86 DR. P. L. SCLATER ON A NEW MALACOPTILA. [Feb. 25, 
by the natives. The eggs are deposited by the birds in the sand 
about the borders of a large lake of brackish water situated in the 
middle of the island (evidently an extinct crater, as the soil in which 
the eggs are deposited consists of sulphureous sand), and are hatched 
by the heat generated in the mound, as in all the Megapodide. In 
Nua Fou Island the birds and eggs are, I am informed, under the . 
protection of the king, and can only be procured by his permission. 
T have seen the same kind of eggs from the New Hebrides group. 
Captain McLeod has promised, on his return to the island in a few 
weeks, to procure me some of the birds alive or eae when I shall 
be able to send you more accurate accounts.” 
The following papers were read :— 
1. On a New Species or MaAtacorrinA FROM WESTERN 
Ecuapor. By P. L. Scuater, M.A., Pui.D., F.RB.S., 
SECRETARY TO THE SOCIETY. 
(Plate VIII.) 
A re-examination of my specimens of birds of the family Bucconide 
mduces me to believe that I have confounded under the name Mala- 
coptila panamensis (Lafr.), which I assigned to a series of examples 
of this genus collected at Esmeraldas by Mr. Fraser, two species. 
One of them may probably be the true M. panamensis of Lafresnaye, 
though this must remain rather uncertain until the original of La- 
fresnaye’s description shall have been accurately compared with it ; 
the other I propose to call 
MALAcoptTiLa POLiopPis, sp. nov. (Pl. VIII.) 
Cinerascenti-fusca, dorso toto et alarum tectricibus maculis tri- 
angularibus albidis distincte notatis; pileo et facie cinereis; 
Sronte loris et plumis mystacalibus pure albis, his cinereo partim 
mixtis; laterum cervicis plumarum scapis elongate albido lineo- 
latis: subtus alba, pectore toto pallide fulvo; ventre summo et 
lateribus cinerascenti-brunneo variegatis: rectricibus et remi- 
gibus clare nigricanti-brunneis ; caude, ipsa immaculata, apice 
pallidiore, fulvescente: rostro plumbeo, mand. inf. in uno spe- 
cimine ad basin flavida: pedibus fusco-nigris: tectr. subalaribus 
pallide fulvis. 
Long. tota 7°0; alee 3°5 ; caudee 28; rostri a rictu 1°4 poll. Angl. 
et dec. 
Hab. in reg. litt. reipublicee Hquatorialis, Esmeraldas (Fraser). 
Mr. Fraser procured two examples of this species when at Esme- 
raldas ; and, as they are both marked females, I was induced to be- 
lieve they might be referable to that sex of M. panamensis of which 
(or of a species which I have referred to this name) he procured 
several examples. I am now convinced that these two examples 
cannot be referred to M. panamensis, that species being wholly of a 
rich reddish brown above, and having a deep ferruginous chest and 
a much larger amount of white on the frontal plumes. This bird is, 
