KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. HAND 47. Vo 5. s7 



verts. » With regard to tlie lower tail coverts it has already been stated that they in a 

 bird from Nairobi are almost exactly of the same shade as the tail. This characteristic 

 is therefore not constant. It varies from ashy grey, white waslied with rufous, påle rufous 

 to rufous. The lining of the wings is often slate coloured in birds from Brit. East-Africa, 

 and the white margins of wing quills and wing coverts are very variable as the present 

 material proves. Concerning the other characteristics quoted I cannot express a ny de- 

 finite opinion but even if they should be constant J do not think they can be regard cd 

 to have more than subspecific value. 



Females from Nairobi, Punda Melia and Njoro have hardly any gloss on the throat 

 and no white on the wing quills and coverts except a slight trace in one case. 



A female shot in the trees fringing the river Guaso Nyiri the 12 th of March l!ll I 

 is very påle rufous. It has very little metallic blue gloss on the head and none on the 

 throat. This might, however, depend upon that its plumage at least partly is worn, and 

 it might be an anomalous individual. It spread its tail, and behaved in some degree as 

 a male bird. 



For the present I am not convinced about which characteristics of Tchitrea are 

 fixed enough for basing species or even subspecies on them. The variablity of the co- 

 lours of different parts is evidently very great in these birds. I have therefore used the 

 oldest name, which at least as specific name, may comprise all my material even if in the 

 future a renewed revision - - which probably must be made in the field to great extent - 

 may add some subspecific name. But for the present there are certainly too many names 

 used in different senses, and the opinions differ far too much to permit any definite solu- 

 tion of the question. 



Cainpephagidse. 



Coracina caesia pura (Sharpe). 



Kchw. II, p. 515. 



Not uncommon in forests near Nairobi. Single specimens were observed flying 

 from one branch to another. I shot also a couple of specimens in the forest at Meru borna 

 and to the north of this place. 



The distribution of this race extends from Shoa to Lake Nyassa and westward to 

 Ruwenzori and forests west of Tanganijka. 



Campephaga flava Vieill. 

 (= Campephaga nigra Vieill. auct. ). 



Rchw. II, p. 518. 



In the forest reserve at the Limuru road, and other small forests near Nairobi single 

 specimens were observed, and shot in January 1911. 



Tn the forests round Meru borna I did not observe this species, and suppose that it 

 is not to be found there. 



