Annals of the Transvaal Museum 215 
Dumont, it must be replaced by that of rufirostris Sundevall. Grant has, 
at the same time, rejected the name of Lophoceros (= Tockus) damarensis 
Shelley, on the assumption that the type is albinistic; but there are now 
eight specimens of damarensis in the collection of the Transvaal Museum, 
proving it to be a valid species. 
Upupidae 
Mathews [Austr. Av. Rec. iii. 146, 1918) finds Irrisor must in future be 
known by the name of Phoeniculus Jarocki, and according to Sherborn and 
Iredale (This, 1921, p. 306) the specihc name of purpureus (Miller) must be 
used in place of erythrorhynchus (Latham). C. Grant (This, 1915, p. 281) 
has pointed out that Irrisor erythrorhynchus (Latham) and I. viridis 
(Lichtenstein) are most likely synonymous and gives Knysna as the type 
locality for both; but, while they are synonymous, it may be pointed out 
that the type of the former was most likely taken by Lieut. Paterson, who 
only once mentions in his Travels in the eastern province having prepared 
specimens of birds, namely, while encamped near the Great Fish River 
(p. 95) ; and as another specimen (obviously a young one of this species) 
was said to have been collected by him in ‘ ‘ India’ ’ and figured and named by 
Latham at the same time as erythrorhynchus , it is reasonable to conclude 
that Paterson shot both specimens from a family party of this bird, though 
Latham was not aware of the source of the type of erythrorhynchus (cf. 
Latham, Syn. Suppl. 1787, p. 124). There is also good reason for thinking 
that the collection catalogued by Lichtenstein in 1793 comprised part of 
Le Vaillant’s collection; and if so, we find that Le Vaillant mentions this 
bird on several occasions in his Travels, notably on the Great Fish River 
(cf. Vol. I. (English Edition) , p. 240), which may therefore be taken as the 
type locality, and therefore the same as that of erythrorhynchus. 
Phoeniculus purpureus angolensis Rchw. and P. p. hrevirostris (Gun- 
ning and Roberts) (cf. Ann. Transvaal Mus. iii. 113, 1911 and v. 255, 1917) 
should be added to our list. 
Rhinopomastus cyanomelas schalowi Neumann has been recorded from 
the lower Zambesi valley by Sclater (This, 1911, p. 697) and an intermediate 
form has been described by me from the eastern Transvaal as R. c. inter- 
medins (cf. Ann. Transvaal Mus. iv. 171, 1914). 
Meropidae 
Two species of Melittophagus are admitted to our list, but the larger 
of these, M. hullo ckoides (A. Smith) should be removed to the genus 
Coccolarynx Reichenbach, characterised by having the tail feathers squared 
and of about equal length. Dicrocercus and Melittophagus, which are 
commonly admitted as genera, are more closely allied than Coccolarynx 
is to either; and yet Coccolarynx is placed in the synonymy of Melitto- 
phagus \ Merops should be recognised for the red-backed species alone, 
the others being grouped as follows : 
Melittotheres Reichenbach, for M. nuhicoides, on its bill. 
Blepharomerops Reichenbach for M. persicus and M. super ciliosus. 
Micromerops gen. nov., type Merops hoehmi Reichenow, characterised by its — 
smaller size and more rounded wing. 
Blepharomerops superciliosus has been recorded from within our limits 
by Sclater {This, 1911, p. 705). 
