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Mr. D. G. Elliot on New Species of Birds . 
female lays two eggs, pure white, of an oblong form, and she 
sits upon them alternately with the male. The young, when 
they are hatched, are covered with a sooty-coloured down, which 
in a few days changes to the plumage of the adult. There is no 
difference between the sexes in the colour of their plumage. It 
is not unusual to meet these birds in flocks of from ten to fifteen 
individuals, scattered over a small space at the distance of from 
thirty to forty miles from the shore. When flying, it frequently 
drops its feet upon the water, giving to it the appearance of 
walking. Its food consists principally of the small Mollusca 
which float upon the surface. Its note is shrill, and is always 
heard in the morning and evening when it is about to take 
wing. When it wishes to rise from the ground, it is obliged 
to run for a short distance with extended wings. It sits upon 
the water only when it has found some food too heavy for it to 
raise, when it settles beside it. The specimen described was 
taken in the month of May, and is a male. 
I have given it the name of “gracilis ” on account of its 
being the most slender in form of all the species yet known. 
The general plumage is browner and more lustrous than in T. 
wilsoni, to which it is most nearly allied; and the middle of the 
abdomen is white, whereas in T. wilsoni the entire under surface 
is sooty brown. The nostril is high and very open; in the 
latter species it is rather depressed and closed. The tail is less 
emarginated in this species; and the bases of the two external 
rectrices only are white, while in T. wilsoni they are all white at 
the base. The bill, tarsi, and feet are much more slender in the 
present species. 
2. Sycobius cassini, D. G. Elliot. 
Capite supra et vitta latissima in pectore intense coccineis: 
mento, jugulo, alis, cauda et corpore toto nigris: rostro 
nigro; pedibus brunneis. 
Jet-black; upper part and side of head, nape of neck, throat 
and breast deep crimson; bill black; legs and feet brown. 
Length 5*3; wing 3*58; tail 2*45; bill ‘8; tarsus '8. 
This species comes from the forests of Gabon; and I take 
great pleasure in naming it after our distinguished ornithologist 
Mr. John Cassin of Philadelphia, so well known for his various 
