strong, anteriorly scutellated, posteriorly entire; toes moderately long and
rather slender; claws rather long, slender, pointed, and slightly curved, the
claw of the hinder toe much the strongest, and the most curved.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines. i nches. Lines.
Length from the point of the bill to the
base of the tail.................. 2 9
Length of the tarsus ..........
- outer toe ............
............ 0 1 0*
3
of the tail............................ 2 6 middle toe ........ ............ 0 5
bill to the angle of mouth 0 8 inner toe ............ ............ 0 3
wings when folded .......... 2 ' 3 hinder toe............ ........... 0 H
The colours of the male are not known.
The only specimen of this species which I have seen was procured near Latakoo (Kuru-
man), and was, at the time it was shot, flitting about from shrub to shrub. Its stomach
contained the debris of small insects.
Having been unable to refer this bird to any of the existing small groups of the
S y lv ia d a , I have classed it in the once-comprehensive group S y lv ia , under a conviction
that an able revision of the family will result in a material diminution of the number of
subdivisions at present existing.
CHLOROPETA* NATALENSIS.—S m i t h .
Aves. | | P late CXII. F ig . 2 . F emale.
B. supeme flavo-viridis, brunneo-tinctus; inferne pallide griseo-flavus; rostro ad basin sublato, ad
apicem acuminato.
Longitubo e rostri apice ad basin caudse 3 unc. 4 lin.; caudse 2 unc. 6 lin.
C olour.-—The upper surface of the head and neck, the interscapulars, the
back, the rump, and the upper tail coverts a tint intermediate between
broccoli-brown and oil-green; eyebrows and ear coverts straw-yellow, the
latter tinted with oil-green. The under parts pale lemon-yellow, the hinder
portion of the abdomen, the vent, and the under tail coverts lightest.
Shoulder coverts pale brownish red, the feathers edged and tipped with
brassy green; the primary and secondary quill coverts, and the primary
and secondary quill feathers light brownish red, edged and tipped with white;
the scapularies edged and tipped with dirty white, and their outer surface
tinted with yellowish grey. Tail feathers intermediate between light
brownish red and yellowish grey, narrowly edged and tipped with white.
The upper mandible pale orange-coloured brown with faint tints of yellow ;
lower mandible straw-yellow. Tarsi and toes pale brownish red.
F orm, &c.—Head rather long and slender; body moderately full; tail
short; wings long, pointed, and when folded reach to the last third of the tail,
the first feather rudimentary, the third the longest; the scapularies nearly
an inch shorter than the longest of the primaries; tail short, its apex not
quite even, there appearing to be a slight emargination at its middle. Bill
rather broad at the base, narrow at the point (vide Fig. b), above convex ; the
nostrils narrow, longitudinal, and placed close to the frontal feathers; the
apex of the upper mandible is slightly bent downwards and forwards, and
behind the point there is a very slight notch or emargination; frontal
* Ch. Gen. BiU rather lengthened, slightly curved towards apex, broad and depressed towards base,
pointed at the tip, and slightly emarginate. Nostrils exposed, narrow, and above edged with a horny
membrane. Gape with a few moderately strong bristles. Wings very short, reaching to the base of the
tail. Tail rather long, and slightly rounded. Tarsi and toes moderately strong.