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Show 178 DR. J. J. KAUP ON NISI AND ASTURES. [Jan. 24, white belly and red cere and feet. The wing is 214 mm. long, and is thus as large as that of U. erythrauchen. As regards Ace. rufitorques, Peale, I suspect it to be identical with A. erythrauchen, Gray; but I do not know whether the name rufitorques is the older one. Sectio ASTURES. Of this group only two species have hitherto been found in the Indian archipelago; for the question whether Leucospiza novee-hollandice nests there has not yet been settled. LOPHOSPIZA, Kaup. These birds resemble Teraspiza with respect to the short point of the wings, which is equal to one-fourth the entire length of the wing. The first four primaries on the inner vane emarginated a trifle. Digits clad with three to four little shields before the nails. Middle digit short, as long as the short part of the tarsus, covered with coarse and wide shields in front and behind. Tibial plumes projecting but very little. 1. LOPHOSPIZA TRIVIRGATA, Reinw. Falco trivirgatus, Reinw. Pl. Col. 303. Astur indicus (2)> Hodgs. Beng. Sport. Mag. 1838, p. 85. A. cristatus, G. R. Gray, Ann. Nat. Hist. 1848, p. 371. A. (Lophospiza) trivirgatus, Kp. Falc. p. 187. A. trivirgatus, Schleg. Valkv. p. 57, t. 10. Resembles Teraspiza virgata, and has the same habitat. Its white-edged upper tail-coverts or feathers recall Ace. gabar and Ace. monogrammicus. Hab. Common on the continent of India and in the archipelago. 2. LOPHOSPIZA GRISEICEPS, Temm. Falco griseiceps, Temm. M S. Astur griseiceps, Schleg. Valkv. t. 11 ; Wall. Ibis, 1864, p. 184, pl. 5. A. trivirgatus griseiceps, Bp. Consp. p. 31. Hab. Celebes. The generic appellation does not accord with this species-a feature which it has in common with many hundred species of other birds. LEUCOSPIZA, Kaup. With bent cere, and a strikingly high beak abruptly bent. Middle digit covered entirely with a shield, rather shorter than the more slender tarsus, as far as the latter is covered with a shield. First five primaries indented. When young these birds, like the Uraspizee, whose place they occupy amongst the Astures, have a large number of narrow bands on the tail, which disappear entirely with age. The chest also has bands when young. |