392 Mr. D. G. Elliot on New Species of Birds. 



female lays two eggs, pure white, of an oblong form, and she 

 sits upon them alternately with the male. The young, when 

 they are hatched, are covered with a sooty-coloured down, which 

 in a few days changes to the plumage of the adult. There is no 

 difference between the sexes in the colour of their plumage. It 

 is not unusual to meet these birds in flocks of from ten to fifteen 

 individuals, scattei'cd over a small space at the distance of from 

 thirty to forty miles from the shore. When flying, it frequently 

 drops its feet upon the water, giving to it the appearance of 

 walking. Its food consists principally of the small Mollusca 

 which float upon the surface. Its note is shrill, and is always 

 heard in the morning and evening when it is about to take 

 wing. When it wishes to rise from the ground, it is obliged 

 to run for a short distance with extended wings. It sits upon 

 the water only when it has found some food too heavy for it to 

 raise, when it settles beside it. The specimen described was 

 taken in the month of May, and is a male. 



I have given it the name of "gracilis," on account of its 

 being the most slender in form of all the species yet known. 

 The general plumage is browner and more lustrous than in T. 

 wilsoni, to which it is most nearly allied; and the middle of the 

 abdomen is white, whereas in T. wilsoni the entire under surface 

 is sooty brown. The nostril is high and very open; in the 

 latter species it is rather depressed and closed. The tail is less 

 emarginated in this species ; and the bases of the two external 

 rectrices only are white, while in T. ivilsoni they are all white at 

 the base. The bill, tarsi, and feet are much more slender in the 

 present species. 



2. Sycobius CASsiNi, D. G. Elliot. 

 Capite supra et vitta latissima in pectore intense coccineis : 

 mento, jugulo, alis, cauda et corpore toto nigris : rostro 

 nigro; pedibus brunneis. 

 Jet-black ; upper part and side of head, nape of neck, throat 

 and breast deep crimson ; bill black ; legs and feet brown. 

 Length 5'3 ; wing 3-58 ; tail 2'45 ; bill "8 ; tarsus •8. 



This species comes from the forests of Gabon ; and I take 

 great pleasure in naming it after our distinguished ornithologist 

 Mr. John Cassin of Philadelphia, so well known for his various 



