| OCR Text |
Show 602 DR. R. BOWDLER SHARPE O N [May 22, are very active, travelling from tree-top to tree-top, and apparently feeding on small fruit with which some of the trees abounded. 26. MELITTOPHAGUS SHARPEI. Melittophagus sharpei, Hartert, Bull. B. O. C. x. p. xxvii (Dec. 1899). Melittophagus cyanostictus (nee Cab.): Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xvii. p. 48, pi. i. fig. 3 (1892); id. Ibis, 1892, p. 319 ; Shelley B. Africa, i. p. 110 (1896). Nos. 26, 27. d, 2 • Camp 11, Sagana River, Aug. 7,1899. Eyes crimson ; bill, legs, and feet black. Single specimens only were noticed, which mostly frequented the banks of the river. 27. MELITTOPHAGUS OREOBATES. Melittophagus oreobates, Sharpe, Ibis, 1892, p. 320; id. Cat. B Brit. Mus. xvii. p. 498 (1892) ; Shelley, B. Africa, i. p. 110 (1896). No. 22. 2 • Nairobi Forest, July 19, 1899. Eyes dark red ; bill black ; legs pale slate-colour ; feet darker. This bird chiefly inhabits the banana shambas in the Nairobi district. 28. CORVULTUR ALBICOLLIS. Corvultur albicollis (Lath.) : Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. iii. p. 24 (1877); Shelley, B. Africa, i. p. 46 (1896). No. 41. d • Bamboo zone, western slope of Mount Kenya, 8000 feet, Aug. 26, 1899. Nos. 88, 89. d, 2 • Camp 18, western slope of Mt. Kenya, 8000 feet, Sept, 16, 1899. Bill black, with white tip ; feet black ; iris hazel. These birds were obtained also at Nairobi, and w7ere noticed throughout the intervening country and up to an altitude of 10,000 feet on Mount Kenya itself. 29. ClNNAMOPTERUS TENUIROSTRIS. Cinnamopterus tenuirostris (Biipp.) : Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xiii. p. 166 (1890); Shelley, B. Africa, i. p. 45 (1896). No. 51. J ad. Camp 21, Hohnel Valley, western slope of Mt. Kenya, 12,000 feet, Aug. 30, 1899. Among rocks and caves. Iris hazel; bill and feet black. Nos. 55, d; 56, 57, 2 • Camp 21, Aug. 30, 1899. [These specimens agree with others in the British Museum from Shoa and Abyssinia, and there is another specimen in Mr. Jackson's collection from Buwenzori. It should be noticed that both the female birds have the grey edges to the feathers which I formerly considered to be characteristic of the young of this species.-R. B. S.] Although fairly common among the crags at the head of the Hohnel Valley, this species was not observed in any other locality. |
