284 Capt. G. E. Shelley on the 



Stictoenas arquatrix, Reichb. Taub. 1855, p. 59, pi. 221. 

 figs. 1251, 1252. 



Stictoenas arquatricula, Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. ii. 1857, 

 p. 50. 



Forehead, front half of the crown, and the cheeks very- 

 deep vinous purple ; remainder of the sides of the head, 

 throat, and neck paler, of a more vinous lilac, shaded with 

 grey towards the chin ; back half of the crown and the nape 

 pearl-grey ; the feathers on the back and sides of the neck 

 are somewhat lanceolate and their black bases partially show ; 

 the base of the neck is bordered in front and on the sides by 

 a collar formed by the broad edges o£ vinous w^hite to the 

 feathers, these edges indented by the dark basal portion, 

 which is shaded with rufous purple ; upper back, smaller 

 scapulars, and the inner half of the wing-coverts deep purple- 

 shaded chestnut, passing gradually on the remainder of the 

 wings into leaden grey, which colour again shades into 

 brownish black towards the outer quills and into dark brown 

 on the inner secondaries and greater scapulars; the lesser 

 scapulars and the lesser and median wing-coverts are clearly 

 spotted with white ; the primaries are very narrowly edged 

 with white; the middle and lower back deep slaty grey, 

 shading into uniform black on the upper tail-coverts and 

 tail ; remainder of the underparts slaty grey ; all the feathers 

 of the chest have their edges broadly washed with purple 

 shaded chestnut, and have clear white terminal spots ; the 

 under tail-coverts are occasionally edged with white ; " iris, 

 bare skin round the eyes, entire bill, and legs yellow " 

 [Gordge). Total length 14-8 inches, culmen 0-85, wing 9, 

 tail 6, tarsus 1. 



Hab. S. Africa and Abyssinia. 



This species ranges throughout South Africa and, according 

 to Mr. T. Ayres, comes to Natal '' by thousands in the month 

 of June, leaving again in August ; they keep to the bush 

 along the coast, only a few stragglers being found a few 

 miles inland ; they feed entirely upon the berries which 

 abound on the trees in the bush during the winter months. 

 I have never seen them alight on the ground ; they are shot 



