( 76 ) 



ON THE BIRDS COLLECTED BY MR. :\[EEK ON ROSSEL 

 ISLAND IN THE LOUISIADE ARCHIPELAGO. 



By ERNST HARTERT. 



IN Vol. V. of this Journal, pp. 521 — 532, I have given a list of forty-two species 

 from Sndest Island. We knew nothing, so far, of the Birds of Rosscl Island, 

 except a few species mentioned, and partly described, by Tristram and De Vis. 

 Macgillivray had apjiarently not collected on Kossel Island. Rossel Island is the 

 most eastern of the large islands of the Louisiade Archipelago. It is 22 miles long, 

 and lU^ miles wide in the middle. Mount Knssel is nearly *I0<) feet high. Con- 

 sidering the small distance from Sudest Island, it is remarkable how many species 

 and subspecies of birds are different from those which are fonnd on Sudest Island. 



Both species of Pacliycephala, the Edoliosoma, the ZostefO]>s, Geojfro'/us, and 

 others evidently represent the forms occurring on Sudest. In the most lieautiful 

 Tanysiptera and the Pitta, Rossel Island possesses gems apparently not found 

 elsewhere, while some genera which are common on Sudest Island liave not been 

 found on Rossel. 



It seems most imj)robable that the tliirty-six species hereafter enumerated are 

 all that occur on Rossel, but they give no doubt a very good idea of the orniti of the 

 place ; and from the way in which ]\Ieek and his party work-, we must supjiose that 

 very little more will be discovered on Rossel Island. 



1. Calornis metallica (Temm.). 



Evidently plentiful on Rossel Island. The adult female does not differ from 

 the male. 



2. Pachycephala rosseliana Hart. 



Descr. origin, in BuJl. li. 0. C. Oct. Meet. 1898. No. LVI. p. 8. 



<J ad. Top of head, sides of head, and complete collar across the crop-region, 

 separating the white throat from the orange-yellow breast and abdomen, about 

 5 — 7 mm. wide, pure black. Entire bill pure black. Back, rump, upper tail- and 

 upper wing-coverts olive-green, with a faint orange wash. The black cap separated 

 from the colour of the back by an orange-yellow band of about 5 — 7 mm. width, 

 slightly interrupted by the colour of the back in the middle. Rectrices black, edged 

 and tipped with greenish olive, narrower on the outer, wider on the middle pairs, 

 and more olive towards the bases. Remiges black, lined with white towards the 

 bases of the inner webs, primaries on the outer webs narrowly edged with pale 

 grey, secondaries with olive-green. Under wing-coverts and axillaries white, witli 

 yellow borders. Thigh-feathers orange-yellow, black at base, and with a white spot 

 before the yellow tip. Remainder of underside deep orange-yellow. Feet light 

 bluish slate-colour, iris brown. Wing (U — (is mm., tail OS, exposed portion of 

 culmen 19 — 20 mm. ? ad. Above dark olive-brown, more greenish on the rumj) 

 and upper tail-coverts. Tail with the outer webs of the lateral rectrices and both 



