578 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE CUCULIDjE [J line 17, 



Obs. Species a prsecedentibus ventre grisescente et fasciis alarum 

 ochraceis distinguenda. 



After a critical examination of many specimens of this bird, I have 

 come to the conclusion that there is only one species of wide distri- 

 bution. The original Mexican skin of Camptostoma imherbe is much 

 worn and faded and has an injured bill. But Mr. Salvin's Central- 

 American skins can hardly be distinguished from Brazilian skins 

 except by their rather smaller size. The specimens from Western 

 Ecuador have a paler rump; but this is perhaps attributable to 

 immaturity. 



4. Ornithion obsoletum. 



Muscicapa obsoleta, Temm. PI. Col. 2/5. fig. 1 ; Lafr. et D'Orb. 

 Syn. Av. i. p. 52. 



Elainea obsoleta, Burm. Syst. Ueb. ii. p. 480. 



Myiopatis obsoleta, Cab. et Hein. Mus. Hein. ii. p. 58 ; Pelz. 

 Orn. Bras. p. 106. 



Simile prcecedenti, sed major, et supra, nisi in pileo, olivaceo per- 

 fusum : long, tota 4, alee 2*2, caudce 1*8. 



Ilab. S. Brazil ; San Paulo, Parana and Goyaz (Natt.). 



7. On the Cuculidce of the Ethiopian Region. By R. 

 Bowdler Sharpe, F.L.S., F.Z.S., Senior Assistant, 

 Zoological Department, British Museum. 



[Eeceived June 3, 1873.} 



Africa is especially rich in scansorial birds. Besides monopolizing 

 the Musophac/idce., she constitutes the metropolis of the Indica- 

 toridce, and has likewise a large number of the Capitonidce peculiar 

 to herself. But her Cuculidce are not exclusively her own ; for 

 Europe, Asia, and Australia claim some representatives of the same 

 genera : indeed all the forms of Cuculine birds found in Africa are 

 represented by the same or by closely allied genera in other parts of 

 the Old World ; and in the case of the Cuculidce Africa exhibits no 

 Neogaean affinities. 



Setting aside the typical genus Cuculus, which is found over the 

 greater part of the Old World, the affinities of the African Cuckoos 

 uncjuestiouably incline to those of the Indian and Australian regions, 

 through the genus Centropus, being more particularly connected with 

 the former in the genera Coccystes and Ceuthmochares. The 

 Mascarene Islands exhibit decidedly Indian affinities ; for a Cuculus 

 occurs within their limits which is almost indistinguishable from a 

 Himalaj T an species, and is considered by more than one naturalist of 

 position to be absolutely inseparable from its Indian ally. Cochlo- 

 thraustes is also a Centropodine genus ; but at the same time the 

 large and important genus Sericosomus is entirely restricted to the 

 Mascarene subregion. 



For present purposes it will be sufficient to make two divisions of 



