On the Birds of Madagascar. 103 



with white. Primaries black, with a broad basal white patch. 

 Secondaries on their outer webs, and so much of their inner 

 webs as is exposed_, bronzy, with a narrow basal white patch, 

 the remaining portion being dull black ; tertiaries bronzy, 

 narrowly edged with blackish. Primary greater coverts 

 white ; lesser coverts dusky ; secondary and tertiary coverts 

 bronzy, suffused with dusky. Wing-linings and axillaries 

 white, the axillaries freckled on their inner webs with greyish ; 

 rest of under surface of wing, where not white, black, with a 

 slight gloss. Legs, feet, and claws yellow, claws tinged with 

 dusky. Bill orange-yellow, greenish blue at base. Irides 

 pearly grey. Length (from dried skin) about 8*5 inches, wing 

 4' 7, tarsus 1*4, bill from gape 1*2. 



The specimen was obtained at Paulu Tawer, on the Pahang 

 river, 6th August, 1891. The crest is not very full; but, as 

 most of the feathers are only partially grown, it is impossible 

 to say what the crest would be like in a fuUy-plumagcd bird. 



IX. — On the Birds of Madagascar , and their Connection with 

 Native Folk-lore, Proverbs, and Superstitions. By the 

 Rev. James Sibree, Jr., F.R.G.S.^— Part IV. 



[Continued from 'The Ibis,' 1891, p. 565.] 

 VI. — The Wading Birds. 



The Order of the Grallse, or Wading Birds, with its six or 

 seven families and numerous subdivisions, is represented in 

 Madagascar by about thirty species of birds belonging to the 

 Jacanas, Rails, Water-hens, Coots, Curlews, Sandpipers, 

 Snipes, Plovers, and Turnstones, as well as by a family 

 (Mesitidse) which is quite peculiar to the island. 



As might be expected, many of these water-loving birds 

 are very numerous in this country, as well as those of the 

 two following Orders, the Herons and the Wild-fowl; for 



* Reprinted from tlie 'Antananarivo Annual,' 1891, witli additions 

 and correetieus by the Autlmr. 



