204 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON NEW BIRDS FROM GABOON. [Mai", 17, 



with the adjacent parts decalcified. In Rana the dorsal cms. or otic 

 process, has been removed to show the course of the posterior division 

 of the seventh nerve (VII.p) over the columella auris, C.a. VII. a, 

 the anterior division, palatine or Vidian nerve ; /S>/, commissural cord 

 (sympathetic ?) connecting the ganglion of the glossopharyngeal and 

 pneumogastric (VIII. IX) with the coalesced ganglia of the fifth and 

 seven tli nerves (V, VTI). 

 Fig. (3. A transverse section of the left half of the decalcified skull of Rana 

 esculenta, to show : — in, the inferior cms or pedicle of the suspensorium ; 

 o, its superior crus continuous wilh the tegmen tympani, T. t, and the 

 posterior division of the seventh nerve, VII.^j, passing between these; 

 V, VII indicate the place occupied by the conjoined ganglia of the 

 fifth and seventh nerves. 

 7. The left ramus of the mandible of Minobranehus, viewed from within. 



Plate XXXII. 

 Fig. 1 ventral, fig. 2 left lateral, fig. 3 right lateral view of the heart of Meno- 

 branchus lateralis. Fig. 4. Dorsal aspect of the heart, with the auricles, 

 sinus venosus, and cava? laid open. Magnified 4 times. 



5. Enlarged view of the septum of the auricles, from the left side. 



6. The truncus arteriosus, with transverse sections (a, b, c), and laid open to 



show the posterior pylangial valves (d). 



S, sinus venosus ; A, auricular segment ; 7', ventricle ; T.a, truncus 

 arteriosus ; L.s.v.c, R.s.v.c, left and right superior vena? cava;; I.v.c, 

 inferior vena cava ; 8.a, sinu-auricular aperture ; P.v, pulmonary vein ; 

 p.v.a, opening of the pulmonary vein into the left auricle ; Pin, pylan- 

 gium ; Si/, syuangium. 



2. Description of two new Species of Birds from Gaboon. By 

 R. Bowdler Sharpe, F.L.S., "F.Z.S., &c, Senior Assis- 

 tant, Zoological Department, British Museum. 



[Received February 23, 1874.] 



(Plate XXXIII.) 



Mr. Henry Ansell has forwarded to the Museum a small collection 

 of birds formed by him in the vicinity of the river Danger, Gaboon, 

 during his leisure moments ; and although most of the birds are well 

 known, there appear to me to be two which are new to science. 

 One of them is a Centropus, which I shall call, after its discoverer, 



Centropus anselli, sp. n. (Plate XXXIII. fig. 1.) 

 Adult. Head and neck black, the former slightly glossed with 

 greenish, the latter with purplish-biue shades, less distinct on the 

 interscapulary region and upper back, which are dusky black ; lower 

 back and rump deep fulvous, with indistinct cross lines of black; 

 upper tail-coverts black, with cross lines of fulvous; whole of the 

 wing chestnut, darker on the coverts, the primaries dusky black at tip, 

 the inner secondaries entirely blackish ; tail black, the middle fea- 

 thers with a few indications of fulvous cross lines at base ; sides of 

 face black like the head ; entire under surface pale chestnut, the 

 under tail-coverts barred with black and pale fulvous ; under wing- 

 coverts pale fulvous. Total length 23 inches, culmen 1*6, wing 

 /•o, tail 1 1*5, tarsus T9. 



