NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 41 



lighter, nearly white on the abdomen, with obscure traces of the black spots 

 of the male. No rufous on the head nor throat. Total length, % about 4 

 inches, wing 2, tail 1^ inches. ? Total length, 3| inches. 



flah. River Camma, Western Africa. Discovered by Mr. P. B. Duchaillu. 



This is the only bird from Western Africa that I have ever seen which be- 

 longs to the Pardalotinee. It is easily distinguished specifically by its rufous 

 head and throat and spotted under parts, and is a very curious and hand- 

 some little bird. 



This bird is named in honor of my friend Samuel W. Woodhouse, M. D., 

 of this city, an accomplished and promising young naturalist and scientific 

 traveller in the western countries of the United States. 



67. yEGITHALUS FLAYIFRONS, CaSSill. 



iEgithalus flavifrons, Cassin, Proc. Acad. Philada. 1855, p. 325. 



Proc. Acad. Philada, 1858, pi. 1, fig. 2. 



The male is described and figured by me as above. In the collection from 

 the Camma are females which are very similar to the males but rather small- 

 er and lighter colored. Both sexes have the forehead yellow. 



68. Motacilla capensis, Linnseus. 



Motacilla capensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 333 (1766.) 

 Le Vaill. Ois. d'Afr., pi. 178. Kittl. Kupf., pi. 20, fig. 2. 

 The first appearance of this species in the fauna of Western Africa. Seve- 



ral specimens from the Ogobai are not to be distinguished from others in the 



Acad. Mus. from Southern Africa. 



69. Anthus Gouldii, Fraser. 



Anthus Gouldii, Fras. Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1843, p. 27. 

 Numerous specimens, impossible to determine conclusively from the short 

 and imperfect descriptions. From the Camma and formerly received in every 

 collection from Mr. Duchaillu. 



Genus Macrosphenps, nobis. 



General aspect of Orthotomus (0. sericeus, Temm.) and Ramphocanus {R. 

 mdanurus, Vieill,) but with the bill stronger, wider laterally and more com- 

 pressed, and with the legs and feet stronger. Bill long, rather strong, straight, 

 wide at base, compressed towards the end, upper mandible carinated, curved 

 and distinctly notched at the tip, nostril in a large membrane, under mandible 

 rather thick, somewhat curved in its outline, ascending towards its tip. Wing 

 moderate, first quill spurious, fourth, fifth and sixth longest and nearly equal, 

 tail moderate or rather short, legs moderate, claws rather strong, curved. 



This genus, which I propose for the species immediately succeeding, is ex- 

 actly that of a bird in the Rivoli collection now in the Museum of this Academy, 

 labelled " Ramphocene vert, Ramphocenus viridis, Madagascar." The hand- 

 writing of this label I am not acquainted with, but the same specimen bears 

 another label of locality only : "Madagascar," which I suppose to be in the 

 handwriting of Mons. Victor Massena, and having his initials appended. This 

 bird may be Ramphoceenus viridis, Lesson, Traite d'Orn, p. 377, but which is 

 stated by M. Lesson to be a species of Brazil.* 



* Macrosphenus viridis, (Lesson ?) 



Ramphocaenus viridis. Lesson, Traite d'Orn. i. p. 377, (1831) ? 



Larger than the species above described. Bill long, strong, straight, a few 

 pairs of slender bristles at the base of the upper mandible, wings and tail pro- 

 portionately rather longer than in the above species. Entire upper parts 

 olive green, darker on the head and tinged with yellow on the back. Throat, 

 breast and middle of the abdomen yellow, sides, flanks, tibiae and under tail 

 coverts yellowish green, nearly the color of the back. Under wing coverts 

 yellow, quills brownish black, secondaries edged internally with light reddish, 

 tail dark olive green. An obscure stripe of yellowish in front of the eye. Bill 

 light brown or horn color, legs light colored. Total length about 7 inches, 

 wing 2\, tail 3, bill, from gape, \\, tarsus 1 inch. 



Hab. Madagascar. (Rivoli collection label,) Spec, in Mus. Acad. Philada, 

 1859.] 



