EVEN-TAILED DRONGO. 257 



into a little point, terminating like a hair ; all these 

 feathers are narrow at their base, and broad as they 

 approach the tips ; so that the tail appears divari- 

 cated, although the actual depth of the fork is so 

 slight. 



The whole of the external parts of the plumage 

 are deep black, glossed with steel-blue ; the inner 

 web of the quills, however, are of a very deep vel- 

 vety black ; thus offering a singular contrast to the 

 species last described. The frontal bristles advance 

 beyond half the length of the bill, but they are not 

 very compact. The inner wing-covers are glossed, 

 and the under surface of the tail and quill-feathers 

 are deep black. 



Total length, 9 ; bill, from the gape, T % ; wings, 

 4/0 ; tail, from the base, 4; tarsus, T 6 Q. 



WALKING DRONGO. 



Melasoma edolioides, SWAINS. 



PLATE XXIX. 

 Entirely brownish black. 



OF this unattractive but very remarkable bird, we 

 have already spoken in the Fauna Boreali- Ameri- 

 cana or Northern Zoology, p. 151. At that time 

 we were ignorant of its native country, but no less 

 than three specimens have since fallen under our 



R 



