48 BUFF-BODIED FLYCATCHER. 



in fact, which induced us, some years ago, to cha- 

 racterize the suh-genus Hyliota^ the characters and 

 affinities of which will he found fully detailed else- 

 where*. For the present, we may remark that it 

 has a general resemblance both to the African todies 

 (Platystera) and to the Old World flycatchers 

 (Muscipeta), and yet its hill is so much lengthened 

 and compressed on the sides, that it might at first 

 he mistaken for a Sylvia. It cannot, in short, he 

 arranged under any one group yet characterized ; 

 we are yet acquainted with only one example, for 

 we feel persuaded that the two hirds we shall now 

 describe are the sexes of one species. 



The male has all the upper plumage (excepting 

 the wing-covers and rump, which are pure white) 

 of a deep and glossy blue-Hack, which parts, in the 

 female, are of a deep grey ; the quills are paler, and 

 inclined to brownish, but their external edges are 

 glossy. This black colour envelopes the eyes and 

 the whole of the ears; it also spreads over the 

 shoulder-covers. The feathers of the rump are 

 long, soft, and pure white, but the tail-covers are 

 small and glossy black. The under plumage is 

 entirely of a pale but clear buff yellow, darkest on 

 the breast and lightest on the vent. The female has 

 the quills and some of the outermost tail-feathers 

 narrowly margined with white. In regard to struc- 

 ture, the wings, in proportion to the size of the 

 bird, are yery long, while the tail, which is perfectly 

 even, is proportionately short ; the bill is depressed 

 * Classification of Birds, vol. ii. 



