602 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



VOL. 39. 



Otherwise it differs from //. a. coeruleocephala in darker, more purplisti 

 blue upper parts of the male, and greater backward extension of the 

 blue below; from H. a. azurea in average darker blue of upper and 

 lower surface; from H. a. 'proyhata in the more whitish posterior 

 lower parts (the flanks and crissum being without blue) , and in rather 

 more purely white axillars; from H. a. calocara and H. a. idiochroa 

 in darker, more purplish blue of throat, breast, and upper surface, 

 together with much less bluish posterior lower parts, and addition- 

 ally from H. a. calocara in the greater contrast between pileum and 

 back. Females are darker than those of H. a. coeruleoce/phala, and, 

 except for larger size, are not with certainty distinguishable from 

 females of H, a. propJiata. 



This form doubtless prevails throughout the Mergui Archipelago, 

 though all our speciniens come from Sullivan and Ijoughborough 

 islands in the southern portion. One male from Sullivan Island is 

 lighter, both above and below, than the type. 



Measurements of specimens of Hypothymis azurea forrestia examined. 



a Measured in the flesh by the collector. 



6 Type. 



HYPOTHYMIS AZUREA OPISTHOCYANEA, new subspecies. 



Chars, suhsp. — Similar to Hypothymis azurea azurea from the Philip- 

 pine Islands, but very much larger; male somewhat darker; the 

 posterior lower parts usually much more extensively and deeply 

 shaded with the blue of the breast, the under tail-coverts also 

 usually blue; axillars more grayish and more tinged with blue. 



Description. — Type, adult male. No. 170909, U.S.N.M.; Pulo 

 Piling, Anamba Islands, August 17, 1899; Dr. W. L. Abbott. Upper 

 surface, throat, and breast hyacinth blue, a little lighter below, much 

 paler on pileum; a crescentic occipital patch, the extreme forehead, a 

 somewhat crescentic bar across the jugulum, and a tiny chin spot 

 velvety black; wings and tail blackish slate color, the outer webs of 

 all the wing-quills and taU-feathers broadly margined with marine 

 blue, the wing-coverts with blue like that of the back; abdomen 

 medially on posterior part almost pure white, but elsewhere heavily 

 shaded with the blue of the breast; lower tail-coverts also strongly 

 bluish; under wing-coverts slate gray, the exterior ones hyacinth 



