described by Linuseus and Gmeliu. 333 



vii. p. 452, seems to be nothing more than a variety described 

 from Courland. Beseke's account has been ignored by tlie 

 authors I have had opportunities of consulting [conf. Beseke, 

 Vog. Kurl. nos. 53, 54). 



C. madagascariensis, Gm., var jB, description taken, but 

 not acknowledged, from Montbeillard {t. c. p.364), who quotes 

 from a note made by Commerson. This traveller found it in 

 company with C. gigas, Bodd. " II a sur la tete un espace 

 nu," lightly furrowed, coloured blue, and surrounded by 

 feathers " d^un beau noir/' those of the head and neck silky. 

 Some bristles round the base of the bill. Inside of mouth and 

 tongue black. Tongue forked. Irides reddish. Thighs and 

 inside of the quills blackish. Feet black. Nearly of the size 

 of a fowl. Weight 13| ounces. Total length 21| inches. 

 Bill 19 lines, " ses bords tranchaus.'^ The nostrils similar to 

 those of gallinaceous birds. Eighteen quills in the wing. 

 Wings extended, 22 inches. The outer posterior toes capable 

 of being brought forward. The size of this species, together 

 with its possessing a naked space of blue skin on the head, 

 identifies it with Coccijzus delalandii, Temm. PI. Col. 440, from 

 Madagascar (1827). 



C. punctulatus, Gm., founded on Latham^s " Punctuated Cuc- 

 koo '' (Syn. i. pi. 2, p. 541. no. 39), described from a specimen 

 he had received among " various other birds from Cayenne." 

 Mr. Sclater considers it to be Diplopterus ncevius (L.), in adoles- 

 cent plumage. 



C. ridibundus, Gm., a bird of Mexico, founded on the *' avis 

 ridibunda" of the ante-Brissonian authors. Hernandez (Hist. 

 Nov. Hisp. cap. clxxix. p. 49) says that before the introduction 

 of the true faith it passed for a bird of bad omen. It is ap- 

 parently C mexicanus, Swainson (Phil. Mag. i. p. 440, 1827). 



C. ncevius, L., var. /S, Gm., founded, but without acknowledg- 

 ment, on Sonnini's " Oiseau des barrieres " (Montbeillard, op. 

 cit. V. p. 412), " common in Guiana and Cayenne," is possibly 

 C. navius, L., in some hitherto unrecognized phase of plumage. 

 Dr. Sclater is unacquainted with it ; and it does not appear to 

 have been identified by any author. If distinct, it will stand 

 as C. aeplorum, Vicill., Enc. iii. p. 1343. 



