48 PROCEEDINGS OF THE ACADEMY OF 



few only have been received from Mr. Duchaillu. With numerous specimens 

 of M. melanogastra in various stages of plumage, from the Gambia in the Acad. 

 Coll., I cannot avoid suspecting that the adult of the birds in the present col- 

 lection would be different. The young are much alike in general characters. 



98. Muscipeta spbciosa, nobis. 



Generally resembling M. melampyra, Verreaux, but smaller and with the tail 

 long, and having a white longitudinal stripe on the wing like M. melanogastra 

 and M. rufwentris. Tail long, with the two middle feathers much the longest, 

 others graduated, wing moderate, fifth quill longest, bill stout, rather wide and 

 thick but not so long as usual in this genus, bristles at base of both mandibles 

 conspicuous. Upper tail coverts in- adult glossy black. Head, neck and breast 

 glossy black with a green lustre, abdomen and under tail coverts dark bluish 

 ashy or nearly black, wing coverts and quills black, greater wing coverts widely 

 edged with white, secondary quills widely edged externally with white, (forming 

 a conspicuous white spot on the wing coverts, continued in a longitudinal stripfi 

 on the quills). Under wing coverts dark ashy, nearly black, same as the under 

 parts of the body. Upper parts of body fine rufous chestnut, shorter quills 

 edged with rufous chestnut. Tail rufous, rather lighter than the back, all the 

 feathers edged towards the end with brownish black, and the middle feathers 

 brownish black along their shafts and tipped with that color. Bill and feet black. 



Total length from tip of bill to end of tail about 9 inches, wing 3^, tail 6, 

 middle tail feathers exceed the next pair by 2^ inches, bill from gape -| inch. 



Hab. Camma river, Western Africa. Discovered by Mr. P. B. Duchaillu. 



This is a species of the same general appearance as M. melanogastra, holose- 

 ricea, rnfiventris and others, and resembling in colors, especially of the under 

 parts of the body, M. melampyra as stated above. In M. melampyra, the under 

 tail coverts are bright rufous, and it has no white stripe on the wing. In the 

 present species, the under tail coverts are dark ashy, exactly the same as the 

 abdomen, and the white spot ami stripe on the wing are very conspicuous. The 

 upper tail coverts, especially the longest of them, next to the tail are lustrous 

 greenish black in the present bird, which character distinguishes it from all other 

 species with which I am acquainted. There is no other known African species 

 that has the under tail coverts dark cinereous, except M. senegalensis, Lesson, 

 which, however, only generally resembles the present bird, so far as can be 

 gathered from the descriptions. 



99. Muscipeta Duchaillui, nobis. 



Generally resembling the Asiatic 31. paradisi, (Linnaeus) but smaller and 

 with the long feathers of the tail white in both sexes. Crested, bill wide, 

 somewhat depressed, bristles at the base of both mandibles long and conspicu- 

 ous, wing moderate, fifth quill longest, middle feathers of the tail long, others 

 graduated. Male, adult. Back, rump and upper tail coverts reddish chestnut, 

 head and breast shining greenish black, abdomen dark ashy. Quills brownish 

 black, greater wing coverts and tertiary quills widely edged with white, form- 

 ing a very conspicuous white longitudinal stripe on the wing, under wing co- 

 verts dark ashy (same as abdomen) middle tail feathers white, with their shafts 

 black at the base, outer tail feathers brownish black, several of the longer 

 edged with white on their inner webs. Female, adult. Back, rump, upper tail 

 coverts and tail snotvy white, the shafts of the tail feathers for about half the 

 length of the middle feathers and throughout the others, black. Crested, head 

 and breast shining greenish black, (as in the male) abdomen and under tail co- 

 verts white, the former mixed and striped with black on the flanks, quills 

 brownish black, greater coverts and outer edges of tertiaries white, under wing 

 coverts white. Bill and feet ashy bluish brown. Young % . Upper parts 

 white as in the female, but with longitudinal stripes of black, outer tail feath- 

 ers brownish black, edged with white, abdomen dark ashy, nearly black. 



Total length about 14 inches, wing 3}, tail 10, middle feathers exceed the 

 others by 6 inches, 



Hab. Camma river, Western Africa. Discovered by Mr. P. B. Duchaillu. 



[Jan. 



