M U S C I P E T A labiosa, 

 Ked'lipped Fli/catcher. 



Generic Character. — See PI. IIG. 



Specific Character. 

 M. nit'ule nigra ; rictu hibroso, rubro ; cruribus infra genua phtmatis. 

 Glossy black ; gape margined by a red skin ; legs feathered beyond 



the knees. 



1 HIS bird, though unattractive in its colours, is nevertheless 

 very remarkable. It may be almost said to have lips; for 

 round the gape, at each angle of the mouth, is a narrow 

 loose skin ; perfectly naked, and rather projecting. This 

 singularity is increased by its colour in the live bird ; which, 

 by a note attached to the specimen, is stated to be of a 

 beautiful red. It seems a species hitherto unknown, and 

 was found near the Great Fish River of Southern Africa. 



The figure is rather less than the natural size ; the whole 

 plumage deep black ; glossed with bluish green in every 

 part but the quill and tail feathers ; the quills inside are 

 grey, margined with olive ; the first of these is very short, 

 the second and third shorter than the fourth, and the two 

 next are nearly of equal length. The tail has ten feathers, 

 and is even, except the two outer pair, which are progres- 

 sively shorter. The bill rather thick and strong, the culmine 

 not very apparent, the upper mandible strongly notched, the 

 under but slightly; the nostrils are hid by thickset incum- 

 bent feathers, mixed with hairs ; these cover the aperture, 

 which is rather large, round, and encircled by a narrow 

 membrane. The legs are very short, the three fore-toes 

 united as far as the first joint, the hind-toe short; the claws 

 of all are small, and the sole of the foot perfectly flat, like 

 the Bee-eaters. I have been minute in noting these cha- 

 racters, because, although the bird will stand at present in 

 the great family of the Flycatchers, there is no doubt they 

 will hereafter be divided into distinct groups. 



PI. 179. 



