OCR Text |
Show 1882.] CAPT. SHELLEY ON BIRDS FROM SOUTH AFRICA. 337 May the colouring is of a slightly more tawny hue than in the others. SPHENCEACUS NATALENSIS, sp. nOV. Very similar to S. africanus, but differs in the almost uniform rufous-buff colouring of the under surface of the body, and in the absence of black shaft-stripes to the upper and under tail-coverts; the sides of the upper chest and crop, in some specimens, are slightly mottled with the dark tips and central stripes to the feathers, but show no distinct black marks; the flanks are generally entirely uniform, but in one specimen I find a few obscure dark central stripes to some of these feathers ; the upper and under tail-coverts are always uniform. The characters here given for this species are further borne out by the specimens in the British Museum. Although I separate the Natal form under the title of S. natalensis, I myself would regard it as merely a well marked local race of S. africanus. The only specimen I have examined from Kaffraria is in some respects intermediate, but appears to me to be closer to S. africanus, in that the black markings on the sides of the body are very distinct, though fewer in number and smaller than in the Cape-Colony form. But the upper and under tail-coverts are without dark central stripes ; so perhaps it would be more consistent to separate this form as a third race under the title of S. intermedius. The distinguishing characters for these three races or species may be clearly summed up in the following key :- a. With very distinct black central marks to some of the feathers on the sides of the body. a'. Upper and under tail-coverts with dark central stripes ... S. africanus. b'. Upper and under tail-coverts uniform, with no dark central stripes to the feathers S. intermedius. b. With, no distinct black marks on the sides of the body. Upper and under tail-coverts uniform, with no dark central stripes to the feathers S. natalensis. I have carefully examined the following specimens of these three birds, and find no character in the measurements. S. africanus :-a, <S, Cape (Verreaux) ; b, c, d, Cape (Butler) ; e, $ , Paal, Cape Colony (Shelley); f George (Atmore). S. intermedius:-g, Kaffraria (Barratt). S. natalensis :-h, <3 , Pinetown (T. L. Ayres); i,j, k, I, Transvaal (W.Lucas); m, Swaziland (T.E.Buckley): Shelley Mus. a, J, b, 8, c, 6, d, J, Newcastle: Butler Mus. a, J, b, §, c, <$, Ingagaue river ; d, $ , Drakensberg: Reid Mus. |