DESCRIPTIONS OF SO^IE XEW BIRDS FROM ALDABRA, 

 ASSUMPTION, AND GLORIOSA ISLANDS, COLLECTED 

 BY DR. W. L. ABBOTT. 



By Robert Ridgway, 



Curator of the Department of Birds. 



In tlie last volume of tliese Proceedings* descriptions were published 

 of seven new species of birds t collected by Dr. W. L. Abbott on the 

 above-mentioned islands, an eighth new form:j: having been later char- 

 acterized in The Auk. § Other species in Dr. Abbott's collection were 

 idcntilied with forms already described, though some of tliem were 

 doubtfully determined, no sijecimens of the birds they were supposed 

 to represent being available for comparison. Duplicates of some of 

 tliese were sent to Prof. Alfred Newton, who has made a special study 

 of the birds of the Madagascar subregion. Prof. Newton has kindly 

 informed me that they are in reality new forms, and has most generously 

 sent me specimens of the species to which I had referred them in order 

 that I might see wherein they Avere different. I am thus under the 

 necessity of describing six more new birds which have l)een brought 

 to light by Dr. Abbott's careful explorations. 



A more elaborate paper on the avian fauna of these interesting islands, 

 together Mitli the Seychelles, Amirantes, etc., based primarily on Dr. 

 Abbott's collection, but including also the results of the work of previ- 

 ous collectors, is nearly completed and will in due time be published. 



1. ZOSTEROPS ALDABKENSIS, new species. 



Specific characters. — Similar to Z. palpehrosa (Temminck), but 

 supraloral region (sides of forehead) distinctly orange-yellowish, under 

 parts with yellow of chest extending farther backward and tinging the 

 median line of the belly ; chest and sides less tinged with gray (some 

 specimens having instead a faint brownish wash), and under tail-coverts 



* Proc. U. S. Nafc. Mus., xvi, pp. 597-600, No. 953, published August 16, 1893. 



Mxocincla viadagoscariensis rostraia, Buchanga aldahrnna, Foadia aldahrana, Jioii- 



getius aldahranus, Ibis ahhoiti, Sula albotti, and Turtiir sataratus. 



\I\ougetins ahhotti. 



i^SThc Auk, January, 1894, y. 74. 



Proceediugs of the U. S. National Museum, Vol. XVII— No. 1008. 



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