180 MR. A. NEWTON ON TWO NEW BIRDS. [May 12, 



7. On Two New Birbs from Madagascar. By Alfred 

 Newton, M.A., F.Z.S. 



The collection of birds made by my brother, Mr. Edward Newton, 

 the Assistant Colonial Secretary at Mauritius, and a Corresponding 

 Member of this Society, on his second visit to Madagascar, besides 

 the species already described (antett, pp. 85 and 165), contains two 

 specimens of species which I believe are as yet unrecognized. Both, 

 as it happens, appear to be in immature plumage, and it is therefore 

 not without some degree of hesitation that I venture to characterize 

 them as new. 



The first is a Harrier, which I propose to call 



Circus macrosceles, sp. nov. 



C. aspectu Circo cyaneo generaliter similis, sed statura valde 

 majore. 



Descr. maris hornotini. Coloribus omnino ut in exemplis Circi 

 cyanei ejusdeni cetatis, sed striis scapinis ventris longioribus, 

 caudce tegminum latioribus, et rectricum transversalibus angiis- 

 tioribus clarioribusque. 



Long, tota 22* 75, alse plus quam 15*, caudse 10, tarsi 4, dig. 

 med. cum ungue 2/5, rostri culmiuis 2 poll. angl. et dec. 



Hub. In Madagascar. 



Mus. Norvicensi. 



Obs. I describe this species as new, chiefly relying on Mr. J. H. 

 Gurney's opinion. He is very confident that it is distinct from any 

 previously characterized, and considers that it comes nearer to C. 

 assimilis of Australia than to any other Harrier. Both in colouring 

 and size it is altogether unlike C. maillardi, which, in its immature 

 plumage, has some resemblance to C. ceniginosus ; while this is, as 

 stated above, more like C. cyaneus at that stage. (Cf. Sclater in 

 'Ibis,' 1863, pp. 163-165.) 



The next bird is a little Flycatcher, which, though not without 

 some doubt, I refer to the genus Erythrosterna, and propose to call 



Erythrosterna (?) brunneicauda, sp. nov. 



E. ad Erythrosternara parvam multo appropmquans, sed cauda 

 unicolore. 



Descr. foeminse junioris (?). Supra olivaceo-murina, remigibus 

 externe pallidius limbatis ; subtus rufescenti-albida ; rostro 

 nigricante, pedibus schistaceis, iridibus pallide Jlavis. 



Long, tota 4'62, alse 2, caudae 1*45, tarsi '71, dig. med. cum un- 

 gue "48, rostri '38 poll. angl. et dec. 



Hab. In Madagascar. 



Mus. A. et E. Newton. 



* In exemplo unieo remigum extremitates multo sunt abrascB ; si sint integrts, 

 probabiliter \^ poll. angl. longiores forent. In exemplo C. cyanei, ejusdem 

 sexus et (statis, ex Britannia., mensurce sunt 

 Long, tota 19, ate 13*5, caudae 85, tarsi 2-75, dig. med. cum ungue 1*88, rostri 

 culniinis 1"25. 



