( 23 9 ) 



fully agree with Dr. (ladow in uniting Philemon and Tropidorh;jnchufi under the 

 former name, as such forms as P. jubiensis and P. novaer/itineae subtaberos'us form 

 distinct bridges from the humped to the unhumi)ed members of the groui). 



In comparing any of these birds it must be borne in mind that the femrdes have 

 as a rule slightly smaller humps, and that they are much less developed in young 

 birds; therefore only adult birds of the same sex should be compared if the size of th(> 

 humjj is discussed. 



Nests of Philemon novaegvAneae gv.btuberosus were found from October to 

 December on Fergusson Island. Tliey were large open structures, and contained two 

 or three eggs each. The latter are very pale salmon-colour, and have many 

 vinaceous rufous patches and a few deeper-lying puri)lish grey ones. They measure 

 32-5 :23, 32-7 : 22-8, 33-7 : 23-5 mm. and about these measurements. Other clutches 

 are of a deeper salmon-colour, washed nearly all over with pale vinaceous rufous 

 patches and with a few black dots, f^ize about the same. E. H. 



IC>. Myzomela forbesi Kams. 



Eamsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, IV. p. 469 (1880); Gadow, Cat. B. 

 Brit. M'us. IX. p. 135. 



The species has been described from Woodlark Island, but ]\Ir. l\Ieek sent a fine 

 series of both sexes from Fergusson Island only. The wing of the males is 2-3 to 2'4 

 inches (about 60 mm.), not 2'2.5 inches as given by Gadow. " Iris hazel." " Bill and 

 feet black." The female is greenish olive above ; forehead, crown, and throat dull red ; 

 underside pale olive, very pale in the middle of the abdomen. " Iris black." Wing 

 52 — 53 mm. Altogether smaller than the male. K. H. 



17. Dicaeum rubrocoronatum 8harpe. 



Fergusson Island. Thi'ee eggs were found on December 2nd, 1894. They are 

 pure white, and measure 13-3 : 11, 14 : 11, 15-2 : 10-9 mm. E. II. 



18. Anthreptes nieeki sp. nov. 



cJ ? . Anthreptes minimus, capite colloque supra, tectrieibns alarum minoribus 

 griseis, dorso, rectricum et secundariarum marginibus exterioribus, alarum tectrieibns 

 majoribus viridibus, griseo lavatis. Subtus griseo-albidus, corporis lateribus, fasciculis 

 plumarum pectoris lateribus pallide sulfureis, alarum tectrieibns inferioribus alliis. 

 Al. 50 mm., caud. 25 — 28, culm. 14, tars. 12 mm. 



Hab. Ins. PVrgusson dicta. 



This is perhaps the most interesting of Mr. Jleek's discoveries on Fergusson 

 Island, and therefore it is appropriate that it should bear his name. Remarkable it is 

 on account of its very simple coloration, the male having no trace of mekdlie colours 

 in its plumage and differing in no ivay from the female ! It is therefore with some 

 hesitation that I call it an Anthreptes, but it belongs to no other genus known to me, 

 and I cannot find any structural characters to separate it from that genus. Perhaiis 

 Jlr. Buttikofer or Count 8alvadori would separate it generically, if I understand their 

 point of view, judging from the former gentleman's recent, and most valuable, articles 

 on some groups of Passerine birds, and from the latter ornithologist's keys to the 

 genera in his monograph of the Anatidae: Init in my opinion coloration alone cannot 

 constitute genera, and generic characters must be structural, so as to enable us to class 

 all ages, se.xes, and even varieties, such as albinoes, in their proper genera. Besides 



