306 Dr. J. Murle on the Skin &c. of the Rhytina. 



are broadly tipped with pure white. The shafts assume the 

 colour of the webs they support. The under surface of the body 

 is rich creamy white, a few of the feathers with a broad, bold, 

 black, transverse band. On the breast a black band or collar, 

 formed by each feather being crossed by a subterminal black 

 bar. Head black mixed with ferruginous, the base of the 

 feathers being pure white. Cheeks and sides of the head and 

 neck covered with creamy-white feathers tipped with black. 

 Bill horn-brown. Legs, feet, and nails yellow. 



Examine No. 2 has the under surface pure white, each 

 feather with a broad black band or spot, which is again edged 

 with white. Under tail- and shoulder-coverts and inner webs 

 of the quills for half their basal length pure white. Head and 

 cheeks ash-grey. Nuchal feathers white at base, with greyish- 

 brown terminations. Back, wings, and ujiper tail-coverts 

 ferruginous brown, the ferruginous tint predominating. Upper 

 surface of the quills brown, with ferruginous borders. Under 

 surface paler brown, tinged with light ferruginous. Middle 

 pair of rectrices ferruginous brown, with one broad subterminal 

 black band. Faint traces of pure white on each side of the 

 shaft at intervals. The outer rectrices are broadly banded 

 with black and white. In some the white is irregularly 

 clouded with ferruginous brown. All are narrowly tipped 

 with white. Bill horn-brown ; lower mandible at base 

 greenish yellow. Legs, feet, and nails yellow. 



In both examples the third and fourth quills are equal and 

 longest 5 the second is equal to the fifth. The outer pair of 

 rectrices are much shorter than the others. The bill is ex- 

 ceedingly high and stout. The total absence of markings on 

 the quills and under shoulder-coverts, and the extremely stout 

 bill, distinguish this cuckoo from all known forms. Although 

 a much smaller bi^'d than H. sparverioides (Gould), its bill is 

 fully twice as deep. 



XXXIII. — On the Skin &c. of^/^eBhytina, suggestedhy a recent 



Paper of J)i\ A. Brandt's. By James Murie, F.L.S. &c. 



[Plate XIX.] 



Save one, the admirable Steller*, no naturalist has left a 



* "De Bestiis marinis,'' Nov. Comui. Acad. Imp. PclropoL t. ii. 

 1749-51. 



