90 
Young {fide Pucheran, Eev. Zool. 1846, p. 196).— Generally rufescent, but of a duller and darker 
tint on the head, interscapulary region, and neck. In all these parts the feathers are deep black at 
the base; on the chin, however, they are white at the root; below the eye and the forehead there 
are zones barred with white, dark reddish, and brown, and behind and somewhat below the eye there 
is a small black spot; the sides of the throat are of a lighter red than the head and the lower neck ; 
the feathers are centrally marked with white, red, and brown, and some few have the flanks thus 
marked ; the remainder is smoky brown, tinged with rufous; the abdomen is downy white ; there is 
no peculiarity in the coloration of the quills, but the wing-coverts are of a darker green, more rufous 
and more brown than in the adult, and the terminal spot is composed of two bands, the lower one 
blackish brown, the upper one rufescent white, margined with blackish brown, both above and 
below; the back is deep olivaceous brown; the plumage of this specimen is worn and loose : upper 
mandible dark brown, lower yellowish horn. 
The present species, which appears to be one of the rarest of the Pollers inhabiting Madagascar, 
was first obtained in 1834 by Goudot on the bank of the Tsimianona river, south of the Point of 
Larree, and was described in 1838 by Lafresnaye, the type being in the Paris Museum. 
It inhabits, according to Grandidier, the vast forests on the eastern side of Madagascar, especially 
between Tamatave and Sambave, and in its habits it is similar to its congeners. 
The natives informed Crossley that this species is nocturnal in its habits; but this is denied by 
Grandidier, who says that they meant that it is extremely rare. It is, he adds, by no means shy. 
Eespecting its general habits, I And nothing further on record, and its mode of nidification and 
its eggs appear to be as yet unknown. 
The specimen figured and described is in my own collection. 
In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens :— 
E Mus. H. E. Eresser. 
a, ad. Madagascar {Boucard). 
E Mus. A. & E. Newton. 
a, h, ?. Madagascar {Gustav Schneider). 
E Mus. Brit. 
ad. S.E. Madagascar, b, ad. S.E. Madagascar, February {A. Crossley). c, d ^d.; d, $ ad. S.E. Madagascar, 
February {Audebert). 
«, b, ad. Madagascar {Boucard). 
E Mus. Eotlischild. 
