230 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON RARE [Apr. 1, 



5. Descriptions of three rare Species of Flycatchers. By R. 

 Bowdler Sharpe, F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c, Department of 

 Zoology, British Museum. 



[Eeceived March 29, 1884.] 



Count Salvadori has recently forwarded for my inspection some 

 very interesting birds collected by the late Marquis Antinori during 

 the Italian Expedition to Shoa. 



One of the Flycatchers in the collection is an Alseonax, which 

 Count Salvadori considers to be A. minima of Heuglin. It is, 

 however, brown instead of grey on the upper surface, and in several 

 points does not agree with Heuglin's description, nor yet with his 

 plate, which, again, differs from his description. The fulvous 

 eyebrow, thighs, and under tail-coverts are all depicted in the plate, 

 although the description does not tally with the figure in this 

 respect ; but as these points are strongly marked in the specimen lent 

 me by Count Salvadori, I suppose it must be referred to A. minima. 

 I consider the latter to have been so badly described as quite to 

 justify the opinion of Drs. Finsch and Hartlaub that it was probably 

 referable to Alseonax adusta. I therefore append an amended 

 description. 



1. Alseonax minima. 



Muscicapa minuta, Heugl. Syst. Uebers. p. 31 (1856). 



Muscicapa minima, Heugl. J. f. O. 1862, p. 301 ; Finsch & Haiti. 

 Vog. Ostafr. p. 303, note (18/0) ; Heugl. Orn. N.O.-Afr. ii. p. 435, 

 Taf. xviii. fig. 1 (1871). 



Muscicapa fuscula, Finsch, Trans. Z. S. vii. p. 245 (1870). 



Alseonax minima, Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. iv. p. 129, note 

 (1879). 



Adult male (Sciolalit, Shoa, March 19, 1878 ; Antinori). General 

 colour above dark brown, slightly washed with ashy on the mantle 

 and back, the rump and upper tail-coverts more rufescent in tinge ; 

 lesser wing-coverts like the back ; median and greater series dark 

 brown, with rufescent brown margins ; bastard-wing and primary- 

 coverts nearly uniform blackish, the paler margins obsolete ; quills 

 blackish brown, with scarcely perceptible paler edges, much more 

 distinct on the secondaries ; tail-feathers ashy brown, narrowly edged 

 with a fringe of lighter ashy, the outer tail-feathers with a fringe of 

 whitish at the tips ; crown of head darker ashy than the back and 

 indistinctly mottled with dusky brown centres to the feathers ; base 

 of forehead washed with tawny rufous ; ear-coverts brown with a 

 slight rufescent tinge, the shaft-lines paler ; eyelid, feathers below 

 the eye, lores, and a distinct superciliary line pale tawny rufous, as 

 also the anterior portion of the cheeks ; chin and upper throat dull 

 whitish, slightly washed with rufous ; lower throat brown, with a 

 faint rufescent tinge, followed by a patch of dull white on the fore 



