157. B arbXtula ex to n i. Exton’s Yellow-headed Barbet.
This pretty little species can be at ohce distinguished from the
foregoing by its yellow crown. It is a larger form of the ordinary
Yellow-headed Barbet of Western and North-eastern Africa (B. chry-
socoma). The southern species was distinguished by the author in the
f Ibis' for 1871 (p. 226), and named after Dr. Exton, who procured
the typical specimen at Kanye, a native town in the Bechuana country
(lat. 24° 50' S. long. 25° 40' E.), midway between the Marico and
the Kalahari desert. Another specimen, shot by the late Professor
Wahlberg, in the Transvaal, is in the editor’s possession. Dr. Exton
says that the stomachs of the three specimens procured by him
contained the fruit of a species of mistletoe.
Upper parts greyish-black, verging to pure black on the head,
mottled with greenish-white spots, smallest and roundest on the
back of the head and neck, longer and more elongated on the back;
rump greenish-yellow; lesser wing-coverts and primaries on the
outer-edge bordered with orange-yellow; tail-feathers narrowly
edged with dirty-white ; a brilliant orange patch occupies the anterior
portion of the vertex, separated from the bill by a broadish
black bar, coalescing with the pure black of the head, and succeeded
by a narrow white bar, which covers the nostrils and passes backward
under the eye ; two short white bars proceed from the edge of
this suborbital streak, and are divided by black bars from each
other and from the greenish-yellow of the throat and chin ; eyebrow
small and white. All the under parts dirty pale ashy, more or less
tinged with green or greenish yellow. Total length, 4-6 inches ;
wing, 2-7; tail, 1‘3 ; tarsus, 0-6.
158. B a r batuia bil in ea ta . Bridled Barbet.
Megalaima bilineata, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 234.
The present species has never been met with by collectors, since
it was described by the late Professor Sunderall, in 1850, from
specimens collected by Wahlberg, in “ Lower Caffraria.” Dr. Reiche-
now has, indeed, lately recorded it from various localities on the
West Coast of Africa, but we think the specimens referred to by
him are B. sub sulfur ea, a smaller species and-otherwise different.
The Bridled Barbet may be distinguished by its black back and
orange rump from the other South African species : it is the sole
representative in the southern part of the continent of the black-
backed section of the genus Barbatuia. As we have not personally
examined a specimen, we transcribe the description given by the
Messrs. Marshall:—Sexes alike : upper plumage shining black, with
a green tinge; a narrow frontal band, continued down the sides of
the face, and one over the eye, down the side of the neck, white;
these two stripes separated by a broad black band, the latter from
the throat, which is white, by a narrow black moustachial streak;
rump golden yellow; lesser wing-coverts broadly tipped with sulphur
yellow; greater coverts, wings, and tail brownish-black, edged on
the outer web with the same colour; under surface pale yellow;
flanks grey ; tail underneath grey; bill, black ; legs and feet, brownish;
wing, 2" 5; tail, 1" 6.
Fig. . Marsh. Monogr. Oapit. pi. 4, fig. 2.
159. S m ilo r h is l euco t is. White-eared Barbet.
Megalaima leucotis, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 234 (1867).
This Barbet was discovered in Natal by the late Professor Wahlberg,
one of whose specimens is in the Editor’s collection. I t
appears to be strictly a bird of Eastern Africa; having been found
besides only in Mozambique by Professor Peters, and in Uzanga, by
Baron Yon der Decken. Nothing has, as yet, been recorded respecting
its habits and economy.
For the description, we are again indebted to the work of Messrs.
Marshall.
Sexes alike : the head and neck are black, the shafts of the head
feathers being stiff and shining, and elongated beyond the webs;
the rest of the upper plumage is dull brown. A broad line behind
the eyes extending down the sides of the neck, the abdomen, and
under wing and tail-coverts, snow white. The sides of the face,
throat, and breast are brownish black, the shafts of the feathers of
the throat being elongated into fine hair-like bristles; the flanks
brown, broadly tipped with white. The rictal bristles of this
species are not very strongly developed. The bill is plumbeous
black; irides, yellow; legs and feet brown. Length, 8'' ; wing
3' • 4 inches.
Fig. Marshall, Monogr. 'Gctpitonidce, pi. 52.
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