544 Mr. P. L. Sclater on two 



by liis son, Capt. Kenneth Howard, R.N., during the course 

 of a few hours^ visit to the interior of the island of Api, 

 New Hebrides, in August 1880. After examination and 

 comparison of it with examples of the known species of the 

 genus I have come to the conclusion that it belongs to an 

 undescribed form of the shorter-tailed section of the group 

 {Amblynura of some authors), which I propose to call 



Erythrospiza regia, sp. nov. (Plate XV. fig. 2.) 



Nitide cserulea ; pileo, capitis lateribus et uropygio coccineis ; 

 Cauda testaceo-rubra ; remigibus alarum fusco-nigris, 

 extus claro viridi limbatis ; tectricibus dorso concolori- 

 bus ; rostro nigro, pedibus fuscis : long, tota 4*0, alse 

 2*5, caudse 1"5. 

 Hab. Api, New Hebrides. 



Obs. Species structura E. cyano-virentis omnino prsedita, 

 sed rostro paulo crassiore, et corpore Isete cseruleo primo visu 

 notabilis. 



While examining the specimens of these Finches in the 

 collection of the British Museum, with the view of deter- 

 mining the bird above described, I found four examples of a 

 closely allied species, which seems also to be new to science. 

 They have been labelled by the late Mr. G. R. Gray, " E. 

 pealei," but certainly do not belong to that form. With 

 Dr. Giinther^s kind permission, I propose to characterize 

 this bird as 



Erythrospiza serena, sp. nov. (Plate XV. fig. 1.) 



Nitide viridis; pileo, capitis lateribus, uropygio et caudse 

 tectricibus superioribus coccineis ; cauda testaceo-rubra ; 

 cervice postica cum gula et pectore superiore cseruleis ; 

 rostro nigro : long, tota 3-7, alse 2*6, caudse 1*3. Fem. 

 mari similis, sed coloribus dilutioribus. 

 Hab. Aneiteum, New Hebrides {Mac Gillivray) . 

 Mus. Brit. 



Obs. Species E. regies admodum affinis, sed collo undique 

 viridi distinguenda. 



An adult pair and two young birds of this fine Finch were 

 obtained by MacGillivray in Aneiteum on the 8th of February 

 1860. The native name is marked on the specimens as 



