542 Mr. E. L. Layard on a supposed new Aplonis. 



N.O.-Afr. ii. p. liv (1873) ; Antin. et Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. 

 Gen. iv. p. 434 (1873). 



Cypselus affinis, Boc. (nee J.E.Gray) Jorn. Sc. Acad.Lisboa, 

 n. xii. p. 269 (1871) (Angola). 



Cypselus sharpii, Bouv. Bull. Soc. Zool. Franc, i. p. 228, 

 pi. vi. f. 1 (1876) (Banane, Congo) ; Sharpe et Bouv. ibid, 

 p. 303. 



Cypselus finschi, Boc. Orn. Ang. p. 159 (1877) (Angola). 



Turin, Zoological Museum. 

 May 10th, 1881. 



XLIEI. — Description of a supposed new Aplonis from VatS 

 (Sandwich) Island, New Hebrides. By E. L. Layard, 

 C.M.G., F.Z.S.;&c., H. B. M. Consul in New Caledonia. 

 With Remarks by Canon Tristram, F.R.S. 



We have had for some time in our possession an example of 

 an Aplonis which did not occur to L. L. during his visits to 

 Vate, but which was subsequently forwarded to us in alcohol. 

 Unfortunately we cannot make out the sex ; but it is either a 

 young male or else a female. On this account we have hesi- 

 tated to describe it, but will not longer delay, as we see no 

 chance of obtaining more specimens from the same locality. 

 We propose, from the rufous colouring of the wings, to desig- 

 nate the species 



Aplonis rufipennis, n. sp. 



General colour above brown, with a rufous gloss through- 

 out ; front paler than the top and back of the head ; between 

 the eye and the nares a blackish patch ; wing-primaries 

 brown, anterior edges bright rufous chestnut, this colour 

 prevailing on the lower flanks and upper tail-coverts ; spurious 

 wing and two or three outer secondaries almost black, forming 

 a well-marked patch on the upper edge of the wing. Chin, 

 throat, and underparts grey-drab, the drab prevailing on the 

 two first-named places ; under tail-coverts much tinged with 

 rufous. Length 7" 3"', wing 4", tail 2" 6'", tarse 13'", bill 1". 



Neither in Gray^s ' Hand-list ' nor in his ' Birds of Tropical 

 Islands ' is there any mention of an Aplonis from the New 



