and Remarks 011 some Laniadce. 



489 



Cape, has been regarded, for some time, by M. Lichtenstein * 

 as a distinct species, named by him gambensis, and distin- 

 guished by its larger size; by the colour of its wings and 

 back, which are fuscous ; that of the scapulars and tergum, 

 which are caesious ; and the tail, which is without any fringe 

 of white. These characters, as well as the locality, agree 

 with Mr. Swainson's description of his mollissimus ; so that 

 the name of gambensis has precedence over Mr. Swainson's 

 newly proposed name. I have also a specimen from Zanzi- 

 bar, which agrees more with the Cubla of Le Vaillant than 

 the other, except that the bill is nearly the length of the 

 head, and the wing coverts are not margined with white, nor 

 are the quills or tail feathers so margined. According to the 

 specimens from each locality which I have examined in the 

 British Museum, I find the longest quill in the Cubla is the 

 fourth, in gambensis; the third, in aftTnis; the fifth. But the 

 best mode of displaying the specific characters is by a synopsis, 

 which I will here add. 



MALACONO^TUS Sw. 



Cauda brevis, apice quadrata. — Hapa'lophus f G. R. Gray. 

 H. Cu v bla G. R. Gray. Mas. Supra caerulescenti-niger, subtus albus ; 

 alarum tectricibus et caudae plumis albomarginatis ; rostro brevi. — Fe- 

 mina. Niger, subtus rufescenti-albus ; dorsi plumis rufescenti-plumbeis, 

 alis rectricibus tectricibusque fuscescenti-nigris, omnibus albomarginatis ; 

 rostro pedibusque plumbeis, illo albomarginato. 



Maris long. 6 poll. 10 lin. Rostr. 9 lin. Al. 3 poll. 5 lin. Cauda, 

 3 poll. 2 lin. Tarsi L poll. 



Le Cubla Le Vaill. Ois. tfAfr., ii. 89. pi. 72. Lanius Cubla Shaw's 

 Zool.y vii. 328. ; Lath. Orn. Supp., p. xx. 

 Habitat ad Cap. Bon. Sp. 

 H. affi n nis G. R. Gray. Mas. Praecedenti similis, sed rostro capitis 

 fere longitudine ; alarum tectricibus concoloribus ; caudae plumis remigi- 

 busque leviter albomarginatis. 



* Lichtenstein's Verzeichniss der Doubletten des Zoologischen 

 Museum, 1823. 

 •f Hapalos, soft ; lophos, crest. 



