17 



In the series of adult males of this new form, some are more 

 deeply coloured than others. Even the deeper-coloured specimens 

 of the form are somewhat paler than typical rubratrn. 



^ad. — Resembles the adult male, but the scarlet colour is ra- 

 ther dull and not so beautiful, besides being distinctly smaller 



Immature. —Similar to the adujt female, but the olive margin 

 to the outer web of quills and the gape generally yellowish. 



The subspecific name is given in honour of Mr. Alexander 

 Wetmore who studied different forms of the species. 



Myzomela rubratra kurodai, subsp, nov. 

 (Meliphagid^e). 



M. rubratra Wiglesworth, Aves Polyn., 1891, p. 31 (part.): M. rnhraia (ntc Less.), 

 Kuroda, "Dobutsugaku Zasshi" (=Tokio Zool. Mag.), Vol. xxvii, 1915, pp. 331, 33^ 

 (Yap); Takatsukasa & Kuroda, " Tori " Vol. i. No. 2, 1915, p. 64 (part.). 



^ ad. — Similar to M. r. sajjtordi Wetmore from Southern Mar- 

 ianne islands, but the tarsus is decidedly shorter, not exceeding 

 21 mm. (more than 2imrn. in M. r. saffordi), and the colour of 

 plumage is not so much tinged with vermilion. It differs from J/. 

 r. rubratra, M. r. dichroinata and M. r. zutfmorei by the body 

 measuring much shorter and by the scarlet colour of plumage being 

 less pronounced. The length of bill in .]/. r. ivefrnorci M\d kurodai 

 is nearly the same. 



^ ad. — Upper-parts of body dark olivaceous brown ; under- 

 parts, including chin, throat and fore neck like upper-parts, but 

 somewhat paler ; breast and abdomen yellowish ashy-white ; head, 

 lower back, rump, upper tail-coverts, chin, throat as well as lower 

 breast tinged with scarlet (the red colour more distinct on lower 

 back but less so on lower breast) ; pale olive margin to the outer 

 web of flisfht-feathers. 



