338 



Family COLIIDiE. 



(By R. B. SHARPE.) 



Palate desmognathous, 



Basipterygoid processes absent. 



Ctieca none. 



Ambieiis muscle absent. 



Left carotid only present. 



Sternum with four notches on the posterior margin. 



Feet pamprodactylous, all four toes being directed forwards, the 

 iirst one probably reversible. 



Hallux present, and connected with the flexor pei-forans digi- 

 torum ; the two plantar tendons blended. 



Tail-feathers ten. 



Spinal feather-tract well defined on the neck and not forked on 

 the back ; no bare tracts on the breast. 



Oil-gland tufted. 



Nest cup-shaped, placed in a bush. 



Eggs white. 



Range. Confined to Africa. 



1. COLIUS. „ 



Type. 



Colius, Briss. Oni. iii. p. 30-4 (1760) C. coitus. 



Rhabdocolius, Bp. Consp. Vol. Ants. p. 3 (1854). ... C. striatus. 



Urocolius, Bp. t. c, p. 3 (1851) C. macrurus. 



Cf. Shelley, Ibis, 1885, pp. 307-314. 



Range. Confined to Africa. 



Key to the Species. 



Mantle and back brown, generally vermicu- 

 lated with dusky bars ; tail brown or ashy 

 brown ; region of nostrils black. 

 a'. Lower back brown, not chestnut. 

 a" . Entire upper mandible black. 



a'". Head ashy like the back striatus, p. 339. 



V" . Head white leucocephalus, p. 340. 



b". Upper mandible black, with a yellowish- 

 white mark on the culmen. 



c'". Ear-coverts like the crown nigricollis, p. 341. 



d'". Ear-coverts white, contrasting with 

 the crown. 

 «'. Hind necli and throat with distinct 



bars of dusky brown leucotis, p. 341. 



h\ Hind neck and throat very indistinctly 



barred with dusky brown affinis, p. 342. 



h'. Lower back and rump maroon or chestnut . castanonotus, p. 342. 



