KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 47. N:0 5. <,!{ 



there are more or less greeii margins to the blue feathers <>l' I lic 1 1 1 »per parts. The coloura- 

 tion of the wliole bird looks therefore more du 11 than that of the adult, but otherwise 

 the general appearance is the same. The red of the wing is confined to the basal half 

 of the primaries, the secondaries being bluish black all över. The red colour of the wing 

 is also different in the young bird being more scarlet than crimson. The bill is blackish 

 red, the naked parts round the eye red with small black döts. 



Male specimens shot in the primseval forest on the eastern slopes of Kenia had swelled 

 testicles the last days of January. 



Specimens shot in the Kenia forests appeared be larger than others, the wing of 

 males from there measuring up to 173 mm., one of the females had a length of wing amount- 

 ing to 178 mm., although the females generally are smaller. The bodies of these, forest- 

 birds as well are heavier which may be the result of food being more plentiful in the big 

 forest than elsewhere. It was found there almost everywhere in the forest up to an alti- 

 tude of 2700 m. where the bamboos begin to mix with the trees. It was also common in 

 the forest near Escarpment station. It was often seen feeding on berries in the crowns 

 of the trees (f. i. Podocarpus). 



It has a great number of different notes. It is a lively bird and hops from branch 

 to branch, and flies from tree to tree, always on the move except when feeding. 



This bird appears to be characteristic for the East African forests from Elgon to 

 Great Arusha. Reichenow does not enumerate it among the birds of the Middle African 

 lake district. 



Cuculidae. 



Centropus monachus Rufp. 



Rchw. II, p. 62. 



A specimen shot near Nairobi the 30 /i2 1910 when flying from some dense patches 

 of bush has the upper tail coverts narrowly barred with buff, and also, although more 

 faintly, the basal parts of the tail feathers. The flanks are buff, barred with grey- 

 ish brown, the under tail coverts as well are barred. To judge from descriptions in the 

 literature specimens with barred tail coverts should be young. The appearance of this 

 specimen is, however, not juvenile, and the blue gloss on the head and upper neck is well 

 developed. 



With regard to the colour of the upper parts this specimen is intermediate between 

 the eastern and western races as its upper back is reddish brown, but the inner secondaries 

 are olive brown. Reichenow has recorded similar specimens from Sidamo and Doko, 

 Southern Abyssinia. 



Centropus superciliosus Hempr. Ehr. 

 Rchw. II, p. 65. 



A rather common bird in localities with rich vegetation near some water as in pa- 

 pyrus swamps etc. Specimens were obtained from Luazomela river and Nairobi. At 

 Guaso Nyiri below Chanler Falls a specimen was shot in a tree overhanging the river but 

 floated away, and was probably snatched by a crocodile as it suddenly disappeared. 



