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Show 568 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE BIRDS OF ANGOLA. [NOV*. 25, 10. CORYTHORNIS CYANOSTIGMA. Corythornis cristata, auct. ; Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. part 6 (1869). "Male. River Quanza, M a y 1869. Abundant."-J. J. M. Notwithstanding the convictions expressed in m y ' Monograph' and in the 'Ibis' (1869, p. 279), I feel obliged to own that the adoption of Linnseus's name cristata for the Madagascar bird, as suggested by Dr. Pucheran, must be really correct. Lord Walden has drawn m y attention again to the subject, and has pointed out to me the original descriptions of Seba, Brisson, and Linnaeus. His Lordship's intimate acquaintance with Linnean nomenclature has rendered him skilful in determining the origins of the descriptions given by the learned Swedish professor ; and from the following facts I think there can be no doubt that in the present instance Linnaeus took his diagnosis of Alcedo cristata entirely from Brisson. Although Brisson and Linnaeus both refer to Seba, it is very evi dent that the former had really a specimen of the bird before him when he was writing, and therefore his description is, as usual, particularly exhaustive and accurate. As Dr. Pucheran remarks, it is curious that he could have considered the Alcedo amboinensis cristata of Seba with its red bill to have been the same as his Ispida philippensis cristata. Anyhow Linneeus evidently took his short diagnosis of Alcedo cristata from Brisson's more elaborate one, and only copied Brisson in the reference to Seba. I cannot help feeling regret in having thus to acknowledge myself in the wrong hitherto, especially as the name cyanostigma (which the species must henceforth bear) is applicable only to the young bird. 11. ISPIDINA PICTA. Ispidina picta (Bodd.) ; Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pt. 4 (1869). "Males. River Quanza, M a y 1869. Rare."-J. J.M. Two beautiful specimens, the old male being decidedly the most brilliant I have ever seen. 12. HALCYON CYANOLEUCA. Haley on cyanoleuca (Vieill.) ; Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pt. 5 (1869). "Ambriz, April 1869. " Male. River Quanza, M a y 1869."-J. J. M. Tw*o specimens. The male from the river Quanza is a young bird agreeing with the figure in m y ' Monograph.' 13. HALCYON SENEGALENSIS. Halcyon senegalensis, Linn. ; Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pt. 7• " No. 9. Obtained at Columbo on the river Quanza, November 1868. Stomach contained remains of a small lizard. "No. 22. Male. Ambriz. Food consisted of large grasshoppers. "No. 37. Male. River Quanza, May 1869. " Nos. 39, 40. Females. River Quanza, May, 1869."-J. J. M . |