( 75 ) 



Mr. De Vis has described {Report New Guinea, 1896-97, Appendix AA, p. 81) 

 as a new species a C. nanus. From his description it appears to us that it is 

 only a slightly aberrant specimen of saacissimas, which has the wing about 

 2^ mm. shorter than our smallest male. 



46. Cyclopsitta nigrifrons nigrifrons Rchw. 

 This bird is only known from the Augusta River in northern German New 

 Guinea. We have at present no specimen before us, but Mr. Hartert has seen 

 the types in Berlin. Wing 90 mm. (Rchw.) ; forehead black. 



47. Cyclopsitta nigrifrons macilwraithi Rothsch. 



When Mr. Rothschild described this bird as a new species we did not know 

 the sexual diiierences in the various forms of nigrifrons. The only tangible 

 difference between this form and typical nigrifrons is the slightly smaller size. 

 The forehead is also more bluish. We have before us in the Tring Museum one 

 male from British New Guinea (without exact locality) and the female type. For 

 the latter, in the original description {Ball. B. 0. C. vol. vii. p. 21), the locality 

 was stated to be the north coast of British New Guinea, but we have now reason 

 to believe that this is erroneous, as Anthony appears not lately to have collected 

 north of the Owen Stanley Range. Wiug c? and ? 87 mm. 



More material is required in order to confirm the distinctness of this form 

 from the former, and to explain its distribution ! 



48. Cyclopsitta nigrifrons amabilis Rchw. 



This form was described from the Hnou Gulf. We have a good series from 

 Milne Bay and Collingwood Bay, and one from the Sattelberg (A. S. Meek and 

 E. Nyman coll.), which agree with Professor Reichenow's diagnosis. The principal 

 difference between this and the other two forms of C. nigrifrons is the much 

 smaller size. Our series have the wings 80 to 82 mm. It consists of 5 adult 

 males, 3 young males and Z females. 



The forehead is dull dark bine, in colour between the blue on the head of 

 suavissima and the black of C. m. melanogenia. 



A^'e have kept the nigrifrons group specifically distinct from the melanogenia 

 group, because the females of these two groups oflfer such very striking differences, 

 while the males can always be distinguished by the absence or presence respectively 

 of the yellow edges to the secondaries and of the pale yellow band on the throat. 

 We must, however, remark here that Ci/clopsitta guglielmi III., although in 

 other respects resembling the melanogenia group, lacks the yellow bases to the 

 secondaries like the nigrifrons group. We have unfortunately no specimens yet 

 of this rare Salwatty species. 



According to our present belief the genus Cyclopsitta consists now of the 

 following forms : — 



1. Cyclopsitta salvadorii Oust. 



North coast of New Guinea, east of Geelvink Bay. 

 Evidently a very distinct species. 



2. C. edwardsi Oust. 

 Kaiser Wilhelm's Land. 



Very distinct species. 



