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



and founded on a mistake of Dr. Graffe. It is apparently rather a com- 

 mon bird in the Samoan group, occurring both on Savaii and Upolu. 



21. Myzomela cardinalis. 



Cardinal Creeper, Lath. Gen. Syn. i. pt. 2, p. 733, pi. 33. f. 2 

 (1782). 



Certhia cardinalis, Gm. S, N. i. p. 472 (1788) ; Lath. Ind. Orn, 

 i. p. 290 (1790). 



Cardinal Honey-eater, Lath. Nat. Hist. iv. p. 199, pi. 71. f. 2 

 (1822). 



Myzomela cardinalis. Gray, B. Trop. Isl. p. 10 (1859) ; Tristram, 

 Ibis, 1876, p. 261. 



Myzomela melanogastra, Bp. C. R. xxxviii. p. 263 (1854). 



Ad. capite, dorso uropygioque cum pectore superiore coccineis, 

 plumis ad basin nigris ; macula anteoculari, alis caudaque nigris, 

 his nitore nonnullo metallico ; corpore subtus futiginoso-nigro ; 

 remigum margine interna albida ; rostro pedibusque nigris. 

 Lotig. al. 2"9, caud. 2\, rostr. •7, tars. "75 {poll. Angl.). 



Jr. Myz. nigriventri similis, sed supra mugis brunnea, et subtus 

 dilutior ; dorso uropygioque castaneo-brunneis, nee rubris. 



Hab. in Novis Hebiidibus. 



This Honey-eater, one of the few of this genus known to the older 

 authors, is very nearly allied to M. nigriventris of the Samoan group, 

 which it replaces in the New Hebrides. 



The adult bird (I agree with Messrs. Hartlaub and Finsch in con- 

 sidering that in this section of the group the sexes are nearly similar) 

 is distinguished from M. nigriventris by the scarlet of the upper 

 parts and chest being duller, and extending not quite so far down on 

 the chest. The black of the lower parts is less intense, being tinged 

 with brownish ; the white margin to the remiges internally is more 

 distinct; and the bill is stouter. It is also a slightly larger bird. 



The young bird is paler and browner above (not so much dark 

 brown as greyish brown), and paler and yellower below ; the rump 

 and back are washed with chestnut-brown. Judging from the series 

 of specimens I have seen, the red colour in this species seems to 

 appear first on the head, and not on the back as in M. nigriventris. 

 The remiges, as usual in the young of this genus, are externally lined 

 with olive-yellow. From M. lifuensis this species may be distinguished 

 by its larger size and by the red extending on to the breast. Latham's 

 description and figure clearly apply to this bird, not to M. lifuensis. 



The irides are marked " black " or " dark brown." 



Latham describes this bird from the island of Tanna, where, he 

 says, it is called " Kuyameta" and is common, sucking the juices 

 of flowers; and I have seen specimens collected on that island by 

 Mr. Layard. There are specimens in the British Museum from Erro- 

 mango and Aneiteum (Cw/wtw^); and Canon Tristram has received it 

 from the latter island, as well as from Tanna and Aniwa. It thus 

 seems to be confined rather to the southern portion of the New- 

 Hebridean archipelago, being replaced in the north by M. caledo- 

 nica 1 and M. chermesina. 



