— 96 — 



ANNEXE E. 



(Voir seance du 31 Aout 1883, page 60). 



Notes on the Birds, Reptiles and upon four species of 

 Lemurs of Madagascar {from the Antananarivo 

 Annual of Christmas 1882). 



Birds. — The Birds of Madagascar show the same 

 strongly marked peculiarity of character as the Mam- 

 malia. Upwards of one hundred species of land birds 

 have been determined scientifically, and of these not 

 more than half a dozen are known elsewhere, whilst 

 about fifty belong to thirty three genera which are 

 peculiar to the Island, and the remainder are endenic 

 species of African and Asiatic genera. The Baptores 

 are represented by one Eagle and several Hawks and 

 Owls. One of the Hawks has been adopted as the 

 crest of the Hova Government, and an immense figure 

 of the bird crowns the roofs of the two chief royal 

 Palaces, (The Silver Palace and Manjaka Miadana, 

 the Reigning-peacefully) at Antananarivo. There are 

 numerous Picoi wood -peckers and Passeres Perching 

 Birds, in the woods, none of which are remarkable for 

 their large size or musical capacity, but some of them 

 are striking in appearance from their brilliant colours. 

 There is a Kingfisher with a lovely purplish blue body, 

 a yellow breast and a scarlet throat ; a Weaver-finch 

 Foudia Madagascariensis L., about the size of a lark 



