( 13 ; 



53. Myzoniela simplex rubrotincta Salvad. 



IMyzomela simplex Gray, P. Z. S. 1860. p. 349 (" Batchian and Gilolo").] 



Myzomela rubrotincta Salvad., Ann. Mas. Civ. Gen. sii. p. 334 (1878 : Obi). 



One ? from Doherty, two males aud one femcde from Waterstradt. "Iris pale 

 dull crimson, feet dull leaden, bill nearly black." 



The Obi form of this Mysoviela is not— as sai'l by Dr. tladow, Gat. B. xi. p. 143— 

 intermediate between Myzomela simplex simplex and M. s. rubivbrunnea, but, on 

 the contrary, the latter is .somewhat intermediate between the two others. While 

 M. simplex simplex has only a red tinge on the edges of the wings and tail and on 

 the chest, M. s. rubrobrunnea has red margins to all the feathers of the back and 

 underside, and M. s. rubrotincta has the whole upperside uniform brownish red, the 

 abdomen, thighs, and under tail-coverts washed with pink. The red of the wings 

 and tail is also much brighter and more extended than in M. s. riArobrunneu. 



54. Criniger lucasi sp. nov. 



Grinujer supra viridi-olivaceus, subtus flavus, olivaceo tinctus. Differt a 

 C. chlm-is dicto, cui maxime affinis est, loris flavis (neenon fuscescentibus), colore 

 laetiore, subtus purius flavescente, minus olivaceo tincto. iMaguitudine G. chlm'is 

 dicti. 



Hab. Obi Major. 



This very distinct new form of Grinirjer is nearest allied to G. chloris, but differs 

 at a glance by its yellow, not brownish, lores. Its colour is generally brighter, the 

 underside of a much purer yellow, less tinged mth olive. With the two other species 

 of ]\Ioluccan Grinifjer the Obi form has much less to do than with C. chloris, 

 C. mysticalis from Burn, which has also yellow lores, differs, among other peculiarities, 

 by its yellow eye-lid and the much darker, more olive-greenish underside, with rather 

 distinct pale shafts. G. affinis from Ceram and Amboina differs at once in the pure 

 yellow apical third of the tail. 



Criniger lucasi is named in honour of :\Ir. Lucas, of Brussels, who made a very 

 useful collection of birds on Obi Major, which contained, among others, the rare 

 Ntoscolopiax rochusseni. 



"Iris deep brown, feet bluish grey, bill pale olive-gi-een, culmen above darker. 



cliiefly at base " (W. Doherty). 



We have a series of ten, collected by Doherty and others. The males are much 

 larger than the females in this and allied species, wings about a centimetre longer. ^ 



Doherty sent two eggs of Criniger lucasi. They are like those of C. chlona, 

 being of a glossless white, spotted all over with deeper and lighter red-brown and 

 some deeper-lying purplish mauve spots. They measure ^2-1 : 18-6 and 21-5 : 18-2 mm. 



Type: S ad.. Obi, September 1897, No. 930, W. Doherty coll., in Mus. Kothsch. 



55. Pitta rufiventris (Heine). 



GoLoburlsrufiventris Heine, ./uurn.f. Orn. 1859. p. 4()(; (Loc. incert.—I substitute 

 Baljan as tlie original locality). 



Doherty and Waterstradt obtained specimens of this I'iUa on Obi Major. " Iris 

 deep brown, feet leaden-blue, bill black, i)ale at tip above." 



The specimens from Obi do not differ from those fi-om Batjau aud Halmahera. 



