354 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



TOU 55. 



A single example of Sauropatis chloris cyanescens, No. 180518, 

 U.S.N.M., from the island of Banka, taken, May 21, 1904, shows 

 some evidences of molt at even that late date. 



Individual variation concerns chiefly the length of wing; size of 

 bill ; width and distinctness of the black nuchal band ; the amount of 

 greenish or bluish on the auriculars; and the greenish, bluish, or 

 brownish shade of the upper parts, including the wings and tail. 



The faunal distribution of Sauropatis chloris as a species lies 

 principally in the Australian and Oriental regions, but one form, 

 Sauropatis chloris ahyssinica, reaches the northeastern part of the 

 Ethiopian Region. The geographic range extends north to the 

 Philippine Islands, Siam, India, and Abyssinia; west to Abyssinia; 

 south to western India, Java, middle western and northern Austra- 

 lia; and east to the Fiji Islands, the Solomon Islands, and the Pelew 

 Islands. 



The number of subspecies here recognized is 24 : and it is interest- 

 ing to note that of these only six, including three found in Aus- 

 tralia, are continental in distribution; while these continental forms, 

 excepting the three in Australia, occupy widely separated ranges. 

 The subspecies of Sauropatis chloris, wdth their type localities, are 

 as follows: 



' New subspecies, see p. 369. 

 ' New subspecies, see p. 377. 



« New subspecies, see p. 379. 

 * New subspecies, see p. 382. 



* New subspecies, see p. 386. 



All the races of Sauropatis chloris seem to be strictly resi- 

 dent. They inhabit chiefly, if not entirely, th6 coast regions along 

 the seashore or tidal waters, and rarely wander far inland, though 

 they ascend streams, occasionally even to an altitude of 4,500 feet. 

 They are noisy, conspicuous birds, and therefore usually not hard to 



