MELACONOTUS SIMILIS. 



the feathers somewhat pointed. Bill moderately strong anteriorly compressed, 

 culmen obtuse and curved from its base towards the point most distinctly ; 

 the upper mandible strongly hooked, the lateral tooth but slightly developed ; 

 nostrils close to the base of the bill, near to the commissure, and par- 

 tially concealed by a few recumbent bristles; point of lower mandible bent 

 upwards. Some short bristles towards angles of mouth. Wings rounded, 

 and when folded reach over the first third of the tail, the fifth quill-feather 

 rather the longest, the fourth and sixth equal and slightly shorter, the third 

 about one line shorter, the second about three lines shorter than the third, 

 and the first nearly seven lines shorter than the third. Tarsi moderately 

 robust, anteriorly scutellated, posteriorly entire ; toes strong ; claws rather 

 slender, all moderately curved and pointed, those of hinder toes strongest and 

 most arched. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Inches. Lines, 

 Length from the point of the bill to 



the tip of the tail 7 3 



of the bill from the gape . . 9 



of the tail 3 1()| 



of the wings when folded 3 6 



Inches. Lines. 



Length of the tarsus 11 



of the outer toe 4 



of the inner toe 3 J 



of the middle toe Sj 



of the hinder toe 3\ 



The viale of this species was not procured. 



Only one specimen of this species was obtained, and the structure of its feathers indicated 

 that it had not quite reached the age of maturity. The bird described by Swainson,* under 

 the name of 3Ielacunotus chrysogaster, is probably a male of this species, which has nearly, if 

 not actually, attained its adult plumage. The existence of two yellow bars upon the wings in 

 our specimen would argue against the identity, but as we know that such colours in this 

 group generally disappear as age advances, we hold their existence as no valid objection to 

 the conclusion, more especially as m Melaconotus oUvaceus we know that change actually takes 

 place, and even the yellow terminations of the external tail-feathers often disappear about the 

 age of maturity. 



Our specimen was killed near Kurichane, lat. 26" South, when searching for its food 

 (insects) among the branches of an acacia tree, and some others which were seen, though not 

 killed, were similarly employed upon similar trees in the same neighbourhood ; none were 

 found more to the southward. Those we saw were in locahties thinly covered with scattered 

 trees, and they evidently preferred the latter to a denser foliage, inasmuch as a choice was 

 offered. The last remark will also apply to Melaconotus olivaceus, which is always found among 

 the branches of lofty trees, even where the surface of the ground around them is densely 

 coated with brushwood, and forming just such a jungle as would please the true Melaconoti. 



* Jardlne's Naturalist's Library, Ornithology, vol. vii. page 241. 



