Zoological Society, 131 



American Ostrich (Rhea Americana, Briss.). 

 Length. Breadth. 



1-1898 1-3273 



A comparison of these measurements will show that the blood- 

 discs of the common Ostrich are slightly larger than those of the 

 Emu and of the Rhea. 



Mr. Fraser laid before the Meeting some new species of Birds, 

 constituting part of his collection formed at Fernando Po, and cha- 

 racterized them as follows : — 



Platysteira castanea. Platys. vertice genisque cinereis, mento 

 albo ; dorso, alis superrie, guld et pectore castanets ; abdomine albo, 

 appendiculis carnosis circum oculos rubris ; rostro nigro iridibus 

 rufescenti-fuscis ; tarsis cceruleo-purpurescentibus. 



Inter sexus baud coloris diversitas. 



Long. tot. Sy^g unc. ; rostri, /^j ; alse, 2^^ ; caudge, y^ ; tarsi, -f^. 



Hab. Clarence, Fernando Po. 



Found among the branches of the naked trees in June, sometimes 

 in pairs ; they are short and thick in form, the feathering being of 

 downy nature. Its note is short. 



This bird differs from Jardine and Selby's Platyrhynchus Desma- 

 restii, 111. Orn., vol. i. pi. 9. fig. 2, in having the chestnut back and 

 wings and the short black tail. 



Platysteira leucopygialis. Platys. (mas) capite, genis, collOt 

 dorso, alis, caudd et vittd lata pectorali, sic et femoribus e cmruleo 

 nigris, uropygio, guld et abdomine albis. 

 Long. tot. 4 unc. ; rostri, -f^ ; alse, 2y^ ; caudse, y% ; tarsi, -^. 

 Hab. Clarence, Fernando Po. 

 Found in the same situations as P. castanea. 

 Fleshy appendages around the eye, red; irides, red hazel; bill, 

 black ; legs, purplish : the gizzard contained insects. 



Tliis bird differs from Jardine and Selby's Platyrhynchus collariSf 

 111. Orn., vol. i. pi. 9. fig. 1, in having a white rump, the wings en- 

 tirely black, the band across the chest much broader, and the fleshy 

 appendage around the eye red. 



Ploceus collaris. Ploc. vertice, capitis lateribus, et mento, nigris, 

 torque collari lato, castaneo ; rostro nigro, tarsis fuscescentibus, 

 reliquis partibus aurantiaco, olivaceo et fuscescente variegatis, 

 fere ut in Ploceo textore {vide Ploceus Textor, Swains.). 

 Long. tot. 7^ unc. ; rostri, ly^ ; alae, 4 ; caudse, 3| ; tarsi, 1^^. 

 Hab. apud Insulam St. Thomas, Afric. occid. 

 This bird differs from P. textor in being of a greater size, in having 

 the chestnut collar encircling the neck, and the general colouring of 

 the body being less vivid. 



Euplectes rufovelatus. Buplec. (mas) vertice et nucha, nitidh 

 rubris, colore rubro in latera colli ducto ; corpore in toto nigro, 

 iridibus e corylo rubris, tarsis et rostro nigris. 



Long. tot. 7 unc. ; rostri, 1 ; alae, 4 ; caudee, 2^ ; tarsi, 1. 



Hab. Clarence, Fernando Po. 



K2 



