i8SS.] Elliot oh tin yunuiidic. ~l.O\ 



Metopidius africanus. 



Parra africaini Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1788, p. 709. — \'ieill. Nouv. Diet. Hist. 

 Nat. 1817, p. 447. — Less. Trait. Ornitii. 1S31, p. S39- — Swain. Zool. 

 llhi.s. 1S31-32, pi. 6.— G. R. Gray, Gen. B. 1846, p. 589. — Heugl. 

 Syst. Uob. Vog. N. O. Afrik. (1885), p. 255.— Kirk, Ibis, 1S64, p. 

 334. — MoNTEiRO, P. Z. S. 1S65, p. 90. — ScHLEG. Mus. Pa>s-B. Ralli, 

 1865, p. 69; ib. P. Z. S. 1S66, p. 425.— NiTzscH, Pterjl. 1867, p. 126. 

 — Poll. & Van Dam. Recli. Faun. Madag. 1868, p. 137. — Gray, 

 Handl. B. 1871, p. 70.— Anders. B. Damar-L. 1872, p. 328. — Gar- 

 rod, P. Z. S. 1873, pp. 469, 641 ; 1875, p. 348.— Heugl. Orn. Nord. 

 Ost. Afr. (1S73), No. 825.— Hartl. Vog. Madag. 1877, p. 354.— 

 FiNSCH & Hartl. Vog. Ost. Afr. 1870, p. 781.— Forbes, P. Z. S. 

 1881, pp. 640-642.— Layd. B. S. Af. 1SS4, p. 649. 



Metopidius africanus Wagl. Isis, 1832, p. 279. 



Adult: — Front and top of head bare, in life blui.sh black; back of heat! 

 and neck black tinged with green; throat, sides of head and front of neck 

 white, passing into golden jellow on the upper part of the breast; entire 

 plumage of the body bright cinnamon brown, divided on the under surface 

 from the golden hue of the chest by a narrow dark line. Tail dark cinna- 

 mon red, tips of rectrices greenish bronze. Wings reddish cinnamon, 

 primaries purplish brown, tips greenish. Metacarpal spur small and 

 blunt. Bill bluish black, pinkish at the tip; tarsi and feet ash color. 

 Total length, 10 in.; wing, 6; tail, i^. 



Habitat. Senegal, Gambin, Gold-coast, Gaboon, Benguela, 

 Damara-Land (Heuglin). Coroca River, Mossamedes, Humbe 

 (Anchieta). Okovango, Teonghe, and Bolctle Rivers (Anders- 

 son). Lake Nzami (Andersson). Natal (A}rcs). AlgoaBay, 

 Mozambique (Heuglin). Zambesi (Kirk). Madagaska, Zam- 

 besi (Kirk). 



Andersson says be never saw tbis sjDecies in Great Namacjua 

 Land, and tbat it is scarce in Damara-Land, but common at 

 Lake Nzami and tbe Okovango River. It goes in pairs or small 

 flocks, has a lively disposition, and is generally easy of approach. 

 In Natal, according to Ayres, it is found in considerable num- 

 bers in the lagoons and pools. Their food consists entirely of 

 the seeds of plants and small insects. 



Aphalus capensis. 



Parra capensis Smith, Birds S. Afr. 1849, pl- 3-2- — Anderss. P. Z. S. 1864, 

 p.7.— Ayres, Ibis, 1864, p. 360. — Gurn. Ibis, 1864, p. 360. — Anderss. 

 B. Damara-L. 1872, p. 330.— Layd. B. S. Afr. 18S4, p. 649. 



