202 BIRDS OF DAMARA LAND. 



Measurements of a female : 



in. lin. 



Entire length 81 



Length of folded wing 43 



tarsus 11 



middle toe 08 



tail 33 



bill 10 



[The specimen of which the measurements are given above 

 by Mr. Andersson is now in the collection of Mr. B. B. Sharpe. 

 Certhilauda subcoronata, of Smith's Zool. pi. 90. fig. 2, is pro- 

 bably not distinct from this species, with which Messrs. Verreaux, 

 Layard, and Sharpe inform me that they identify it. ED.] 



MUSOPHAGID^]. 



247. ColillS capensis, Gmel. White-backed Coly. 



Le Coliou a dos blanc, Levaillant's Ois. d'Afr. pi. 257. 



Colius erythropus, Strickland & Sclater, Birds Damar., Contr. Orn- 



1852, p. 151. 



Layard's Cat. No. 447. 



Colius capensis, Sharpe's Cat. No. 97. 



This species is somewhat widely diffused over Great 

 Namaqua Land and Southern Damara Land, through a 

 portion of the Lake-country, and in the valley of the 

 river Okavango. It is gregarious in its habits, being 

 found in flocks by day and also when roosting at night. 

 Its flight is short and feeble, seldom extending beyond 

 the nearest bush or tree, on reaching which it usually 

 perches on one of the lower branches and then gradually 

 glides and creeps upwards through the foliage, using 

 both bill and feet for that purpose. It is essentially 

 a fruit-eating bird ; but I believe, when hard pressed for 

 its regular food, it does not despise insects and the young 



