262 MR. W. A. FORBES ON THE GENUS MYZOMELA. [Mar. 4, 



tecfricibus alarum et uropygio brunneis; f route anguste gulaque 

 rubris ; alls cavdaqtie fuscis, pennis anguste Jiavido limbatis ; ab- 

 domine et subcaiidalibus flavo-albidis ; rostro pedibusque corneis. 

 Hab. ill insula Banda. 



This species is confined to the island of Banda, where it is not un- 

 common, according to Miiller, in the nutmeg-plantations. The 

 male resembles M. erythrocephaht (ex insnlis Aru), but differs from 

 it in the black and white colours being purer and more contrasted. 

 The female is extremely like that of M. adolphince, but is smaller, 

 has the hreast greyer, the forehead redder, and the yellowish-olive 

 margins to the quills more conspicuous. 



The iris is "brown" (5'. Midler ; Murray). 



6. Myzomela erythrocephala. 



Myzomela erythrocephala, Gould, P. Z. S. 183f), p. 144 ; id. 

 B. A. iv. pi. C4 ; id. Handb. B. A. i. p. 556 (nee Meyer, Sitzungsber. 

 ^\'ien. Akad. Ixx. pp. 204-206). 



cJ capile, dorso inferiore et uropygio intense coccineis ; pallio, 

 dorso superiore, alis caudaque cum torque pectorali fuliginosis, 

 remigibus subtilissime oUvaceo limbafis ; abdomine et subcauda- 

 libus sordide olivaceo-griseis ; suhalaribus et margine interna re- 

 migum albis ; macula anteocularinigra ; rostra nigricante, 2)edi- 

 bus nigro-corneis . Long, tola circa 4'0, al. 2'4, caud. 1"75, rostr. 

 •55, tars. '55 {poll. Angl.). 

 Hab. in Australia septentrionali, insulis Aru, et Nova Guinea me- 

 ridionali. 



There is some doubt as to the exact range of this species, and as 

 to whether one or more species have not been included by various 

 writers under the same name. Unfortunately I have not been able to 

 see a sufficient number of specimens to clear up the question, the so- 

 lution of which must wait till a larger series from different parts be- 

 comes available for comparison. 



Myzomela erythrocephala was first described by Mr. Gould from 

 specimens from Port Essington, and was characterized as " intense 

 fusca, capite et uropygio coccineis." This description agrees well 

 enough with the figures in his folio work, and with the skins in the 

 British Museum from Aru collected by Wallace. In the text, how- 

 ever, as also in the ' Handbook,' the general colour of the plumage 

 is described as " deep chocolate-brown," a term which can hardly 

 be said to agree either with " intense fusca " or with the figures. 



In one of his expeditions to Southern New Guinea, Signor D'Al- 

 hertis obtained a single male (nearly or quite adult) of a Myzomela 

 at AEon, Hall Bay, of which Count Salvadori, in the account of the 

 collection (Aun. Mus. Civ. Gen. vii. p. 825, 1875), says that it in 

 110 way differs from one from Australia with which he has com- 

 pared it, and further remarks that Gould's plate is inaccurate in re- 

 presenting the back &c. as almost black, instead of only slightly 

 darker than the under surface. In a letter to me, however, he says 

 that now he is " not quite satisfied as to this bird being the same as 

 the Australian species ; this and the Aru bird seem to me much 



