5 
called tlio ^Fascareno Islands (i,e. Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion 
and Rodriguez), was not confined to this singular family of Di'Jidw, 
all of which are now extinct, but is continued to the present day. 
Iho proof of this assertion he illustrated by specimens from the 
collection of Madaga.scarian and ^Fascarene birds formed by his 
brother, Mr. 1‘ldward Newton, formerly Colonial Secretary at the 
^Fauritius. Confining himself to e.xamplesof the great order Passcres, 
he showed us representative forms of four families — (1) Tunlidce 
in the genus Ifi/psipetes, (2) that which is commonly called 
Dicatfhe in the genus Znsterops, (3) the Muscicaphhe in the genus 
TerpHiphone (or 'Tchitrea), and (4) the Ploceuhe in the genus 
Fuudia. Of the first he showed us that the different forms, though 
(luito recognisable on close study, had so much general resemblance 
that it was almost impossible to make their distinctions plain at a 
distance. Very much the same objection, coupled with the small 
size of the birds, hindered him from dwelling on the second — the 
M bite-eyes ; but the difference between the various forms of the 
third group, Terpsi phone, would be plain to all. ^Foreover, these 
taught another lesson. The female birds from (1) ^Fauritius and 
Reunion, (2) iNFadagascar, (3) Anjuan (one of the Comorros) and 
(4) Seychelles were seen to bo much alike, of a more or less deep 
chestnut or bay colour, Avith a crown of glossy steel-blue ; but an 
enormous differenco was observable when their mates were 
compared. In the Maiiritius and Reunion species {T. hourhonnen- 
sU) sexual distinctions Avero not very striking, the cock being but 
a little more brightly coloured than the hen. In the Madagascar 
species {T. mutata) a scries of specimens shoAved that the cock 
after some time put on a plumage quite unlike that of the hen, or, 
it Avould be more proper to say tAvo plumages, for there Avas reason 
to suspect that this sex in this species Avas “ dimorphic,” and that 
Avhilo some birds assumed a bridal attire in Avhich Avhitc Avas the 
prevailijig colour especially in the middle rectrices Avhich arc 
developed into long streamers, otheis had as much black as Avhite 
in their dross. In the Anjuan bird {T. vulpina) the cock seemed 
never to assume black or much Avhite ; but, though groAving long 
tail feathers, always preserved the foxy colouring Avhicli has given 
