1871.] MR. R. B SHARPE ON BIRDS FROM MADAGASCAR. 317 



undescribed ; but I am not aware that he has published any descrip- 

 tion eitber of this or of a beautiful new Goatsucker, also discovered 

 by Mr. Crossley and purchased a year ago by the British Museum. 



Adult. Above dull grey, the rump tinged with rufous, the upper 

 tail-coverts being entirely of this latter colour ; the cheeks, forehead, 

 and eyebrow clearer grey, inclining to blue ; the lesser wing-coverts 

 dull grey like the back, the rest of the wing-coverts greyish black, 

 as also are the quills, which are pale rufous on the base of the inner 

 web ; tail rufous, tipped with black, the two middle feathers beino- 

 entirely black ; throat and breast blue -grey, lower part of the breast" 

 sides of the body, and the under wing- and tail-coverts orange-rufous ; 

 bill and legs greyish black, the soles of the feet yellowish. Total 

 length 6 inches, culm 0-65, wing 2-9, tail 2-3, tarsus 0-85. 



Young. Olive-brown, everywhere striped and spotted with ochre, 

 the shaft of each feather being marked with an ochre stripe broadening 

 out towards the tip into an apical spot, which is also margined with 

 black ; rump mottled with rufous ; upper tail-coverts entirely rufous ; 

 wing-coverts mottled like the back ; quills glossy brownish black] 

 edged with rufous ; tail rufous, the feathers shaded with brown to- 

 wards the tip, the middle feathers brownish, edged with rufous ; 

 under surface of the body yellowish brown mottled with ochre, each 

 feather being margined with blackish ■ the abdomen only slightly 

 marked with black edgings to the feathers. Total length 6 inches, 

 culm 0-6.5, wing 2'85, tail 2*1, tarsus 9. 



Another specimen, apparently a little older, has a few grey fea- 

 thers appearing here and there on the head and throat ; and the breast 

 is losing the mottled appearance and becoming entirely orange ; so 

 that it will be seen that the phases of plumage assumed by the bird 

 are very similar to those of our common Robin (Erithacus rubecula). 

 Apparently all Cossypkce go through the same changes, as I have a 

 series of the common ft caffra which exhibit like phases of dress. 



Family Nectariniid^e. 



44. Nectarinia notata. 



Certhia notata, P. L. S. Mull. Naturh. Anhang, p. 99. no. 32 

 (1766, ex Buff.); Walden, Ibis, 1870, p. 25. 



Nectarinia angaladiana, Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 52; Roch & E 

 Newt. Ibis, 1862, p. 273; Sclater, P. Z. S. 1863, p. 162; E. Newt. 

 Ibis, 1863, p. 343 ; A. Newt. P. Z. S. 1865, p. 834 ; Verr. in Vins. 

 Voy. Madag. Ann. B. p. 2 (1865); Grand. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 

 1867, p. 355; Schl. & Poll. Faun. Madag. Ois. p. 69 (1868); Sharpe, 

 Cat. Afr. B. p. 38 (1871). 



Two specimens from Saralalan. 



Family Parid.e. 



45. Hypherpes corallirostris. 



Hypherpes corallirostris, A. Newt. P.Z.S. 1863, p. 85, pi 13- E 

 Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 342. 



