380 Capt. G. E. Shelley on African Birds, 



the abdomen and under tail-coverts are of a similar rufous 

 buff. 



The comparative dimensions of the three species are shown 

 by the following table : a. Type of C. accrcB ; b. Type of C. 

 fulviventris, Angola {Monteiro) ; c. Gaboon [Ansell) ; d. ^ ; 

 e. ? , C natalen-sis, Natal [Ayres) . 



Length. Wing. Tarsus. Tail. Culmen. 



in. in. in. in. in. 



a 8-3 5-8 -7 4-35 -45 



h 8-3 6 -7 4-2 



c 7-3 5-G -7 3-8 



d. 8-4 6-3 -85 4-4 



e 8-1 01 -85 3-9 



Neodrepanis coruscans, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1875, p. 7Ci, ? . 



Mr. Sharpe based the characters for his genus Neodropanis 

 upon the female bird. From the more recent discovery of 

 the male (a good specimen of which is in my collection) we 

 may add to these generic characters. In the male there are 

 large wattles round the eyes, covering the greater portion of 

 the sides of the head. The sexes are otherwise very similar 

 in plumage. 



The bare wattled skin on the sides of the head appears to 

 be grey ; but this is probably of a blue colour in life. 



Drymceca natalensis, Smith. 



The specimens sent me from Pinetown^ Natal, by Mr. T. 

 L. Ayres, of the true D. natalensis, Smith, differ very con- 

 siderably in their measurements, but are perfectly similar 

 in plumage. They differ considerably in the shade of 

 colouring of the upper parts from a specimen of D. curvi- 

 rostris, Transvaal (Ayres), but very nearly approach in 

 colour to some of my specimens of D. fortirostris from the 

 Gold Coast, which birds, however, agree entirely with D. 

 curvirostris , in colour, markings, and measurements. I 

 have long considered D. fortirostris and D. curvirostris syno- 

 nymous ; and I believe Z>. natalensis to be the same species in 

 pale plumage. 



For comparison I give the following measurements of twelv? 

 specimens: — a, h,c, ? . Pinetown (7". h. Ayres); d. Maritz- 



