1 . MESTTES. 245 



Sf Mag. N. H. (2) ii. p. 391 (1848) ; Bp. C. R. xUi. p. 876 (1850) ; 



Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 68 (1861); id. J. f. O. 1860, p. 162; 



Pollvn, Nederl. Tijdachr. Dierk. i. p. 317 (1863) ; Hartl. Vbq. 



Madag. p. 127 (1877). 

 Mesceuas varie8:ata, Reichenb. Handb., Columbaria, p. 6, tab. clxxvii. 



fig. 1538 (1850). 

 Mescenas unicolor, Reiclmib. t. c. p. 7, tab. clxxvii. fig. 1538 b. 

 Mesites variegata (unicolor), Schl. 8f Pollen, Faun. Madag., Ois. ii. 



p. 158 (1868). 



Adult female. General colour above clear chestnut, the head a 

 trifle more dusky ; the wing-coverts like the back, as also the inner 

 secondaries ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills dark sepia- 

 brown, the secondaries externally chestnut like the back ; lores 

 fulvescent; cheeks, ear-coverts, and sides of neck bright rulbus, 

 with a dusky streak above the ear-coverts extending down the 

 sides of the neck, and bordered above in the latter quarter with a 

 white streak ; throat and breast rufous, the former more or less 

 whitish, the breast paler than the throat and sliglitly mottled with 

 dark ashy margins to some of the feathers, these becoming more 

 frequent on tho abdomen, which is also very pale rufous ; sides of 

 body dull reddish brown, the feathers with ashy bases ; under tail- 

 coverts dusky blackish, with rufous edgings to the feathers ; under 

 wing-coverts and quill-lining slaty grey. Total length 10-5 inches, 

 culmen 0-85, wing 4-7, tail 37, tarsus 1-55, middle toe and claw 

 1-05. 



The male, according to MM. Milne-Edwards and Grandidier, is 

 maroon-rufous shaded with black, darker on the head ; the cheeks 

 are crossed by two reddish bands ; below white sprinkled with black 

 spots, the flanks rufous, barred with brown ; feet lead-colour ; iris 

 brown. 



Hah Eastern slope of the mountain-chain of Madagascar. 



fl. $ ad. sk. Forest of Ancaya, Madagascar. Purchased, 



