LAMPROTORNIS BURCHELLII. — Smith. 
Aves. — Plate X.LVII. — Male. 
L. capite supra, regione interscapulari, dorso, liumeris, remigium tectricibus, caudue tectricibus superiori- 
bus mento, gutture, pectoreque profunde viridi nitentibus ; cerviee, uropygio abdomincque cyaneo- 
purpureis ; capitis lateribus brunneo-purpureis, plumis quibusdam purpureo-rubro terminatis ; rec- 
tum pogoniis extends, cyaneo-purpureis ; pogoniis intends branneo-nigris ; rectricibus duabus in- 
termediis ®neo-purpureis, reliquis cyaneo-purpureis, omnibus earum remigiumque pogoniis ex- 
ternis, subnigro-fasciatis. Rostro, pedibusque brunneo-nigris ; oculis griseo-nigris. 
Longitudo ab apice rostri ad basin caudm 6 unc. 9 lin. ; caudee 6 unc. 9 lin. 
Megalopterus Australis, Smith.* — Rep. of Exped. App. page 52, June, 1836. 
Colour, &c. — The upper surface of the head, the inter scapulars, the 
scapulars, the shoulders, the large and smaller quill coverts, the upper 
tail-coverts, the chin, the throat and the breast dark duck-green with a 
splendid metallic lustre; the sides of the head pansy-purple, many ol the 
feathers tipped with brilliant shining purplish red passing into flame-red. 
The back and the sides of the neck superiorly, together with the rump 
and the belly splendent dark plum-purple, the intensity of the colour vary- 
ing according to the direction in which the light falls upon the featheis; 
vent and under tail-coverts the same colour, only neither quite so deep nor 
so bright ; inner vanes of quill feathers brownish black, shaded with green 
in certain lights ; some of the outer vanes coloured like the top of the 
head, others edged with nut-colour, and elsewhere like the rump plum- 
purple. The two middle tail-feathers bronzed-purple, deadened by a gloss of 
green, the outer vanes of the remainder the same colour as the rump, the 
inner vanes brownish black ; all the tail-feathers and the outer vanes of 
the quill-feathers are faintly variegated with numerous pale, velvet-black 
bars. On the centre of the abdomen anteriorly there is a large brilliant 
purplish red blotch, and towards the inner edge of each wing a little behind 
the point there is an oval spot of the same tint, which in certain positions 
appears to pass into flame-red, the latter is margined externally with plum- 
purple. Several of the smaller wing-coverts, and some of the scapulars are 
broadly banded with velvet-black, and these feathers, as well as most of the 
smaller ones of this bird, are brownish red, with a silky lustre towards their 
base. Inner surface of quill-feathers and under surface of tail chocolate- 
red Bill and feet brownish black ; eyes greyish black. 
Form, &c.— Figure moderately robust ; bill rather short, nearly straight, 
and laterally convex; tip of bill and culmen obtuse; nasal fossa; deep ; nostrils 
* Having carefully examined a number of species of Lamprotornis , I find the peculiarities mani- 
fested by the present species, in common with several others, result only from different degrees of develop- 
ment of individual parts, and consequently cannot be employed as genenc characters. I have, therefore, 
found it necessary to discard the group I indicated in 1836, under the title of Megalopterus, and also 
the trivial name of the species I described (Australis) as being inapplicable now that the bird must be 
regarded as a true Lamprotornis. The specific appellation which has been substituted will doubtless be 
approved by persons who desire the merits of a scientific naturalist and able traveller to be duly honoured. 
