PSITTACIDJZ. 



217 



denly disturbed or alarmed. Their food consists of 

 berries and large berry-like seeds. 



This bird does not make any nest of its own, but 

 takes possession of nests belonging to other birds, es- 

 pecially Philetcerus socius and Plocepasser mahali. I 

 cannot say whether it forcibly ejects the rightful owners 

 of these nests, or merely occupies such as they have 

 abandoned ; but in the case of the first-named species, I 

 have seen the Parrots and the Grosbeaks incubating in 

 about equal numbers under the shelter of the same 

 friendly roof. The egg is pure white, not unlike a 

 Woodpecker's, but more elongated. The irides are of 

 an intensely dark brown ; the legs blue, with the faintest 

 tint of green ; the bill is greenish white. 



Measurements of a male and a female : 



Male, 

 in. lin. 



Entire length 6 10 . 



Length of folded wing ...41. 



tarsus 07. 



middle toe . . . Not recorded. 



tail 20. 



bill 6 , 



Female, 

 in. lin. 



CAPITONID^E. 

 260. Pogonorhynchus leucomelas (Bodd.). Black-throated 



Barbican. 



Laimodon leucomelas, Layard's Cat. No. 463. 



Laimodon unidentatus, Layard's Cat. No. 464. 



Poyonias leucomelas, Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 405. 



Pogonorhynchus leucomelas, Sharpe's Cat. No. 135. 



Marshalls' Mon. of the Capitonidtc, 



pi. 62. 



