49. FouDiA, 435 



back broadly streaked with dark brown ; lower back uniform, the 

 rump yellow, forming a band across it ; ujiper tail-coverfs light 

 olivaceous brown ; wing-coverts blackish brown, with greyish-olive 

 edgings to the lesser series, the greater and median coverts broadly 

 edged with whitish ; quiUs dark brown, tlio primaries narrowly 

 edged with yellowish, the secondaries more broadly margined with 

 whity brown, lighter on the innermost ; tail-feathers ashy brown, 

 all edged with olive-yellow ; head and neck all round bright yellow, 

 as also the breast ; the forehead, lores, sides of face, and cheeks 

 orange-scarlet, the throat also washed with the latter colour; feathers 

 in front of, and round the eye, black ; rest of under surface of body 

 light yellow, the flanks brownish ; under wing-coverts light ashy 

 brown. Total length 5'2 inches, culmen 0-G, wing 2-7, tail 2-1, 

 tarsus O'S. 



The series of male specimens is very complete, showing gradual 

 transitional changes from the time when the back is like that of the 

 female without any trace of the yellow band on the rump, the orange 

 colouring on the head and neck being ajjparently gained by a moult. 

 The yellow band across the rump appears to be assumed after the 

 yellow head and neck are fully coloured. Of two males killed by 

 Mr. Gulliver in ]S^ovember, 1874, one has the band tolerably well 

 defined, the other only shows its approach by the presence of a single 

 yellow feather. 



Adult female. General colour above brown, the head washed with 

 olive, all the feathers mesially centred with dark brown, more distinct 

 on the back and scapidars ; rump uniform brown ; wing-coverts 

 blackish brown, with greyish edgings to the least series, the median 

 and greater coverts rather broadly edged with white ; quills dark 

 brown, narrowlj' margined with olive-yellow, the secondaries with 

 lighter brown ; tail-feathers dark brown, with narrow olive-yellow 

 margins; lores yellowish ; ear-coverts olivaceous brown, with paler 

 shaft-streaks ; cheeks and under surface of body light yellow, the 

 sides of the neck ashy, the sides of the body light brown ; under 

 wing-coverts light ashy brown ; bill brown. Total length 5 inches, 

 culmen 0-55, wing 2-05, tail 2-1, tarsus 0-85. 



The size of the bill in this species varies very much in length and 

 also in stoutness. In some examples of the brown-plum aged birds 

 the beak is black, and these I take to be young males, as the black 

 bill is accompanied by a certain bright-yellow shade about the face 

 and throat, and the under surface is rather brighter yellow. 



Hah. Island of Rodriguez. 



a,h. (5; c,d. J Iiodriguez {J. Gulliver). Transit of Venus Exped. 



ad. sk. 

 e-h. c? ; i-m. $ Rodriguez {H. H. Slater). Transit of Venus Exped. 



ad. sk. 



2f2 



