668 



6 



Mr. E. L. Layard, which in general character most nearly resemble those of Pernis apivorus, or 

 bright coloured eggs of Nauclerus furcatus, but are smaller in size. The ground-colour is 

 whitish ; but most specimens are so closely blotched with dark fox-red as to leave but little of 

 the ground-colour visible. In some specimens the ground-colour is warm yellowish white, very 

 closely clouded with rich ferruginous ; in one egg, the ground-colour of which is white, one end 

 is nearly unspotted, the other being closely blotched with rich, dark reddish brown. In size 

 they measure from l^f by 1-£q to If § by 1^ inch. 



The specimens figured and described are, an adult male collected near Alexandria by the 

 late Mr. S. Stafford Allen, and a nestling obtained in South Africa by Mr. T. Atmore, both being 

 in my collection. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, d ad. Alexandria {S. Stafford Allen), b, 6. Egypt, March 22nd, 1870 {Captain G. E. Shelley), c, 6. 

 Mataroeh, Cairo, April 29th, 1862, with nest and one egg (/. H. Cochrane), d, 6 . Tangier {Colonel 

 Irby). e, pull. Potchefstroom, S. Africa {T. Atmore). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders, 

 a, ad. Seville, April 1865. 



