(447 ) 



LIST OF COLLECTIONS OF BIRDS MADE BY A. S. MEEK 

 IN THE MOUNTAINS ON THE UPPER AROA RIVER 

 AND ON THE ANGABUNGA RIVER, BRITISH NEW 

 GUINEA. 



By the Hon. WALTER ROTHSCHILD, Ph.D., and ERNST 1IARTERT, Ph.D. 



rpHE following is a list of the remarkable collections of birds made by 

 J- Albert S. Meek at the places named in the title of this paper. The exact 

 situation of these places and the adventures of Mr. Meek during his trips have 

 been described in Nov. Zool. 1905. pp. 448 to 454, and 1906. p. 61. 



1. Synoicus plumbeus Salvad. 



Synoeem pbimbew Salvadori, Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. (2) xiv. p. 152 (1894— Vakena, mountains of 



British New Guinea). 



7 c??, Upper Aroa River, December 1905, January 1904. (Nos. B 90, 103, 

 HM, 10S, 113, 115, 144.) 



?, Yule Island, October 14, 1904. (No. B 3.) 



9c??, Owgarra, Augabunga River, January and February 1905. (Nos. A 2012, 

 2033, 2037, 2058, 2059, 2069, 2076, 2088, 2089.) 



Count Salvadori described this remarkable form from a single adult male. 

 Mr. Meek sent us twenty-three specimens. The variation in this bird is most 

 remarkable. Only one (No. B 90) agrees with Count Salvador's description, 

 being below plumbeous grey with faint huffy edges to the feathers, the chin a 

 little paler. The feathers of the upper surface are plumbeous grey with brown 

 borders, some of the feathers of the back and inner secondaries mottled with 

 black near the tips. Forehead grey ; crown brownish grey in the middle, and 

 with two parallel stripes of blackish spots. Wing 90 mm. Hartert has seen 

 the type in the Genoa Museum, which is similar to our bird.' though still a 

 little more greyisli above, being more uniform. Another male (Upper Aroa 

 River, 28. xii. 04, No. B 113) is similar above ; but whereas only a few white 

 shaft-lines are indicated in the specimen No. B 90, every feather of the back 

 has the shaft distinctly white, ami the nnder-surface is not plumbeous grey 

 but pale rufous-cinnamon, with a plumbeous grey wash in the middle of the 

 feathers, and many, especially those on the sides, with somewhat harpoon-shaped 

 black cross-lines, the latter evidently remains of the juvenile* plumage. Six 

 other males, evidently all more or less immature (Nos. A 2033, 2037, 2055, 2069, 

 B 103, 144), are much more mottled with black above, and their ground-colour 

 is more brownish, while the under-snrfaee is somewhat rufous bully washed with 

 plumbeous grey, each feather with three or more narrow, somewhat harpoon-shaped 

 cross-lines, the throat uniform bull'. One other male (No. B 104) is again [ess 

 mottled with black on the upper surface, but much more rufous than the first 

 two specimens described above, each feather being grey with a white shaft and 

 broad rufous borders barred with dark brown and with a few black mottliugs. 



» The Americans have introduced the term " Juvenal " ; but there is no need for this novelty, juvenile 

 being an English word. — E. H. 



