DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OE SUXBIKI), 



HELIONYMPHA RAINEYI, FROM BRITISH 



EAST AFRICA 



Bv EDGAR A. MEARNS 



Upon examining- the first lot of birds sent to the Cnited States 

 National Museum by the Rainey African Expedition, I find the 

 following apparently new species. 



HELIONYMPHA RAINEYI, new species' 

 Rainey's Wedge-tailed Sunbird 



Type-Specimen. — Adult male, molting-. Cat. No. 217483, U. S. 

 N. M. Collected at the Telek River, Sotik District, British East 

 Africa, May 16, 1911, by Edmund Heller. Original number, 136. 



Characters. — In coloration almost exactly like Cinnyris mari- 

 gjce7isis suahelica Reichenow, but with a much longer bill, shorter 

 wing, and elongated pointed central pair of rectrices. 



Description.— V\\^\\\\\. cervix, mantle, and rump metallic golden 

 green ; wings brownish blue-black ; upper tail-coverts bluish green ; 

 tail brownish black, the central feathers narrowly edged with green ; 

 chin and throat metallic golden green ; upper chest with a trans- 

 verse band of metallic blue, succeeded, posteriorly, by a broader 

 band of brownish red : abdomen and crissum brownish black ; bend 

 of wing metallic green : axillars and under wing-coverts black. In 

 dry skins the bill, feet, and claws are black. 



Measurements of type (adulf male).— Length (of skin), 538 mm. ; 

 wing-, 66 ; tail (molting:) , 57 ; exposed culmen (chord), 22 ; tarsus, 17. 



Measiirements of adult male topotype (Cat. No. 217484. U. S. 

 N. M.).— Length (of skin), 130; wing, 66; tail (molting). 49; 

 exposed culmen (chord), 22 \ tarsus, 18. 



Remarks.— ^\\\% bird is most closely related to Helionympha 

 erythrocerca (Heuglin), but in coloration bears a closer resemblance 

 to Cimiyris mariguensis suahelica Reichenow. 



1 Named in honor of Mr. Paul J. Rainey, in recognition of his services to 

 biological science in connection with the Rainey African Expedition. 



Smithsonian MisceLLANEOus Collections, Vol. 56, No. 28 



