BY E. P. RAMSAY, F.L.S., 77 



flanks and under tail-coverts; centre of the abdomen white; 

 under surface of wings and tail brown. 



Loc. Savo. 



31. — Calornis metallica, Temm. 



I have before me a very large series of long-tailed glossy 

 starlings, in fact I have examined several hundred specimens 

 from various parts of Australia, from Port Denison to Cape 

 York, from Torres Straits, Port Moresby, and other parts of the 

 south coast of New Gkiinea, Duke of York Islands, New 

 Ireland, and the Louisades : all these I have carefully compared 

 with those from the Solomon Islands, and although there are 

 slight individual differences in the extent of the purple reflections 

 among those from each separate locality, yet I find specimens 

 from all these localities in which there is not the slightest difference in 

 plumage, and very little in size. An average-sized skin from 

 Solomon Islands measures : — total length from tip of bill to tip 

 of tail, 8*7 in. ; wing, 4*4 ; tail, 4*4 ; tarsus, 0-9 in. ; hind- toe, 

 (s.u.,) 0*45 ; mid-toe, (s.u.,) 0-8; bill from forehead, 0-9; from 

 angle of the mouth, 1 in ; from nostril, 0*5 ; culmen from 

 forehead, 0*94 in. An average-sized Australian bird measures : 

 — total length, 8 in. ; wing, 4*3; tail, 3-9; tarsus, 0*95; hind-toe, 

 (s.u.,) 0'5 ; middle toe, (s.u.,) 0-82. 



Those from the Duke of York group, and New Ireland, and 

 those from Port Moresby, and Torres Straits, are about the same 

 in size, all differing inter se. slightly in the extent of the 

 purple reflections, 



32. — Dictum erythrothorax, Komi, et Jacq. 



A large number of this beautiful species was obtained. It 

 is one of the most common species. The female is of a blackish- 

 brown with a rich metallic greenish gloss ; the under surf ace is 

 slaty-brown, duller on the sides of the chest ; the throat, chest, 

 abdomen, and under tail-coverts nearly white, the flanks olive- 



