324 [April, 



Descriptions of New Species of Birds from Western Jfrica, in the collection of the 

 Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 



By John Cassin. 



1. Bareatula Duchaillui, nolis. 



Form. About the size of Bucco philippensis, Briss. Wing with the first quill 

 spurious, fourth longest, but slightly longer than the fifth, tail somewhat rigid, 

 legs moderate, tarsi rather long, toes long. 



Dimensions. Total length (of skin) male 5| inches, wing 3}, tail If inches. 



Colors. Throat, neck before and breast glossy blue-black, which color bifur- 

 cates and is continued on each side of the abdomen. Head above scarlet, aline 

 from above the eye running downwards, on the side of the neck, light sulphur 

 yellow. Upper parts black, with a steel blue lustre, the lesser wing coverts and 

 many feathers of the back with small cordate and oval spots of sulphur yellow, 

 greater wing coverts edged and feathers of the rump tipped with the same. Quills 

 brownish black, edged on their inner webs w T ith yellowish white, and on their 

 outer webs with sulphur yellow. Middle of the abdomen and ventral region 

 pale yellow, sides (from the breast to the flanks) and under tail coverts greenish 

 yellow, all the feathers of which are widely tipped with that color and black at 

 base. Tail brownish black, bill and feet dark. Female similar to the male, but 

 with the colors less vivid. Another specimen (female) has many of the^pots on 

 the upper parts changed to chestnut color, and a trace of the same on the sides. 



Hob, Moonda river, Western Africa, discovered by Mr. P. Belloni Du Chaillu. 



Obs. This handsome species, though apparently properly belonging to this 

 group of the Bucconince is unusually large. It does not closely resemble any 

 other with which I am acquainted in any considerable degree, though of the 

 general appearance of the smaller African species. 



This bird is named in honor of its discoverer, Mr. P. Belloni Du Chaillu, an 

 enterprizing young traveller, who has explored extensive and almost unknown 

 regions of Western Africa, near the Equator, and whose discoveries in zoological 

 and geographical science are in a high degree important and interesting. Mr. 

 Du Chaillu ascertained the existence of three ranges of mountains at a distance 

 of 150 miles from the coast, in which he traced the river Moonda to its source. 

 The birds described in the present paper were collected during his journey along 

 the course of this river. In his collection there are also numerous species hitherto 

 little known, of which, and of those now described, his ample and interesting notes 

 have been most kindly placed at my disposal, and will be published at my earliest 

 leisure. 



2. Barbatula fuliginosa, nobis. 



Form. About the size of the preceding. Bill short, straight, wide, first quill 

 spurious, fifth slightly longest, tail short, legs moderate, toes long. Belong ap- 

 parently to the genus Gymnobucco, Bonap., and much resembles Gymnobucco calvus 

 in form and color, but is smaller and has the head covered with feathers, and the 

 toes much longer. 



Dimensions. Total length (of skin) male, 5f inches, wing3i, tail 2 inches. 



Colors. Head above dull yellow, throat cinereous, all other parts of the plumage 

 above and below fuliginous brown, some feathers on the abdomen, flanks and 

 rump obscurely edged with greenish yellow. Quills brown, paler on the inner 

 webs, tail dark brown, with a tinge of greenish yellow. Bill horn color, legs 

 dark. 



Ilab. Moonda river, Western Africa. Discovered by Mr. P. Belloni Du Chaillu. 



Qbs. This species, of which Mr. Du Chaillu assures me that his specimens are 

 adult birds, and of which male, female, and young are in his collection, is very 

 similar to Gymnobucco calvus, Bonap., which is also in the collection of the 

 Academy. The head above, however, is not bare as in that species, but fully feather- 

 ed, and this bird is smaller, though the legs and toes are stronger, and the latter 

 much longer. The bill is very nearly of the same form as in that species, being 

 wider vertically and shorter than in other African birds of this group. This 



