1844-45.] DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME NEW SPECIES OF BIEDS. 13 



the head is of the richest speckled brown, witli a black streak down the middle ; the chin and 

 upper part of the breast are mottled richly with brown and black ; the breast is barred transversely 

 with black and rich fulvous, each feather being black at the base, then fulvous, and then a slight 

 edging of black ; on the belly, flanks, and under tail-coverts light tawny predominates, the black 

 edgings being narrow ; the wing-coverts are of the same rich mottled brown seen on the head ; 

 the primaries are coal-black, with rufous spots on their outer webs ; on the second quill eight of 

 these spots occur, as also upon the third ; on the underside of the wing the same spots are 

 visible though fainter ; the second quill is longest : the tail is also deep black slightly variegated 

 with brown ; the tail surpasses the wings by one inch and three tenths. The bill is very small, 

 and the tarsus as in Caimmidgus. 



Dimensions. j„^j,^^_ 



Total length 10 



Wing from shoulder S 



Tail 5^^ 



MUSCICAPA PECTORALIS *, n. Sp. 



It is with doubt that I refer this lovely species to the restricted genus Muscicajja, and yet its 



large size is perhaps the only objection to its being so classed. 



Both the male and female birds were sent to me from Malacca, and after a dilio-ent Madr. Joum. 



search amongst various authors, no mention can be found of them, and so 1 now describe ^'*' ^ ^°" 



xiii. ij. 162. 

 them as new. 



The male and the female birds agree in the general tone of the plumage, which is of a dark 

 indigo-blue, the points of difference between them being the rich claret-coloured breast, black 

 throat, cheeks, superciliary stripe, and forehead, of the male ; while in the female the whole 

 plumage is uniform blue, though perhaps darker on the throat and breast ; the dorsal plumao-e 

 is soft, long and puffy, and when ruffled shows white at the base of the feathers, as do also the 

 feathers on the flanks ; the male bird is slightly larger than the female ; the wings ai'e moderate 

 and slightly rounded, the fifth quill is longest, the others graduated ; the tail moderate and even ; 

 the tarsus is short and weak, the inner toe is shorter than the outer, and the inner and outer 

 claws are remarkably short. 



The bill is Muscica_pine, and resembles that of Chaptia miea, though more depressed ; the 

 upper mandible is distinctly notched, and the rictal bristles are strong and numerous ; the bill 

 only commences to be compressed near the end ; the base of the bill is thickly set with short 

 stiff feathers. 



Dimensions. -^^^^^^^ 



Total length 7 



Bill from base yi 



Wing from shoulder Zj~ 



Tail 3^ 



Tarsus ^ 



* [= rhihntoma vclatum (Tcmm.), vide Waldon, Ibis, 1872, p. 373. — En.] 



