LA ]v IPR O TO E .m s jBURCHELLII.
(Are s P] a t e 47.)
LAMPROTORNIS BURCHELLII.—S m ith .
A ves.—P late XLVII.—M a l e .
L capita supra, regione intersoapulari, dorse, lrameris, remigium tectricibus, caudse tectricibus supenon-
bus meuto, gutture, pectoreque profunde viridi nitentibus; service, uropygio abdomineque cyaneo-
purpurcis; capitis lateribus bnmneo-purpureis, pluiuis _ quibusdam purpureo-rubro terminate; rec-
tricium pogoniis exterms, cyanco-purpureis; pogoniis internis brunneo-nigris; rectncibus duabus in-
termediis mneo-puqmreis, rcliquis cyaueo-purpureis, omnibus earum renngiumque pogoniis ex-
temis, subnigro-fasciatis. Rostro, pedibusque brunneo-nigris; oculis griseo-mgns.
L okgitudo ab apice rostri ad basin caudal C unc. 9 lin.; caudse 6 unc. 9 lin.
Megaioptebps Austkams, Smith.*—Rep. of Exped. App.page 52, June, 1836.
C olour, &c.—The upper surface of the head, the interscapulars, the
scapulars, the shoulders, the large and smaller quill coverts, the upper
tail-coverts, the chin, the throat and the breast dark duck-green with a
splendid metallic lustre; the sides of the head pansy-purple, many of the
feathers tipped with brilliant shining purplish red passing into flame-re .
The back and the sides of the neck superiorly, together with the rump
and the belly splendent dark plum-purple, the intensity of the colour varying
according to the direction in which the light falls upon the feathers;
vent and under tail-coverts the same colour, only neither quite so deep nor
so bright; inner vanes of quill feathers brownish black, shaded with green
in certain lights ; some of the outer vanes coloured like the top of the
head, others edged with nut-colour, and elsewhere like the rump plum-
purple. The two middle tail-feathers bronzed-purple, deadened by a gloss of
green, the outer vanes of the remainder the same colour as the rump, the
inner vanes brownish black; all the tail-feathers and the outer vanes of
the quill-feathers are faintly variegated with numerous pale, velvet-black
bars. On the centre of the abdomen anteriorly there is a large brilliant
purplish red blotch, and towards the inner edge of each wing a little behind
the point there is an oval spot of the same tint, which in certain positions
appears to pass into flame-red, the latter is margined externally with plum-
purple. Several of the smaller wing-coverts, and some of the scapulars are
broadly banded with velvet-black, and these feathers, as well as most of the
smaller ones of this bird, are brownish red, with a silky lustre towards their
base. Inner surface of quill-feathers and under surface of tail chocolate-
red. Bill and feet brownish black; eyes greyish black.
F orm, &c.—Figure moderately robust; bill rather short, nearly straight,
and laterally convex; tip of bill and culmen obtuse; nasal fossa deep ; nostrils
* Having carefully examined a number of species of Lamprotornis, I find the peculiarities manifested
by the present species, in common with several others, result only from different degrees of development
of individual parts, and consequently cannot be employed as generic- characters. I have, therefore,
found it necessary to discard the group I indicated in 1836, under the title of Megalopterw, and also
the trivial name of the species I described (Australis) as being inapplicable now that the bird must be
regarded as a true iamprotornis. The specific appellation which has been substituted will doubtless be
approved by persons who desire the merits of a scientific naturalist and able traveller to be duly honoured.