Miscellaneous Notes on some Birds of Northern Rhodesia

712 Dr. J. 31. Winterbottom on [Ibis,

~LI.-lllisc~lla?l.eozts X o t w on sornc Birds of Xorthem Rhodesia. By J. M. WITTEKBOTTOM, Ph D., ilI R.O.U.

THE following notes v~ ere' niade during my second tour in Nort hem Rhodesia, from December 193.5 to July 1938 Notes relating to some of the species seen during that tour have, hovei-er, already appeared in ‘ The Ibis’ (1938, pp. 269- 277). References are also made to the notes on the birds observed during my first tour (Ibis, 1936, pp. 763-791 ; ‘ L‘Oiseau et la Revue franpise d’Ornithologie,’ 1936, pp. 7i- 85). vv here the same species are dealt with again.

For the whole of the tour with which these notes deal I was stationed in the Eastern Province ; but in August 1937 I spent a month at Salinia, on Lake Nyasa, while in May and June 1938 I toured the lovier Luangwa Valley on my way to Xazabuka. Field notes and certain systematic observations 011 the birds of these areas are included in the present paper.

I n-ish to acknowledge my indebtedness to the staff of the Bird Room at the British Museum (Natural History), and to Captain C H. 13. Grant for identifying many specimens collerted and for niurh good advice on the systematic points dealt nith, though they must not be held responsible for the opinions expressed. I am also indebted to Mr. C. W. Renson for his generous permission to examine skins in his own collection

~

ax-STEXATIC LIST. Poliocephalus rufleollii capensis. Adults nith young, nearly full grown, noted on Vilimbara

Dam, Lundazi district, 24 April, 1936, and others, with young still in donn, on a dani 13 miles south of Petauke, 6 August, 1936, and on Nyanje Dam, 3 4 September, 1936, 13-14 Febru- ary, 1937, and 5 February, 1938, vrhich suggests that there may be more than one brood.

Phalacrocorax lueidus lucidus. African White-breasted Cormorant.

Belcher gives the breeding season on Lake Nyasa as August and September. In a colony of about 200 nests, found on

African Little Grebe.

1939.1 some Birds of Northern Rhodesia. 713

Namalenje islet opposite the hotel, most of the nests already contained young, in many cases nearly ready to leave, 2 August, 1937. I was told of young being found a t the Mbenje Islands even earlier.

Leptoptios crumeniferus. Marabout. Ibis, 1936, p. 765. Storks were reported as following a swarm of locusts near

Fort Jameson on 14 July, 1936, and next day I saw a flock of about forty Marabouts, probably the same birds, over the township.

Ibis ibis. Wood-Ibis. Ibis, 1936, p. 765. On the tributaries of the Luangwa, evidently a dry-season

Common on the lower visitor of rather vagrant habits. Luangwa itself, May 1938.

Threskiornis aethiopicus aethiopicus. Sacred Ibis. There seems to be no definite record of the Sacred Ibis

from the Luangwa Valley, and it is therefore worth noting that I saw six in a swampy place, the remains of a much more extensive lagoon, in the south-east corner of the Mpika district (Kambwiri), between the Mtanda and Lukuzye Rivers, 14 November, 1937. One appeared on a small pool of rain- water a t Fort Jameson, 28 December, 1937.

Hagedashia hagedash erlangeri. East African Hadada. Ibis, 1936, p. 76.5. I have several further records from the Luanga Valley, but

the bird is not common even there.

Nyroca erythrophthalma. South African Pochard. A female with a brood of six half-grown young noted on

Vilimbara Dam, Lundazi district, 24 April, 1936.

Anas sparsa. African Black Duck. Rare. I have recorded it only from the Lundazi River,

15 miles below the Boma, where I saw a pair, 27 April, 1936, and a single example, 4 April, 1937.

SER. X1V.-VOL. 111. 3 B

714 Dr. J. 31. Winterbottom 011. [Ibis,

Falco diekinsoni. Dickinson's Kestrel. One shot beside the Lupamadzi River, Luangli-a Valley,

Lundazi district, 3 April, 1936. Although there are places in the valley where Borassus-palms are common, I did not see any of these trees here.

Milvus migrans subsp. Black Kite. Ibis, 1936, p. 767. On 16 February, 1936, ten Black Kites were noted together

The species is definitely migratory, and first flying south. and last dates are :

First. Last. 1935-36 .... - 17. ii. 36. 1936-37 . . . . 30. vii. 36. 5 . iii. 37. 1937-38 . . . . 6. riii. 37 (L. Nyasa). 29. iii. 38.

Aquila wahlbergi. Wahlberg's Eagle. Ibis, 1936, p. 767. On 20 February, 1936, nine or ten of these birds were seen

standing on the road near Fort Jameson, each by itself. When they took to wing, I noticed that a t 25 miles per hour the car rapidly overtook them. There was a big exodus of flying termites that day, and the Eagles were probably catching these. Breeding on Mr. Jack Finch's farm, near Fort Jameson, in late September, 1937.

Cuncuma vocifer. African Sea-Eagle. Common, and the most conspicuous bird, on Lake Nyasa.

where it was breeding in August 1937 (one nest with young in dovn). Common also on the Luangwa. One was seen to swoop unsuccessfully on a Goliath Heron on the latter river, 21 May, 1938.

Machzerhamphus alcinus anderssoni. Bat-eating Buzzard. Ibis, 1936, p. 767. Again noted a t Fort Jameson on nine evenings between

19 May and 8 July, 1937, and on four evenings between 30 June and 21 July, 1938. All the records, except two, fall in the period 23 June to 8 July.


Circus macrourus. Pallid Harrier. Ibis, 1936, p. 768. Migration dates for this clDmmon species :

First. Last. 15. iii. 38. 1935-36 .... -

1936-37 . . . . 12. xi. 36. - 1937-38 . . . . 18. X. 37. 12. iv. 38.

Balaearica pavonina regulorum. Crowned Crane. Uncommon on the plateau, where, however, a pair was seen

near Fort Jameson, 29 Jsnuary, 1936. In the Luangwa Valley frequently seen in the more open places near the rivers and hot springs. In this locality, according to native accounts, the Crowned Crane moves from the main river to the tributaries during the rains and returns to the Luangwa again when the dry season sets in and the smaller rivers dry up. Three seen on the Luulu Lagoon, Mpika-Fort Jameson border, 13 November, 1937, which bears out this contention. Common on the lower Luangwa, May 1938.

Sarothrura rufa. Red-chested Crake. A male, with testes in breeding condition, collected beside

a small stream which flows into the Malindi River, a tributary of the Nyimba, Petauke district, 9 February, 1937. This is the f i s t record for the Territory.

Actophilornis africanus. African Jacana. Ibis, 1936, p. 769. On Lake Nyasa a parent, accompanied by young in down,

Noted on the Luulu Lagoon, was noted, 5 August, 1937. Fort Jameson-Hpika border, 13 November, 1937.

VVhite - headed Plover. Xiphidiop terus albiceps . Common on the Luangwa in the dry season, but never seen

on any of its tributaries. One was noted attacking and driving away a Marsh-Harrier (Circus ranivorus) from its sand-bank, 13 November, 1937.

Himantopus himantopus. Black-winged Stilt. Evidently uncommon in1 Northern Rhodesia, though

My only records are of two on Lundazi widely distributed. 3 ~ 2

716 Dr. J. M. Winterbottom on [Ibis,

Dam, 21 October, 1936 and two near Katondwe (lower Luangwa, 22 Xay, 1938. Seen only once on Lake Nyasa, a single bird a t the mouth of the Linthipe River, 27 August, 1937.

Tringa nebularia. Greenshank. A common species during the rains. One was seen on the

lower Luangwa, below the bridge, 21 and 23 May, 1938- a very late date.

Cueulus elamosus. Black Cuckoo. Belcher says, * ‘ Heard a t Port Herald as late as 17 March,”

and it is perhaps worth noting that in the Luangwa Valley I have heard the Black Cuckoo much later still-until 25 April.

Clamator jaeobinus serratus. Black-and- White Cuckoo. A second example of this bird (see Ibis, 1936, p. 770, under

C. hypopimrus) was obtained a t Nsefu, in the Fort Jameson Valley, 12 October, 1937. This example, like the last, is consistent with the species being merely on passage.

Chrgsocoeeyx eupreus. Emerald Cuckoo. I found the Emerald Cuckoo a conspicuous species in the

Fort Jameson section of the Luangwa Valley in December 1936, and Miss -4. S. Field, of Msoro Mission, tells me that i t is cornnion throughout the rains. The local natives call it “ Cholo Chocheni,” from its call-accent on the penultimate syllable of each word. A calling male shot near the Lupande River, 15 December, 1936, had gonads in breeding condition. On the plateau much less common, and not recorded above about 3000 feet. Noted only twice in the Lundazi section of the Luangwa Valley in March 1937, and not a t all in April 1938. In the Fort Jameson Valley first heard 8 November, after which a good many were noted, though nothing like as noisy as in the previous December.

Lampromorpha klaasi. Klaas’s Cuckoo. On 29 September, 1937, near Fort Jameson, Mr. J. Finch

and I observed a pair of these birds together. The male, at least three times while we were watching, caught insects, which it gave to the female. It seemed in a very excited

1939.1 smne Birds of Northern Rhoohia. 717

state, and hopped about her with a good deal of posturing, in which the tail played a great part, now lifted aloft like a Wren’s, now depressed and held sideways, but remaining silent.

A juvenile, strong on the wing, was noted at Port Jameson, 31 December, 1937, being fed by Scarlet-chested Sunbirds (Chalcomitra s. gutturalis).

Centropus grillii, Black-chested Coucal. Ibis, 1936, pp. 770-771 ; ibid. 1938, pp. 270-271. I am able to confirm my previous suggestion that the Black-

chested Coucal occurs in the Lundazi section of the Luangwa Valley, as I identified it at Kambombo on 23 ,4pril, 1937, by following up the curious call, of which I have already given a description, after having also heard the call the previous night, while the moon was up. Another example was seen near Chikwa three days later-a “ farthest south ” for the valley.

Turacus schalowi marungensis. Marungu Lourie. Until recently it had always been assumed that the most

widespread Lourie in Northern Rhodesia and throughout Nyasaland was T. 1. livingstonii, although Neave had identified his three examples from the former Territory as T . s. marungensis. Mr. Jack Vincent, however, discovered that T. schalowi occurred a t Dedza, and Captain C. R. S. Pitman collected it on the Kafue, in the Mumbwa district. Mr. C. W. Benson told me (in litt.) that he did not believe that T. livingstonii, which he knew well in southern Nyasaland, occurred west of the Shire Valley. I have therefore examined all the Northern Rhodesian and Nyasaland skins of the two species in the National Collection, and from the examination of that material it appears that T. livingstonii does not occur in Nyasaland west of the Nyasa-Shire Rift or in Northern Rhodesia a t all. The much longer crest and the purple tail-gloss a t once distinguish schalowi in the skins. Mr. Benson also finds a difference in their calls. The distinction between T. s. marungensis and the type-race was pointed out by Grant (Ibis, 1915, pp. 410-411). Reichenow’s original description of marungensis stated that there was a lesser amount of violet


gloss on the tails, but there is a great deal of variation, some examples being indistingiiishable from the type-race in this respect. In the case of Vincent's example from Dedza, however, attributed by him to schalowi, it is unquestionably a specimen of marungensis, and has, indeed, a tail almost as blue as T . 2zoingstonii.

Poicephalus meyeri neavei. Katanga Brown Parrot. The specimen previously referred to (Ibis, 1936, p. 771)

as P. m. transzaalensis, has been re-examined, together with other examples of the two races in the National Collection. That specimen, one from the Msiezi River, collected by Neave, and a third from Lake Nderendere, Mombera district, Nyasa- land, show intermediate features between the two races, but are, on the whole, nearer neavei. I do not believe that trans- Taulensis occurs in Northern Rhodesia.

Coracias caudatus caudatus. Mozilikatse's Roller. At L'kwimi, 3 November, 1937, I saw this species attacked

by a pair of Rock-Sparrows (Petronia superciliarls), which made several swoops at its head. The Roller was seated on a dead branch in which the Sparrows had evidently a nest. The uproar made by the latter attracted Serins, Sunbirds, Bulbuls, and an Oriole, though these assistants contented themselves with vocal efforts and did not attempt assault (cf. also the note under the following species). An interesting point is that within ten yards of this place I had shot an example of Coracias s. spatulatus the year before.

Eurystomus afer pulcherrimus. Broad-billed Roller. Ibis, 1936, p. 771. Further records indicate that the Broad-billed Roller is

locally common, especially a t lower levels and during the hot 15 eather. In the Chindeni Hills, Fort Jameson-Petauke border, 23 October, 1937, I watched one pair for about half an hour disputing a hole in a tree with a Kakelaar (Phceniculus purpureus marudzi). The latter had apparently gained possession, but my- arrival frightened it off and, a t dusk, when I left, it had not yet summoned up courage to run the gauntlet of the Rollers, which were perched close to the hole,


but spent its time moving from branch to branch of that and neighbouring trees.

Alcedo semitorquata. Half-collared Kingfisher. Ibis, 1936, p. 771. Found breeding by the Liitembwe River, 16 miles west of

Fort Jameson, 16 September, 1937. A pair had their tunnel about two feet above the water of a pool, the level of which had been artificially raised by a dam and its expanse increased by removal of sand.

Corythiornis cristata cristata. Malachite Kingfisher. Found nesting a t Lundaei, 12 October, 1936. The birds

had excavated a tunnel some 18 inches deep about a foot below the top of a small excavation by the road that crosses the dam, on the down-stream side.

Merops apiaster. European Bee-eater. Ibis, 1936, p. 772. Migration dates :

First. Last 25. iv. 36. 1935-36 .... -

1936-37 . . . . 6.ix.36 22. iv. 37. 1937-38 . . . . 29. vii. 37 (Nchisi, 23. iv. 38.

Nyafialand) . 2. ix. 37 (Fort

Jameson). Merops nubicus nubicoides, Carmine Bee-eater. Unexpectedly this species was observed on the plateau in

March, 1936 and 1937. In December 1936 I encountered many in the Fort Jameaon section of the Luangwa Valley and one flock, noted on the 12th, was mainly composed of juveniles, whose browns and buffs gave them the appearance of overgrown Whydahs in eclipse plumage. A similar party, seen by the Mwangazi River on the 17th, was associated with a party of the European species, as were some examples noted 29 January, 1937, in the MbaJa country, Petauke. The south- ward movement begins in September, a few days before that of M . apiaster, and in 1937 'was observed to last €or a month. Not seen on the lower Luangwa in May 1938, but one noted flying south in the Lufunsa Valley, 8 June.


Lophoceros melanoleucos suahelicus. Crowned Hornbill. Ibis, 1936, p. 773. Further records suggest that broken, hilly country a t low

levels is the favourite haunt of this species. It is numerous on the lower and middle Luangwa, and was again noted near the Kafue Gorge, June 1938.

Upupa africana. South African Hoopoe. One was resident on the loner slopes of Kanjala Hill, Fort

Jameson, during the rains of 1936-37, and records from the Lundazi district in March and April 1936, 193i, and 1938 suggest that a fen- were also resident there. In the main, however, undoubtedly migratory. Single birds noted also in late May and early June 1938, in the lower Luangna (Petauke and Lusaka districts) and the Lufunsa Valleys.

Caprimulgus tristigma lentiginosus. Freckled Nightjar. Once I had learned the call of this bird, under Mr. C. W.

Benson’s guidance at Doma, I found that it was not a t all uncommon in rocky country in the Eastern Province, extending north as far as the Luwumbu River and west to the Rufunsa rest house (Lusaka district).

Cosmetornis vexillarius. Pennant-wing Nightjar. Ibis, 1936, p. 77.1. Migration dates :

First. Last. 1935-36 ...... - 18. ii. 36. 1936-3i . . . . . . x. 36. 11 . iii. 37. 1937-38 . . . . . . 25. ix. 37. 22. ii. 38.

Micropus meiba africanus. Ibis, 1936, p. 775. My notes suggest that this species is a dry-season migrant

to the Eastern Province and, like the European 31. apus during the rains, a great wanderer.

African White-bellied Swift.

Micropus afenis af8nis. Little Swift. Rare in the Eastern Province, though a flock seen once

or twice at Fort Jameson, and a female, with gonads enlarging towards breeding, was collected out of a party of half a dozen


or more on the rocky Nzova Hill, in the Mbala country, Petauke, 31 January, 1937. One or two seen in mupane bush near Chikwa, Luangwa Valley, Lundazi, 28 March, 1937.

Colius indicus indicus. Red-faced Coly. I have met with this species only in two localities : a gingle

example was seen carrying nesting material into a small tree a few miles from Kamoto Mission (Fort Jameson Valley), 7 November, 1937, and it wat3 common on the lower Luangwa, May 1938.

Lybius chaplini. Chaplin’s Barbet. Not noted on the Jeanes School Station a t Mazabuka in

June 1938, but seen in the neighbourhood. Two partially constructed nest-holes were found by Mr. J. A. Cottrell and me.

Trachyphoneus vaillantii. Crested Barbet. Ibis, 1938, p. 272. Several further records from the Luangwa Valley and the

escarpment show that this species is generally but sparingly distributed in such country. On 16 November, 1937, I found the Crested Barbet breeding in a hole about 25 feet up a tall Brachystegia-tree on the escarpment on the Fort Jameson- Mpika border near the Lukuzye River.

Campethera bennetti bennetfi. Bennett’s Woodpecker. Sparingly distributed below 3000 feet in the Eastern

Province, whence it has not previously been recorded. A juvenile, which was accompanied by its parent, was collected near Ongolwe Hill, Mbala country, Petauke, 30 January, 1937. The most clear-cut distinction between the present race and G. b. uniamwesicus lies in the oolour of the chin in the female, and this is instantly diagnostic.

Dendropicus fuscescens hartlaubi. Cardinal Woodpecker. By far the commonest Woodpecker. A female was seen

to enter a hole in a dead branch of a tree about 20 feet from the ground a t Kawaza, Fort Jameson district, 10 September, 1937. The male accompanied his mate to the hole and then rejoined the bird-party with which both had been foraging.

72’3 Dr. J. JI. Winterbottoni 011. [Ibis,

Motacilla Clara. Mountain Wagtail. Ibis, 1936, p. 776. Again noted, this time a pair, on the Lutembwe River,

16 miles west of Fort Jameson, 26 September, 1937. There were rocky reaches about here, but the country was not hilly.

Adthus richardi lacuum. Kenya Richard’s Pipit. Ibis, 1936, p. 777. A nest, containing three stone-coloured eggs, heavily marked

with brown and grey-black, was found on a burnt-over dambo in the Fort Jameson district, 16 September, 1937. The nest was of dried grass, and was under an overhang produced by the removal of a tuft of grass. -1 nest containing five young birds, with feathers sprouted, was found, flush with the ground, on Fort Jameson Aerodrome, 26 May, 1937. It would seem at least possible, therefore, that two broods are raised.

Inspection of a long series of skins from Northern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia, Nyasaland, Portuguese East Africa, and Tanganyika, and comparison of these \rith Cape and Kenya examples, shows that the race raalteni Layard (=rufuloides Rbts.) does not extend north of the Zambezi. On the otlher hand, through the courtesy of Mr. C. W. Benson I have been able to examine his series of Richard’s Pipit from the Sorthern Province of Nyasaland ; and from inspection of these, together with the series already in the British Museum, it n ould appear that A. r . Zichmya described by Vincent from JIlanje extends also farther north. Three examples from 8000 feet on the Nyika and one from 6500 feet on Dedza Mountain are attributable to this form, as also is an example from the upper Kalungn-isi, between Mporokoso and Lumingu, Sorthern Rhodesia, collected by Neave. But examplee from GOO0 feet on the Vipya and from 9000 feet on Dedza are attributable to Earcuum. 9 bird from Mount Pine, SouthernRhodesia, 6500 feet, while very dark, is much redder than either lacuurn or lichenya, and may represent an undescribed race.

Pinarornis plumosus. Sooty Babbler. Ibis, 1936, p. 778 ; &id. 1938, p. 273. The British Museum now possesses a series of nine skins

There of this bird, including the type of P. p . rhodesiz Chubb.

1939.1 s m e Birds of Northern Rhodesia. 723

can be no doubt that this race was described in error, because a fresh skin from the Matoppos was compared with old skins from elsewhere. The skins of the Sooty Babbler fade from black to sooty-brown with age, and this is clearly shown if the four skins I collected in 1937 and 1938 are compared with the other five, although one of mine has already begun t o fade in its turn.

Neocichla gut turalis. White- winged Babbler. Ibis, 1938, p. 273. A large party of twenty tlo thirty was encountered in the

same escarpment country as on the previous occasions, but farther north, about 60 miles north of Lundazi, 16 April, 1938. They were shy. Their alarm-calls had a suggestion of a Parrot’s shrillness in timbre. Another smaller party of about half a dozen was seen in very different country- the scattered high trees in old gardens near a village by the Bazimu River, in the Luangwa Valley itself, 23 April. A third party w a ~ met in thick woodland some miles north of Kazembe, 28 April.

Pycnonotus tricolor. Yellow-vented Bulbul. In an endeavour to clear up the distribution of the races of

the Yellow-vented Bulbul I have examined the long series of skins in the British Museum collection. The races which it seemed possible might occur in Northern Rhodesia were tricolor Hartl., layardi Gurney, micrus Oberh., ngmmii 0.-Grant, and annectans Rbts. Of thlese, ngamii is represented only by the type, but seems to bt: a good race ; and there are no specimens from anywhere near the type-locality of annectans. In general, although this species is perhaps the commonest bird in the area under consideration, there is an extraordinary lack of properly sexed material from most parts of its range. Of the three races whose distribution could be reasonably well investigated, tricolor extends east to Abercorn and the Msofu River (Mkushi district) and layardi north along the plateau to the lower Kafue, jLufunsa River, Eastern Province of Northern Rhodesia, and Northern Province of Nyasaland. This suggests that the boundary between the two races is the Muchinga and Zambezi escarpments, but more material


is required to substantiate this. The boundary between layardi and micrus in the north is the eastern escarpment of the Ngasa-ShirB Rift, and micrus proves to range south to Inhambane. The two races are separable on sue only, and twenty-six males of layardi had an average wing-length of 99.2 mm., range 94-108 mm. (but one bird in the Benson collection from Dowa measured only 91 mm., though two others from the same locality vere 95 and 104 mm.). The average wing-length of fourteen males of micrus is 91.4 mm., range 89-94 nim.. This average is decidedly higher than Oberholser’s original figure of 88.7 mm., but it is not entirely due to the inclusion of the southern birds (six from Kenya and Tanganyika, average 91.0 mm. ; four from Inhambane, average 91.5 mm.).

A further point that came out during the investigation is that there are no speciniens of any race of P. tricolor from central Tanganyika, nor is any indication given in the ‘ Systema Avium Bthiopicarum ’ of what form, if any, occurs there.

Phyllastrephus cerviniventris. Grey Olive Greenbul. By collecting an example on the Msipzai River I discovered

that the Phyllastrephus in the stream-side cover on the higher parts of the Eastern Province plateau was not P. terrestris, as recorded by me in The Ibis,’ 1936, pp. 778-779, but the present species. Previously recorded only from the Kalungwisi, where it was obtained by Neave. The exact limits of the range of the two forms have still to be worked out, but in the Mbala country (c. 2500 feet) and along the Katete River (2950 feet) the species is terrestris.

Muscicapa striata striata. Spotted Flycatcher. Ibis, 1936, p. 779. Migration dates :

First. Last. 1935-36 ..., - 25. iv. 36. 193637 . . . . 14. x. 36. 20. iv. 37. 1937-38 . . . . 15. xi. 37 14. iv. 38.

1939.1 s m e Birds of Northern Rhodesia. 725

Hyliota flavigaster barbom. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Not a t all common, and I got the impression that it was

very quick off the mark. It is found usually in mixed bird parties, but only in one here and there, and occasionally in parties by itself. A female was collected about 40 miles north of Lundazi (at the third shot !), 20 March, 1937.

Melmornis pammelaina pammelaina. Black Flycatcher. A nest of this common species, containing two eggs and

a newly-hatched young bird, was found on a platform formed by the decaying stump of a pollarded tree in a native garden near the Lusangazi River, 24 October, 1937. The nest was about 10 feet up from the ground and was made of twigs, lined with grass. Another nest, in a very similar situation, about 16 feet up a mupane-tree, was found 10 November, 1937, on the Mwatizye River, :Fort Jameson Valley. To judge from the action of the parents, this nest contained young. Two young birds, just out of the nest and still covered with sooty-grey down in places, were seen a t Fort Jameson, 18 December, 1937.

Tchitrea perspicillata plumbeiceps, Zambezi Red Paradise Flycatcher.

Ibis, 1936, pp. 779-780. Migration dates :

F i r d t . Last. 1935-36. .... -- 21. iii. 36 (Town).

27. iv. 36 (Plateau). 2. v. 36 (Valley).

1936-37 . . . . 17. i:r. 36 - 1937-38 . . . . 21. ix. 37. 27. iv. 38 (Valley).

There is no " last " date for 1936-37, as I was in the Luangwa Valley during the critical period. On the Nyasa littoral the Paradise Flycatcher was first noted, 22 August, 1937. One was seen by the Lutembwe River, 16 miles west of Fort Jameson, altitude c. 3000 feet, 13 July, 1937.

On 9 February, 1938, by a tributary of the Kapoche River, south-west of Fort Jameson, a nest containing two recently- hatched young was found a t the end of a dead branch about

726 Dr. J. 11. Winterbottom on [Ibis,

49 feet above the water. The male came to brood the young while I was there. A young bird, just out of the nest and still downy in places, was seen accompanied by its mother a t Fort Jameson, 23 January, 1936. I noticed that its hunger- cry was very like the alarm-note of Chalcmitra s. gutturalis.

In Bull. B. 0. C. lviii. pp. 100-102, 1938, Mr. R. H. W. Pakenham reviened the three races of T . perspicillata and stated that perspicillrsta and plumbeiceps “ overlap one another’s territory all the way from Durban to Petauket and Quelimane, which indicates that they are really distinct species.” This struck me as so remarkable a statement that I examined the material classified by Mr. Pakenham, and I find that it does not support his views. There is, in the first place, no justification that I can see for recording perspicillata from Petauke : there are tw-o examples from there in the British Museum, and both are plumbeiceps. Secondly, Mr. Pakenham has not taken into consideration the fact, recorded, inter aha, by Belcher, Pitman, and me, that perspicillata is a migrant to the plateau country inland, except, perhaps, in Angola. Dates of skins from Southern Rhodesia, Transvaal, Nort hern Rhodesia, and nort hern Nyasaland fall between October and March ; but Angola skins range from July to February. The type race is clearly a coastal form (the gap Pakenham mentions is partly bridged by an undoubted perspicillata from Milange, in the Quelimane Province). It mould be tempting to assume that perspicillata is a breeding migrant to the plateau areas and winters on the coast ; this is what I had expected to find when I started to examine the skins : and it was supported by low-level winter records of this Flycatcher from Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. But records from Natal, Portuguese East Africa, and the Transvaal between December and April throw some doubt on the hypothesis, though a skin from Inhambane in June is confirmatory. The former skins may be of non-breeding birds which have remained in winter quarters.

Montieola angolensis. Angola Rock-Thrush. Ibis, 1936, p. 781. Additional records suggest that in places ( e . g., on the upper

Nyimba in the Petauke district, and near Lundazi boma)

1939.1 m m e Birds of Northern Rhodesia. 727

this bird is not uncommon. It is there quite definitely a woodland bird, and the name “ Rock-Thrush ” is misleading.

Thamnolaea arnotti arnotti. Arnott’s Chat. Two of these Chats were encountered on a bare boulder-

strewn hillside north of Fort Jameson, 17 April, 1936. One showed by its white throat that it was still a young bird. Another white-throated example was seen in a village near Ng’ambwa, 3 June, 1938. Seen on the right bank of the Membe River, on the Lundazi-Chasefu road, about four miles north of the former place, in ,4pril and October 1936, and again in April 1938. It was found to be very common in pure stands of particularly well-grown mupane north of the Lunzi River, Luangwa Valley, Lundazi, 28 March, 1937, and again the following April. It is, however, sufficiently uncommon in the province as a whole to be worth noting wherever encountered. Not a t all uncommon in the Lufunsa and lower Luangwa Valleys, Lusaka district, May and June 1938.

Thamnolaea cinnamomeiventris subruflpennis. Cinnamon- breasted Rock-Chat.

This is the race inhabiting the Eastern Province. I have found it on most of the larger rocky hills and on many of the smaller ones. It is, in my experience, very shy, and I have little to record of its habits save that it has a wild and beauti- ful song and is never found away from rocks. Noted in the Senga Hills, Lake Nyasa.

Cichladusa arquata. Morning Warbler. First recorded from the Territory by me in Kambwiri’s

country, Luangwa Valley (see Pitman’s ‘ Check-List,’ p. 248). Since then I have recorded it from three localities farther south, carrying its range to within 30 miles of the Zambezi, and from two localities in Kambombo’s country, extending the range north for 170 miles. Also noted in the Lufunsa Valley, 100 miles east of Lusa,ka, June 1938, where it was not common. In all these localities there were Eorassus-palms in the neighbourhood. The species will probably be found throughout the low country of Northern Rhodesia in suitable places, since it is apparently distributed in similar situations even farther south (see D. Townley, ‘The Ostrich,’ 1936,

728 Dr. J. M. Wint,erbottom on [Ibis,

pp. 103-104). It has one note, recalling the distant bawl of a Bateleur, and a pleasant song, very like that of C o s s y p h in timbre, but less full and varied. The native name on the Nyasa shore, where it is common, is the same as that for Cossypha and Tehitrea.

Phylloscopus trochilus trochilus. Willow-Warbler. Ibis, 1936, p. 782. Migration dates :

First. Last. 1936-37 . . . . 20. xi. 36. 13. iv. 37. 1937-38 . . . . 18. X . 37. 25. iv. 38.

Sylvietta rufescens pallida. Rufous-bellied Crombec. Ibis, 1936, p. 783. A nest was found at Fort Jameson, 5 October, 1937. It was

built at the end of a twig in a clump of Bauhinia-trees beside the club tennis-courts and was made of dry grass and cobwebs ; it recalled a Sunbird’s nest in form, except that it had no canopy overhead. Another nest was found a t Fuwe, Luangwa Valley, Petauke, about 12 feet up on a small side-branch of a leafless, stunted mupane-tree, 27 October, 1937. It was smaller, shallower, and more rounded than the Fort Jameson nest, and lacked the cobwebs of the latter.

Sylvietta whytei. Red-faced Crombec. The common Crombec of the Eastern Province is 8. r . pallida,

but I obtained an example of the present species from a bird- party in woodland near the Mtetezi River, Fort Jameson district, 16 December, 1936. Another was seen in a bird- party in masuku woodland at Tamanda Mission, 12 April, 1937. Neave had previously obtained it west of the Luangwa.

Cisticola juncidis terrestris. Wren Grass-Warbler. Common in open places where the grass is short. It is an

interesting comment that, although I found i t the most numerous species on the Jeanes School Station, Mazabuka, 1931-32 (Journ. Anim. Ecol. 1936, pp. 294-311), I did not see it a t all during a stay of ten days there in June 1938, probably because the growth of trees, especially Cassia Siamea, had restricted the open ground available.


Cisticola chiniana frater 2 mloeuba. Rattler Grass-Warbler. This is Vincent’s identification of the cline hitherto known

as procera Ptrs. Pitman’s specimen of chiniana from the Luangwa Valley, Mpika, referred by him to frater, should also be included here (cf . Ibis, 1936, p. 783).

Common in old gardens a t all levels from Feira to Kam- bombo. Two immature birds were collected on the southern edge of the Mbala country, Petauke, 15 August, 1936, where it was extremely abundant.

Hirundo rustica rustica. European Swallow. Ibis, 1936, p. 784. Migration dates :

First. Last. 1935-36 .... -- 30. iv. 36. 1936-37 . . . . 7. x. ,36. 20. iv. 37. 1937-38 . . . . 17. viii. 37 (Lake 27. iv. 38.

Nyasa) .

Hirundo griseopyga griseopyga. Grey-rumped Swallow. A dry-season visitor to Fort Jameson township, where it is

found, almost exclusively on, the golf-links, from May to October. Very common a t Lundazi boma, where the grass is kept short, in October. I ts voice is a faint, harsh hiss, like that of a very distant Lacnizcw collaris. It has a weak flight for a Hirundo, nearly as feeble a8s Psalidoprocne. It apparently regularly rests upon the ground. When doing so at Fort Jameson it does not use the bunkers and other elevated spots on the links, but prefers the fairway. It will often hover over a place, then sweep away and return several times before finally alighting.

Hirundo smithii smithii. Wire-tailed Swallow. Ibis, 1936, p. 784. Mr. C. Tyrell, of Fort Jameson, tells me that a nest of this

species on his verandah, containing young birds, broke and fell. He installed the young in a lamp-shade, with some mud to keep them in, and placed t.his in the position previously occupied by the nest. The parents successfully reared that

SER. X1V.-VOL. 111. 3 c

730 Mr. J. M. Winterbottom O)L [Ibis,

and subsequent broods there. Later, Mr. Tyrell removed the thatch from his roof and replaced i t by new thatch, put back the lamp-shade, and the birds returned to breed there again.

Psalidoprocne petiti orientalis. Petit’s Roughwing. Ibis, 1936, p. 785 ; ibid. 1938, p. 275. Noted in mupane in Kambwiri’s country, Mpika district,

14 November, 1937. There were several birds present, and they were circling among the trees in the way I have seen Roughwings fly in the Gold Coast forests. Another was seen next day by a series of pools in the Lukuzye River, 2500 feet (i. e., on the escarpment).

Lanius eollurio. Red-backed Shrike. Ibis, 1936, p. 786. Migration dates :

First. Lwt. 29. iv. 36. 1935-36 . . . . -

1936-35 . . . . 6. xii. 36. 19. iv. 37. 1937-38 . . . . 10. xi. 37. 23. iv. 38.

Chlorophoneus sulfureopectus similis. Sulphur-breasted Bush- Shrike.

Common in a-oodland. Parents and juveniles noted together on the Meandile River, north of Fort Jameson, 13 April, 1937. ’

Parus niger. Black Tit. Ibis, 1936, p. 788. Examination of a series of skins at the British Museum

shows that only four specimens from Northern Rhodesia can be attributed to the type-race, viz., two from the Luangwa Valley (Lundazi), one from the Lufunsa Valley (Lusuka), and one from the extreme south-west corner of the Fort Jameson district, all collected by me. These have wings 71-77 mm., average 73 mm. No other example (nine measured from ‘‘ Upper Luangwa Valley,” Kalungwisi, Namwala, Fort Jameson, Broken Hill, and Kafue Gorge) has a wing of less than 80 mm. Incidentally, birds from the upper Shirt& Nyasaland, although agreeing fairly well in appearance with niger, may have measurements equalling insiqnis (six birds

1939.1 some Birds of .Northern Rhodesia. 731

from Chiromo, Liwonde, and IKpimbi Range from 74 to 85 mm., both extremes from Liwonde). These, and also a bird from 60 miles north of Tete (wing 82 mm.), may be regarded as intermediates. Note that one of Neave’s birds from the Luangwa Valley, altitude 2000 feet, ablo has a large wing (84 mm.).

Parus rufiventris. Chestnut-bellied Tit. Ibis, 1936, p. 788. Two skins collected by me in the Fort Jameson district were

recorded previously as intermediates between pallidiventris and the type-race. Thanks to the courtesy of Mr. C. W. Benson, I was able to add three of his skins to the four from the Angoni Plateau already in the British Museum collection. The series is still rather inadequate, as several of the skins are bady preserved, but I am inclined to think that all these, together with two birds from the Chambesi River, Northern Rhodesia, and one from the Lufupa River, Katanga, are all examples of the race masukuensis, which is itself a form intermediate in depth of coloration of the underparts between ru.ventris and pallidiventris.

Cinngricinclus leucogaster vctrreauxi. Amethyst Starling. Ibis, 1936, p. 788. Migration dates for this common bird are :

First. Last. 1935-36 .... -- 21. v. 36. 1936-37 . . . . 27. viu. 36. 26. iv. 37. 1937-38 . . . . 7. ix. 37. 18. iv. 38.

Lamprocolius chloropterus elisabeth. East African h e r Blue-eared Glossy Starling.

Probably less common than L. chulybzm. A bird was seen repeatedly entering a hole 25 feet up a tree in woodland 30 miles west of Fort JameEion, 18 October, 1937. When foraging it was accompanied lby another adult and a fully- grown juvenile.

Cinnyris talatala. White-bellied Sunbird. Ibis, 1938, p. 276. Common at Mazabuka, June 1938. Curiously, never identi-

fied there, 1931-32. Also noted a t Lusaka. It would seem 3 c 2

732 Mr. J. M. Winterbottom on [Ibis,

that. as one goes west, this Sunbird is found a t higher altitudes than it is farther east, for, according to Belcher, in Nyasaland it is * ‘ a low-country species, not noticed a t higher levels than that of Lake Nj7asa.”

Chaleomitra senegalensis gutturals. Scarlet-chested Sun- bird.

The commonest Sunbird in the Eastern Province. Breeding at Fort Jameson and Lundazi before the rains, a nest a t the latter place having young birds on 7 October, 1936 ; iiesting on the Lukuzye, below Chinunda, Fort Jameson, 17 November, 1937. On 27 November, 1936, near the Lutembwe River, 16 miles west of Fort Jameson, I saw a young Lamnpromorpha Cuckoo being fed by Scarlet-chested Sunbirds. Both foster- parents brought food. Unfortunately I failed to secure the parasite, but I believe it to have been L. kkaasi, as L. capius is only beginning t o be noisy about this time ; and, moreover, I found the former being fed by this species, as recorded under L. klnasi. in 1937.

At Salima the commonest Sunbird.

Antbreptes snehietae. Anchieta‘s Sunbird. Ibis, 1936, p. 789. A male, collected at Tamanda Mission, 12 April, 1937, in

Ploeepasser rufoseapulatus. Red-shouldered Sparrow-

Ibis, 1936, p. 789. A second example of this Sparrow-Weaver was collected

a t about 3000 feet on the Luangwa Valley escarpment near the Lnkuzye River, Fort Jameson-Mpika border, 16 November, 1937 Like the fist example, it was found in wooded hills. I was fortunate, as was Mr. C. W. Benson (“ Niscellaneous Notes on Nyasaland Birds,” Ibis, 1937), to discover Plocepasser- type nests near where the specimen was obtained. Nests of this sort, in a most unlikely place for P. mharli, were also noted on the Msoro road, at Manzi-apachulu, in similar escarpment country to that in which my second specimen was collected, 19 October, 1937. The black and white head, heavy beak, and large size form a group of field-characters by which this bird can be recognized.

masuku woodland, a-as one of a pair seen there.

Weaver.

1939.1 some Birds of Northern RhodeGa. 733

Petronia supereiliaris. South African Rock-Sparrow. Ibis, 1936, p. 790. A nest in a hole about 20 feet up a Brachystegia-tree, a t

which the parents were feeding young, was found near the Lukuyze River close to where the example of the preceding species was collected. Observation over half an hour gave twelve visits with food, seven of them in the fist twelve minutes. Light rain was falling a t the time. The visits were not interrupted by the fact that about forty natives were in the vicinity, three of them a t the foot of the nest-tree.

Ploeeus velatus tahatali. Zambezi Masked Weaver. Ibis, 1936, p. 790. Another colony surrounding a wasps’ nest was noted a t

Madzi Moyo, Fort Jameson district, March 1938.

Ploeeus intermedia eabanisi. Cabanis’s Masked Weaver. Certainly identified on the Lupande River, about 12 miles

downstream from Msoro Mission, 12 December, 1936. Several of these Weavers were nest-building (I counted six nests in various stages) in a borassus-palm, the nests being situated a t the ends of leaflets. The entrance-funnels first attracted my attention, since the nests of the last species, which is the common Weaver locally, are uriually without them. I secured a male bird for identification. Note that this was not a waterside colony. Both Masked Wleavers were identified a t Msoro Mission two days later. Another non-waterside colony waa found in a village on the Mwatizye, Fort Jameson Valley, 10 November, 1937.

Spermestes cucullatus seutatus. Abyssinian Bronze Manikin. I have notes of nesting activity observed throughout the

I believe, however, that this species builds rainy months. new nests a t the end of the rains for roosting purposes.

Vidua eodringtoni. Codringt’on’s Indigo-bird. ‘ L’Oiseau,’ 1936, p. 82. Observed, but not obtained, a t Kamoto Mission, Luangwa

Valley, 5 June, 1936.

734 On some Birds of Xorlhent Rhodesia. [Ibis,

Vidua paradisaea. Paradise Whyda h. ‘ L’Oiseau,’ 1936, pp. 84-85. The following are the dates on which the first full-plumaged

males were seen : Pamdisza. Obttbsa.

1935-36 . . . . 18. ii. 36. 32. ii. 36. 1936-37 . . . . 23. i. 37. 22. i. 37. 1937-38 . . . . 8. ii. 38. 7. ii. 38.

I hare a good many additional records of obtusa from the Valley, but mostly from near the escarpment. In Sitwe, middle Luwumbu River, 2300 feet, all the Paradise Whydahs seen were of this form. Both races were seen in the Mbala country, Petauke, January 1937.

Serinus mozambicus mozambicus. Mozambique Serin. Nesting on a scrubby hillside behind Kapatamoyo’s Village,

Fort Jameson. 17 April, 1936. The nest was at the top of a small tree, about 8 feet from the ground, in a small fork. The leaves of the branches of the fork formed a screen over and round the nest, which was a fiimsy structure of grass and spiders’ webs. It contained two eggs, the one I examined being unspotted white. Two females examined 12 September, 1937, were in non-breeding condition, and the species at this time was abundant in cultivation and grassland all over the Fort Jameson district (Plateau).

Poliospiza mennelli. Black-eared Seed-eater. Ibis, 1936, p. 791. Noted a t Sibanyati siding, between Choma and Kalomo

(altitude 4500 feet), which seems to be the first record from the railway strip.

Spinus citrinelloides hypostictus. Southern Citril-Finch. Ibis, 1936, p. 791. Another example of this species, which has not been recorded

from Northern Rhodesia by any other worker, was obtained a few miles north of Fort Jameson, 17 April, 1936.

Documents

Miscellaneous Notes on some Birds of Northern Rhodesia