Q THE v BIRDS OF AFRICA, COMPRISING ALL THE SPECIES WHICH OCCUR ETHIOPIAN EEGION. BY G. E. SHELLEY, F.Z.S., F.R.G.S., &c. (LATE GRENADIER GUARDS), AUTHOR OF " A HANDBOOK TO THE BIRDS OP EGYPT," " A MONOGRAPH OF THE SUN-BIRDS," ETC. VOL. II. LONDON: PUBLISHED FOR THE ADTHOE BT R. H. PORTER, 7, PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W. 1900. ; PREFACE. When I published the first volume of " The Birds of Africa " I had sketched out the classification down to the " Keys of the Species," and intended to bring this out as the second volume ; but the number of known Ethiopian forms increases so rapidly that I recognised how imperfect these " keys " would be by the time I came to write the history of the species, so decided to work out each family in a monographic form. The Classification is compiled mostly from Seebohm's "Classification of Birds" (1890), and that proposed by Dr. R. B. Sharpe at the Ornithological Congress, Buda-Pest, 1891, and I have followed these authors in the use of the termination " formes " for the seventeen large divisions which I call Orders. I begin with the Passeriformes and follow on with the Piciformes. The two families of these separate orders which appear to me to be most nearly allied are the Swallows and the Swifts, so as I end the Passeriformes with the Hirundinidas it entails beginning the classification with the Oligomyodse. The Oligomyodse lead most naturally into the Oscinen through the Madagascar genera Philepitta and Neodrepanis therefore I commence the Oscines with the Nectariniidas. With regard to the synonymy of the species: I begin with what I consider to be the most correct name ; quote the ii. PREFACE. " Catalogue of the Birds of the British Museum," where full synonymy is given in detail, and add only such references which have not appeared in that great work. I follow on with a description of the plumage, taken, when possible, from the specimens in the British Museum, for these are the most available to the general public, and finish with all the details I can find regarding the distribution and habits of the species which I consider to be of interest, My thanks are therefore due to all the ornithologists whose works I quote. LIST OF PLATES. Plate I., fig. 1. Nectarinia kilimensis. „ 2. ,, melanogastra. Plate II., fig. 1. Artamia comorensis. 2 *i it ~* Cinnyris nesophilus. Plate III., fig. 1. ,, falkensteini. 9 ,, mediocris. Plate IV., fig. 1. ,, fuelleborni. !> >> 2. Anthothreptes orientalis. Plate V., fig. 1. Cyanomitra uewtoni. „ 2. Elasocerthia thomensis. Plate VI., fig. 1. Zosterops niodesta. M ii 2. semiflava. Plate VII., fig. 1. pallida, ii ii -21 * anderssoni. II ii o. virens. Plate VIII., fig. 1. fieedulina. i> ii 2. Speirops leucophsea. Plate IX., fig. 1. Zosterops comorensis. „ 2. Malacirops e-newtoni. Plate X., fig. 1. Parus xanthostomus. „ 2. ,, albiventris. Plate XL, fig. 1. Alcippe abyssinieus. n ii 2. iEgitbalus ruusculus. Plate XII., fig. 1. Motacilla vidua. ii ii 2-*• ,, nigricotis. Plate XIII., fig. 1. Anthus lineiventris. ii ii 2. ,, crenatus. Plate XIV., fig. 1. ,, calthorpse. ii ii 2. ,, brachyurus. CONTENTS. Preface List of Plates Key to the Orders . Order I. Passeriformes Suborder I. Oligomyod.e Family I. Pittid.£ ... 1. Pitta angolensis Family II. Philepittidje 2. Philepitta jala ... 3. „ schlegeli Suborder II. Oscines Section I. Pari Family I. NECTARraiiDa: Subfamily I. Neodrepanin^: 4. Neodrepanis coruscans Subfamily II. Nectariniinae ... Genus I. Hedydipna 5. Hedydipna metallica . 6. ,, platura Genus II. Nectarinia 7. Nectarinia famosa 8. ,, cupreonitens 9. .. CONTENTS. page PAGE Genus IV. Chalcomitka 88 Family III. Zosteropidsi ... 166 54. Chalcomitra senegalensis 89 Genus I. Zosterops 168 55. acik 90 93. Zosterops semiflava . (PI. vi 172 56. gutturalis 93 94. mayottensis 172 57. cruentatus 100 95. senegalensis 173 58. hunteri . 102 96. anderssoni (PI. vii 177 59. amethystina 103 97. kirki 178 60. deminuta 105 98. mouroniensis 179 61. kirki 107 99. virens 179 62. fnliginosa 109 100. stenocricota 181 63. angolensis 111 101. eurycricota 182 64. adelberti... 112 102. kikuyuensis 183 65. castaneiventris 114 103. jacksoni 184 Genus V. Eljeocerthia 114 104. ficedulina (PI. viii 185 66. Elseocerthia fusca 115 105. griseovirescens 186 67. ,, verreauxi 116 106. pallida 187 68. „ thomensis (PI. v 119 107. capensis 188 Genus VI. Cyanomitra . 120 108. poliogastra... 190 69. Cyanomitra balfouri ... 122 109. abyssinica ... 192 70. olivacea ... 123 110. madagascariensis 194 71. obscura . 125 111. anjuanensis 196 72. verticalis 127 112. comorensis (PI. ix 196 73. eyanolaBina 130 113. aldabrensis... 197 74. dussumieri 132 114. olivacea 198 75. humbloti 133 115. cbloronota . 198 76. newfconi ... 134 116. modesta 199 77. hartlaubi... 135 117. hovarum . 200 78. reichenbachi 137 Genus II. Speirops 201 Genus VII. Anthotheeptes 139 118. Speirops lugubris 201 79. Anthotbreptes fraseri... 141 119. ,, melanocephala 202 80. „ idia ... 142 120. ,, leucophasa ... 203 81. axillaris 143 Genus III. Malacirops 203 82. longuimarii 144 121. Malacirops borbonica... 204 83. orientalis 145 122. „ mauritiana 205 84. aurantia 147 123. „ e-newtoni... 206 85. collaris 149 Family IV. Parisomid.3E 206 86. hypodila 151 Genus I. Alcippe 208 87. rectirostris 155 124. Alcippe nigricapilla ... 209 88. tephrolaema 156 125. ,, abyssinica 210 89. anchietse 157 126. „ galinieri 211 90. gabonica 158 Genus II. Parisoma.. 212 Family II. Promeropid^: 161 127. Parisoma subceeruleum 213 91. Promerops cafer 161 128. ,, layardi 215 92. „ gurneyi 165 129. „ plumbeum ... 217 AYES. KEY TO THE ORDERS. a. Young born helpless, and not able to avail themselves of the instinct of self-preserva- tion for, at least, the first twenty-four hours. 1 o . Young do not pass through a downy stage before acquiring feathers, unless the species is nocturnal as in the Caprimulgidce. 2 a . Palate segithognathous, and the deep plantar tendons free 1. Passeeifoemes. b". Palate never aegithognathous when the deep plantar tendons are free. 3 a . Palate never schizognathous when the nasals are schizorhinal ... 2. Picifobmes. s b . Palate schizognathous, and the nasals schizorhinal 3. Columbifoemes. 1 b . Young pass through a downy stage before acquiring feather. 2 c . Not web-footed. 3 c . Dorsal vertebrae opistoccelous ; feet zygodactyle young born always ; naked 4. Psittacifoemes. 3 d . Dorsal vertebrae heteroccelous. a*. Feet generally zygodactyle young ; born covered with down ... 5. Accipiteifoemes. 4 6 . never zygodactyle young Feet ; born nearly naked 6. Aedeifoemes. 2 d . Web-footed. 3 e . Palate desmognathous ; all four toes connected by a web ; young born nearly naked 7. Pelecanifoemes. 3 . Palate f schizognathous ; hind toe not connected to the other toes by a web; young born covered with down. [Juue, 1SSJ9. i ; 2 PASSERIFORMES. 4 c . Wing with true feathers and adapted for powerful flight. 5 a . External nostrils ordinary . 8. Lariforjies. b r>. External nostrils produced into tubes 9. Procellariiforsies. d*. Wing with no true feathers and fin-like 10. Spheniciformes. b. Young not born helpless and able at once, or in a few hours, to avail themselves of the instinct of self-preservation. 1 c . Sternum with a keel. e". Palate desmognathous ; web-footed. 3 g . Basipterygoid processes absent ; end half of bill abruptly bent down- wards 11. PHO3NIC0PTERIF0RMES 3 h . Basipterygoid processes articulate with the pterygoids as near to the palatines as possible ; end half of bill never abruptly bent downwards. 12. Anseriformes. f". Palate schizognathous. 3 i . Posterior processes of the ilium ap- proximated to such an extent that the sacrum is almost entirely con- cealed. 4 e . Web-footed 13. Colymbiformes. /*. Toes lobed 14. Podicipedidiformes. 3 k . Posterior processes of the ilium never approximated to such an extent that the sacrum is almost entirely concealed. g*. Dorsal vertebrae heteroccelous. 15. Galliformes. 1 h . Dorsal vertebras opistoccelous . 16. Charadriiformes. 1 cl . Sternum with no keel 17. Struthioniformes. Order I. PASSERIFORMES. Young born helpless, and do not pass through a downy stage before acquiring feathers. Palate segithognathous. Deep plantar tendons free the flexor perforans digitorum serving the three front toes and the flexor long us hallusis the hind toe. Ambiens and accessory femoro-caudal muscles absent. Oil-glands present and nude. Spinal feather-tract well defined on the neck. Dorsal vertebras heteroccelous. Only a left carotid artery. This Order comprises about three-fifths of the known species of birds, and is represented in the Ethiopian Eegion by some 1500 of them. : OLIGOMYOD^. KEY TO THE SUBORDERS. a. Intrinsic muscles of the syrinx attached near * the middle of the bronchial semi-ring . 1. Oligomyod^;. b. Intrinsic muscles of the syrinx attached to the ends of the bronchial semi-rings ... 2. Oscines. * Tail remarkably short in all Ethiopian species. Suborder I. OLIGOMYODJS. The species belonging to this Suborder are mostly American, only the following three families being found in the Old World Xenicidce. Three species confined to New Zealand. Pittidce. Contains some 45 species, only represented in the Ethiopian Region by Pitta angolensis. Philepittidce. Two species confined to Madagascar. KEY. a. Terrestrial ; sexes similar ; no wattle on head ; rump and portion of upper wing-coverts Pitta angolensis. bright pale blue ; abdomen scarlet .... b. Arboreal ; sexes dissimilar ; adult males with bare wattles on the sides of the head ; some yellow and no blue or red on the feathers . Philepitta. 1 with a . General plumage velvety black yellow at the bend of the wing. 2 jala, ad. a . With no yellow margins to the feathers <j b". With yellow edges to many of the feathers jala, $ jiiv. 1 b . Wings, lower back and tail olive. 2 c . Above olive; beneath yellowish buff mottled with olive. 3 . jala, a . Above more uniform ; bill larger $. 3 schlegeli, b . Crown with yellow spots; bill smaller ?. 2 d . Upper back and entire under parts bright yellow schlegeli, <j ad. Family I. PITTID^J. Bill stout but somewhat Thrush-like.