96 EINAR LÖNNBERG, BIRDS. 



it lives all along the southern and eastern slopes of Kenia. The area of distribution of 

 O. rolleti is said to be much wider still, and according to the records in the literature it 

 covers to great extent that of O. percivali. It is for instance recorded from Elgon, Nandi, 

 Nairobi and many other places in every direction from those mentioned. It is therefore 

 impossible for the present to tell exactly in which relation these two races stånd to each 

 other; that much is, however, proved viz. that there is a transition in some places from a 

 rolleti-st&ge to a percivali-st&ge. It appears, however, hardly possible that such a deve- 

 lopment takes place everywhere as there are many places from which only O. rolleti has 

 been obtained. Is then O. percivali a race in being? Is it the race of the thick forest, 

 while O. I. rolleti belonges to the more open forest and the acacias? 



In this memoir on the birds of the Ruwenzori expedition Ogilvie Grant enumerates 

 »Oriolus percivali» among the species characteristic of the Central African Lake district, 

 but »0. rolleti» among the widely distributed species. 



The last days of Jan. and in the beginning of Febr. the Orioles were eagerly calling 

 from the crowns of the trees in the forests near Meru borna, and the males shot had 

 swelled testidés. The birds were not shy and they could easily be induced to reply 

 to an imitation of their own calling note, but they were often very difficult to detect 

 in the dense foliage. In the forest reserve at the Limuru road they were also heard 

 calling in the beginning of April and not shy. 



At Guaso Nyiri a blackheaded Oriole was seen and shot 13 /2 at the förd on the Mar- 

 sabit road, but it fell unfortunately between the leaf-stalks of a doum-palm and remained 

 there so it could not be ascertained to which race it belonged. 



Sturnidfe. 



Buphagus erythrorhynchus (Stanl.). 



Rchw. II, p. 6 (i 7. 



Common around Nairobi (on cattle), and between Kagio and Kutu. But it was also 

 found in the thornbush country north of Guaso Nyiri in the middle of March. 



Iris yellow like the wattle-like eyelid. 



It sometimes was seen perching parallel with a branch like a Woodpecker, instead 

 of transversely across. 



Creatophora carunculata (Gm.). 



Kciiw. II, ]). (!70. 



On the acacia-steppe around Itiolu and Luazomela rivers. The first days of 

 Febr. young birds were shot. The 20 th of March two specimens were shot out of a 

 swarm, and the male, which was provided with a trontal wattle, had swelled testidés. 

 Iris brown. 



