46 PERSONAL NARRATIVE. 



were exceedingly numerous ; S. cenanthe was less com- 

 mon ; S. luguhris kept much to rocky places ; Tham- 

 nobia melcsna was not rare amongst bushes on hill-sides. 

 Of pipits, Anthus sordidus was met with on barren slopes, 

 A. cervinus in ploughed fields, and A. campestris in 

 meadows ; whilst only two larks occurred, both apparently 

 undescribed species, a Calendrella and an Alauda. The 

 only crow was Corvus affinis. The starling group was 

 represented by two species of Amydrus {A. Ruppelli and 

 A. alhirostris), and by Buphaga erythrorhyncha, there 

 being at this season no Lamprotornis on this part of 

 the highlands, although later L. chalybceus abounded. 

 Hypliantornis Guerini in winter dress, Estrelda minima, 

 E. phcenicotis, Crithagra striolata, and the common 

 Abyssinian house-sparrow {Passer Swainsoni) were the 

 principal finches, though a few rare species were also 

 obtained. 



Pigeons and doves were numerous ; Columha guinea, 

 C albitorques, and Turtur lugens all being common. 

 The guinea-fowl, Numida ptilorhyncha, was just as 

 abundant as near the coast. Two francolins, F. Erhelii 

 and F. gutturalis, were common, and F. Riippelli was 

 shot, but at a somewhat lower level only. A large bus- 

 tard, doubtless Otis Rliaad, was once killed, but I did not 

 myself meet with any of the family. Of waders, Chettusia 

 melanoptera (the common Abyssinian plover) and Ihis 

 Harpiprion caruncidata were the only species frequently 

 seen; and the Egyptian goose, Chenalopex cegyptiaca, 

 was the sole common representative of the duck tribe, 

 — but there was but little water in the neighbourhood. 



