356 MUSCICAPIDJE. 



also not nglit, as the black upper tail-coverts are found in our red- 

 backed specimen (?) along with the white on the wing and on the 

 tail, and are evidently signs of an approach to the adult stage. 

 Spec, g is still chiefly black on the back and upper tail-coverts, the 

 white beginning to predominate ; in all other resx^ects the bird is in 

 perfect plumage. 



The specimen from Old Calabar has white under tail-coverts, and 

 is of a glossy steel-black without any green gloss on the head and 

 throat ; the axillaries are also white. The difference in the glossy 

 shade may be due to preservation in spirit ; while the white under 

 tail-eoverts and axillaries appear to be only a sign of perfect 

 maturity. 



Adult male. General colour above pure white, the middle of the 

 back slightly streaked with black ; wing-coverts white ; primary- 

 coverts and primaries black, the secondaries black broadly edged 

 with white ; some of the outer greater wiug-coverts tipped with 

 white ; tail-feathers white, slightly edged with blackish and with 

 black shafts, some of the feathers black with more or less white at 

 the tip and near the base ; head and crest, sides of face, and throat 

 glossy steel-green, extending upon the breast and gradually shading 

 off on the abdomen and under tail-coverts, which are dark slaty 

 grey ; thighs white ; under wing-coverts white, the axillaries slaty 

 grey with white edgings. Total length 14 inches, culmen 0*65, 

 wing .3'4, tail 3"8, middle tail-feathers 10, tarsus 0-55. 



The bird described not having a perfect tail, the entire length and 

 that of the centre tail-feathers are added from Dr. Smith's Old- 

 Calabar specimen. 



The observations on the change of plumage have been made from 

 West- African specimens ; but the Abyssinian and Sencgambian birds 

 are also found to follow the same sequence, and only one wide- 

 spread species can be recognized. I have noticed, however, that in 

 some of the males in changing dress the white tail is assumed by a 

 moult, while occasionally it is arrived at by a change of feather, the 

 actual feather itself changing from red to white without a moult. 



Hah. North-eastern Africa ; West Africa, from Senegambia to 

 the Congo. 



rt. Ad. sk. N.E. Africa. Purchased. 



b. Ad. sk. N.E. Africa. J. Gould, Esq. 



c. Imm. sk. Abyssinia. Dr. liiippeU [C.J. 



d. Imm. sk. Abyssinia. E. B. Sharpe, Esq. 

 e,f. Ad. sk. Efat, Abyssinia. Sir W. C. Harris [C.]. 

 (J. Ad. sk. Bogos Land. Herr Esler [C.]. 



k, i. (S ad. sk. Anseba Vallev, W. T. Blanford, Esq. [CI. 



Aug. 6, 18U8.' 

 k. $ ad. sk. Ailat, Samhar, W. T. Blanford, Esq. [C.]. 



June 28, 1868. 

 I. 6 ad. sk. Adigi-at, TigT^, W. T. Blanford, Esq. [C.l. 



March 25, 1868. 

 m, «. S ad.; o. 5 ad.sk. On the road to Colonel Sturt [P.], 



Magdala. 

 p. $ ad.; y. cJ juv. sk. Kokai (Jesse). II. B. Sharpe, Esq. 



