COSSIPHA HUMERALIS. 



rather convex at the sides in front of nostrils ; hook of upper man- 

 dible and emargination slightly developed. Bristles at angle of mouth 

 short and scanty. Wings rounded, and when folded extend a little be- 

 yond the base of the tail ; the fourth and fifth quill feathers equal and 

 longest, the third and sixth equal and slightly shorter, the second and seventh 

 rather shorter than the sixth, the first about half the length of the second, 

 broad and regularly formed. Tail long and slightly rounded at the point ; 

 tarsi in front scutellated superiorly and inferiorly, entire in the middle and 

 posteriorly. Outer and inner toes equal and considerably shorter than the 

 middle toe ; hinder toe nearly the same length as the lateral toes. Claws 

 pointed, and moderately curved ; the claws of the hinder toes longest and 

 strongest. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Inches. Lines. 



Length of the tarsus — 

 of tlie outer toe . 

 of the middle toe. 

 of the hinder toe , 



Length from the point of the bill to 



the tip of the tail 7 I5 



of the bill from the gape 9 



of the tail 3 2 



of the wings when folded ... 3 3 



In size and colour ihe/einale is like the male. 



The first specimen of this species was procured in lat. 26° South, and between that parallel 

 and the tropic of Capi-icorn we obtained many others. All the individuals seen were upon low- 

 trees or high brushwood close to rivers, either at rest on the branches or actively seeking among 

 the foliage for insects, which constitute their food. When in motion they were frequently 

 observed to raise and depress the tail by jerks, after the manner of the Motacillce, and occa- 

 sionally, though not often, to slightly spread and elevate the wings like the Saxicolco. They 

 shewed nothing of the shyness and vigilance of the latter, the approach of man appeared to give 

 them little uneasiness, and when a specimen was once seen, little precaution was necessary to 

 ensure its acquisition for our collection. 



Though this bird differs in some of its habits from the one upon which Mr. V^igors constituted 

 the genus Cossypha, yet in others, as well as in its structure, it assimilates so nearly to it as 

 not to justify us in continuing to regard it as of a different group. Cossipha vocifera, Vig., 

 frequents similar localities to our bird, and moves about among the branches of trees after the 

 same manner, but as far as we have observed it never jerks its tail or wings. The bird described 

 by Levaillant, under the name of Jan Frederic* {Cossipha Pectoralis), resembles strongly in its 

 habits C. humeralis; it occurs in similar situations, moves its tail in the same way, and in the 

 mode in which the colours are distributed there is considerable simihtude. There is one mate- 

 rial difference, however, to be observed between them, C pectoralis is more on the ground than 

 on trees or shrubs ; C. humeralis again is but rarely seen upon the ground. 



* Oiseaux d'Afrique, Plate c.xi. 



