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cervino-rubro albido striato : abdomine imo et subcaudalibus lilacino lavatis : rostro nigricante: pedibus pallide 
flavo-olivaceis: iride fusca. 
? ad. mari similis. 
Adult male (Bogos, Abyssinia).—Crown clear reddish lilac; forehead, a stripe over the eye, and 
nuchal patch white; back olivaceous, slightly varied with lilac ; rump lilac-blue; upper tail-coverts 
deep blue; wing-coverts reddish lilac; the smaller coverts near the carpus and the bastard-wing deep 
blue; quills deep blue, margined internally and tipped with black; the inner secondaries and larger 
coverts externally butfy olivaceous ; central rectrices dull greenish black; the remaining tail-feathers 
deep blue, margined with black on the inner web ; chin white ; underparts generally buffy red, washed 
with lilac and streaked with white; the lower abdomen more deeply washed with lilac ; under tail- 
coverts pale lilac; under wing-coverts pale whitish buff, tinged with lilac : bill black; legs pale 
yellowish olive ; iris brown. Total length about 12 inches, culmen 1’6, wing 7*0, tail 5*5, 
tarsus O’95. 
Adult female (Dinki, 29 th October).—Resembles the male in general coloration. Total length 
about 12 inches, culmen 1’6, wing 6’9, tail 5’6, tarsus 0’95. 
Young [fide Sharpe).—Forehead, eyebrow, and nuchal patch very distinct; upper surface of body 
olive-green; wing-coverts as in the adult, but more mixed with reddish brown ; quills as in the adult, 
but the inner secondaries more decided olive-green; middle of back dull reddish brown ; tail for the 
most part ultramarine; all the feathers edged with olive-green, except the two middle ones, which are 
entirely of this colour; under surface of body dull greyish brown, becoming reddish on the flanks, 
all the white stripes very broad and distinct and having a very slight greenish lustre. Total length 
11’5 inches, culmen 1’3, wing 7, tail 5’5, tarsus 0*8. 
The present species, easily distinguishable from its southern ally in having the crown rufous and 
not olivaceous, inhabits Africa north of the Equator, being found from the eastern to the western 
side of the continent. 
Mr. Blanford, who met with it in the highlands of Abyssinia, says that it was much rarer than 
Coracias ahyssinicus : he only saw it twice and failed to procure a specimen; it abounded, however, 
he adds, in the subtropical region of the Anseba. Von Heuglin observed it “in the coast- 
regions in the warmer portions of Abyssinia, Kordofan, and on the White Nile, where it chiefly 
frequents wooded districts. It is much rarer than Coracias liahessinica and leads a more silent, lonely 
life than its allies.” Riippell also records it as common in the lowlands of Abyssinia ; and Mr. Lort 
Phillips, who first met with it twenty miles south of Berbera on his journey to Somaliland, says that it 
was afterwards fairly plentiful, being generally found near water. Antinori and Salvador! state that 
some arrive in the Bogos country in March and more in April and May; it was found chiefly near 
mountains, and feeds on coleoptera and locusts. Antinori speaks of it as being rare in North-Central 
Africa; he met with a pair at Boseres, and shot the female: he observed another in the vicinity of 
Fazoglo, but could not procure it. It is a very shy bird and has very keen sight. 
A young male killed near Khartoum in the month of July was given to Dr. Antinori by Dr. Ori, 
