DURBAN MUSEUM NOVITATES

Issued, by the Durban M useum , Durban, South Ajrica

V o l . V I s s u e d 3 1 s t O c t o b e r , 1958 Part 10

MISCELLANEOUS TAXONOMIC NOTES ON AFRICAN BIRDS

XI

b y

P. A. CLANCEY

(Director, Durban M useum , South Africa)

1. ON THE STATUS OF GEOCOLAPTES OLIVACEUS

THERESAE M EINERTZHAGEN, 1949

Ever since the description of the form in 1949, Geocolaptes oliva-

ceus theresce M einertzhagen, Bull.B.O .C., vol. lxix, 1949, p. 105,

described from 10 miles north of Springbok, Little Nam aqualand,

north-western Cape Province, has been an enigma, no specim ens

being available in South African m useum s. H ow ever, in M ay, 1958,

I had an opportunity to exam ine the material from t he western

and north-western Cape collected by the British M us eum (Natural

H istory) South W est Africa Expedition, 1949-1950, a nd listed by

M acdonald in his recent Contribution to the Ornithology oj W estern

South Africa, 1957, p. 89. This series contains tw o specim ens (1

1 §) from Springbok, which are exact topotypes of G.o.therescB. I n

m y original paper on geographical variation in the Ground W ood­

p e c k e r ( vide Journal o f the Scientific Society o f the U nive rsity o f N atal,

vol. viii, 1952, pp. 3-7), I tentatively adm itted G.o.therescB o n t h e

basis of the characters given in the original descr iption, but in m y

m ore recent study ( The Ostrich, vol. xxviii, 3, 1957, pp. 138-140),

I stated that I believed it to be the sam e as the r ace I proposed to

c a l l G .o.terrestris (Burchell), 1822: interior of Cape Province. I now

find, on the basis of the entire British M useum (Na t. H ist.) series,

1 1 7 Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher (dated under licence granted by Sabinet Gateway by Reproduced 1 2 6 M iscellaneous Taxonom ic Notes on African Birds

[ e ) Turdoides jardineii kirkii (Sharpe), 1876: Mazaro, Z a m b e s i

River, Portuguese East Africa.

Similar to T.j.convergens but with the upper-parts less olive,

and distinctly vinaceous tinged, as in T.j.jardineii. Nape and upper

mantle usually less speckled with white. On under-p arts paler,

particularly over the lower breast and abdomen, and w i t h t h e

whitish lanceolate markings m ore restricted to the throat and

breast. Size smaller. W ings 5 95-103.5 (99.9) mm.

R a n g e : The middle and lower reaches of the Zam besi River i n

the districts of Tete and M anica, southern Portugue se East Africa,

and south in the district of Sofala to about Beira, northern Southern

Rhodesia on the Zam besi west to the Sanyati River, eastern N or­

thern Rhodesia (east of Lusaka and north to M pika a nd Isoka),

N yasaland, northern Portuguese East Africa, Tangany ika Territory

as far west as M onduli, M papwa and Iringa, and in t he littoral of

Kenya Colony as far north as Lamu.

5. A REVISION OF THE RACES OF THE CHAT FLY­

C A T C H E R BRADORNIS INFUSCATUS (A. SM ITH).

The som bre-coloured Chat Flycatcher Bradornis infuscatus ( A .

Sm ith) is restricted to the drier regions of south- western Africa,

where it frequents the m ore open scrub-covered area s. It is a

conspicuous bird, despite its drab general colourat ion, and is

norm ally to be found in pairs, or small parties of three or four

individuals. Geographical variation in the species has recently

been discussed by Vaurie, Am erican M useum Novitates, No. 1599,

1952, pp. 1-9, who recognised three races, nam ely, B.i.infuscatus,

B.i.seim undi Ogilvie-Grant and B.i.benguellensis Sousa. Vaurie'

considered a fourth race, B .i.ansorgii Ogilvie-Grant, which was

recognised by Sclater, Systema Avium JEthiopicarum, part ii, 1930,

p. 407, to be a synonym of B.i.benguellensis. Recently, M acdonald,

Contribution to the Ornithology of W estern South Af r i c a , 1957, pp.

118-120, follow ing W hite, I b i s , vol. 93, 1951, pp. 464-465, described

the South-W est African populations as a new race un der the nam e

B.i.nam aquensis. In describing B.i.nam aquensis, Macdonald

agreed w ith Vaurie in believing that the nam es B .i.benguellensis a n d

B .i.ansorgii refer to one and the same racial group of populati o n s

in south-western Angola ( c f . W h i t e , l o c . c i t . ) . Vaurie’s arrangement

of the different populations of B.infuscatus into three races is based

on the assumption that much of the demonstrable var i a t i o n i s

strictly clinal in character, but a recent survey o f most of the

m aterial available in southern African m useum s and of the series Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by by P . A . Clancey 1 2 7

in the British Museum (Nat. H ist.), London, shows t hat a much

better appreciation of the som ewhat com plex geograp hical variation

displayed by this plastic species is to be achieved by the recognition

of five named races. The pattern of variation in B.infuscatus i s

analogous to that shown by m any polytypic species o f birds resident

in the south-west African arid biom es: the largest and darkest

populations in the Cape Province, Orange Free State and the south­

western Transvaal, populations interm ediate in colo ur and size in

South-W est Africa, the northern Cape Province and t he Bechuana­

land Protectorate, and the sm allest and palest popu lations in south­

western Angola. The material used by Vaurie was com paratively

lim ited, but that available to m e shows that m uch o f the geographi­

cal variation is quite sharply stepped, facilitatin g form al taxonom ic

treatm ent. This abruptly stepped variation is m ost m arked in the

occidental half of the species’ distribution, but i n the east racial

distinction is less clearly defined, and as a resul t the lim its of the

ranges of the races, occurring for instance in the northern Cape,

are still im perfectly known.

For facilities to study the material in the British M u s e u m ,

London, I am grateful to Mr. J. D. M acdonald, Keepe r of the Bird

Room . I am also indebted to Mrs. B. P. Hall, of the Bird Room

staff, for kindly placing her ow n Bechuanaland m ate rial at m y dis­

posal and for helping in various ways. Mrs. H all ha s studied m uch

of the m aterial used in this revision in conjunctio n with m e, and is

in general agreement with the views expressed. In S outh Africa,

the material preserved in the collections of the So uth African

M useum, Cape Town, East London Museum and Transvaal M u s e u m ,

Pretoria, has been m ade available through the kindn ess of the

Directors. The Durban Museum series has been studie d in great

detail and has filled in several lacunae in our kno wledge of the

characters of the various races and their respectiv e ranges. Dr. J.

M. W interbottom has kindly helped with data on the range of the

nom inate race.

Saxicola infuscata was described in 1839 by Dr. Andrew Smith

on m aterial collected in the western Cape Province, between the

Olifants and lower Orange Rivers. Of the topotypica l populations

I have been able to exam ine twelve specim ens. The w estern Cape

birds show the m arked tendency to darkness and grey ness inherent

in.m any indigenous bird form s of the region. Compar ed with the

contiguous race of the Cape, B.i.seim undi, nom inotypical B . i n f u s ­

c a t u s is seen to be darker, of a colour close to Fuscous (Ridgway,

Color Standards and Color N om enclature, 1912, pi. xlvi) on the dorsal Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by 1 2 8 M iscellaneous Taxonom ic Notes on African Birds

surfaces, and on the under-parts cold greyish D rab covers the lower

throat, breast, body sides and flanks. On the lower breast the

greyish drab often form s distinct streaks (one of t he characters

generally believed to distinguish B.i.seim undi f r o m B .i.infuscatus).

I n s i z e B.i.infuscatus is larger than B.i.seim undi, this being especially

m arked in the very long, pow erful bill. A dult m ales o f B.i.infuscatus

have wings 117-124.5, culm ens (from base) 24.5-28 m m. A single

female from W itputs, south-western Great Nam aqualan d , a g r e e s

with the topotypical populations, but a series of 5 < $ $ , 1 $ f r o m

Brandvlei is com posite, five resembling the greyer exam ples of

the nom inate race in colour, the other one approach ing closely to

B.i.nam aquensis. The Brandvlei birds are also smaller than topo-

t y p e s o f B.i.infuscatus, the wings of the five m ales m easuring 111,

115, 116.5, 116.5, 119, and the bills 20.5, 21.5, 2 3, 23, 24 m m .,

thereby agreeing with B.i.seim undi a n d B.i.nam aquensis. T h i s

inform ation seems to indicate that true B.i.infuscatus is restricted

to the districts of the western Cape Province lying between the

valleys of the Berg and Orange Rivers, and in the e xtrem e south­

western parts of Great N am aqualand. To the east of its stated range

in the Cape Province it intergrades with B.i.seim undi i n w h a t

appears to be a narrow zone of intergradation. The single exam ple

from Brandvlei, which som ewhat resem bles the South- W est African

r a c e , B.i.nam aquensis, is interesting, but the presence of such a bird

at Brandvlei is understandable when it is appreciat e d t h a t B . i .

nam aquensis ranges som e distance to the south of the Orange R i v e r

in Bushm anland and the northern Kenhardt district.

B.i.seim undi was described in 1913 by Ogilvie-Grant on the basi s

of m aterial collected m ainly at Deelfontein, south of de Aar, in

the east-central K aroo districts of the Cape Provin ce. Apart from

the paratypical series in the British Museum, I hav e examined

com paratively extensive m aterial of this subspecies in all the collec­

tions consulted. The populations covered by the nam e B.i.seim undi

differ from those of nom inate B.infuscatus in consisting of rather

smaller sized birds, with the plumage colouration s ubstantially

lighter, m ore buffy, and less dark and greyish. Vau r i e , l o c . c i t . , p p . 4

and 5, states that "It is questionable whether s e i m u n d i , w h i c h i s

apparently poorly differentiated (italics m ine) from nom inate i n f u s -

c a t u s , deserves nom enclatural recognition.” There need be n o f u r ­

ther doubt as to the distinctness of B.i.seim undi. R o b e r t s , B i r d s o f

South Africa, 1940, found B.i.seim undi to be darker above and

below that B.i.infuscatus, the under-surface unstreaked, while

Vaurie found B.i.seim undi to be som ewhat paler than the nom inate

r a c e . B.i.seim undi is a w arm er and redder, less cold greyish fuscous Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by by P. A . Clancey 1 2 9

coloured bird than B.i.infuscatus, the upper-parts in m oderately

worn dress corresponding to the Mummy Brown of Ridg w a y ,

(pi. xv). On the ventral surface the greyish drab p r e s e n t i n B . i .

i n f u s c a t u s is alm ost absent, and the bird is distinctly light e r a n d

warm er, m ore buffish, throughout. The breast is lig hter, and the

streaking on the lower breast is reduced to a serie s of dark mesial

shaft striae. Other im portant distinctions are the paler, more

buffy edges to the wing feathers and a m ore extensi ve pale flash over

the visible bases of the primaries. In nom inate B.infuscatus t h i s

latter feature is often vestigial. W hile quite adeq uately distinguish­

able from the nom inate race by the colour character s just given, B . i .

s e i m u n d i also differs significantly in its critical measure m e n t s .

M a l e s o f B.i.seim undi have the wings ranging from 112-119 (once

122) m m ., showing a slight overlap, but the bills a re consistently

sm aller and weaker— 20.5-23.5 as against 24.5-28 m m . in topotypi-

c a l B .i.infuscatus. Vaurie’s single male from Port Nolloth has a

bill-measurem ent of 25 mm . Roberts, l o c . c i t . , also shows that the

t a r s i o f B.i.seim undi are shorter than those of B .i.infuscatus, t h o u g h

the measurements given by him do not support his fi ndings, the

difference shown in the measurements being infinite simal. The

tarsal m easurem ents given for B.i.seim undi by Vaurie: 24.5-26 m m .,

as against 29 m m . in the Port N olloth m ale, and m y m easurem ents

of 27-29 m m ., and 29.5-31 m m ., show the character m ore clearly.

The large overlap shown in Roberts’ figures is attr ibutable to the

fact that his topotypical m aterial of B.i.infuscatus was extrem ely

limited. Populations of the Chat Flycatcher agreein g with the

characters as defined for B.i.seim undi range to the east of the lim ited

distribution of B .i.infuscatus throughout the central, southern and

eastern districts of the Cape Province, and to the east of the Vaal

River in the northern Cape, and in the western Oran ge Free State

and south-western Transvaal.

Along the central Orange River, notably at Prieska, a n d t h e

valleys of the Vaal and H artz Rivers a m arked shift tow ards lighter

colouration is observable in the population sam ples at m y disposal.

This transition from dark to light birds is accom pl ished through

a som ewhat restricted and well-defined zone of inte rgradation, but

is not abruptly stepped as in the zone of contact b etween the occi­

d e n t a l B.i.infuscatus a n d B.i.nam aquensis (see below). Throughout

m ost of the northern Cape, and to the northward in the Kalahari

Desert, Bechuanaland Protectorate, occur birds whic h are much

paler and som ewhat smaller than B.i.seim undi, as just described.

On the upper-parts such birds are about Buffy Brow n /Olive Brown

(Ridgway, pi. xl), and on the under-parts still lig hter than in Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by 1 3 0 M iscellaneous 'Taxonomic N otes on African Birds

B.i.seim undi, the buffish white of the throat extending further

down, and the dark m esial shaft striae to the lower breast usually

absent. The pallid edges of the wing-coverts, terti als and rem iges

are on the whole broader and paler, and the light f lash over the

visible bases of the prim aries is clearer, less red dish, and therefore

still more prominent. Males of the northern Cape po p u l a t i o n s

have wings 111.5-118 mm., while southern Bechuanala n d b i r d s

are statistically sm aller: 102.5-110.5 m m . in six m ales. As most

of the pale northern Cape birds before me are from the southern

and eastern districts of Griqualand W est, I believe them to be in

the m ain m ensural intergrades betw een what I shall c a l l B.i.placidus

mihi, subsp. nov., and B.i.seim undi. Compared with the recently

d e s c r i b e d B.i.nam aquensis of South-West Africa, B.i.placidus

differs in being greyer or more olivaceous on the u pper-parts,

less vinaceous tinged, the colour in the form er rac e being about

between Snuff Brown and Sepia (Ridgw ay, pi. xxix). On the under­

p a r t s B.i.placidus is lighter, less strongly washed w ith Light Pinkis h

Cinnamon (Ridgway, pi. xxix) on the lower throat, b reast, body

sides and flanks, ancl the topotypical birds of the Kalahari Desert

are smaller than B.i.nam aquensis. The com plete distribution of

B.i.placidus is still not known, but I place under this nam e al l t h e

populations occurring in the Bechuanaland district of the northern

Cape Province (Griqualand W est birds: B.i.placidus < B.i.seim undi)

northwards through the southern Bechuanaland Protec torate and

the Kalahari Desert to extrem e southern N gam iland. It also occurs

in the W estern Transvaal. In the western parts of t he Bechuanaland

Protectorate m y specim ens reveal a shift towards a m ore vinaceous

tinged plumage both above and below, and such examp l e s c o r r e ­

spond with M acdonald’s recently described B.i.nam aquensis. I t i s

interesting to note that B.i.placidus m ost closely resembles B . i .

benguellensis in colouration and size, differing only in being l e s s

whitish below. The latter race is restricted to the arid littoral of

south-western Angola and the K aokoveld of north-wes tern South-

W est Africa, and as far as is known is separated fr o m B.i.placidus

by intrusive populations of B.i.nam aquensis.

The recommendations of Vaurie are negatived by the s t r i k i n g

differences and apparent lack of intergradation bet w e e n B . i . i n f u s ­

c a t u s a n d B.i.nam aquensis. B.i.nam aquensis is a m uch lighter and

m ore vinaceous buff coloured bird than B.i.infuscatus , with a m uch

whiter throat, paler edges to the wing feathers, pr om inent wing

flash, smaller general dim ensions and weaker bill a nd feet. As

noted earlier in this paper a single exam ple from W itputs, south­

western Great Namaqualand, studied by me is attribu t a b l e t o Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by by P. A . Clancey 1 3 1

B .i.infuscatus, but further to the south-east in the north-western

Cape (Springbok— Pofaclder roacl; Aughrabies Falls, e t c . ) B . i . n a m a ­

q u e n s i s is now known to thrust its range to the south of t h e O r a n g e

River. Apart from the single example from Brandvlei discussed

earlier, I have not exam ined any m aterial which rev eals intergra­

dation between the tw o form s under discussion, and it m ay well be

that they are ecologically and reproductively isola ted from one

another. Further study of the tw o form s in the fiel d in the north­

western Cape and in the southern parts of South-W es t Africa is

clearly needed.

The pale South-W est African race of the Chat Flycat c h e r h a s

been recognised by workers for m any years as B.i.benguellensis,

w hich nam e is actually applicable to the sm aller an d still paler race

of south-western Angola and the Kaokoveld (the B .i.ansorgii o f

some authors). The nom enclature-of-the Angola and S o u t h - W e s t

African populations is com plicated and has given ri se to much

discussion in the literature, largely hinging on th e subspecific

identity of a ragged and elongated skin in the Brit ish Museum col­

lected by Anchieta som ewhere in southern Angola, wh ich does not

agree with the coastal m aterial collected by Ansorg e in the same

collection. In view of M acdonald’s findings, l o c . c i t . , I consider the

m atter to be resolved, and I accept his ruling.

M acdonald, l o c . c i t . , gives the wings of adult males of B . i . n a m a ­

q u e n s i s as 109-118 m m . The size of the South-W est African b i r d s

is im portant because M acdonald claims that B.i.nam aquensis i s

substantially larger than B.i.benguellensis, the wings of males of

which he gives as 101-107 m m . M y m easurem ents confi rm the find­

ings of M acdonald, the wings of 8 $ $ of the form er race m easuring

113-121.5 m m ., as against 101-110.5 m m . It is also larger than the

e a s t e r n B.i.placidus, as recorded earlier.

B.i.benguellensis, described by the Portuguese worker, Sousa, in

1886, on m aterial collected by Anchieta, is the sm a llest and palest

of the races of the Chat Flycatcher. In colouration and size it com es

c l o s e t o B .i.placidus, but is whiter on the under-parts, the breast

slightly sullied, but lacking alm ost entirely the b uffish suffusion

exhibited by that race. On the dorsal surface the t w o races are

rem arkably alike, though B.i.benguellensis is on the whole greyer

t h a n B.i.placidus. In size they are not statistically distinct. B . i .

benguellensis enjoys a som ewhat-restricted range; described from

coastal Benguela, it is now know n to range south to the K aokoveld.

The wings of K aokoveld specim ens are i $ $ 105-111, 2 $$ 98, 104

mm. (after M acdonald and Hall, l o c . c i t . ) . As already recorded for

B.i.infuscatus a n d B.i.nam aquensis, intergradation between the Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by 1 3 2 M iscellaneous Taxonom ic Notes on African Birds

latter race and B.i.benguellensis appears, certainly on the basis of

the literature and available specim ens, to be virtu ally non-existent.

It is interesting to note that from north to south in the western

sectors of the species’ distribution the geographic al variation is

virtually discontinuous, intergradation between the races vestigial

or absent, whereas to the eastward quite well-defin ed zones of

intergradation occur wherever the races are in cont act. As indi­

cated earlier, this interesting pattern of variatio n is obscured when

the clinal concept is applied, and 1 believe the sc ientific facts to be

m uch better represented in our form al classificatio n by the recog­

nition of five nam ed geographical races. The nom enc lature, charac­

ters and ranges of these are as follows:

BRADORNIS INFUSCATUS ( S m i t h )

Sketch m ap showing the approxim ate ranges of the fi ve geographical races

of the Chat Flycatcher Bradornis infuscatus. Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by by P. A . Clancey 1 3 3

1. Bradornis infuscatus infuscatus (Smith)

Saxicola infuscata A. Smith, Illustrations of the Zoology of

South Africa, Aves, 1839, pi. 28: between the Olifants and Orang e

Rivers, western Cape Province, South Africa.

Upper-parts about Fuscous (Ridgway, pi. xlvi), the f e a t h e r -

tips greyer, slightly lighter on rum p and upper tai l-co verts. U nder­

parts dull whitish stone colour, the breast, body s ides and flanks

strongly washed and usually m arkedly streaked with greyish Drab

(Ridgway, pi. xlvi). W ings usually with a buffish o r rusty white

speculum over the visible bases of the prim aries. S ize largest; bill

and tarsi longest (29.5-31 m m .).

M easurem ents: 4 $ $ wings (flattened) 117-124.5 (120.5), culm ens

from base 24.5-28 (25.7), tails 87-93 (88.6) mm. 8 $$ 110-121.5

(113.9), 24-26.5 (24.7), 82.5-90 (86.5) mm . (12 N am aqualand speci­

mens m easured.)

T y p e : Not traced.

M aterial exam ined: 12. South-W est Cape (Mamre, 1 $ , 1 $ ;

H olgat River, 1 $; Vredensdaal, 1 $). Little N am aqu aland (Klaver,

1 ?; Klipfontein, 2 3 3 , 1 $; Port N olloth, 1 <$, 2 $$). Great Nama­

qualand (W itputs, 1 ?). B.i.infuscatus < B.i.seim undi: 6. W estern

Cape Province, 6 (Brandvlei, 5 <$<$, 1 $ ) .

R a n g e : W estern Cape Province from about the Berg River to

the lower reaches of the Orange R iver valley, and i n south-western

Great N am aqualand (W itputs). Intergrades to the eas t of its stated

range with BA.seim undi (Brandvlei).

N o t e : This race is characterized by its large size, long , h e a v y

bill, dark fuscous dorsal colouration, dark coloure d breast, body

sides and flanks, and streaked lower breast and upp er abdom inal

s u r f a c e .

2. Bradornis infuscatus seim undi Ogilvie-G rant

Bradyornis infuscatus seim undi O gilvie-G rant, T h e I b i s , 1 9 1 3 ,

p. 636: D eelfontein, south of de Aar, east-central Cape Province,

South Africa.

Sim ilar to B.i.infuscatus but richer and brow ner, less dark fuscous

coloured, above, being about M um m y Brow n (Ridgw ay, pi. xv). Ven-

trally browner and warm er, less greyish drab, on th e breast, body

sides and flanks; the brown usually distinctly vina ceous tinged.

Streaking on breast and upper abdom en less pronounc ed, consisting

of suppressed, often vestigial, dark, m esial striae . W ings showing Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by 1 3 4 M iscellaneous Taxonom ic Notes on African Birds

m ore buffish edges to feathers, and m ore prom inent pallid flash over

the prim aries. Ranging som ewhat sm aller in size, an d with a m uch

shorter bill. Tarsi shorter (27-29 m m .).

M easurem ents: 1.8 wings 112-119 (122) (115.6), culmens

20.5-23.5 (21.8), tails 83.5-88.5 (93.5) (85.6) mm. 6 $$ 102.5-

111 (107.5), 21-23 (21.9), 78-85 (81.6) mm. (24 Cap e Province

specim ens m easured.)

T y p e : In the British Museum (Nat. Hist.), South Kensingt o n ,

London. Brit. Mus. Reg. No. 1903.3.9.292.

M aterial exam ined: 38. Central Cape (Beaufort W est, 2 <$<$,

V ictoria W est, .1 <3; Fraserburg, 1 W illiston, 1 Murraysburg,

5 Deelfontein, 3 $ ( $ , 2 $$; Britstow n, 1 $; K enhardt, 1 $ , 2 $ $ ;

Van W yks Vlei, 1 $; Prieska, 2 3 3 ; Colesberg, 1 $). Southern Cape

(W illow m ore, 2 3 3 , 1 $; M ount Stew art, 1 3 ) - Eastern Cape (Teviot,

1 3'> H anover, 1 3 ', Cradock, 3 3 < S , 1 $; H ofm eyer, 1 3'< U itenhage,

1 3 ; M iddelburg, 1 $). Northern Cape (Riverton, Kim berl e y , 1 3 >

1 $ ) . B.i.seim undi < B.i.placidus: 7. Northern Cape (Schmidts-

d r i f t , 1 3 > near Niekerkshoop, 2 3<$> 1 $; Riverton, Kim berley,

2 cJcJ; Fourteen Stream s, 1 3 ) -

R a n g e : East of the range of B.i.infuscatus in the central, southern

and eastern districts of the Cape Province, western Orange Free

State and the south-western Transvaal. Intergrades w i t h B . i .

p l a c i d u s along the central Orange River valley, and in the v a l l e y s

of the lower Vaal and H artz Rivers.

Note: B.i.seimundi is characterized by its richer, browner,

colouration, lighter coloured breast, m ore buffish under-parts,

reduced ventral streaking, m arkedly shorter bill an d average sm aller

general dimensions, when com pared with the nom inate r a c e . I t

also has a m ore prom inent wing flash.

3. Bradornis infuscatus nam aquensis M acdonald

Bradornis infuscatus namaquensis M acdonald, Contribution to

the Ornithology of W estern South Africa, 1957, p. 119: Aam houp

(i.e. Am hub), M altahohe district, Great Nam aqualand , S o u t h -

W est Africa (25° 20' S. 16° 50' E.).

On upper-parts much lighter and redder than B .i.infuscatus,

being of a colour between Snuff Brown and Sepia (Ri dgway, pi.

xxix). On the ventral surfaces, whiter over the thr oat, and with the

breast, body sides and flanks vinaceous buff, not g reyish drab; the

streaking absent. W ings with broader and paler frin g e s t o t h e Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by by P. A . Clancey 1 3 5

coverts and flight feathers, and with a m ore prom in ent flash over

the visible bases of the prim aries. Sm aller in size , and w ith a sm aller

and weaker bill. Tarsi as in B.i.seim undi.

M easurem ents: 8 wings 1.13-121.5 (114.7), culmens 20-22

(21.0), tails 79-82.5 (81.1) mm. 6 $$ 101-109 (107. 5), 20-23.5

(21.6), 77-80.5 (78.8) mm. (14 South-W est African a nd western

Bechuanaland specim ens measured.)

T y p e : In the British Museum (Nat. Hist.), South Kensingt o n ,

London. Brit. Mus. Reg. N o. 1887.12.1.1332. The T y p e is a faded

old Andersson skin, which is badly warped and unlik e r e c e n t

material from Great Namaqualand. Such a specimen sh o u l d n o t

have been m ade the T y p e of a new race described in 1957.

M aterial exam ined: 17. North-western Cape Province (Springbok

— Pofadder road, 1 Aughrabies Falls, 1 $). Great Nam a q u a l a n d

(Kleinkaras, 2 Aam houp (Am hub), 2$$; Nauchas, I $). D a m a r a -

land (“Dam araland”, 1

1 $; Okom bahe, 1 $). W estern Bechuanaland (Gem sbok P a n , 1

Lehutitung, 1 $ ) .

R a n g e : From some districts of the north-western (Pofadder ,

Aughrabies Falls, etc.) and northern Cape (western Gordonia dis­

trict), northwards through Great N am aqualand to Dam araland and,

perhaps, O vam boland and extrem e southern Angola (? interm ediate

t o w a r d s B .i.benguellensis). Ranges eastwards into some western

districts of the Bechuanaland Protectorate (Gem sbok Pan, west of

Ghanzi, Lehututu (Lehutitung), etc.), where it merg e s w i t h BA.

p l a c i d u s .

N o t e : Paler and m ore reddish upper-parts, whiter throat, p a l e r

and more vinaceous buff under-parts, absence of ven tral striae,

m ore salient w ing flash, sm aller size and shorter, weaker bill distin­

g u i s h B.i.nam aquensis f r o m B .i.infuscatus.

4. Bradornis infuscatus placidus, subsp. nov.

T y p e : adult. Kakia, southern Bechuanaland Protectorate

(24° 45' S. 23° 25' E.). 12 June, 1957. Barlow 1957 Expedition.

In the collection of the British M useum (N at. H ist. ), South Kensing­

ton, London. Collector’s num ber H.127. Brit. Mus. R eg. N o. 1957.

3 6 . 1 .

D i a g n o s i s : Rather darker and more greyish olivaceous above

(about Buffy Brown or Olive Brown, Ridgw ay, pl.xl), less vinaceous

or rufous tinged than B.i.nam aquensis; on under-parts purer Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by 1 3 6 M iscellaneous Taxonom ic Notes on African Birds

buffish white, the breast, body sides and flanks gr eyer, less strongly

vinaceous than in B.i.nam aquensis. W ings about the same. Smaller

in size and with a weaker and shorter bill.

Compared with B.i.benguellensis, rather similar on the upper-

parts, but usually not quite so greyish. On the ven tral surfaces

less white, m ore buffish tinged, especially on the breast, body sides

and flanks. Sim ilar in size, but the bill averaging a trifle sm aller.

M easurem ents: 6 wings 102.5-110.5 (108.1), culmens 19.5-

21.5 (20.2), tails 74-82 (78.5 )m m . 1 2 104, 21.5, 76.5 mm. (7

Bechuanaland specim ens measured.)

M easurem ents of the Type: W ing 110, culm en 21, tail 82 m m .

M aterial exam ined: 9. Central Bechuanaland Protectorate (E.

of Ghanzi, 1 $ ) . Southern Bechuanaland Protectorate (Lehututu,

1 c?; Ivikomu-di-Kai, 1 Kakia, 2 r f r f ; 4- m iles S. of Tsabong, 1 ?).

Northern Cape (Klipput, near Posm asburg, 1 $ , 1 $ ) .

R a n g e : From southern Ngam iland and the central Kalahari t o

the southern and south-eastern parts of the (Bechua naland) Pro­

tectorate, western Transvaal, and throughout m ost o f the northern

Cape Province. Intergrades in the southern parts of its range with

B.i.seim undi, and in the west with B.i.nam aquensis.

N o t e : Smaller size; darker, less vinaceous tinged upper- p a r t s ,

and purer, less vinaceous, buff under surface disti n g u i s h B.i.placidus

f r o m B.i.nam aquensis. Very similar to B.i.benguellensis, b u t n o t

so white below.

5. Bradornis infuscatus benguellensis Sousa

Bradyornis benguellensis S o u s a , Jornal de Sciencias M athem ati-

cas, Physicas e Naturals. Lisboa, vol. xi, 1886, p. 160: Benguela

(tow n), western Angola.

Synonym : Bradyornis infuscatus ansorgii Ogilvie-Grant, T h e

I b i s , 1913, p. 636: Catumbella and Huxe, Benguela Provin c e ,

western Angola.

Differs from B.i.nam aquensis in its duller and greyer, less vina­

ceous tinged, upper-parts. Below much whiter, lacki n g a l m o s t

entirely the vinaceous buff suffusions present in u n w o r n B . i . n a m a -

q u e n s i s , the breast only being slightly washed with drab. M a l e

smaller in size, the fem ale less m arkedly so. Bill about the same.

M easurem ents: 6 f i g wings 101-110.5 (107.6), culm ens 20-22.5

(21.3), tails 73-81.5 (78.5) m m . 5 ?? 98-104- (100. 8), 21.5-22 (21.8),

74-79 (75.7) m m . (11 western Angola specim ens m easu r e d . )

T v p e : In the Museo Bocage, Lisbon. Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by by P. A . Clancey 1 3 7

T h e T y p e o f B.i.ansorgii is in the collection of the British M useum

(Nat. H ist.), South Kensington, London.

M aterial examined: 11. Western Angola (Catumbella, 2

Huxe, 4 1 $; Benguela, 1

30 m. E. of Benguela, 1 $).

R a n g e : The arid littoral of Benguela and M ogam edes in wes t e r n

and south-western Angola, and in the Kaokoveld, nor th-w estern

South-W est Africa ( v i d e Macdonald and Hall, Annals of the

Transvaal M useum , vol. xxiii, ], 1957, pp. 23-24).

N o t e : Dull, greyish upper-parts, very whitish under surf a c e , a n d

sm all size distinguish B .i.benguellensis.

6. THE GENERIC STATUS OF THE SUPERB STARLING

SPREO SUPERBUS (RUPPELL) AND ITS ALLIES.

The resplendent, m etallic starlings Spreo superbus (Riippell),

Spreo hildebrandti (Cabanis), Spreo shelleyi Sharpe and Spreo pulcher

(M uller) of northern tropical and eastern A frica ha ve for long been

been generically associated with the rather dull co l o u r e d S p r e o

b i c o l o r (Gmelin) of South Africa, and its East African con g e n e r s

Spreo albicapillus (Blyth) and Spreo fischeri (Reichenow), and

Am adon, in his recent work on starlings, American M useum Novi-

t a t e s , N o. 1803, 1956, pp. 1-41, continues to do so w itho ut question.

The reason for this is by no m eans clear. A study o f skins of S . s u p e r ­

b u s a n d S.hildebrandti, in addition to considerable field experience

with the two species in British Somaliland and Keny a C o l o n y ,

convinces me that the two form s are actually congen eric with the

usually w holly m etallic-glossed starlings of the ge n u s Lam protornis

Tem m inck (including Lam procolius Sundevall and other sub-genera),

and not with the three dull coloured species which rightfully con­

stitute the genus S p r e o Lesson, the Type-species of w hich is S . b i c o l o r .

I have personally studied and collected S . b i c o l o r in m any parts of

South Africa, S.albicapillus in British Som aliland, and S . f i s c h e r i i n

K enya Colony. The three species of the restricted g e n u s S p r e o f o r m

a small com pact group, which are not far rem oved ge nerically from

Acridotheres Vieillot, and, perhaps, Creatophora L e s s o n .

I now form ally propose that the species L.superbus, L.hildebrandti,

L . s h e l l e y i a n d L . p u l c l i e r be removed from the genus S p r e o a n d

p l a c e d i n Lam protornis.

To return to the Superb Starling and its allies, I have had no

firsthand experience with L . s h e l l e y i a n d L . p u l c h e r , but the form er

is perhaps no more than a well-marked race of L.hildebrandti-, Reproduced by Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by the Publisher (dated .) the Publisher Sabinet Gateway under licence granted by Reproduced by