G88 SOME NEW BIRDS FROM MADAGASCAR— BICHMOXD. vol.xix. 



lobes, but a close examiuatioh reveals tbe anterior and posterior borns 

 making- tbeir ajipearance. Scattered over tbe upper back, bead, and 

 sides of neck are a few Avorn olive-green featbers not yet molted, and 

 two secondaries in eacb wing are olive-green, similar to tbose of tbe 

 female. Anotber adult male in very worn plunuige, in tbe National 

 Museum collection, sbot in January, is practically black, witb very 

 sli"-lit traces of yellow edges on tbe featbers of tbe forebead, under 

 wing-coverts, and sides of body. Witb tbese tbree males before me I 

 would argue tbat tbe yellow tips or edges of tbe featbers are not signs 

 cf immaturity, as snpi)osed by Doctors Sclater, Sbarpe, and otbers. 

 Unless VhiUpitta is ver> extraordinary in its manner of molting we 

 wonld expect tbe cbanges to be about as follows: First a nestling 

 plumage, succeeded, in tbe case of tbe male, by a plumage very mucb 

 like, if not identical witb, tbat of tbe female. This M'ould be tbe 

 immature pbimage. At tbe next molt tbe adult black livery would 

 be assumed, all tbe featbers edged witb yellow, and tbe Hesby orna- 

 ments over tbe eyes would put fortb. As tbe plumage becomes Avorn, 

 and tbe yellow edges disappear to a great extent, we bave the "adult" 

 plumage. According to this theory we would find tbe old birds iu 

 ''immature" plumage immediately after every succeeding molt. I 

 should like to see adult birds in molting condition, with new featbers 

 lacking tlie yellow edges. 



Family ALATTDID^E. 



53. MIRAFRA HOVA, Hartlaub. 



3/[(r«//"/-rt] liora, Haktlauu, Jour, fiir Oin., 18()0, p. 106. (St. Aiigustin Bay, ]\I:ula- 

 gascar.) 



Three specimens. Male adult, Andrangolsaka, Imerina, March l*G, 

 27. Two specimens. Male y(mng, Loboloka, east coast, June 24. 



I'amily MOTACILLID.E. 

 54. MOTACILLA FLAVIVENTRIS, Hartlaub. 



M\otacUla'^ Jlaviventrin, Hautlaub (exVEKUEAUX), Jour, fiir Orn., 1800, j). 94. 

 (Madagascar.) 



Two .specimens. Female adult, Mabanoro, April 20. Male adult, 

 Loboloka, east coast, June 24. 



Family TIMALIID.F.. 



55. COPSYCHUS INEXSPECTATUS, new species. 



Ty2)e. — Male adult, Xo. 151279, U.S.N.M., moutb of Eiver Fauantara, 

 ea.st coast of Madagascar, May 18, 1895; Doctor W. L. Abbott, collector. 

 I'ljpcr parts, chin, throat, breast, and sides of body, glossy blue black; 

 abdomen and under tail-coverts pure white; thighs black, the feathers 

 tipped witb wbite; tail and wings black, witb a slight greenisb gloss, 



