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L(^ 7 G-TAILED AFRICAN TODY. 



Platystera longipis, SWAINS. 



PLATE XXI. 



Cinereous above and beneath ; chin and middle of the body 

 beneath rose-colour; wings, tail, and sides of the head, 

 black, varied with white ; legs long ; bill slender, triangu- 

 lar. 



Le mignard, Le Vaill Ois. d?Af. iv. PL 154. 



THIS pretty species has been very well described by 

 Le Vaillant, although the figures accompanying his 

 account are too inaccurate to deserve the same com- 

 mendation. He states it to have the manners of 

 the true flycatchers, that is, of sitting in ambuscade, 

 and darting upon passing insects, as well as search- 

 ing for larva and apterous insects among foliage. 

 This latter habit at once accounts for the superior 

 size and strength of its legs over all its congeners ; 

 so true it is, that structure and economy go hand in 

 hand. 



Le Vaillant observes that this is the smallest fly- 

 catcher he had met with in Africa, and our figure 

 represents it of the natural size : the upper plumage 

 is dark cinereous, verging to grey, which becomes 

 dull black on the wings. A broad and deep black 



