In all, the collection contains 36 species and subspecies, of which no less than 18 are new, 6 of these latter having been described in our previous paper. Considering the comparatively barren nature of the country, and the number of mammals usually found to occur in any given area, the capture of 36 forms indicates that Captain Buchanan has been highly successful in getting a full representation of the fauna of the districts he has worked in. . . .
“As already stated, the National Museum has to thank Lord Rothschild for a full set of the mammals dealt with, including all the types. The skins are all beautifully prepared, and Captain Buchanan is to be congratulated on the great value that his collection has proved to possess.”
NEW SUBSPECIES OF UNGULATE MAMMALS
Described by Lord Rothschild, F.R.S., Ph.D. (The complete collection of Ungulate Mammals is fully described by Lord Rothschild in Novitates Zoologicæ, the Journal of the Tring Museum, vol. xxviii., pp. 75-77, 1921.)
| Locality taken | |
| Arui, Udad, or Barbary sheep: Ammotragus lervia angusi subsp. nov. (Largest head collected: right horn 21 in. over curve; left horn 20⁸⁄₁₀ in.) | Aïr. |
| Dama gazelle: Gazella dama damergouensis subsp. nov. (Largest head collected: length of horns 5⁶⁄₁₀ ins.) | Damergou. |
NEW SUBSPECIES OF BIRDS
Described by Dr. Ernst Hartert, Director of Tring Museum. (The complete collection of Birds is fully described by Dr. Hartert in Novitates Zoologicæ, vol. xxviii., pp. 78-141, 1921.)
| Locality taken | |
| Subsaharan striped kingfisher: Halcyon chelicuti eremogiton subsp. nov. | Kano and Damagarim. |
| Straight-billed wood-hoopoe: Scoptelus aterrimus cryptostictus subsp. nov. | Aïr. |
| Golden goatsucker: Caprimulgus eximus simplicior subsp. nov. | Damagarim and Damergou. |
| Sand martin: Riparia obsoleta buchanani subsp. nov. | Aïr. |
| Sombre rock-chat: Cercomela melanura airensis subsp. nov. | Aïr. |
| Northern ant-eating wheatear[11]: Myrmecocichla æthiops buchanani subsp. nov. | Kano, Damagarim, and Damergou. |
| Saharan bush-babbler: Crateropus fulvus buchanani subsp. nov. | Aïr. |
| Grey bush-babbler: Crateropus plebejus anomalus subsp. nov. | Kano. |
| Long-tailed sunbird: Nectarinia pulchella ægra subsp. nov. | Kano, Damagarim, and Aïr. |
| Crested shrike: Prionops plumatus haussarum subsp. nov. | Kano. |
| Asben brown pipit[11]: Anthus sordidus asbenaicus subsp. nov. | Aïr. |
| Dunn’s desert lark: “Calendula” dunni pallidor subsp. nov. | Damergou. |
| Small rock sparrow: Petronia dentata buchanani subsp. nov. | Damagarim. |
| Pencil-crowned weaver-bird: Sporopipes frontalis pallidior subsp. nov. | Damagarim and Damergou. |
Dr. Hartert, in his most interesting foreword to his paper (which deals extensively with the zoo-geographical history of the Sahara and the important information which the Expedition has brought to light in that connection), states two facts which have a particular bearing on the value of the collection of birds:
“Zoologically Aïr remained absolutely unknown until Buchanan’s expedition. It was with great satisfaction to myself that Lord Rothschild fell in with my ideas about it, with his usual zeal and interest in all scientific exploration, and that Captain Buchanan accepted the offer to make a collecting trip to Aïr for the Tring Museum. The exploration of that country has been in my mind since 1886. . . . It was one of my many unfulfilled dreams of life to visit Asben myself, but I have never given up hope one day to see natural history specimens from there. . . .