34. LAMPROCOLIUS. 177 



nat. Ver. Bremen, iv. p. Gl (1874) ; Salvad. Ann. 3fus. Civic. 



Geiiov. (2) i. p. 199 (1884) ; Giyl. op. cit. (2) vi. p. 27 (1888) ; 



Saloacl. t. c. p. 297 (1888). 

 Lamprocolius abyssinicus, Hartl. J.f. O. 1859, p. 21. 

 Lamprocolius guttatus, Pr. Wiirtt. MSS. ; Heugl. J. f. 0. 1867, 



p. 294. 

 Juida abyssinica, Gray, Hatid-l. B. ii. p. 24, no. 6334 (1870). 



Adult. General colour above glossy steel-green on the mantle, 

 upper back, and scapulars ; lower back, rump, and upper tail- 

 coverts deep steel-blue, with slight violet and steel-green reflexions ; 

 wing-coverts like the back, the median and greater coverts with a 

 subterminal spot of velvety black ; the inner lesser coverts deep 

 purple and violet, but not coppery, showing a distinct shoulder- 

 patch ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills black, externally 

 steel-green, with more or less steel-blue reflexions, the secondaries 

 with a terminal velvety black spot ; tail-feathers violet-blue, with 

 a slight shade of steel-green on the outer webs ; crown of head deep 

 steel-blue, with a distinct violet shade on the nape and hind neck, 

 contrasting with the crown and back ; lores velvety black ; sides of 

 face deep steel-blue, violet-blue on the ear-coverts and sides of neck ; 

 checks and throat as well as the fore neck and chest glossy steel- 

 green, with slight bluish reflexions ; breast and abdomen purplish 

 blue, as well as the sides of body, flanks, and thighs ; under tail- 

 coverts steel-blue ; under wing-coverts and axillaries reddish 

 purple, the edge of the wing steel-blue ; quills below blackish : 

 " bill and feet black ; iris golden yellow " (He^igUn). Total length 

 10-3 inches, culmcn 0"95, wing 6, tail 4-65, tarsus 1-35. 



Young. Much more dusky than the adult, the metallic colours 

 more feebly developed and the abdomen blackish, with scarcely any 

 purplish gloss : " iris citron-yellow " {Antinori). 



A nestling is said by Count Salvadori to have been more metallic 

 green than full-grown young birds. 



I was inclined at first to recognize two forms of L. c7ud>/heus, 

 one with a purplish-blue shoulder-spot and the other with a coppery- 

 red or violet one. I have, however, found a perfect gradation 

 between these two forms, and I imagine that the brilliant shoulder- 

 spot increases in intensity with age and becomes more red. Size 

 appears to be of no value whatever in this species, although as a 

 rule the males are larger than the females. In the Museum series 

 the males have the wing from 5*3 to 6 inches, and the females 

 from 5'05 to 5"35 inches, while one of Mr. Blanford's specimens 

 reaches 5"9 inches. 



Hab. North-eastern Africa and Senegambia. 



Abyssinia. Piircliased. 



Abj'ssinia {Col. Stiirt). Hume Coll. 



Senafe ( W. Jesse). Sliarpe Coll. 



Senaf.5, April 14, 18G8 ( W. Jesse). Tweeddale Coll. 



Seiiaft^, April 12, 1868 ( W. Jesse). Sharpe Coll. 



EikhuUut, Tigrg, May 11, 1868. W. T. Blauford, 



Esq. [C.]. 



