54 



For the knowledge of the existence of this new and very peculiar black 

 form of Mtinia, we are indebted to the Rev. G. Brown, who procured it at 

 Kabakadai on the coast of New Britain. 



It was described and figured in the ' Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society' for 1880, by Mr. P. L. Sclater, who says : — 



" This species is remarkable for its general black colouring, varied only 

 by the chestnut upper tail-coverts and the broad rufous patch on the belly. 

 Its bill is stronger even than 31. forbesi. 



" Besides the skins, Mr. Brown sends a small collection of birds in 

 spirit, of which the exact localities are not stated. It contains a second 

 example of Mtinia hcmimcltena, also Donacicola sj^ectabilis." 



At present no particulars have come to my knowledge respecting the 

 differences of the adult and young, or the habits and nidificatiou. 



The only specimen of Munia mdcena which I have had an opportunity 

 of seeing is that of a female collected by the Rev. G. Brown at Kabais, 

 New Britain, now in the collection of Canon H. B. Tristram, who very 

 kindly lent it to me for the purposes of this work. 



The figure (Plate VIII. fig. 1) is taken from a male in the British 

 Museum. 



