37^ CORACIIFORMES chap. 



dash at an intruder, or settle near him, jerking the head and 

 tail. Many adults are slaughtered for decorative purposes. 



The Ground -Eollers, Atelornis, Uratelornis, Geohiastes and 

 Brachypteracias, are curious forms, peculiar to Madagascar. A. 

 pitto'ides has green upper parts with a ruddy tinge, white bars 

 across the short primaries, a fine blue head and tail, except for 

 the two brown median rectrices, and a reddish-fawn lower surface 

 divided by a blue band from the white throat. A. crossleyi has 

 a rufous head and black gular stripes. Uratelornis cliimaera is 

 a nearly allied form. Geohiastes squamigera has the upper back 

 reddish-brown, the lower green ; the head and under parts are buff, 

 with black scale-like markings, and a black line down the crown. 

 The primaries are brownish, the tail shews a curious combina- 

 tion of green, blue, black, and brown. Brachypteracias leptosomus 

 is yellowish-green above, with bluish margins to the feathers, 

 and a purplish-brown head and neck, while the brownish tail 

 has a subterminal black and a terminal white bar ; it is white 

 below, banded or striped with chestnut and black. These forest- 

 species are almost entirely terrestrial and crepuscular, running 

 about in solitary fashion in the dusk, and carefully examining 

 the ground for insect-food, or scratching for worms and the like ; 

 occasionally they fly to a low branch, jerking the tail as they 

 aliglit. The eggs are said to be white. 



Sub-fam. 2. Lep)tosomatinae. This contains only Lepitosoma 

 discolor, the Kirombo or Vorondreo of Madagascar and the 

 Comoro Islands, which has a big crested head ; a long, slightly 

 hooked bill, overhung at the base by recurved loral feathers ; 

 linear nostrils, placed far forward and covered by a horny plate ; 

 metatarsi scutellated on both aspects ; and a partly reversible 

 outer toe. The wings are moderate, having ten primaries and 

 twelve secondaries ; the long, square tail has twelve feathers ; the 

 tongue is tapering, horny and channelled ; a large aftershaft is 

 present, and there is a considerable powder-down patch on each 

 side of the rump. The head is grey, glossed with copper and 

 green, the neck duller ; the upper parts are shining green and 

 coppery-red, the under parts grey with white abdomen. The 

 slightly larger female is reddish-brown above, with buff markings 

 and only a dull gloss ; the head is chiefly black, and the lower 

 surface fawn-coloured spotted with black. This curious bird is very 

 noisy throughout the day, uttering its note, which resembles the 



