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Show 638 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE [Nov. 1 7, Brachonyx, Sw. Zool. Journ. iii. p. 344 (1827, nee Type. Schonh. 1826) M. apiata. Corypha, Gray, List Gen. B. 1840, p. 48 M. apiata. Megalophonus, Gray, List Gen. B. 1841, p. 62 .. M. apiata. Plocealauda, Hodgs. in Gray's Zool. Misc. p. 84 (1844) M. assamica. Geocoraphus, Cab. Arch. f. Nat. xiii. p. 328 (1847) M.javanica. Distinguished by its open nostrils, which are devoid of the bristles. Having never met with the type of the genus (M.javanica), I have only been able to compare the Flores species, M. parva, of Swinhoe. The African species have, as a rule, rather thinner bills and fuller crests ; but at present I follow Prof. Sundevall in placing them in Mirafra. Keg to the Species. a. Tail varied with zigzag spots and bars of black. a'. General colour grey; primaries brown, edged with rufous, which does not, however, pass across the base of both webs, apiata. V. General colour rufous; quills broadly margined with rufous, which at the same time occupies the basal half of both webs rufipilea. b. Tail uniform, with rufous edgings to the centre feathers. c'. Inner web of the quills rufous, as also the outer web of the primaries, making the entire base of the quills rufous, excepting the brown shaft. a". Larger, with a conspicuous rufous nape-patch, contrasting with the rest of the upper surface, which is brown, with darker centres to the feathers africana. b". Smaller; no nape-patch, the nape being the same as the head and back. a'". General colour grey, with brown shaft-streaks; tail-feathers edged and tipped with white damarensis. b'". General colour fawn, with brown shaft-stripes; tail-feathers margined with rufous africanoides. d'. Bases of the quills not entirely rufous, this colour confined to the outer web. c". Inner lining of wing leaden grey, as also are the under wing-coverts, the inner.- webs of the primaries narrowly isabelline ; outer tail-feathers black, narrowly margined with isabelline. a. Larger, with very stout bill ntsvia. (3. Smaller, with slender bill sabota. d". Inner lining of wing pale or deep rufous, as also the inner webs of the primaries; two outer tail-feathers almost entirely white. y. Larger; two outer tail-feathers white on outer web fringillaris. I. Smaller; three outer tail-feathers externally white ckeniana. 13. MIRAFRA APIATA. L'Alouette bateleuse, Levaill. Ois. d'Afr. iv. pi. 194 (1805); Crit. om Levaill. p. 46 (1857). Alauda apiata, Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. i. p. 342 (1816) ; id. and Bonn. Enc. Meth. i. p. 321 (1823); Grill, Zool. Auteckn. p. 40 (1858) ; Giebel, Thes. Orn. p. 291 (1872). Alauda clamosa, Steph. Gen. Zool. xiv. p. 23 (1826). Brachonyx apiata, Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 110. fig. 1 (1849). |
