58 



strongly tinged with yellowish-buff; bill and feet black: length 3-7, wing 1-85, tail 

 1'55, tarsus 06, culmen 0'4. 



The Rev. Gr. Brown during his residence in the Duke of York Island, 

 New Britain, prepared several collections of bird-skins which he transmitted 

 to Mr. P. L. Sclater for determination ; among them were the three species 

 figured and described above (Plate VIII.). 



We are now in possession of four very remarkable species, viz. 

 Mimia niehcna, forbcsi, spectabilis, and flaviprj/mna, all of which are 

 modifications of one type, and are easily distinguished from the other 

 members of this large group by the ventral patch and under tail-coverts 

 being black, and by the absence of the black mesial stripe which is so 

 conspicuous in the Mimia malacca form. 



Mr. P. L. Sclater points out that " this Finch, of which there is a single 

 skin, is perhaps not very far from Donacicola jia'iprynma, Gould, B. Austr. 

 iii. pi. 96, but is immediately recognizable by its black head and neck." 



Mr. E. L. C. Layard, in notes of a collecting trip in New Britain, 

 says : — " This little Finch was foimd only in Blanche Bay. It was in 

 large flocks, diligently hunting for grass-seeds on the ground in the 

 banana and cocoanut plantations, very easy to approach. I killed seven 

 at one shot." 



The male and female above described were procured by Mr, C. L. 

 Layard in Blanche Bay, New Britain, in 1879, and are now in the 

 collection of Canon H. B. Tristram, who kindly lent them to me for 

 examination. 



The figure is taken from the male above referred to. 



