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Show 1871.] MR. R. B. SHARPE ON BIRDS FROM MADAGASCAR. 315 posed species were nothing more than sexes of the same bird, the large one being the male. In the last collection brought home by Mr. Crossley was a specimen of a Mystacornis which I suppose must be the young bird ; but it differs from the ordinary species in being of a dull sienna underneath and in having the head and neck of this colour also. It might very well be taken for a distinct species, but for the fact that in the female specimen already in m y collection there is a slight tint of rufous on the crown. 37. CORETHRURA INSULARIS. (Plate XXXII.) Corethrura insularis, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 300. Crex jardinei, Verr. in Vins. Voy. Madag. Ann. B. p. 4 (1865) ; Schl. & Poll. Faun. Madag. Ois. p.* 161 (1868). In the last collection sent, there are some males of this species which clearly show that the bird is distinct from Corethrura jardinii and other species of Corethrura, as I had expected it to be. It is probably the Crex jardinii of Messrs. Verreaux and Schlegel; but it is to be distinguished from the last-named species by its much larger size and red throat. I subjoin a description of the adult male. Head, throat, and breast rich chestnut; sides of the neck black, margined with white on each side of the feather, producing a streaked appearance; centre of the back and scapulars black, streaked like the sides of the neck, but with yellowish margins to the feathers instead of white; wing-coverts black, all the feathers margined with whitish ; quills brownish black, irregularly varied with yellowish on the outer primaries ; the secondaries deep black, irregularly streaked and spotted with rufous white ; tail deep chestnut; belly black, longitudinally streaked with white, the abdomen and vent brownish ; under tail-coverts chestnut, like the tail; bill black ; feet yellowish brown. Total length 6*2 inches, culm 0*5, wing 2*8, tail 1*9, tarsus 0*75, middle toe 1*15. The following is a list of the additional species not before mentioned by me. Family CYPSELID_E. 41. C Y P S E L U S GRACILIS, sp. n. Cypselus parvus et G. unicolor, auct., ex Madagascar. C. eeneo-niger: genis cum colli lateribus et corpore subtus umbrino-fuscis : gutture paullo albicante, indistincte striato. Long. tot. 6*2, alae 4*95, caudae 2*1, rect. ext. 3*2, med. 2*1. There can be little doubt that the Madagascar Swift above described is not identically the same as the continental bird. It is in every respect much darker, and the fork of the tail is not so long. The specimen described appears to me to be the oldest of the three brought home by Mr. Crossley, who has not attached any label of the exact locality to these specimens. They were a few which he brought with him on his return among his personal baggage, as the greater part of his collection was so unfortunate as just to reach |