FAM. COLITDA: 5 
many species and subspecies have been established on the various local races. Of these I am 
able to recognize four only as worthy of specific rank, and even between some of these four 
there are intermediate forms. 
The typical form of the Cape has the breast uniform brown, but specimens from Natal 
and the eastern district show a more or less well defined blackish patch on the breast, and 
may by recognized as a subspecies Colius striatus minor. But I do not find that the Natal bird 
is really much smaller in size. 
6. Colius nigricollis. 
Colius nigricollis Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat. Vol. 7, p. 378 (1817); Shelley, 
Ibis, 1885, p. 310; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. Vol. 17. p. 341 (1892); 
Reichenow, Vég. Afr. Vol. 3, p. 203 (1902). 
Colius nigricollis, var. nigriscapalis Reichenow, Vog. Afr. Vol. 3, p. 203 (1902). 
Angola and Congoland 
This, the representative form of C. striatus in Angola and Congoland, is distinguished by 
its black throat, front and lores. It appears to extend far into the interior of the Congo Free 
State, as Bohndorf got it at Ndoruma in the Niam-Niam country and other collectors have 
met with it on the Upper Congo. 
Dr. Reichenow has founded a subspecies (Colius nigricollis nigriscapalis) on the birds 
from the interior of Cameroon, but, so far as I can judge from the specimens obtained by 
Mr. Bates on the River Ja (which I believe is an affluent of the Congo) the difference is merely 
that of a slightly darker coloration in the Cameroon bird. 
7. Colius leucotis. (Plate, Fig. 2 & 4.) BaStennAt Cae Gminene 
Colius leucotis Ruppell, Mus. Senkenb. Vol. 3, p. 42 (1845); Shelley, The Ibis, Egyptian Sudan and 
1885, p. 311; Reichenow, Voge. Afr. Vol. 3. p. 204 (1902). Abyssinia to Nyasaland. 
Colius leucotis afinis Shelley, Ibis, 1885, p. 312; Reichenow, Voge. Afr. Vol. 3, 
p- 205 (1902). 
Colius afinis Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. Vol. 17, p. 342, pl. 12 (1892). 
Colius berlepschi Hartert, Under Afr. Sun, p. 333 (1899). 
Colius leucotis cinerascens Neumann, Journ. f. Orn. 1900, p. 190. 
I have examined a large number of specimens of the representatives of the group of 
C. striatus from different parts of Eastern Africa. There are 64 skins of it in the British 
Museum from the White Nile, Abyssinia, Somaliland, British and German East Africa, Uganda 
and Nyasaland, besides 27 in the Tring Collection. I quite agree that there is much variation 
in this species but am unable to assure myself that these variations are connected with locality. 
I have found some specimens from Nyasaland practically indistinguishable from others from 
Abyssinia. 
Capt. Shelley based his C. affinis on specimens trom the White Nile and Dar-es-Salaam 
in German East Africa. But specimens from the White Nile must surely belong to the typical 
C.leucotis. | think it best therefore to leave all the white-eared forms from Eastern Africa under 
that name. 
5. Colius leucocephalus. (Plate, Fig. 1.) Southern Somaliland and 
Colius leucocephalus Reichenow, Orn. Centralbl. p. 144 (1879); id., Vg. Afr. Vol. 3, Northern British East 
Pp. 207 (1902); Shelley, The Ibis, 1875, p. 123; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. Africa. 
Vol. 17, p. 340 (1892). 
The well-marked white head at once distinguishes this fine species. The first example of 
it was obtained by Fischer at Kinakomba in British East Africa in 1878, and long remained a 
