MELACONOTUS SIMILIS. 
the feathers somewhat pointed. Bill moderately strong anteriorly compressed, 
eulmen obtuse and curved from its base towards the point most distinctly ; 
the upper mandible strongly hooked, the lateral tooth but slightly developed ; 
nostrils close to the base of the bill, near to the commissure, and par- 
tially concealed by a few recumbent bristles ; point of lower mandible bent 
upwards. Some short bristles towards angles of mouth. Wings rounded, 
and when folded reach over the first third of the tail, the fifth quill-feather 
rather the longest^ the fourth and sixth equal and slightly shorter, the third 
about one line shorter, the second about three lines shorter than the third, 
and the first nearly seven lines shorter than the third. Tarsi moderately 
robust, anteriorly scutellated, posteriorly entire; toes strong; claws rather 
slender, all moderately curved and pointed, those of hinder toes strongest and 
most arched. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. Lines. 
Length from the point of the hill to 
the tip of the tail 7 3 
of the bill from the gape . . 0 9 
of the tail 3 1 Oj 
of the wings when folded 3 6 
Inches. Lines. 
Length of the tarsus 0 II 
of the outer toe 0 4 
of the inner toe 0 3> 
of the middle toe 0 5j 
of the hinder toe 0 3^ 
The male of this species was not procured. 
Only one specimen of this species was obtained, and the structure of its feathers indicated 
that it had not quite reached the age of maturity. The bird described by Swainson,* under 
the name of Melaconotus chrysogaster, is probably a male of this species, which has nearly, if 
not actually, attained its adult plumage. The existence of two yellow bars upon the wings in 
our specimen would argue against the identity, but as we know that such colours in this 
group generally disappear as age advances, we hold their existence as no valid objection to 
the conclusion, more especially as in Melaconotus olivaceus we know that change actually takes 
place, and even the yellow terminations of the external tail-feathers often disappear about the 
age of maturity. 
Our specimen was killed near Kurichane, lat. 26" South, when searching for its food 
(insects) among the branches of an acacia tree, and some others which were seen, though not 
killed, were similarly employed upon similar trees in the same neighbourhood ; none were 
found more to the southward. Those we saw were in localities thinly covered with scattered 
trees, and they evidently preferred the latter to a denser foliage, inasmuch as a choice was 
offered. The last remark will also apply to Melaconotus olivaceus, which is always found among 
the branches of lofty trees, even where the surface of the ground around them is densely 
coated with brushwood, and forming just such a jungle as would please the true Melaconoti. 
* Jardine’s Naturalist’s Library, Ornithology, vol. vii. page 244. 
