﻿species, there can be no doubt that the specimen described by Brisson really came from 

 that island. 



The rarity of Corythornus vintsioides in collections, and our comparatively small know- 

 ledge of the ornithology of Madagascar, renders the account of its habitats very meagre, but 

 in the valuable work recently published by Messrs. Pollen and Van Dam we find the fol- 

 lowing interesting passage concerning it: — 



" This bird is very common in Madagascar and Mayotte. It is always to be seen on 

 the borders of the rivers, brooks, lakes, cataracts, and in the forests of mangroves which extend 

 along the sea-coast. It feeds on little fishes and certain aquatic insects, on which it preci- 

 pitates itself with great rapidity. In other respects it lives in the same manner as our 

 common Kingfisher, and has a very similar cry. At Mayotte it is often seen perched on 

 the leaves of the sugar-cane, near the canals which traverse the fields, having its eyes 

 continuously fixed on the water, and awaiting, with patience, the moment when a little 

 fish or an insect presents itself underneath, to precipitate itself upon it swiftly by 

 plunging into the water. Having seized its prey, it returns to devour it, to the branch 

 that it has just quitted ; it may be seen lifting its crest, raising and lowering its head, 

 and remaining, often for an hour together, in an almost immovable position. This 

 species is by no means shy, and allows itself to be easily approached. It lives almost 

 always solitary, sometimes in pairs, and it is only on rare occasions that more than 

 three individuals are seen together. We have found this bird at Mayotte, Nossi-be, Nossi- 

 falie, Tani-kelv, Nossi-Bourrah and Madagascar. In this latter island it bears the name of 

 « Bintsi.' 



Messrs. Koch and Newton state (I.e.) that in Madagascar this species was " tolerably 

 common along the coast, and observed up the country as far as Beforona," and the latter 

 gentleman observed (/.c.) it on his second visit to the island, to be as kt common as it was 

 last year." 



The description, measurements, and plate are taken from a beautiful male bird in my 

 collection, procured from the ' Maison Verreaux.' 



