ON THE GENUS MYZOMELA. 95 



bably M. cruentata, occurs ; whilst M. sclateri alone represents the genus 

 in New Britain, and is peculiar. 



In N. Australia all five Australian species occur ; and M. pectoralis is 

 confined to that district. M. obscura and M. eryihrocephala are confined 

 to this region in Australia, but range into the Papuan Islands. M. nigra 

 and M. sanguinolenta have a wider range over Australia ; and the former 

 is the only representative of the genus in W. Australia : both are 

 peculiar. No species occurs in Tasmania. 



Proceeding to the Polynesian subregion, we find the Fijis inhabited by 

 a single peculiar species (M. jugularis) and the same is the case in the 

 Samoas, where M. nigriventris occurs, a representative form of M. car- 

 dinalis. The New Hebrides have no less than three species, of which 

 M. cardinalis is peculiar and found on the more southerly islands of the 

 group (Erromango, Aneiteum, Tanna, &c.), where it is the sole species. 

 Mallikollo is inhabited (if the localities given can be trusted) by two 

 species M. caledonica, which also occurs on Vate and Api, and M. cher- 

 mesina, which has managed to extend its range to the isolated islet of 

 Eotumah. New Caledonia has but one species, M. caledonica ; whilst on 

 Lifu occurs M. lifuensis. The Pelews, Mariannes, and Carolines are all 

 inhabited by one species peculiar to these groups, M. rubratra. It is 

 rather remarkable that no species of the genus has yet been found on 

 the Tonga Islands, although these are situated between the Fijis and 

 Samoan Islands ; but our present knowledge of the range of the Poly- 

 nesian species is very imperfect. 



Many other of these islands have no species of Myzomela recorded 

 from them ; but I have little doubt that several species remain to be 

 discovered both here and further west in the islands east of New Guinea, 

 as well as on the mainland of that great island itself. 



The appended Table (p. 94) will show the geographical distribution 

 of the species in a concise form. 



P.S. Since the above has been in print, Mr. Sclater has received a p z g 

 further consignment of birds from Mr. Brown. Amongst these are *p. 279 

 three specimens of Myzomelce, namely : a female of M. sclateri ; one of 

 an entirely red species, probably =Eamsay's M. coccinea or erythrina, the 

 receipt of which will enable the necessary comparisons of these species 

 with M. cruentata to be made ; and one of a species new to science. 



