322 ME. E. B. SHAEPE OK A NEW SPEClfiS 



this genus toDr. G.E. Dobson, wlio has had the advantage of seeing 

 in Paris the types of Geogale aurita, the form to which, merely 

 from Prof Milne-Edwards' s description, I had originally thought 

 it most nearly allied. 



With regard to the arrangement of the flexor tendons of the 

 hind feet, on which Dr. Dobson* has recently laid much stress, 

 it would appear that this part in Microgale is still in a rather 

 early and undiff"erentiated condition, the two muscles in question, 

 i]iG flexor hallucis longus and the flexor digitorum longus, not 

 having become fully separated, as their tendons are united in 

 the sole of the foot, and form but one broad tendinous mass, 

 which splits up again into five digital slips. 



On a new Species of Sand-Martin (Cotile) from Madagascar. 

 By E. BowDLEE Shaepe, F.L.S., P.Z.S., &c.. Department 

 of Zoology, British Museum. 



[Read March 2, 1882.] 



The Eev. Deans Cowan has lately been exploring the Eorest of 

 Ank^fana in the Betsileo country, Madagascar, and has brought 

 thence a very large and interesting collection in all branches of 

 natural history. Amongst the birds there is an apparently un- 

 described species of Cotile, which I propose to call, after its 

 discoverer, 



Cotile Cowani, sp. n. 

 Adult female. General colour above dark sooty brown, slightly 

 paler on the lower back and rump ; wing-coverts like the back, 

 the inner greater coverts and inner secondaries rather lighter 

 and with slightly paler margins ; primary-coverts and quills very 

 dark brown ; tail-feathers very dark brown, with narrow paler 

 edgings, the outermost feathers very narrowly fringed with white ; 

 lores blackish ; ear-coverts and sides of face dark sooty brown, 

 the cheeks and throat ashy brown; remainder of under surface 

 of body dark ashy brown, including the thighs ; lower abdomen 

 whitish ; under tail-coverts pure white ; axillaries and under 

 wing-coverts dark ashy brown like the breast, the edge of the 

 wing with paler ashy margins to the feathers ; quills dark brown 



* Monograph of the Insectivora, p. 67 &c. (1882). 



