COSSYPHA NATALENSIS.— Smith. 



AvEs. — Plate LX. — INIale. 



C. capito, cerviceque aurantio-brunneis, aurantio-tinctis ; dorsi summo, humerisque purpureo-coeruleis ; 

 dorsi imo, rectricibus duabiis intormciliis, dimidioque reetricis externae exceptis, partibusquo inferiori- 

 bns rubro-aurantiis ; rectricibus interincdiis, dimidio reetricis externte, remigibusque bruniieis, liis 

 extenie ccKruleo-griseo-marginatis ; oculis bninneis. 



LoNGlTUDO ab apice rostri ad basin cauda> i unc. 3 lin. ; caudre 3 line. 3 lin. 



Colour. — The upper parts of the head and neck orange-coloured brown 

 tinted with gall-stone-yellow, the latter clearest upon the neck ; the inter- 

 scapulars, scapulars, back and lesser wing coverts bright lavender-purple 

 variegated with gall-stone-yellow, many of the feathers, particularly the inter- 

 scapular ones, being of that colour towards the base of their inner vanes. 

 The posterior part of the back, the rump, the upper tail coverts, the inner 

 vane of the outermost tail feather of each side, and the four next to it inter- 

 mediate between gall-stone-yellow and deep reddish orange. The front, 

 eyebrows, space before eyes, sides of head and all the under parts bright 

 gall-stone-yellow, the belly and vent lightest. The primary and secondary 

 quill coverts, the primary and secondary quill feathers, the outer vane of the 

 outermost tail feather of each side and the two middle ones light chocolate- 

 red ; the primary quill coverts and quill feathers, with the exception of the 

 two outermost and three innermost of the latter, distinctly margined exter- 

 nally with lavender-purple, the last mentioned three and a few of the secon- 

 dary quill coverts are edged and tipt with light gall-stone-yellow, and each 

 of the latter has a spot of the same colour but of a brighter hue at its point.* 

 Bill brownish red, darkest at tiie base. Legs and toes a flesh-colour tinged 

 with brown. Eyes dark brown. 



Form, &c. — Figure rather slender. Bill nearly straight, the upper man- 



* Owing to this circumstance we are disposed to regard this as an immature bird, and as the feathers 

 of the head and neck are at their base of the same colour as the interscapular feathers, we are inclined to 

 believe that the head, neck, and back will be found to be of one uniform tint, when the bird shall be 

 obtained with the adult plumage. 



