AFES. 325 



most ornithologists. I learn from Mr. Sharpe that since 

 publishing the description of this species in his " Alcedi- 

 nidse," he has become convinced that the true A. cristata 

 of Linnaeus is the Madagascar species, and that the 

 African form must bear Riippell's name. This is to be 

 regretted, as the name is objectionable. 



65. Alcedo semitorquata. Swains. 



Swains. Zool. El. t. 151. — Riipp. Syst. Uebers. p. 20, t. 7. — Sharpe 

 Alcedinidse, pt. t. — Heugl. Om. N. 0. Air. No. 139. 



I am indebted to Captain Newport of the Commissariat 

 department for the only specimen of this bird which I 

 saw in Abyssinia. This was killed at Adigrat on the 

 highlands of Tigre. 



66. Ceryle rudis, L. 



Eiipp. Syst. Uebers. No. 89.— Lefebvre, p. 80.— Ferr. et Gal. No. 

 168.— HeugL Omith. N. O. Afr. No. 144. 



This also was a rare bird in the country traversed, 

 doubtless in consequence of the few large streams. I 

 saw it on the Jedda river near Magdala, and again 

 near Dongolo, at about 7,000 ft. above the sea, which I 

 suspect to be a higher elevation than this Kingfisher 

 usually afiects. I shot one specimen at the latter place. 

 It diflers considerably from all Indian specimens with 

 which I have compared it, in the much less amount of 

 black on the breast and the larger quantity on the sides 

 of the abdomen. It has also a much shorter bUl ; but 

 this is a variable character in Kingfishers. Mr. R. B. 

 Sharpe, however, considers that there is no constant 

 difference between African and Asiatic birds, both vary- 

 ing much. 



