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Show 1871.] MR. R. B SHARPE ON BIRDS FROM MADAGASCAR. 317 undescribed ; but I am not aware that he has published any description either of this or of a beautiful new Goatsucker, also discovered by Mr. Crossley and purchased a year ago hy the British Museum. Adult. Above dull grey, the rump tinged with rufous, the upper tail-coverts being entirely of this latter colour ; the cheeks, forehead, and eyebrow clearer grey, inclining to blue ; the lesser wing-coverts dull grey like the back, the rest of the wing-coverts greyish black, as also are the quills, which are pale rufous on the base of the inner web ; tail rufous, tipped with black, the two middle feathers being entirely black ; throat and breast blue grey, lower part of the breast, sides of the body, and the under wing- and tail-coverts orange-rufous ; bill and legs greyish black, the soles of the feet yellowish. Total length 6 inches, culm 0*65, wing 2*9, tail 2*3, tarsus 0*85. Young. Olive-brown, everywhere striped and spotted with ochre, the shaft of each feather being marked with an ochre stripe broadening out towards the tip into an apical spot, which is also margined with black ; rump mottled with rufous ; upper tail-coverts entirely rufous ; wing-coverts mottled like the back; quills glossy brownish black, edged with rufous; tail rufous, the feathers shaded with brown towards the tip, the middle feathers brownish, edged with rufous ; under surface of the body yellowish brown mottled with ochre, each feather being margined with blackish ; the abdomen only slightly marked with black edgings to the feathers. Total length 6 inches, culm 0*65, wing 2*85, tail 2*1, tarsus 0 9. Another specimen, apparently a little older, has a few grey feathers appearing here and there on the head and throat; and the breast is losing the mottled appearance and becoming entirely orange; so that it will be seen that the phases of plumage assumed by the bird are very similar to those of our common Robin (Erithacus rubecula). Apparently all Cossyphce go through the same changes, as I have a series of the common C. caffra which exhibit like phases of dress. Family NECTARINIID__. 44. NECTARINIA NOTATA. Certhia notata, P. L. S. Miill. Naturh. Anhang, p. 99. no. 32 (1766, ex Buff.); Walden, Ibis, 1870, p. 25. Nectarinia angaladiana, Hartl. Faun. Madag. p. 52; Roch & E. Newt. Ibis, 1862, p. 273; Sclater, P.Z.S. 1863, p. 162; E. Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 343 ; A. Newt. P. Z. S. 1865, p. 834 ; Verr. in Vins. Voy. Madag. Ann. B. p. 2 (1865); Grand. Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1867, p. 355; Schl.&Poll. Faun. Madag. Ois. p. 69 (1868); Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 38 (1871). Two specimens from Saralalan, Family PARIDCE. 45. HYPHERPES CORALLIROSTRIS. Hypherpes corallirostris, A. Newt. P.Z.S. 1863, p. 85, pl. 13; E. Newt. Ibis, 1863, p. 342. |