]C>C) MR. W. A. FORBES ON THE GKNUS LATHAMUS. [Feb. 18, 



Strophidia clarissima, n. sp. 



Allied to S. pannata of Felder (Reise der Nov., Lap. iv. pi. cxxviii. 

 fig. 39). Snow-white, with black fringe ; primaries with abroad sub- 

 costal stripe, and the outer border smoky brown, costal area from 

 the margin to the edge of the stripe mottled with black ; secondaries 

 with a rather broad and regular blackish submarginal band from the 

 apex to the second median branch, two large rounded black spots 

 touching the outer margin on the median interspaces, a subanal 

 transverse black dash ; back of head and upper margin of palpi black ; 

 antennae greyish brown : wings below white ; fore wings with the 

 costal margin, a subcostal spot just beyond the cell, the apex, and 

 the external border greyish brown ; hind wings with a broad trian- 

 gular patch of blackish between the anal angle and the third median 

 branch, continued beyond this branch as a submarginal greyish brown 

 band, which runs in a straight line to the apex. Expanse of wings 

 2 inches 3 lines. 



One example of this beautiful species. 



6. On the Systematic Position of the Gemis Latliamus of 

 Lesson. By W. A. Forbes, F.Z.S. 



[Eeceived January 30, 1879] 



(Plate XVI.). 



In their paper on Australian birds in the Linnean Society's 

 Transactions for 1828 (vol. xv. p. 74), Messrs. Vigors and Horsfield 

 established a genus Nanodes, of which the Psittacus discolor of Shaw^ 

 was made the type, and full generic characters were given. Besides 

 Nanodes discolor, three other species (those now generally known 

 as Melojisittacus tindulatus, Enphema pulchella and Platycercus 

 venustus) were included in the genus, which was considered by its 

 authors to be allied to Pezoporus and Platycercus, and as connecting 

 these Australian forms with the South-American Psittacar£E(=Co?iu- 

 r«sauct.). iV«wo^eshavingbeenalready used by Schonherrfora genus 

 of Rhynchophorous Coleoptera^ Lesson^ substituted for this name 

 that of Lathamus, including under that head four other species (one 

 a Euphema, one a Cyanorhamphus, and two Trichoglossi, as now 

 understood), remarking that Swainson "a parfaitement etabli ses 

 caractcres" in his 'Zoological Illustrations,''' where, however, E. 

 pulchella is considered the type of the genus^ As will be seen from 



1 White's Voyage, pi. 263 (1790). For the synonymy of the species, see 

 FiiiBch, Papag. ii. p. 863. 



2 Schouh. Ourcul. Disp. Meth. p. 322 (1826). 



3 Traite cVOrTi. p. 205 (1831). 



■* 2nd series, vol. i. part 5, no. 21 (1829). 



5 Swainson, however, in his 'Classification of Birds' (vol. ii. p. 304, 1837), 

 makes Lathamus a membei- of his " subfamily Platycercina'," in whicJi lie also 

 includes Cm-ac(ypsi% Pezoporus, Platycemis, and Calopsitta, with the remark 

 that it is a " subtypieal " form. 



