PCEOPTERUS LUGUBRIS 117 



Genus IX. PCEOPTERUS. 



Bill black, of moderate dimensions ; culmeu about 0-6 inch and shorter 

 than the tarsus. Wing pointed. Tail graduated, graduation more than the 

 length of the tarsus. Plumage glossed, and diti'ers in adults of the two 

 sexes, very strongly so in the wings, which in adult males have the quills 

 uniform blackish, while in the females and young males a large portion of 

 these feathers is rufous. 



Type. 



Pceopterus, Bp. C. R. xxxviii. p. 381 P. lugubris. 



Myiopsar, Cab. J. f. O. 1876, p. 93 P. lugubris. 



Stilbopsar, Reichen. Orn. Monatsb. 1893, p. 31 . . . P. stuhlmanni. 



The genus is confined to Tropical Africa and comprises three known 

 species. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



a. Tail longer than wing, with the feathers more pointed ; a 



blue gloss lugubris. 



b. Tail shorter than wing, with tlie feathers less pointed. 



a^. With a blue gloss stuhlmaniii. 



b^. With a bronze, and no blue, gloss kcnricki. 



Pceopterus lugubris. 



Pceopterus lugubrius, Bp. C. R. xxxviii. p. 381 (1851) Gaboon; Sharpe, 

 Cat. B. M. ilTp. 281 (1877); id. P. Z. S. 1878, p. 803, pi. 49; 

 Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 626 (1896) ; Reichen. Vog. Atr. ii. p. 705 

 (1903) ; Neum. J. f. 0. 1901, p. 569. 



Myiopsar cryptopyrrhus. Cab. J. f. 0. 1876, p. 93 Chiiichonxo. 



Adult male. Entire head, neck, body, scapular and lesser wing-coverts 

 glossy steel blue with a slight violet shade ; tail black with a glossy greenish 

 blue wash on the outer webs of the feathers ; remainder of the wings 

 brownish black with pale ashy brown edges to the greater coverts and 

 Secondaries ; under wing-coverts black with a slight blue gloss ; under 

 surface of quill uniform blackish brown. Iris yellow ; bill and feet black. 

 Total length 8-1 inches, culmen 06, wing 35, tail 4-5, tarsus 075, Denkera 

 (Aubinn). 



Adult female. Entire head, neck, body, scapulars and lesser wing- 

 coverts grey, slightly darker and more strongly glossed with blue on the 

 upper parts ; tail black with a slight greenish gloss on the outer edges of 



