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Show 1S70.J MR. R. B. SHARPE ON BIRDS FROM MADAGASCAR. 397 ornithological system seems to me certainly open to question. Mr. George Robert Gray, in his recent 'Hand-list,' places it in the family Pittidee; but with these birds it appears to me to have no direct affinity, as it wants the extraordinary development of foot so characteristic of these birds. Prince Bonaparte places it near the African genus Dilophus with apparently more discrimination; but in habits it essentially differs, for Dilophus is Starling-like in all its economy. I should prefer to keep Phileqritta away from the Turdidee altogether, and to class it near the Paradise-birds, of which family it may be considered an aberrant genus. Indeed it seems to form a separate subfamily, which may be called Philepittince. If there is really no mistake in assigning Muller's name of castanea to the present bird, I can only give the learned Professor very little credit for discrimination-a point in which I feel sure that the most ardent admirer of the golden rule of priority, which so ruthlessly obliges us to allow the names of this "disturber" of ornithological nomenclature, would agree with me. .tour or five males of this beautiful bird were sent in the present collection, mostly in the fully black plumage figured by Professor Schlegel (I. c. fig. 1) ; one or two, however, had a few yellow edgings to the feathers, the last remains of the immature plumage. Judging from this fact, it would appear that the Brissonia nigerrima of Hartlaub, the original type of which is figured by Professor Schlegel (I. c. fig. 2), is the young male assuming the adult dress. 22. CAPRIMULGUS MADAGASCARIENSIS. Caprimulgus madagascariensis, Sganz.; Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 25 (1861); E. Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 340 ; A. Newt. P. Z. S. 1865, p. 834 ; Grand. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1867, p. 353 ; Schl. et Poll. Faun. Madag. p. 64 (1868). Fam. MEROPIDAE. 23. MEROPS SUPERCILIOSUS. Merops superciliosus, Linn.; Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 31 (1861) ; E. Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 340 ; A. Newt. P. Z. S. 1865, p. 834 ; Grand. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1867, p. 355; Schl. & Poll. Faun. Madag. Ois. p. 60. Three specimens are in the present collection ; and an examination of them entirely confirms the opinion expressed by Dr. Finsch (J. f. O. 1867, p. 237) and upheld by myself (P. Z. S. 1870, p. 145), that the Madagascar Bee-eater is identically the same as the continental species. Fam. CORACIAD^*. Subfam. CORACIAN^E. 24. EURYSTOMUS GLAUCURUS (Miiller). Eurystomus madagascariensis, Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 27 ; Roch & E. Newton, Ibis, 1862, p. 270; E. Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 341; PROC. ZOOL. Soc-1870, No. XXVII. |