(50 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



93. Coracias Nuchalis,* Sw, B. of w. Af, p. 



110 ; C. Crinita, Shaw ; C. Levaillantii, Rupp. var. ; 

 Shaw, Vol. 7, p. 391. 



GENERAL colour rufous, tinged with green on the back, 

 inclined to red on the under side, with the shaft of the 

 feathers white ; wings dull rufous green, with purple reflec- 

 tions ; quill-feathers dark blue. Tail blue, with the two 

 centre feathers dull-green, even at the end, but rather long. 

 Head more rufous than the body ; forehead and chin buff- 

 coloured ; cheeks rusty red, with white shafts to many of the 

 feathers. Total length, 14" ; wing, 8J" ; tail, 6 J". 



Le Yaillant procured this bird in Kaffraria. I have received it from 

 tlie neighbourhood of Otjimbinque, in Darnaraland ; and one specimen 

 was shot near Middelburg, on the Eastern side of the colony, and sent 

 to me by the late MrjJ-O'Eeillyy magistrate gfaha/uplace. 



lA-wlrx, Co-V^VvT* +*YV^ , Vf 7 jf X_. 



94. Coracias Garrula, Linn., PL Eni., P . 486. 



HEAD, neck, breast, and belly are of a light pea-green ; 

 back and scapulars reddish-brown ; the ridge of the wings 

 and upper coverts rich deep blue ; the greater coverts pale 

 green ; the quills dusky, inclining to black, and mixed with 

 deep blue ; the rump blue ; tail somewhat forked ; the lower 

 parts of the feathers are dusky green ; middle parts pale 

 blue ; tips black. Length, about 12". 



Said by Hartlaub, B. W. Af., p. 29, to inhabit Natal. I have not 

 a specimen to refer to, and the foregoing description is taken from 

 Bewick's British Birds. 



95. Ooracias Abyssinica. (Lath) Shaw, Vol. 



7, p. 393; Albifrons, Shaw; C. Senegalensis, Gmel., 

 Edw. B., PL 327, var. ; Cuvier, Vol. 2, p. 186. 

 HEAD, neck, wing-coverts, and under-parts, light bluish 

 green ; forehead and chin, light buff; back, dark- brown 

 buff; shoulders, azure-blue ; quill-feathers of wings and two 

 middle tail-feathers black, the former reflecting blue, the 

 latter green ; base of all tail-feathers, except the outermost, 

 dark blue-black. The outermost feather on each side very 

 much prolonged, that part which exceeds the others being 

 very narrow and black. Rump blue. Length, 18" ; wing, 

 6j" ; tail, centre feathers, 6J"; exterior pair, 11". 



I have received this species from one or two places along the nor- 

 thern border of the colony ; also from the neighbourhood of Springbok 

 Fontein, in Namaqualand, and from Damaraland. In the colony it is 

 looked upon as a great rarity. 



* Swainson's type specimen is in the Cambridge Museum. 



