1870.] MR. R. B. SHARPE ON BIRDS FROM MADAGASCAR. 387 
birds along with me with Brisson’s description, agrees that we must 
have here the species described by him. ‘The only point in which it 
does not absolutely agree is in the white spot behind the eye, which 
Brisson describes as fuscous; and he takes no notice of the white 
lores. This, however, will not warrant us in supposing that the pre- 
sent bird is not identical with the species described by Brisson, as 
will be seen from the following facts. I have now two specimens 
before me which differ from each other in some respects. In one 
the rufous on the head and breast is very distinct and pure, the lores 
and the spot behind the eye very pure white, as also the throat. This 
I take to be the adult male. The other bird is altogether duller in 
plumage, the spot behind the eye very small and dirty white in 
colour, while the lores are of such a dull white as hardly to be di- 
stinguished from the sides of the head, and I do not think could pos- 
sibly be so, if the skin were not very carefully prepared. This spe- 
cimen, which I take to be the female bird, agrees admirably with 
the descriptions of Brisson and Hartlaub. 
Fig. 1. 


Oxylabes madagascariensis, 
I subjoin the descriptions of two birds now before me. 
Male (?). Head rich sienna, obscurely fringed with brown on the 
forehead ; lores and a spot behind the eye pure white; ear-coverts 
duller sienna; upper surface of the body olive-green, inclining to 
rufous on the sides of the neck ; quills pale greyish brown, margined 
exteriorly with olive-green, especially the secondaries, the inner- 
most of which are entirely of a dull olive-green colour; tail dull 
