OCR Text |
Show 1886.] CAPT. R. G. W. RAMSAY ON A NEW COPSYCHUS. 123 lemon; the hind wings are always yellower than in the typical form, in some specimens being nearly as dark as in the males. The markings of the underside of the hind wings are very indistinct, they are usually of a greyish-green tint, but sometimes approach a rusty-red colour which is found in the typical form, although both forms occur in Algeria. This distinct local form I took at Mogador in March 1885. It was somewhat common at a little distance from the town ; the females, as is always the case in this genus, being much scarcer than the males. I have only been deterred from describing this variety as a new species by the kindness of M . C. Oberthur in forwarding m e a specimen of A. eupheno from Central Algeria, which is intermediate between the above-described variety and the type. Similar cases of the two sexes (usually very different) approaching the same form of colouring are not uncommon ; for example-Lyccena alexis, in many localities; Hepialis humuli, in Shetland ; Odones-tris potatoria, in which it is not unusual to find males with the paler colouring of the females, and females possessed of the darker tint of the males. 6. O u a n e w Species of Bird of the genus Copsychus. By R. G. W A R D L A W RAMSAY, F.Z.S., F.L.S. [Eeceived February 2, 1886.] Among a few birds which I obtained some months ago out of a collection made by M r . Harry Pryer at Elopura, in N.E. Borneo, are examples of a very interesting and hitherto undescribed species of the genus Copsychus. Mr. R. B. Sharpe, in his ' Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum,' has recognized three good species of Copsychus, viz.:- 1. C. mindanensis. 2. G. seychellarum. 3. C. saularis. Under the latter he treats as local races G. musicus and C. amcenus. I am inclined to doubt the propriety of uniting C. amcenus to G. saularis, and prefer to keep it distinct. The new species, which I propose to name Copsychus niger, is of about the same size as C. amcenus, from which it differs in having a much smaller amount of white on the wing-coverts and none on the secondaries and in having the tail entirely black. In its general appearance it more resembles C. seychellarum,which, however, has its black plumage glossed with green instead of blue as in G. niger and the other species of the genus. Length 9-2, wing 4*35, tarsus 1*25, tail 4*5, bill from gape 1*25 inches. |