174 



STUKNID^E. 



4. Lamprocolius Ignitus*. (I'latu VII. tig. 1.) 



Lamprotornis iguit<a, Nordm. hi Ennaris Reis., Atlas, p. 7, Taf. 3 

 (18:35) ; Keulem. Nat. Tijdschr. iii. p. .384 (18U6). 



Juida ignita, Gray i^ Mitch. Gen. B. ii. p. 327, pi. 80 (184G). 



Lamprouoliiis Ignitus, Up. Consji. i. p. 415 (1850) ; Hartl. Orn. W.- 

 Afr. p. 1 16 (1857) ; id. J.f. 0. 185U, p. 1;J ; Do/irn, P. Z. S. 1866, 

 p. 328; Sharpe, Cat. Aft: B. p. 50 (1871) ; Hartl. Ahhandl. nat. 

 J'ci: Bremen, iv. p. 52 (1874) ; liockvbr. Faun. Sene<j., Ois. p. 229 

 (1884). 



Juida oruata (ncc Daud.), Gray, Hand-l. B. ii. p. 24, no. 0338 (1870). 



Adult female. General colour above metallic golden bronze, with 

 a little reddish purple on the mantle, scapulars, and lower back ; 

 rump and upper tail-covorts glossy steel-blue with a alight greenish 

 reflexion ; lesser wing-coverts steel-green ; median coverts steel- 

 blue, with reddish-purple bases, which appear velvety black with 

 the change of light ; greater coverts reddish purple with bronze 

 reflexion and velvety black towards the base under certain lights ; 

 bastard-wing and primary-coverts green with steel-blue reflexions, 

 reddish purple on the inner webs ; quills black, steel-blue along the 

 outer webs and at the tips, with a subterminal shade of purple, and 

 a fringe of the latter colour along the outer webs ; secondaries golden 

 bronze like the back, with purple and violet reflexions, velvety black 

 towards the base and with bars under certain lights ; tail-feathers 

 velvety black with golden bronze reflexions, violet on the edges and 

 metallic steel-blue at the ends, forming a broad band ; crown of 

 head, hind neck, and mantle metallic stccl-grcen, inclining to steel- 

 blue on the latter; lores and feathers round eye velvety black ; sides 

 of face and ear-coverts dark steel-blue, the feathers having a frizzled 

 appearance ; cheeks and a spot behind the ear golden brenze with 

 reddish-purple reflexions ; under surface of body golden bronze, 

 the throat glossed with purple and with steel-blue on the chin ; 

 sides of neck steel-green like the crown ; sides of breast slightly 

 glossed with purple ; lower flanks purple ; thighs and under tail- 

 coverts steel-blue with green and purple reflexions ; under wing- 

 coverts and axillaries dusky blackish with purplish bronze edges ; 

 edge of wing steel-blue with greenish tinge ; quills below blackish : 

 " iris white " {teste Hartlaub). Total length ] U"5 inches, culmen 

 0'95, wing 5'65, tail 3'\), tarsus 1*15. 



One specimen is greenish instead of golden bronze below, the back 

 Deing oily bronze ; the head is more blue than green, and the purple 

 shades on the lower back and rump predominate over the blue. 

 This peculiar colouring may be the eti'ect of worn plumage, or the 

 species may have two phases. 



* Lamprocolius ornatcs, 

 Choucador, Lcvaill. Ois. d'Afr, ii. p. 144, pi. 86 (1799) ; Siindev. CWt. om 



Leraill. p. 33 (1857). 

 Sturnus oruatus, Daudiit, Trade, ii. p. 3 )9 (1800, ex Lavadl.). 

 Juida ornata, Gray, Gen. B. ii. p. 327 (1846). 

 Sundevall thiuks that tbis is L. lyiiitHs (Nordia.), The plale is so inaccurate 

 that I prefer to leavo tlie species doubtful. 



