Genus Platystira and its Allies. 159 



As this gradually disappears the black pectoral band makes 

 its appearance ; thus specimens are met with in every change 

 of plumage, as regards the amount of rufous on the throat. 

 Immature birds, however, may always be told by the fulvous 

 edgings to the wings and wing-coverts; the underparts are 

 dusky white, the flanks conspicuously greyish. 



One specimen now before me seems to indicate that the 

 very young birds of this species must have a mottled plumage, 

 as the upper surface has remains of rusty cross-barrings, while 

 the under surface is entirely whitish, with tinges of rufous on 

 the upper breast. 



Hab. West Africa, from Senegambia to Gaboon. 



This is one of the commonest and best-known species of 

 the genus ; but it was some time before the sexes were properly 

 understood. It is also one of the oldest known ; for it is de- 

 scribed and figured by Brisson, and again by Buffon. The 

 latter, I suspect, has made up and coloured his figure from 

 the old plate and figure of Brisson ; for it is to be noticed that 

 they both omit the white chin, which is rather conspicuous in 

 the female. 



Specimens examined. 



Mus. Brit. — a, b, c. West Africa, purchased, d. West 

 Africa (Sir Andrew Smith) . e. Fantee (/. Gould) . 



Mus. R. B. S. — a-g. River Gambia,. purchased, h. River 

 Gambia (E. L. Layard). i. Sierra Leone (L. Fraser). j. 

 Accra (Sintenis ; cf. Finsch, /. c.) . k, I. Fantee (Aubinn) . 

 m, n. Sweet River, Gold Coast, Dec. 30, 1870, and Connor's 

 Hill, Cape Coast, Nov. 12, 1870 (H. T. Ussher). o. Yan- 

 coomassie, Gold Coast, Dec. 1871 (H. F. Blissett). p,q. Cape 

 Coast and Elmina, May 1872 (H F. Blissett). r, s. Cam- 

 eroons (A. Crossley, cf. Sharpe, I.e.). 



2. Platystira albifrons, sp. n. 



Platysteira melanoptera, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 566 (nee 

 Gm.). 



Similar to P. cyanea, but a little more glossy blue-black, 

 and distinguished by its white forehead. Total length l - 8 

 inches, culmen 06, wing 2'35, tail 2*0, tarsus 0"75. 



Hab. Angola. 



