192 EMERALD CUCKOO. 



in that is very pale ; the under tail-covers in this are 

 yellow and unspotted, while in that they are white 

 with two green hands on each feather; reddish - 

 copper is the predominant hue of the South African 

 species, a tint which in this is hardly perceived. 



The general cast of the plumage has already been 

 described ; the green terminates abruptly at the end 

 of the breast, all the remaining under plumage being 

 uniform yellow ; the under wing-covers are rather 

 paler, and a basal stripe on the inner web of the 

 quills is almost white ; but on all these parts there 

 are no spots or stripes whatever. The last is gra- 

 duated ; the outermost feather is white, with three 

 interrupted bands of green ; the next has a central 

 white spot and a white tip, but that which follows 

 is only tipt with white ; the outer half of the bill 

 seems to have been yellow. 



Total length 9^ inches ; bill, gape, T % ; front, f- 6 ; 

 wings, 4 T 4 5 ; tail beyond, 2 T 7 Q ; base, 4 T 4 Q, outer- 

 most feather 1 -f 6 shorter than the middle ; tarsus, 



iV 



Assistant Commissary General Weir favoured me 

 with the inspection of beautiful specimens of this, 

 and of many other interesting birds, collected by him 

 during his official residence at the Gambia station. 



