1855.] 439 



Colors. Entire head and breast dull blue, every feather having a longitudinal 

 central line of a paler shade or light blue. Upper parts of the body, the abdomen 

 and several of the outer feathers of the tail fine rufous, palest on the abdomen, 

 quills dark brown, secondaries edged with rufous. Central feathers of the tail 

 dark brown, which is the color also of the inner webs of the feathers next to 

 them. Bill dark, tarsi lighter. 



Hab. Philippine Islands. Spec, in Coll. Ex. Exp. in Nut. Mus. Washington. 



Obs. This is a very handsome small species of this genus, and bears a re- 

 semblance to Muscicapa borbonica, Gm. Buff. PI. Enl. 573, fig. 1, which is an 

 inhabitant of the islands of Madagascar and Mauritius. From that species the 

 present birds may easily be distinguished by the pale longitudinal lines on the 

 blue parts of the plumage, in addition to which it is larger and has the tail dis- 

 proportionately longer. 



The only specimen that I have ever seen of this species is in the collection of 

 the Exploring Expedition, and is labelled as having been obtained at the Philip- 

 pine Islands. It belongs strictly to the same subgeneric group as M. borbonica, 

 and shows a general relationship to several other African species. It will be 

 figured in the forthcoming Atlas to my volume on the Birds of the Exploring 

 Expedition. 



2. Laniarius multicolor. G. R. Gray, Genera of Birds, i. p. 299, pi. 72. 

 Hab. Western Africa. Spec, in Mus. Acad. Philad. 



Obs. A single specimen of this handsome species is in the collection of the 

 Academy, and was obtained by Dr. MacDowell, on St. Paul's river, Western 

 Africa. 



3. Hyphantornis flayigula, Hartlaub, Rev. Zool. 1845, p. 406. 

 Hyphantornis Grayi. Verreaux, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1851, p. 514. 

 Hab. Gaboon country, River Moonda. Spec, in Mus. Acad. Philada. 

 According to Mr. DuChaillu, in whose collection are numerous specimens, the 



1 irds described as above are the two sexes of the same species. H. flavigula is 

 the female. 



In Mr. DuChaillu's notes now in my possession I find the following in relation 

 to this species : 



" This bird frequents the borders of the woods, or more frequently the tufted 

 bushes which are not found far from habitations. It is always in these thickets, 

 and if it were not for its cry, which indicates the place where it may be found, 

 it would be very difficult to procure it. It is always in company with its female, 

 and does not live in troops. Sometimes two pairs may be seen on the same tree. 

 This bird generally makes its nest in these very thick bushes and in the midst 

 of the leaves ; the two nests in my collection, I found within ten yards of a 

 house, and both contained eggs of a rose color." 



"This bird is found in the dry season and at the commencement of the rainy 

 season, when it disappears." 



4. Sycobius nigerrimus, (Yieill.) 

 Ploceus nigerrimus, Vieill. 



Hab. Gaboon country and River Moonda. Western Africa. 



Several specimens of this rare species, remarkable for the uniform deep black 

 of its plumage, are in the collection of the Academy. Some of them were col- 

 lected by Mr. DuChaillu on the River Moonda, and others have recently been 

 obtained in a collection from the Gaboon country, obtained in New York by Mr. 

 John G. Bell. 



5. Symplectes princeps. Bonap. Consp. Av. p. 107. 

 Hab. Lagos, Western Africa. 



A specimen of this bird is in an interesting collection made by John L. Burt, 

 M. D., of the U. S. Navy, at Lagos, and recently presented to the Academy. 



6. Hyphantornis castaneofusca, (Less.) 

 Ploceus castaneofuscus, Lesson. 



This bird is in Dr. MacDowell's collection from St. Paul'6 river, Western Af- 

 rica. 



