( 148 ) 



coast round the East ('ape, and on the sonth coast to the Brown River. This form 

 is named in honour of Mr. Albert ,S. Meek, to whose energy the richness of onr 

 series of Sytna is chiefly dne. 



1~. Syma torotoro flavirostris Gould. 



Agrees in its pale colouration above and below with -S'. torotoro mcch', but diflcrs 

 in the foremost half of the culmen being black and in the extent of the black patch 

 on the crown. This latter extends nearly to the base of the culmen, and is 

 apparently wider in extent. The black on the culmen is evidently never quite 

 absent in Australian specimens. 



At present we have the i'oUowiug J/anrostris : — 



<S Cape York (collector unknown). Wing, TT-o mm: 



(S without exact locality, from the Blarshall collection, uamed " Syma 

 Jlwcirostris." Wing, 76 mm. 



$ Somerset (DAlbertis e Tomasiuelli coll.). Wing, 75 mm. 



? Cape York (A. S. Meek coll.). Wing, 78 mm. " Iris dark brown, feet pale 

 cadmium, bill pale cadmium " (Eichliorn). 



S Cape York (A. S. Meek coll.). Wing, 75 mm. 



? „ „ „ „ 77 mm. 



i ij ,, „ „ 76-5 mm. 



? „ „ „ „ 75 mm. 



$ Somerset (D'Albertis e Tomasiuelli coll.). Wing, 76 mm. Nearly the whole 

 upper bill black, white nuchal patch very large. 



? juv. withont label, but evidently from Australia. Entire upjierand under bill 

 black, entire crown from forehead to nape black with a faint greenish gloss on the 

 forehead, leaving the lores and a wide sujjerciliary line ochraceous ; feathers of 

 cheeks and sides of breast narrowly fringed with black ; large white nuchal patch. 



S. t.jlacirostris seems to inhabit the Cape York Peninsula only ! 



13. Syma torotoro ochracea subsp. nov. 



Inhabits the D'Eutrecasteaux group, namely, Fergusson and Goodenough 

 Islands. Characterised by its uniform ochraceous undersurface, which is only some- 

 what jialer on the ujiper throat, but not white ! Bill rather wide and fairly long, 

 yellow without black in the adult bird. Wing rather long. The black i)atch on 

 the crown extends nearly or quite to the base of the culmen. 



There is a wide difference between this form and 7Heeki or Jkmrostris, but 

 typical torotoro and tentelare bridge the chasm over. In ochracea ih&Tt is no distinct 

 darker area across the chest, the al)di)iHcn is as dark as the breast, and the throat is 

 pale ochraceous, not at all white. The under wing-coverts are also darker ochraceous 

 than in any of the other forms. In Jiavirostris and meeki they are nearly white. 

 The bill is 6 to 10 mm. longer than in S. t. ineeki a,nd_^avirostris. 



We have the following specimens of .S'. t. ochracea, all collected by Albert S. 

 Meek and his assistants : — 



S Goodenough Island, U.lii.Lsyo. Wing, )i'.i mm. Type of this subspecies. 

 " Iris dark brown, feet and bill orange." 



? Goodenough Island. Wing, 81 mm, 



? „ „ „ 82 mm. 



<S „ „ „ 82 mm. 



