Read Ebook: Descriptions of Three New Birds from the Belgian Congo Bulletin of the AMNH Vol. XXXIV Art. XVI pp. 509-513 Oct. 20th 1915 by Chapin James Paul

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BY JAMES P. CHAPIN.

BY JAMES P. CHAPIN.

The whole of the large collection of birds secured by the Congo Expedition of the American Museum of Natural History during the years 1909 to 1915, under the leadership of Mr. Herbert Lang, has now arrived safely at the Museum. It is composed of material gathered all across the Belgian Congo, from Boma on the west to Aba in the northeastern corner, but the greater part from the more remote territory between Stanley Falls and the Enclave of Lado, including the dense equatorial forests of the Ituri, Nepoko, and Bomokandi, and the high-grass and bush country of the Uele District to the north and northeast.

Of the relatively small number of zo?logical expeditions that have passed through and collected in these regions, none has ever before been able to make such a prolonged stay, and the varied zo?logical results of this Expedition are surely of the highest scientific interest. The ornithological collection contains in the neighborhood of six thousand skins, and represents some 600 different species, a number of them of course new to science. These it is our purpose to describe as promptly as possible in this Bulletin, before taking up the greater work of a general report on all the forms collected, with more extended notes on their distribution, habits, food, and nests.

Descriptions of the first three new forms follow:

Description of type, collector's No. 4986 Congo Exp. A. M. N. H., ad. Avakubi, Ituri District, Belgian Congo, Aug. 15, 1913.

Upper parts brownish-black becoming black on wings and tail, with faint violet and green reflections . Ear coverts drab, bordered with fuscous-black; feathers of throat pale smoke-gray, margined with fuscous, those of upper breast similar, but heavily bordered with fuscous-black, consequently with a very pronounced "scaly" appearance; lower breast growing darker, so that the dark borders are less conspicuous, and the feathering of the belly completely fuscous-black with slight oily gloss. Under wing coverts mouse-gray with darker edges, flanks and under tail-coverts black with slight greenish gloss. Tail slightly rounded.

Iris dark brown, bill black, feet bluish, shading to dusky brown on tips of toes and claws. Sexual organs enlarged.

Length 145 mm.; wing 164; tail 49.5; bill , 7.5; metatarsus 13.

In juvenal plumage both species are entirely buff below, the feathers more or less tipped with dusky.

Type: collector's No. 4983. Congo Exp. A. M. N. H. ad. Avakubi Ituri District, Belgian Congo, August 13, 1913.

Iris red-brown; distal portion of bill light greenish gray, base of bill and two naked patches beneath eye light cadmium-yellow, naked skin above eye lemon-yellow; bare skin of foreneck light blue; feet pale pink.

Length 254 mm.; length of bill 18 mm.; height of bill at nostril 9.5 mm.; greatest width of maxilla, near gape, 16 mm.; wing 113 mm.; tail 146 mm.

Iris red-brown; naked cheek-patches lemon-yellow, base of bill slightly deeper yellow; culmen dusky, bill light green below; feet flesh-color, claws gray.

Measurements of three adult females: bill , 17-17.5 mm.; wing 104.5-113 mm.; tail, 140-149 mm.

Iris dark brown; maxilla dusky, but its base greenish-yellow like the naked cheek-patches, mandible light yellowish-green, with light-gray tip; feet pinkish. Bill, 18.5 mm.; wing, 108; tail, 139.

A series of 12 adult males measures: bill 18.5-21 mm.; wing 117.5-128; tail 146.5-166. The green borders of the secondaries are never very well marked, and sometimes virtually absent.

Seven females from the same region measure: Bill, 18.5-21; Wing 117.5-129; Tail, 149-169.

Description of type, collector's No. 5628, Congo Exp. A. M. N. H. ad., Avakubi, Ituri District, Belgian Congo. Apr. 17, 1914.

Feathers of forehead, crown, back, and rump blackish-brown, bordered or washed with yellowish-citrine, those of nape and upper back whitish at the base. Sides of head lighter, shading gradually to olive-buff on throat, breast, and sides; middle of abdomen still lighter, ivory-yellow. Upper wing-coverts and secondaries fuscous-black narrowly edged with olive-ocher. Primaries similar, but yellowish border almost entirely lacking; both primaries and secondaries fading to pale olive-buff on their inner edges. Under wing-coverts colored like the breast, but with faint dusky shaft-streaks. Feathering of flanks ivory-yellow, with strong blackish median lines. Two middle pairs of rectrices dull blackish, 3rd pair whitish, with a small blackish spot on the outer edge close to the tip, and a larger concealed black spot on the inner web towards the base; the 3 remaining pairs of rectrices white. The long median pair of under tail-coverts blackish, the next pair similar, but margined with whitish, the remainder ivory-yellow with faint shaft-streaks of dark brown. Upper tail-coverts fuscous-black, bordered with amber-yellow.

Iris bright brown, naked edges of eyelids grayish-brown; bill dusky-brown; feet dull grayish-green.

Length , 160 mm.; wing, 93.5; tail 56; bill , 13.5; metatarsus, 14.

This unique specimen was shot by the describer from a tall tree in the forest, where it was accompanied by one other of its kind. The sexual organs were somewhat enlarged; the stomach filled with beeswax, mixed with small pieces of insects. Apparently this species is not in the habit of leading men to beehives.

PUBLICATIONS OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY.

The publications of the American Museum of Natural History consist of the 'Bulletin,' in octavo, of which one volume, consisting of 400 to 800 pages and 25 to 60 plates, with numerous text figures, is published annually; the 'Memoirs,' in quarto, published in parts at irregular intervals; and 'Anthropological Papers,' uniform in size and style with the 'Bulletin.' Also an 'Ethnographical Album,' and the 'American Museum Journal.'

MEMOIRS.

Each Part of the Memoirs' forms a separate and complete monograph, usually with numerous plates.

VOL. 1. ZO?LOGY AND PALAEONTOLOGY.

MEMOIRS.

ETHNOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

Ethnographical Album of the North Pacific Coasts of America and Asia. Part 1, pp. 1-5, pll. 1-28. August, 1900. Sold by subscription, price, .00.

BULLETIN.

ANTHROPOLOGICAL PAPERS.

AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL.

For sale at the Museum.

Footnote:

Transcriber's Note:

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