1870.] INDIAN AND AUSTRALIAN EEGIONS. 77 



Certhia currucana, L., var. j3, Lath. Iiid. Orn. i. p. 286, c? adolesc, ex Liun. no. 7. 



Cmnyris zetjlonicus, Vieill., N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxxi. p. 507, nee Linn. 



Le Soioi-manga a gorge bleiie, Audeb. & Vieill, Ois. Dor. ii. p. 51, t. 29, S adult., "Lugon." 



Nectarinia zeijlonlca, Kulil, Nomina System., p. 10, no. 576, ex Buff. PI. Eul. t. 576. f. 4, 

 nee Linn. 



Nectarinia jugularis (Vieill.), Jard., Nat. Lib. xiii. p. 228, t. 25. f. 2, <S adult., " Philippines," 

 op. cit. p. 207. 



Certhia philippensis, part., Meyen, Eeise, Theil iii. p. 206 (1834). Ibis, 1870, 



Certhia sperafa, L., $, Meyen, torn. cit. p. 207, 6 adult., " Manilla," nee Linn. ^' ^^' 



Certhia jihilipjjensis, Briss., torn. cit. p. 613, no. 4, t. 30. f. 2, ? vel c? juv., " Ins. Philipp.," 

 descr. orig. (1760). 



Certhia ■phiUj)2mia, L., S. N. ed. xii. i. p. 187, no. 21, "Philipp." (1766), ex Briss. no. 4 (?). 



Nectarinia pectoralis, Horsf., ap. G. R. Gray, Genera, iii. App. p. 33, ex Buff. PL Enl. 576, 

 f. 4, nee Horsf. 



Nectarinia jugularis (L.), Von Martens, J. fiir Orn. 1866, p. 13, no. 49; Id. Preuss. Exped. 

 Ost-Asien, p. 189, 



Hah. Philippine Islands (Jardine, Von Martens). 



Brisson described three species of Certhia from the Philippines, which appear to have all 

 belonged to the present species. His "no. 10," collected by Poivre, was founded on the adult 

 of an undoubted Philippine Nectarinia, a species since referred by common consent, except 

 Eeichenbach's, to C. jugularis, L. To this species of Brisson no binomial title has ever been 

 directly given by any author. Linnaeus identified it with his own C. zeylonica, one of those 

 blunders of his which have since led to so much confusion. Brissou's species "no. 6" was 

 described from a Philippine specimen in Aubry's cabinet ; on this Linnteus founded his C. jugu- 

 laris. From Brisson's original account, we may conclude that the type was either a young male 

 of his "no. 10," or else an adult male of that species in postnuptial plumage. Species "no. 4" 

 was described by Brisson from a Philippine individual also in Aubry's collection. Its indentifi- 

 cation is rendered uncertain by our being still totally unacquainted with authenticated females 

 of the only two Sun-birds actually known to inhabit the Philippines, Nectarophila s])erata and 

 A. jugularis, or with either of these species in young male plumage before the metallic feathers 

 appear. But if the title C. philijipina, L., was founded on species " no. 4 " of Brisson, it must 

 merge in either N. sperata or A. jugularis ; and therefore the identification is of little importance. 

 I say, IF founded on Brisson's species " no. 4," as about this there is some doubt ; for, while 

 Linnseus cites Brisson's diagnosis only, his own contains a cliaraeter not found in Brissou's ibis, 1870 

 account. It is thus expressed : — " rectricibus intermediis 2 longissimis." Brisson's words are, P- -'^• 

 " rectricibus binis intermediis nigris." Linnaeus placed C. pliiUppina third in a list of four 

 species, which certaiuly do all possess elongated central rectrices, C. pulchella, C. famosa, 

 and C. violacea. His diagnosis of all four species begins with the phrase above quoted. They 

 are the only species Linngeus described thus characterized, which looks as if he intentionally 

 grouped the four together on account of this character. Yet the remamder of the diagnosis of 

 C. philippina agrees with that of Brisson's " no. 4 ;" and in the absence of evidence of its beino- 

 original, it is most likely that Linnaeus committed an error when compiling, and that thus 



