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Show 1869.] MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE GENUS CHAETOPS. 163 is rather rare. At Port Achard it is found in abundance, and is used by the natives to make necklaces of, or strung in clusters round their waist in their war-dances. It is always found in company with Helix merziana and H. cleryi. The most northern limit of it is Sesarga or Contraiete's, the southern limit is San Christoval. Specimens vary much both in colour and in size. 5. O n the Genus Chcetops. By R. B. S H A R P E. (Plate XIV.) The genus Chcetops was founded by Swainson in 1831, and up to the present time contains only two species, viz. C. frenatus and C. aurantius. In a collection of birds formed in Damara-land by the late Mr. C. J. Andersson, I met with a species of Chcetops which I have every reason to believe is new to science. On taking my specimen to the British Museum I discovered another in the national collection ; and my friend Mr. George Robert Gray coincided in m y opinion as to its novelty. He had, indeed, noted it as new, and intended to describe it himself shortly, I have therefore very great pleasure in naming this species CHAETOPS GRAYI, sp. n. (Plate XIV.) C. valde minor: gutture et pectore superiore albidis: pectoris lateribus nigro guttatis : long. tot. 6*8 une, rostri 0*7, alee 2*8, caudce 3*0, tarsi 0*85, dig. med. 0*7. Hab. in terra Damarensi, in Afr. merid. The above short diagnosis is quite sufficient to distinguish it from either of the species hitherto known ; and the following diagnostic Table indicates the specific characters of the three species :- A. Majores: gutture nigerrimo. a'. Abdomine intense castaneo C. frenatus. b'. Abdomine aurantiaco C. aurantius. B. Minor: gutture albido C. grayi. 1. CHAETOPS FRENATUS. Malurus frenatus, Temm. Pl. Col. 385 (1826). Chcetops frenatus, Grav, Gen. of Birds, i. p. 217 (c. 1844); Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 278 (1850); Layard, Birds of S. Afr. p. 125 (1867). Chcetops burchelli, Swains. Fauna Bor.-Am. p. 486 (1831); Classif. of Birds, ii. p. 233 (1837). The following account of the habits of this rare bird is taken from Mr. Layard's work (loc. cit.):- " This bird is, as far as I yet know, peculiar to the mountain-ranges between Caledon and Swellendam. It frequents the tops of the hills and high elevations on their stony sides, and seeks its food, consisting of insects, about stones and rocks. In habits it much resembles the Rock-Thrush, and, like it, is fond of perching upon the |
