5. PLECTROPTKKUS. 4& 



Sc. Lisb. 1873, p. 198, 1876, p. 289 ; Sclat. P. Z. S. 1877, p. 48 



(eggs) ; Boc. Jorn. Ac. Sc. Lisb. 1879, p. 153 ; Sclat. P. Z. S. 1880, 



p. 498 (Western and S. Africa!) ; Boc. Orn. Any. p. 491 (1881) ; 



Rchmv. Vof,. d. Zool. Gdrt. p. 67 (1882) ; Bohm, J. f. 0. 1882, 



p. 182 (Kakoma, E. Afr.) ; Pelz. in Holub, Beitv. Orn. Siklafr. 



pp. 310 & foil, (skeleton, p. 311, skull, pp. 314, 317) (1882) ; 



B. O. U. List Brit. B. p. 114 (1883) ; Sclat. List Vert. An. 8th ed. 



p. 415 (West Africa, but also Shiri5 River) (1883); Sharpc, 



Lai/ard's B. S. Afr. p. 746 (1884) ; Fischer, Zeitschr. ges. Orn. 



1884, p. 393; Biikm, J.f. O. 1885, p. 38; Fischer, ibid. -p. 115; 



Saiaid. YarreU's Hist. Br. B. iv. p. 304 (1885) ; Sclat. Ibk, 1880, 



p. 300, f. 3 (manus) ; Rchmc. J. f. 0. 1887, p. 40 ; Matsch. ihid. 



p. 144; Shell. P. Z. S. 1889, p. 371 (Tareba, Massailand) ; Shnrpe, 



Cat. Osteal. Spec. Coll. Surg.in. p. 296 (1891) ; Rchnw. Von. Bcutsch' 



Ost-Afr. p. 29, n. 37 (1894). 

 Plectrophanes gambensis, Brandt, Descr. et Leon. An. Boss. Nov., 



^re«,fasc.i. p. 6(1830). 

 Cbeualopex gambensis, Yarr. P. Z. S. 1841, p. 70. 

 Plectropterus sclateri, Soum, Jorn. Ac. Sc. Lisb. ii. p. 157 (Bissao 



(1809); Sclat. P. Z. S 1877, p. 48; Boc. Orn. Ana. pp. 493, 



490(1881) ( = gambensis). 

 Plectropterus gambensis, part., Lleugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. ii. p. 1275 



(1873). 

 ? Plecti-opterus riippellii, LLartert, J. f. O. 1886, p. Oil (Niger- 

 Benu(5). 



AchiU male. Upper parts metallic black, with green and purple 

 gloss ; neck rather browner ; breast and sides black ; sides of the 

 head, throat, smaller upper wing-coverts, abdomen, thighs, and 

 under tail-coverts white ; quills and tail-feathers black, with green 

 and purple lustre : frontal knob, bare forehead, and bill coral-red ; 

 naked part of cheeks grey ; nail of the bill white ; feet flesh-colour ; 

 irides hazel {specimen living in the Zool. Gard. in London, since 

 1890). Total length about 38 inches, wing 17-20, tail 7-9, bill 3- 

 3-5, tarsus 3-4-4. 



The forehead is more or less prominent, and in very old birds 

 shows a distinct frontal knob ; again in the older birds the cheeks 

 become more and more naked, and also in some a small and irregular 

 naked space appears on the sides of the neck (Bocage) ; according 

 to Dr. Biihm (J. f. 0. 1882, p. 182), there is much individual 

 variation as regards the size of the frontal knob and the naked 

 spaces on the sides of the neck. 



Female. Similar to the male, but smaller, and the naked part of 

 the cheeks less extended {Bocage). 



A female in the Zoological Gardens in London, acquired in 1890 

 and stiU living, is smaller than the male, has no frontal knob, and 

 the forehead feathered ; the feathers of the cheeks are white, as in 

 the male. 



The goung birds have the cheeks and the forehead entirely 

 feathered. 



Young in doicn. Pale yellowish, with the upper parts pale brown, 

 two ycUowish spots on the back at the base of the wings, and two 



VOL. XXVII. E 



