184 ilUSClCAPIDJE. 



with light brown, the outer oues paler towards the tips; wiiig- 

 coverts and quills rather blacker than the back and edged with 

 lighter brown, becoming rufcscent on the margins of the innermost 

 secondaries ; a white patch on the wing, formed bj' the innermost 

 median and greater wing-coverts, which are also somewhat washed 

 with brown externally ; lores and a distinct eyebrow dull white ; 

 feathers in front of and below the eye and ear-coverts blackish, 

 washed with reddish brown ; sides of neck mixed with white, the 

 bases to the feathers being white ; cheeks and entire throat white ; 

 breast and sides of body orange-rufous, the middle of the abdomen 

 and under tail-coverts buffy white ; under wing-coverts and axil- 

 laries white, with the external bases black ; " bill black ; feet dark ; 

 iris brown" {E. Newton). Total length 5-3 inches, culmen 0-5, 

 wing 2-6, tail 1-9, tarsus 0-85. 



Adult female. Not unlike the male, but duller above and paler 

 below, the white on the wing scarcely perceptible, the innermost 

 greater coverts being ashy brown, edged or marked with white on 

 the outer web. Total length 5-4 inches, culmen 0-55, wing 2-5, 

 tail 2, tarsus 0-9. 



Hab. Island of Reunion or Bourbon. 



a, b. (5 ad. ; c. d. 2 ad. sk. Reunion {Beicsher). H. B. Sharpe, Esq. [P.]. 



5. Pratincola salax. 



rratiucola salax, J. S,- E. Veri: Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1851, p. 307 ; 

 JIartl. Oni. Westafr. p. 67 ; Cass. Pr. Philad. Acad. 1859, p. 39 ; 

 Hurtl. J. f. O. 18(31, p. 112; Gray, Ann. N. H. (3) x. p. 443; 

 id. Hand'-l. B. i. p. 228, no. 3279 ; Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 615 ; 

 Reichen. J. f. O. 1875, p. 50. 

 - Pratincola olax, Strickl. Conti: Orn. 1852, p. 133. 



Adult male. General colour above blackish brown, with almost 

 obsolete edgings of sandy brown, a little more distinct on the sca- 

 pulars ; upper tail-coverts white; tail-feathers blackish brown, 

 with edo-ings of lighter brown on the outermost feather ; wings 

 blackish brown, with remains of pale tips on a few of the greater 

 ooverts and inner secondaries ; a large white patch on the wing, 

 caused by the inner median and greater coverts, the innermost 

 secondaries being also white at the base of the outer web ; lores 

 biiff extending above the fore part of the eye ; sides of face dark 

 brown ; sides of neck mottled with white, the feathers being edged 

 with dull white ; throat ashy whitish, with dark brown base to the 

 feathers ; fore neck and chest rufous, forming a patch which contrasts 

 with the rest of the under surface, which is dull ashy white, the 

 thio-hs darker brown ; under wing-coverts and axiUaries dull white 

 witli dusky bases ; quills dark brown below, whity brown along the 

 inner web. Total length 5-2 inches, culmen 0-5, wing 2-8, tail 2-1, 



tarsus 1. 



Adult female. Different from the male. Above earthy brown, 

 with darker brown centres to the feathers, imparting to the upper 

 surface a somewhat mottled appearance ; upper tail-coverts white ; 



