Mr. E. Newton's Second Visit to Madagascar. 345 



taining three eggs, supported between three or four bulrushes ; 

 and though at the time the water was low, the base of the nest 

 actually touched it. It is very neatly made, and in shape much 

 resembles that of Salicaria arundinacea ; it is composed of decayed 

 stems and leaves of grass and one or two feathers ; inside it is 

 lined with fine bents and feathers. The eggs measure '77 inch 

 in long diameter by '57 inch in transverse diameter; they are 

 pale greyish white, thickly spotted and blotched with pale lilac, 

 brownish orange, and haii'-brown. Iris hazel, upper mandible 

 dark brown, lower mandible dusky orange, inside of the mouth 

 and tongue bright orange, legs brownish lead-colour. 



25. Pratincola sihjlla (Linnseus). 

 " Fetah." 



Is very common on the open country in the neighbourhood of 

 Foule Point. Its song resembles that of the European species. 

 On the 19th of September, between Fenerive and Foule Point, I 

 found a nest of this species, containing three eggs, in a tuft of 

 coarse grass. The eggs are of a pale greenish blue, thinly freckled 

 and streaked with light rust-colour, very like some examples of 

 P. rubicola. Long diam. "78 inch, transverse diam. '58. Iris 

 dark brown, beak and legs black. 



26. Gervaisia albospecularis (Eydoux & Gervais). 

 "Todeah." 



I am indebted to Mr. Caldwell for a skin of this species (the 

 first I had seen), obtained at Betanaombe, near Tamatave, July 

 the 8th, 1862. I observed it, on our way from Foule Point, in the 

 scrub by the sea-side ; but on the coast I do not think it is very 

 common. Some fifteen or twenty miles up the Hivondrona we 

 found it in considerable numbers. In its habits it resembles a 

 Redstart, perhaps, more than a Stonechat j the male, perched on 

 a tall branch, sings a loud but monotonous song, every now and 

 then descending to pick up some small insect from the ground 

 and returning to its post, while his mate seeks the shelter of the 

 bushes and does not readily show herself. At Chasmanna, on the 

 2nd of October, I found a nest of this species in the stump of 

 an old tree which had been cut ofi" roughly some six feet from the 

 ground ; it was placed in an indentation about halfway up, quite 



