233 



VIOLET- WINGED COURIER, 



Tachydromus chalcopterus^ SWAINS. 



Light brown above ; front, throat, rump, and body beneath, 

 white ; quills black, tipt with shining violet ; breast pale 

 brown, with a black band. 



Cursorius chalcopterus, PL Col. 298 Cursor chalcopterus, 

 Syst. Avium, No. 5. 



THIS is the largest and the most remarkable species 

 of Courier yet discovered; it connects this group 

 with Glareola, and is distinguished at first sight by 

 the peculiarity of its wings. The quills are deep 

 black, but each of them are tipt, for about half an 

 inch, with a rich metallic violet, changing either to 

 purple or lilac according to the direction of the 

 light ; these spots are margined behind by a narrow 

 line of greenish copper-colour, which also extends 

 to the edge of the lesser quills. "When the wings 

 are closed, these spots are brought together so as to 

 form a shining band, giving to the bird an appear- 

 ance no less novel than beautiful. It seems to be 

 a very rare species even in Senegal, for we have 

 never been able to procure more than one specimen 

 for our museum ; this we shall now describe. 



The general size is equal to that of the golden 

 plover, but from the length of the legs, the bird 



