STURNID^G. 171 



337. Juida Aurata. (Gmei.) PL En., 540 ; 



* protomis Lucida, Norden ; Le Couigniop, Le Vail., 



No. 90 ; Lamprocolius Auratus, Sund. ; Lam. 



Ptilonorhynchus, Swain., Nat. Lib., Vol. 11, p. 140. 



ABOVE, glossy metallic- green ; head, tail, and plumage 



beneath, simple blue ; frontal feathers advancing and com- 



pressed forwards on the bill; shoulders and tail- covers, scale- 



like, and greenish- blue. There is a row of black velvety 



dots at the- tips of the lesser wing-covers, one on each fea- 



ther, and the same on the greater covers ; tail quite green ; 



Length, 10"; wing, 6"'; tail, 3" 9'". 



These birds, according to Le Vaillant, live in large flocks, and in 

 their migrations extend as far as the south of Great Namaqualand. 

 Sundeyall denies that they come within these limits ; but it is a com- 

 mon bird in Senegambia. I have received one specimen from Kuru- 

 man and two from Damaraland. 



338. Jllida DeCOrata. (Hart.) Lamprocolius Deco- 



ratus, Hart. Ibis., Vol. 1862, p. 148. 



ABOVE shining- green, changing into blue, especially on the 

 back and rump ; ears purple ; under part of throat and neck 

 shining green ; belly and vent black-brown, with blue 

 reflections ; tail and wing-feathers, dark black-brown, the 

 latter not notched, the former nearly even, slightly exhibit- 

 ing a barred appearance in certain lights ; middle pair and 

 outer webs of the rest blue-green, the blue predominating. 

 Length, 7" 9'" ; wing, 4" ; tail, 3" 9'" ; tarsus, 1" ; lateral 

 toes equal ; bill to gape, I". 



My specimens of this bird came from Natal. I know nothing of 

 their habits. 



339. Juida Phoenicoptera. (L.) Lamprotomis 



Phcenicopterus, Swain., An. in Menag., p. 360 ; Le 

 Nabirop, Le Vail., PI. 89 ; Lamprotornis ftitens y PI. 

 En., 561 ; Green Spreo of Colonists. 



SEA-GREEN, glossed with blue on the head, rump, tail, and 

 thighs, and with violet on the ears ; shoulder covers, 

 greenish-blue, margined by a flame-coloured and violet 

 band ; inner webs of the primaries with a central notch. 

 Length, 9" 6'" ; wing, 5" 4"' ; tail, 4" 2'". 



Abundant throughout the Eastern parts of the colony. Le Vaillant 

 first met with it on the borders of the Gamtoos River in vast flocks. 

 He says they are migratory, only visiting us during the dry season. 



