MtTSlCAPIDifi. K? 



bordered with white, the centre feathers white, aud prolonged 

 to nearly three times the length of the body, very narrow 

 and pliant. 



Le Vaillant states that he found this species in the Coraquoi and 

 Kaboquoi countries, near the tropic ; but no one has ever seen anything 

 like it since, and it is thought to be one of his fictitious species. 



279. Tchitrea Mutata ; Musdpeta Mutata, Lin. J 

 Le Schet Noir, Le Vail., PI. 148 ; Cuv., Vol. 1, p. 330 ; 

 M. Bicolor, Swain. 



Head, neck, upper parts of back, and chest, bluish-black ; 

 under parts, except the vent, white ; wing-feathers black and 

 white ; tail black, with the exception of the two centre 

 plumes, which are white, with black shafts. The female is 

 less brilliant in colour, not crested, and has not the long 

 tail-feathers. 



Found, according to Le Vaillant, with the preceding. The males of 

 this, like those of the other two species, lose their long tail-feathers 

 when not in breeding plumage. Sundevall states that it is not a South 

 African bird, and I agree with him. 



• 



28Q. Tchitrea Nebulosa, Veiei. ; Musdppia 



Fluvicola, Swain. ; Sylvia Nebulosa, Veiel, ; Le Ne- 

 huleux, Le Vail., Vol. 3, PI. 149. 



General colour of the body, pure white ; tail and wings' 

 jet-black, the former with the centre feathers prolonged to 

 four times the length of the others, which are graduated. 

 In the female, the white is changed into an earthy-brown, 

 and the tail is not prolonged. 



In the non-breeding season, Le Vaillant says the males assume this 

 livery ; that he found this species in Great Namaqualand, inhabiting 

 trees overhanging rivers, and feeding on small flies. Their nests were 

 placed on the end of branches overhanging the water ; and the eggs, 

 five in number, were pale-green, speckled with brown. 



Sundevall shows that all this is utterly false, as the bird is com- 

 posed chiefly of the American Fluricola Bicolor, with a false back let 

 in, and the long tail-feathers of Vidua Serena attached. 



Genus MUSCICAPA, Linn. 

 Bill rather short, broad at the base, and the sides compress- 

 ed to the end, with the culmen much depressed, and slightly 

 curved to the tip, which is emarginated ; the gonys long and 

 ascending ; the gape furnished with bristles ; the nostrils 

 basal, lateral, and partly concealed by the fronted plumes ; 

 wings moderate, and rather pointed, with the first quill very 



