360 Messrs. Laj^ard on the 



of the shooting. We must state that L. L. was dressed in 

 one of our collecting-suits, which we had made for Para and 

 the Philippine Islands, thin, blue material, fitting close, and 

 full of pockets. In colour it resembles the stuff worn by the 

 peasantry here. 



In reply to his now angry tone, L. L. flourished his " per- 

 mis " at him, and the mien of " Dogberry " was instantly 

 changed. " Par bleu ! it's the English Vice-Consul ! Mille 

 pardones. (Bows and scrapes.) How could he know 

 Monsieur in that dress. (Handshaking and fraternite.) 

 Monsieur and M. le Consul were great zoologists. He had 

 orders to help MM. in every thing (in truth, orders have 

 been sent, by our kind friend the Governor, through all the 

 provinces that in case we travel every help should be given 

 us) . Had Monsieur had ' bon succes,' " &c. (More bows 

 and scrapes, and exeunt omnes.) 



The most interesting bird obtained the morning we visited 

 Ansevata was, to us, a novelty, both as to its genus and spe- 

 cies ; nor can we discover any clue to it amongst the papers 

 and descriptions already referred to. 



It was shot by L. L. in thick, low scrub, almost on the 

 sea-beach, where it was observed. It progresses rapidly by 

 short powerful leaps from bough to bough. He did not hear 

 it utter any note, as he only had a very short time to observe 

 it in*. 



P.S. February 2nd. — Since writing the above, I this morn- 

 ing paid a visit to Ansevata, hoping to procure another Rhi- 

 pidura ; and close to the place where we shot the other I soon 

 found a pair of birds. They struck me as very small; and 

 my astonishment may well be imagined when, on picking up 

 one that fell to the long gun's destructive powers, I found I 

 had the bird that had been described as the R. albiscapa from 



[* This specimen, wliich has been sent to us for examination by Mr. 

 Layard, seems referable to the species described by J. Verreaux (Nouv. 

 Arch, du Mus. Bull. v. p. 17, t. i. f. 2) as Mcjfalurulns marice. The figure 

 is by no means a good one, and shows a rather more rufous tint of plu- 

 mage than Mr. Layard 's example; but there can be little doubt that it 

 is intended to represent an individual of the same species. — Edb.] 



