Imperfectly Described, Species of Birds. 150 



cornis, and it is with doubt therefore that I refer it to the 

 group ; the distribution of its colours show however a decid- 

 ed affinity to P. peregrinus, and in other respects it seems 

 nearly allied to it. 



The plumage is of a silky texture,and puffy upon the rump, 

 where it is of a rich golden yellow, and of a lighter hue than 

 the feathers of the throat and upper part of the breast which 

 are deep orange ; the lower part of the breast and the belly 

 are rich lemon yellow; the flanks are dusky and the under 

 tail coverts and scapulars pure white ; an orange coloured 

 streak commences at the base of the upper mandible and 

 passes round the eye to thenars ; the remainder of the 

 plumage is dull black. From Hong-kong. 



Dimensions. 



Total length.... 4^ inches. I Tarsus -finches. 



Wing 2 T V ,, Middle toe T \ 



Tail 2 „ j Hallux T \ „ 



Muscipeta alrocaudata, Eyton? 



Cat. of Malay Birds, Pro. Zool. S. 



A lovely species of Muscipeta now before me and shot near 

 Hong-kong, seems nearly to agree with Eyton's description of 

 the above named bird ; but as his description is very short, and 

 is taken from a Malay specimen, I take this opportunity of 

 fully describing my specimen, which is evidently an adult. 

 Head, cheeks, throat, breast and tail coal black without reflec- 

 tions ; belly and under tail coverts pure white ; flanks dusky ; 

 back, shoulder and wing coverts, deep glossy marroon purple, 

 inclining to black on the upper tail coverts. Primaries black ; 

 secondaries edged with the same colour as the back ; bill and 

 legs black, the head ornamented with a long black crest. As 

 there are some discrepancies between my specimen and Mr. 

 Eyton's short description, I add the latter. " Toto corpore 

 purpureo-atro, sed pectore imo abdumincquc alba/' 



