JJ52 MUSCICAPID^. 



Muscipeta holosericea, Tmnm. Tabl. Meth. H. Col. p. 23 ; JBp. Cunsp. 



i. p. 325; Cass. Pr. Philad. Acad. 1859, p. 49, note. 

 Muscipeta mutata, Temm. Tabl. Meth. p. 23 ; Bp. Consp. i. p. 325 ; 



Schl. (S- Poll. Faun. Madag. p. 7Q, pis. 20, 21. 

 Muscipeta rufa, Sivains. B. W. Afr. ii. p. 60 (ex Levaill). 

 Muscipeta bicolor, Swaim. t. c. p. 60 (ex Levaill.). 

 Tcliitrea holosericea, Less. Rev. Zool. 1838, p. 277 ; Hartl. Faune 



Mndag. p. 45 ; Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 259. 

 Tcliitrea ^aimardi, Less. Pev. Zuol. 1838, p. 277 ; Gray, Gen. B. i. 



p. 2-59; Pucker. Ai-ch. Mns. vii. p. 372. 

 Tchitrea pretiosa, Less. Descr. Mamm. et Ois. p. 324; Llartl. Faun. 



Madaij. p. 46 ; E. Neu-t. This, 1863, p. 347. 

 Tchitrea mutata, Less. Rev. Zool. 1838, p. 277 ; Gray, Gen. B. i. 



p. 259 ; Hartl. Faune Madaq. p. 45 ; A. Newt. P. Z. S. 1865. p. 835 ; 



Schl. JV. T. B. iii. p. 84 ; id. P. Z. ,S. 1866, p. 423 ; Lm/ard, B. S. 



Afr. p. 147 ; Grandid. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1867, p. 385; Gray, 



Hand-l. B. i. p. 333, no. 5019. 

 Muscipeta gainiardi, Bp. Consp. i. p. 325 ; Ca^s. Pr. Philad. Acad. 



1869, p. 49, note. 

 Tchitrea, sp., Sclater, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 109. 

 Tchitrea spekii, Hartl. P. Z. S. 1865, p. 428*. 

 Tchitrea rufa, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 145. 

 Tchitrea caudata. Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 333, no. 5020. 

 Terpsiphone pretiosa, Cab. in Von der Derkev, Reis. iii. p. 24. 

 Terpsiphone mutata, Finsch Sf Hartl. Vciq. Ostafr. p. 306 ; Heugl. Orn. 



N.O.-Afr. p. 444, note; Sharpe, P.Z.S. 1870, p. 389; id. Cat. 



Afr. B. p. 44; id. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 867; Hartl. Vog. Madag. 



Adult female. General colour above orange-rufous, the tail 

 entirely of this colour ; wiug-coverts like the back ; primary-coverts 

 and quiEs blackish, externally orange-rufous, the secondaries more 

 broadly edged and the innermost exactly like the back ; crown of 

 head and nape glossy steel-blue ; lores, feathers round the eye, ear- 

 coverts, and sides of cro-svn behind ashy grey ; entire under surface 

 of body rich orange-rufous, paler than the back, including the under 

 wing- and tail-coverts ; quills dusky brown below, rufous along the 

 inner webs. Total length 6-5 inches, culmen 0-6, wing 2-9, tail 

 3-25, tarsus 0-6. 



Yoimr/ male. Resembles the adult female, but shows the first signs 

 of approach to a fuller plumage in the white edgings to some of the 

 greater wing-coverts. The next stage is a rich chestnut, with steel- 

 black head and ear-coverts, the wing-coverts and edges to the quills 

 white. One specimen in the Museum is assuming the white tail, 

 the two long centre feathers being black on the outer web, white on 

 the inner. That the exact sequence is not always followed seems 

 to be proved by the fact that another specimen, in paler orange 

 dress, with white-edged wing-feathers, is assuming the fuU white 

 dress of the adult by a moult, as on the back are some black feathers 



* The type specimen was shown to me by Dr. Pinseh, and there can be no 

 d(5ubt that it is referable to T. mutata. At the same time I do not believe that 

 tliis species really occurs in Eastern Africa, and I think that some mistake has 

 taken place as regards the locality of the specimen, which was preserved in spirits, 

 whereas Speke's specimens from Eastern Alrica were skinned. 



