 323 ; 

 Beichenow, V6ff. Afrikas, i. p. 650 (1901): Grant, Ibis, 1900, 

 p. 319, 1901, p. 292 ; id. & Eeid, t. e. p. 680. 



a. o* ad. Omo Biver, Dec. 29, 1899. 



