870 pnocFFDTXcs OF riii: xatioxm, yrrsKr}f. v..i.. xxvm. 



Doctor AI)bott secured oulv tlic siiij^lc spcciincii above described, 

 ))ut tins is an adult in t'l-esli phunage, and (lenionstra((>s cleai-Iy i(s 

 .speoitic distinctness from Mel i(j not lux mljiof (/!((</riii(it us (Ri'ip{)ell) 

 [ = telfen)<k Neumann) obtained at the same locality, provino- thus the 

 existence of two entirely distinct species in this ])art of Africa. Kiom 

 (11(1(1 iiKitiis this new form ditfers as follows: Siz(> small(M-, ])art iculaily 

 the \\iiio-and bill; upi)er })arts dai-kei'. less yellowish, the head moi'c 

 lii-eenish; chin and thi-oat darker, the former conspicuously streaked; 

 breast with moiv of a ^Teenish wash, inferior win^-coverts brownish 

 o-ra\' instead of dull white. Fi'om Mdnjuofhcs ccilis jxichi/r/ii/iichus 

 ^Ileuolin) it may be distinguished ))y its decidedly smaller size and the 

 lack of blackish shaft streaks on the upper pai'ts. C onsiderable hesita- 

 tion prec(MUHl the d(»tei'mination to describe yy/r//y>//////.v as new, l)ut a 

 Ncrv careful investiu"ation, invohini;- all tli(> known forms of the 

 smaller honey-u-uides seems to })ermit no other loo-ical course. As 

 this study has revealed the ai)pareut necessity of some readjustment 

 of i)revlously entert-ained views of the r(dationshi[)s of the species, the 

 results may be here set forth as a slio-ht contrilnition to our knowledg-e 

 of these ditlicult l»irds. 



'['he oemis //tduxitor.Ufi at present regarded, comprises two w(dl- 

 delined groups one of generally larger species, with longer, more 

 sl(Mider bills, typitied by IiuUcdfoj- Indicator; the othei' of smallei- 

 forms, with relatively short, stout beaks, represented by /. vonlrostrls. 

 The struct ui-al dittertmces characterizing the latter, as below detailed, 

 seem <(uite sutlicient for its recognition as a separate genus, to which 

 tlu^ nam(> .)A//r/;/o//^Y^yCassin," })ascd oji /. conlroxtr/.s^ therefore bin-omes 

 applicjible. Doctor Keichcnow adnuts only ti\c forms "of this group.'' 

 all of which he treats as distinct species; while Mr. X(>umami,'' going 

 to the other extreme, holds them all for subspecies of niln(>i\ with the 

 addition of (Jl(((I('ni(dus, and excepting lomt! which was at that time 

 not yet described. There seem to be. however, at least three specific 

 tvpcs in//i'ii\ crllis^ and conlroxtrls — with possibly a fourth in lomt!; 

 and all the other admissil)le forms appear to be l)ut geographical races 

 of these. To judge f '.'om the characters osteological and other- given 

 by Storu-zka,'' the Indian Psendofrimj'dld .ninthonotd (Blyth) is gener- 

 ically \-erv distinct from both IndiaitoT and Md'xjuotlwx. Other 

 pertinent notes are set forth in the following review of the 



Genus Melignothes Cassin. 



3Mu/7/of/if,s- Cassin, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., Isr^G, p. 15(1 (tyi)e, McVxjiHithc^^ 



con'iroxh'h ( 'asyin ) . 

 J/<'/*y«o.s<c.s Heink, Journ. f. Ornith., 1860, p. 102 (iiom. ciucikI. jyro Mcllijiiothes) 



(type, Mdlgnoihes conirostrh Cassin). 



«Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliila., 1856, p. 156. <' Journ. f. Ornith., 1900, p. 195. 



''Voi,'cl Atricas, II, 190:5, p]). 110-113. <'Stray Featlier.s, I, 1873, p. 426. 



