by two .broad black bars; underparts white, suffused with yellow on the breast, and ornamented on
the cheeks, breast, and flanks with large black guttate spots; axillaries brown with white bases •
ower primary-coverts brown; lower secondary wing-coyerts white, with nearly black bases The
Geocicnlme markings on the inner webs of the quills are white.
Bill dark brown, paler at the base of the under mandible; tarsi, toes, and claws pale flesh-
colour; second primary intermediate in length between the sixth and seventh ; outer tail-feathers'
T men shorter than the longest.
■ I L®ngtl1 ° f f l 4 9 t0 4 5 incbes’ tail 3'7 to 3'4 inches, culmen l'O to -9 inch, tarsus 1-8 to 1-2
H ; bastard'Plimary generally projecting beyond the primary-coverts, its exposed portion measuring
•y to *70 inch. &
Young in first plumage are unknown.
^ In newly moulted autumn plumage the olive-brown of the upper parts is slightly suffused with
russet.
The Plate represents an example purchased from Mr. Whitely, who received it from Natal, and
is of full size. A poor, hut recognizable figure was given by Smith in 1839 in his ‘ Illustrations of
the Zoology of South Africa (pi. xxxix.).
USSHER’S GROUND-THRUSH.
Chamcetylas princei, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 625.
Tv/rdus bivittatus, Reichen. J. f. O. 1874, p. 104, 1875, p. 47.
Geocichla princei, Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 164, pi. xii. (1881).
G. tectricibus alarum mediis et majoribus albo terminatis: supercilio pallido vix evidente: pectore lutescenti-
brunneo, immaculato.
U ssher’s Ground-Thrush was discovered in the interior of the Gold Coast by a native collector
named Aubinn, who was employed for years by Governor Ussher, who added so much to our
knowledge of the avifauna of West Africa. Aubinn met with the species in the province of
Denkera, and it was discovered almost at the same time by Dr. Reichenow in the mountains of
Aburi in Aguapim, and described as Turdus bivittatus. From the Gold Coast the range of the
species extends to Liberia, where Dr. Buttikofer obtained an immature specimen on Du Queah
(Notes Leyden Mus. 1888, p. 77).
Ussher’s Ground-Thrush has the two broad black bands across the ear-coverts, so conspicuous
in Geocichla guttata, G. spiloptera, and G. peroni. In the absence of spots on the underparts it
agrees with Geocichla crossleyi, G. gurneyi, G. piaggice, and G. peroni. From the last-mentioned
species it differs in having the breast and flanks pale dull brown, instead of rich chestnut-orange.
The character of the white terminal spots on the median and greater wing-coverts excludes every
other species of the genus.
The adult may be described as follows 1
General colour of the upper parts russet-brown, more russet on the upper tail-coverts, but
inclining to olive on the crown; lores dirty white; eye-stripe obsolete; lesser wing-coverts russet-
brown; median and greater wing-coverts blackish brown,with large white terminal fan-shaped spots;
primary-coverts dark brown; tertials russet-brown; secondaries and primaries brown, margined
with russet-brown on the outer webs; tail-feathers russet-brown, the two outer ones with narrow
white tip s; ear-coverts huffish white, crossed by two broad black bars; underparts pale russet-brown,
darkening on the breast and flanks and shading into white on the chin, centre of belly, and
under tail-coverts; axillaries nearly black, with white bases; lower primary-coverts brown; lower
secondary-coverts white, with nearly black bases.
Geocichline markings on inner webs of quills white.
Bill nearly black, paler at the base of the under mandible. Second primary intermediate in
length between the fourth and fifth. Legs, feet, and claws flesh-colour; outer tail-feathers 0'2 inch
shorter than the longest.
Length of wing 4‘5 to 4*1 inches, tail 3-02 to 3V0 inches, culmen ‘9 to ’86 inch, tarsus 1*37
to 1-3 inch, bastard-primary 1*0 to *95 inch.
The seasonal changes are unknown.
Young in the first plumage differ from adults in having pale shaft-streaks to most of the
feathers of the upper parts and obscure dark markings across many of the feathers of the underparts.