CHIZ^EHIS CONCOLOR. 



backwards from the forehead, and is formed of the elongated feathers of that 

 part with their vanes much decomposed. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Inches, Lines. 



Length of the tarsus 1 9 



of the middle toe 1 3 



Inches. Lines. 

 Length from the tip of the bill to the 



extremity of the tail 20 3 



of the bill 11 



of the wings when folded 8 6 



of the tail 10 



The female scarcely differs either in colour or size from the male. 



It was upon reaching 25° 24' south latitude, a point where the rivers began to flow to the 

 eastward, and the country to acquire a partial clothing of dwarf trees and brushwood, that this 

 species was first discovered. As soon as it was observed, the Hottentots declared it to be a muis 

 vogel, or Colius, Lin., and they persisted ever afterwards in regarding it as such, which was not 

 surprising, since it evinces considerable similarity to birds of that genus, not only in its carriage 

 when perched, but also in its mode of flight and in various other points which will be noticed 

 more at length hereafter. Its favourite resort seemed to be the immediate banks of rivers, and 

 it was seen either perched upon the highest branches of the trees which occurred in these 

 situations, or flitting to and fro among them in search of the fruits, which constitute its 

 principal food. It is a bird of short flight, and when disturbed and driven from any particular 

 haunt, it seldom passes the nearest tree without alighting, unless it may think itself not suffi- 

 ciently removed from the source of danger. When flying, it sometimes flaps its wings with 

 considerable quickness and vigour, but more generally it soars along with them completely ex- 

 tended, and even scarcely moves them until it has actually perched. When at rest, and with- 

 out any suspicion of danger, it has a clumsy dull appearance, with its head sunk to its 

 shoulders, and at such times utters occasionally a harsh cry resembling " mea." When 

 excited, however, by the appearance of an object of suspicion, or its attention is arrested by 

 any unusual noise, it exhibits a very opposite and elegant appearance : its crest, which in a 

 state of rest is generally recumbent, then becomes erected, while its head, if not its whole 

 body, is moved in various directions, as if endeavouring to discover the cause of its alarm ; 

 and at such times its cries are harsher and more frequent. The individuals first discovered 

 were extremely shy and watchful, but as we advanced in the country, where specimens were 

 more abundant, less caution was observed, and there were days when we might have shot at 

 least forty or fifty individuals had it been desirable. Besides the remains of fruits, the wings 

 and other parts of grylh were found in the stomachs of several which were examined. 



When first I became acquainted with this bird I was inclined to consider it as forming a 

 type for a new genus, which I proposed to call Coliphimns. Since my return to Europe, how- 

 ever, I have had opportunities of comparing it with ChizcBrhis of Wagler, and not having found 

 suflicient peculiarities to warrant its being regarded apart from that genus, the name by which 

 it was originally designated is consequently discontinued. 



