ON THE GENUS MYZOMELA. 87 



species probably has a wide range through New Guinea eastward of the 

 Arfak Mountains. 



19. MYZOMELA ETJBEATEA. 



Cinnyris rubrater, Less. Yoy. Coquille, Zool. p. 678 (1826) ; id. Man. 

 ii. p. 55 (1828) ; Kittlitz, Kupf. Yog. t. 8. fig. 1 (1832). 



Myzomela rubratra, Bp. C. E. xxxviii, p. 263 (1854) ; Hartl. P. Z. S. 

 1868, p. 5; Hartl. & Einsch, P.Z.8. 1872, p. 94; Finscb, Journ. God. 

 Mus. xii. p. 26 (1876). 



Myzomela major, Bp. C. E. xxxviii. p. 263 (1854). (Ins. Carol.) 



Myzomela sanguinolenta, pt., Gray (nee Lath.), Gen. B. i. p. 118 ; Bp. 

 Consp. i. p. 394 (1850). 



Ad. coccinea, alis, cauda, crisso et subcaudalibus nigricanlibus ; alis 

 caudaque subtus griseis, remigum margine internet albida ; rostra ni- 

 gricante, pedibus cornels. Long. al. 2*95, caud. 2*3, rostr. "65, tars. 

 75 (poll. Angl.}. 



Jr. olivaceo-brunnea, remigibus externe olivaceis ; subalaribus obscuris. 



Hob. in insulis Pelewensibus, Marianis, et Carolinis. 



This species belongs to the group of M. cardinalis, nigriventris, and 

 chermesina, but is at once distinguished from all of these by the greater 

 extent of the red colour in the adult, only the vent and under tail-coverts 

 being black. 



Myzomela major was founded by Bonaparte on specimens of this bird 

 from the Caroline Islands, and characterized as " Similis M. rubratrse, sed p. z. S. 1879, 

 major et percoccinea." But any such difference in size is not constant, and P- 27*' 

 Dr. Hartlaub says (I. c.) that Pelew birds are as large as Caroline ones. 



The young bird is nearly uniformly dark olive-brown, and gradually 

 attains its full plumage by the gradual appearance of the red on various 

 parts of its body. 



M. rubratra is remarkable for its wide range over the archipelagos of 

 the North-eastern Pacific. Lesson found it on the island of Ualan in 

 the east of the Caroline group (his assertion that it was also found in 

 the Philippines by M. Dussumier being of course erroneous), as did 

 Kittlitz, who gives an interesting account of the habits of this species 

 as observed by him on this island and the Marianne Island of Guam 

 (Denkwiird. ein. Eeise, i. pp. 364 and 381, 1858). Kubary found it on 

 Ponape in the east, and on Yap and the Mackenzie Islands in the west, 

 of the Carolines ; so that it is probably found all over that archipelago. 

 Specimens from these islands are in the Godeffroy Museum ; likewise 

 examples from the Pelews (or Palaos). Gray, in his Catalogue of Pacific 

 birds, gives " Island of Yanicoro " with a query ; but in all probability 

 this is a mistake, for as yet no Myzomela has been found there. 



20. MYZOMELA JQGEIVENTEIS. 



Myzomela nigriventris, Peale, U.S. Expl. Exped. p. 150, pi. 41. f. 2 



