88 ON THE StrX-BIEDS OF THE [1870. 



Eeichenbach, however, enumerates C. sperata, L., C. affinis, Sliaw, and X cocci niffasfra, Temni., 

 as three distinct species (Ilandb. Spec. Orn. nos. C51, 052, C53)*. 



Ibis, 1870, 32. Chalcostetha insignis (Jard.), Nat. Lib. xxxvi. p. 274 (1842), ex Temm. PI. Col. 138, 



p. 44. ^ 3 



Kecforinia lyectoralis, Temm., PI. Col. livr. 23. t. 138. f. 3, "Java," d adult., descr. orig. 

 (July 26, 1823) ; Miiller & Schl., Verb. Nat. Gesch. Ned. Overz. Bez. Zool. Aves, p. 57, t. 9. f. 2, 

 2 , nest and egg. 



Nectarinia calcostetha (Jard.), op. cit. p. 203, " E. Ind. Islands'?," 6 , descr. orig. (1842). 



Cinnyris macMotii, Bp., Consp. Av. i. p. 408, sp. 44, p. 850 (1850), ex Temm., t. 258. f. 3. 



Chalcostetha pectoral is (Temm.), Cab. Mus. Hein. i. p. 103. 



Nectarinia insignis, Gould, P. Z. S. 1805, p. 003, 6 , " Penang," descr. orig. 



Nectarinia ^jwi/a, Horsf., apud Temminck, /. c. (ncc Horsf.). 



Hah. Sumatra, Java (Miiller) ; Pinang (Gould) ; Malacca (Mus. nostr.) ; Siam ^Mus. Brit.) ; 

 Banjermassiug (Sclater). 



First dei«ribed and figured by Temminck (1823) under the title of iV^. j)gciora/zs, already 

 employed by llorsfield for another species. Sir AV. Jardine (1842) therefore proposed for it the 

 title of 3^. insignis, having in the same work (Nat. Lib.) already described an actual example of 

 Temminck's species under the title of X. calcostetha (cf. J. A. S. B. 1843, p. 909, note). This 

 specific title Dr. Cabanis (1850-51) raised to generic rank and restored Temminck's original 

 specific name oi pectoralis. Bonaparte (1850), however, rejected Temminck's designation and 

 proposed that of macMotii. Finally Mr. Gould (1805) described a Penang example as new under 

 one of the titles already published by Sir W. Jardine. As Dr. Cabanis seems to be justified in 

 generically separating the group to which this Sun-bird most nearly belongs, the name of insignis, 

 Jard., takes precedence. S. Miiller (/. c.) gives a most interesting account of the habits. We 

 have no positive proof that the alleged ^Malaccan examples are not in truth of Sumatran origin. 



This species forms a link between Arachnechthra and the Austro-Malayan species which 



constitute the genus Chalcostetha, Cab. • Though the type of Dr. Cabanis's genus, it is, strictly 



speaking, an aberrant form of that group, more nearly affined, however, to C. aspasia. 



Ibis, 1P70, C. proserpina, and others, than to A. asiatica and its congeners. The yellow axillaries are the 



P" *"'• principal character which indicates its affinity to Arachnechthra. 



Certhia manillensis, Gm. (S. N. i. p. 471. no. 32, the diagnosis of which is taken, but 

 unacknowledged, from Montbeillard, Ilist. Nat. Ois. v. p. 496, ex Lu9on), belongs either to this 

 species or else to one not since recognized from Luzon. The French author having described Le 

 Soiii-manga [C. souimanga, Gm.), remarks : — " On doit rapporter a cette espcce, comme varietc 

 tres-prochaine, le Soui-manga de d'isle de Lu^on que j'ai vudansle beau cabinet de ^L Mauduit, 

 et qui a la gorge, le cou et la poitrine couleur d'acier poli, avec des reflets verts, bleus, violets, 

 etc., et plusieurs colliers que le jeu brillant de ces reflets paroit multiplier encore ; il semble 

 cependant que Ton en distingue quatre plus constans, I'inferieur violet-noiratre, le suivant marron, 



• Certhia aurantia, Gm. (ex Lath. G. Synop. i. ii. p. 724, no. 3S), brought from Africa by Smeathman, and 

 snggcstcdby Shaw (Gen. Zool. vii. p. 207) to bo a variety of C. sjierata, L., can be nothing ebo than Certhia crocata, Shaw 

 &. Xodder (Vivar. Nat. vi. t. 210), i. e. C. violacea, L. 



