410 cucrLiDiE. 



5. Coua pyropyga. 



Coua pyropyga, Grand. Sev. et Mag. Zool. 1867, pp. 86, 255. 



Coua cristata, Tar. pyropyga, Grand. Bev. et Mag. Zool. 1867, p. 392 ; 



Milne-Ediv. ^- Grand. Hist. Madag., Ois. i. p. 146, Atlas, i. pis. 45, 



46 (1879). 

 Sericosomus pyropyga, Sliarpe, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 613. 

 Coua cristata (wee i.), Barthtt, P. Z. S. 1875, p. 67. 

 Coua pyn-hopygia, Ifa)il. Vog. Madag. p. 245 (1877). 



Adult. Very similar to C cristata, but distinguished by having 

 the white ends to the tail-feathers twice as broad and the under 

 tail-coverts tawny ; ii-is red ; legs grey (Grandidier). Total length 

 13'5 inches, culmen 0"95, wing 6-7, tail 8, tarsus 1"55. 



In deference to the authors of the ' Histoire Naturelle de Mada- 

 gascar ' I have kept their C. j^yrojiyr/a distinct from C. cristata, 

 not having seen the type, but the characters on which the two 

 forms are separated appear to me of small value. In true C. cristata 

 the under tail-coverts vary from white to a rufous-buff of the 

 same shade as the chest ; the white ends to the tail-feathers 

 generally measure 1-2 inches, except in one specimen with white 

 under tail-coverts, which has the white ends to the tail 2 inches in 

 length. 



Hah. Western Madagascar, south from Mazamba Bay. 



6. Coua verreauxi. 



Coua verreauxi, Grand. Rev. et Mag. Zool. 1867, pp. 86, 417 ; Gray, 

 Hand-l. B. ii. p. 208, no. 8893 (1870) ; Hartl. Vog. Madag. p. 242 

 (1877) ; Milne-Edu\ Sf Grand. Hist. Madag., Ois. i. p. 146, Atlas, 

 i. pi. 47 (1879). 



Sericosomus verreauxi, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 612, note. 



Adidt. Upper half of the head and back of the neck ashy grey, 

 with the ends of the long crest-feathers dull green ; mantle and 

 back greenish-shaded grey ; quills grey, broadly glossed with vcr- 

 diter-blue on the primaries and pale green on the secondaries ; tail 

 steel-blue, with broad white ends to all but the two centre feathers ; 

 under surface ashy, passing into white on the abdomen and under 

 taii-coverts : on the flanks a few rufous feathers : bare patch 

 round the eye small and bright blue; iris red; bill and legs 

 blackish. Total length 14-5 inches, wing 4'9, tail 7"8, tarsus 1-5. 

 {Mdne-Eduards and Grandidier, I. c.) 



Hah. The arid plains of South Madagascar. 



7. Coua ruficeps. 



Coua ruficeps. Gray, Gen. B. ii. p. 454, pi. 115 (1846) ; Hartl. Faun. 

 Madag. p. 61 (1861) ; Grand. Per. et Mag. Zool. 1867, p. 391, pt. : 

 Gray, Hand-l. B. ii. p. 208, uo. 88^7 (1870) : Hartl. Toe/. Madag. 

 p. 246 (1877, pt.). 



