﻿DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW BIRDS OF WESTERN AFRICA. 325 



5. Trochocercus nitens, Cassin. 



Trochocercus nitens, Cassin, Proc. Acad. Philada., 1859, p. 50. 



PLATE L. Fig. 4. Male. 



Of the same generic group as Muscicapa cyanomelas, Vieillot, LeVaill. Ois. d'Afr. 

 iv. pi. 151, but not intimately resembling that species. Crested, feathers of the crest 

 somewhat spatulate and presenting a distinct imbrication, bill rather strong, bristles 

 at the base of both mandibles strong and nearly as long as the bill. Wing moderate, 

 first quill short, fourth and fifth longest, tail rather long, graduated, legs and feet 

 weak but longer than in Muscicapa or Muscipeta. 



Total length about 5f inches, wing 2 i, tail 3 inches; ? smaller. 



Male. Head, breast, and entire upper parts of body, glossy bluish black, which is 

 also the color of the wings and tail, abdomen and under tail coverts light cinere- 

 ous, very pale and nearly white next to the black color on the breast, under wing 

 coverts white, bill and feet bluish. 



Female. Top of the head (or crest) only, glossy black as in the male, back and other 

 upper parts dark cinereous, without lustre, wings and tail ashy black. Entire un- 

 der parts light cinereous, darker on the throat and breast and very pale on the abdo- 

 men, under wing coverts light ashy, nearly white. Rather smaller than the male. 



Hah. — Country on the River Camma, Western Africa. Specimens in Mus. Acad. 

 Philadelphia. 



This is a second species of the same group as Muscicapa cyanomelas, LeVaill. 

 Ois. d'Afr. iv. pi. 151, as stated above. It is a very strongly marked and distinct 

 species with very simple colors, entirely without the white scapulars and tertiaries 

 which so strongly mark that bird, and are well represented in LeYaillant's plate, 

 above cited. The sexes differ in colors as described above, and specimens which I 

 suppose to be young males resemble the female. 



Several specimens of this interesting little bird were purchased from Mr. P. B. 

 DuChaillu, who states that he obtained them on the Camma River in Equatorial 

 Western Africa. 



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