NO. 1197. BIRDS FROM MADAGASCAR— OBERHOLSER. 245 



CISTICOLA CHERINA (Smith). 



Drymoica cherina Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr., Aves, 1843, pi. Lxxvii, fig. 2. 

 Cisticola cherina Sharpe, Layard's Birds S. Afr., 1876, p. 278. 



One example from Imerina. It is apparently an adult, and is in the 

 pliase having a uniform crown; the lower surface is almost without 

 yellow tinge. 



Family MUSCTOAPID^. 



TCHITREA MUTATA (Linnaeus). 



Muscioapa nmtata LiNN^us, Syst. Nat., 12tli ed., 1, 1766, p. 325. 

 Tchitrea mutata Gray, Genera Birds, 1, 1846, p. 259. 



Three specimens from East Imerina. One of these is a male just 

 assuming the plumage of the adult, the tail being white and black, the 

 lower xDarts mixed white and rufous. The two other individuals are 

 young males, one in the rufous plumage of the female, the second in the 

 dark, rich chestnut garb. 



The generic name Terpsipho7ie, currently employed for the group of 

 flycatchers to which the present species belongs, was originally pro- 

 posed by Gloger ^ as a substitute for Museipeta Cuvier,^ because Musci- 

 peta was considered " zu ahnlich und ganz gleich bedeutend mit 

 Muscicapa^ " and since the type of Museipeta is the South American 

 Todtts regius Gmelin { = Muscivora regia auct.),it follows that the same 

 species must be regarded as the type of Terpsiplione. This being the 

 case, Terpsiplione can of course not be used to designate the Old World 

 genus, for which the name Tehitrea Lesson ^ then becomes available. 



PRATINCOLA SIBILLA (Linnaeus). 



Motacilla sibilla LiNNiEUS, Syst. Nat., 12th ed., 1, 1766, p. 337. 

 Pratincola syMlla Bonaparte, Consp. Av., 1, 1850, p. 304. 



Two specimens— an adult male, somewhat worn, and a young bird in 

 the spotted plumage. 



NEWTONIA AMPHICHROAReichenow. 



Newtonia ampMcliroa Eeichenow, Journ. f. Orn., 1891, p. 210. 



Two examples of this rare species are in the collection. The points 

 of difference from Newtonia hrunneicauda given by Dr. Reichenow are 

 fully sustained by the two adult specimens in the ISTational Museum; 

 and, in addition, amphicliroa seems to have a somewhat larger bill. 



One of the present examples is in first plumage, and may be described 

 as follows: Grown, nape, and rump chestnut; back olive brown, tinged 



' Froriep's Notizen, XVI, No, 18, March, 1827, p. 278. 

 2 Kegne Anim., I, 1817, p. 344. 

 3Traite d'Orn., 1831, p. 386. 



