92 ON THE GENUS MTZOMELA. 



$ supra brunnea, subtus albida, mento, gula et pectore fusco variegatis ; 



stria superciliari et remigum margine interna albidis. 

 Hob. in Australia. 



This species, which differs somewhat in coloration from the other 

 members of the group, has a wide range over Australia. Gould found 

 it on the plains of the Namoi ; and Gilbert met with it in Western 

 Australia on the Swan Kiver. Mr. Ramsay, in addition, marks it in his 

 list from the Port-Darwin district, from the interior, Victoria, and S. 

 Australia. 



26. MTZOMELA PECTOEALIS. 



Myzomela pectoralis, Gould, P. Z. S. 1840, p. 170 ; id. B. A. iv. pi. 65 ; 

 id. Handb. B. A. i. p. 557. 



Cissomela nigra, Bon. (nee Gould), C. E. xxxviii. p. 265 (1854). 



cJ ad. niger, uropygio, mento y ..gutture et corpore subtus albis, pectore 



fascia angusta nigra transversim notato ; rostro pedibusque nigris. 

 $ (aut jr.) dor so medio castaneo-brunneo diver sa. 



Long, tota 4-5, al. 2J, caud. 1|, rostr. |, tars. (poll. Angl.). 



Hob. in Australia septentrionali. 



This Myzomela, which in its black-and-white coloration departs con- 

 siderably from the general coloration of the group, is confined to the 

 more northern parts of Australia. Gould's original specimens were from 

 the N.W. coast. Mr. Ramsay in his list records it from Ports Darwin 

 and Essington, the Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York, and Rockingham 

 Bay. 



It is not as yet ascertained with certainty whether the chestnut-backed 

 birds are the adult females, or merely the young, of this species. 



Besides the above 26 species, which are all founded on actual speci- 

 mens, and which are here recognized as valid, there remains the following, 

 based on a figure of one of the older authors, but never yet again met 

 with, which may or may not be a real bird. This is 



P. Z. S. 1879 MYZOMELA PUSILLA. 



p ' 276 ' Le Kuyameta, Vieill. Ois. Dor. ii. p. 92, t. 58 (1802). (Certhia cardinalis, 



Gm. in text.) 



Myzomela pusilla, G. R. Gray, B. Trop. Isl. p. 10 (1859). 



M. cardinalis, pt., E. & H. Orn. Centralpolyn. p. 57 (nota). 



This extremely doubtful species was founded by Gray on a drawing 

 (from a bird once in the Leverian Museum) in Vieillot's " Oiseaux 

 Dores." This plate, as well as the description, indicates a black-and-red 

 Myzomela, like M. cardinalis or M. rubratra, but smaller (3| inches in 

 length), and with the abdomen, vent, &c. entirely red, only the wings, 

 tail, and an anteocular spot being black. In the letterpress the bird is 



