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On the White-bellied Amethyst Starling.


THE WHITE-BELLIED AMETHYST STARLING.


Pholidauges leucogaster.


By Dr. A. G. Butler.


This beautiful bird was imported by Dr. E. Hopkiusou,

who presented the male from which our illustration is taken to

the London Zoological Society in 1906. Dr. Sharpe places the

species in the genus Pholidauges, and, as it is the rule of our

Society to follow the nomenclature of the “Catalogue of Birds.”

that name is retained here ; but Cinnyricinclus, adopted by Captain

Shelley, appears to have priority.


As an aberrant Glossy Starling it might be supposed that

this bird would fail into Oates’ family Eulabetidce ; he places

Calornis (a group of birds building pensile nests like many of

the Icteridee) in that family : Shelley however places Sturnus

between the Glossy Starlings and the typical Grackles, and I

am satisfied that be is right in doing so.


Oates’ family Eulabetidce is based upon a single character

—the presence of rictal bristles ; if, however, we restrict it to the

genus Eulabes (Mainatus of Shelley’s “Birds of Africa”) we

have a far better defined family. It is true that both Eulabes,

Calornis , Pholidauges, Eamprocolius and some species of Eampro-

tornis and Spreo lay spotted eggs, but there is vast dissimilarity

in the character of the nests of the different Glossy Starlings

just as there is among those of tli Icier idee, some building pensile

nests, others structures akin to those of the Corvidce, while others

again build in holes, and Fischer’s Starling seems to build like a

Weaver bird : then again there are exceptions as regards the

spotting of the eggs {Lamprotornis purpuropterus).


To my mind the great width and remarkable sexual

difference of the bill in Eulabes, the Co?vine aspect of the various

species, and their generally more clumsy build, sufficiently

distinguish them from the Sturnidce. I11 the character of the bill

there is a distinct suggestion of Ptilonorhynchus, only both

maxilla and mandible are less concealed under short stiff feathers.

I therefore do not agree with Professor Ridgway in ignoring Mr.

Oates’ family altogether, but would restrict it to Eiilabes.


The character of eggs, whether spotted or unspotted,



