- 
~ 
1870.j MR. R. B. SHARPE ON BIRDS FROM MADAGASCAR. 397 
ornithological system seems to me certainly open to question. Mr. 
George Robert Gray, in his recent ‘Hand-list,’ places it in the 
family Pittide ; but with these birds it appears to me to have no 
direct affinity, as it wants the extraordinary development of foot so 
characteristic of these birds. Prince Bonaparte places it near the 
African genus Dilophus with apparently more discrimination ; but in 
habits it essentially differs, for Dilophus is Starling-like in all its 
economy. I should prefer to keep Philepitta away from the Turdide 
altogether, and to class it near the Paradise-birds, of which family it 
may be considered an aberrant genus. Indeed it seems to form a 
separate subfamily, which may be called Philepittine. 
If there is really no mistake in assigning Miiller’s name of castanea 
to the present bird, I can only give the learned Professor very little 
credit for discrimination—a point in which I feel sure that the most 
ardent admirer of the golden rule of priority, which so ruthlessly 
obliges us to allow the names of this “disturber” of ornithological 
nomenclature, would agree with me. 
Four or five males of this beautiful bird were sent in the present 
collection, mostly in the fully black plumage figured by Professor 
Schlegel (J. c. fig. 1) ; one or two, however, had a few yellow edgings 
to the feathers, the last remains of the immature plumage. Judging 
from this fact, it would appear that the Brissonia nigerrima of Hart- 
laub, the original type of which is figured by Professor Schlegel (/. ¢. 
fig. 2), is the young male assuming the adult dress. 
22. CAPRIMULGUS MADAGASCARIENSIS. 
Caprimulgus madagascariensis, Sganz.; Hartl. Faun. Madag. 
p- 25 (1861); E. Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 340; A. Newt. P. Z. S. 1865, 
p. 834; Grand. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1867, p. 353; Schl. et Poll. 
Faun. Madag. p. 64 (1568). 
Fam. Mrropip. 
23. MEROPS SUPERCILIOSUS. 
Merops superciliosus, Linn. ; Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 31 (1861) ; 
E. Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 340; A. Newt. P. Z.S. 1865, p. 834; Grand. 
Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1867, p. 355; Schl. & Poll. Faun. Madag, 
Ois. p. 60. 
Three specimens are in the present collection ; and an examination 
of them entirely confirms the opinion expressed by Dr. Finsch (J. f. 
O. 1867, p. 237) and upheld by myself (P. Z. 8. 1870, p. 145), that 
the Madagascar Bee-eater is identically the same as the continental 
_ species. 
Fam. CoraciaD&. 
Subfam. Coracianz. 
24. Eurysromus GLaucurus (Miller). 
Eurystomus madagascariensis, Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 27 ; Roch 
& E. Newton, Ibis, 1862, p. 270; E. Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 341; 
Proc. Zoou. Soc.—1870, No. XXVII. 
