1884.] COUNT SALVADORI ON BIRDS FROM TIMOR-LAUT. 577 



4. Notes on some Birds from Timor-Laut. 

 By R. Salvadori, C.M.Z.S. 



[Eeceived November 17, 1884.] 



In the July number of the 'Ibis,' p. 3;)5, I said that, "judging 

 from what I know of the geographical distribution of the birds in 

 the Papuan subregion . . . several forms from Timor-Laut, described 

 as new by Dr. Meyer, and which by Mr. Sclater have been attributed 

 to Ke-Islands species, must be really distinct." Then I added that 

 I thought that it would be found that such was the case with Geof- 

 froyus timorlaomsis and Philemon timorlao'ensis ; as to Artamus 

 nuisschenbroelii, Calornis circumscripta, and Ptilopiis fluvo-virescens 

 I was rather doubtful. Also I mentioned that the Urosjnsias from 

 Timor-Laut (doubtfully attributed by Dr. Meyer to U. albiveniris, 

 Salvad., from Ke Islands) I suspected to belong to a different species. 

 The same remarks I made as to the Crow from Timor-Laut, attributed 

 by Dr. Sclater to C. validissimus, and also as regards the Siiffmatops 

 attributed to S. squamata, and the so-called Dicrm-opsis bracteata. 



Since I wrote these remarks I have obtained from Dr. Meyer 

 specimens of all the species mentioned but the last two ^, and also 

 of some others ; and I wish to bring forward a few notes concerning 

 the specimens examined, especially as I agree more closely with 

 Dr. Meyer's conclusions than with those published lately by Mr. 

 H. O. Forbes (P. Z. S. 1884, pp. 425-434). 



Urospizias, sp. 



Urospizias albiveyitris, Salvad,?, Meyer, Sitz. u. Abh. Gesell. Isis, 

 1884 (Separat-Abdruck, p. 11) ; Forbes, P. Z. S. 1884, p. 426. 



Astur albiventris, Forbes, P. Z. S. 1884, p. 431, n. 1. 



Br. Meyer has doubtfully attributed the specimens received from 

 Timor-Laut to my V. albiventris, and I have already expressed my 

 suspicion that they most likely belong to a different species. 



Since then I have received from Dr. Meyer three specimens from 

 Timor-Laut, one fully adult and two young birds. 



The adult bird resembles the type from Ke Islands described by 

 me, but it differs from it in the following points: — The grey colour 

 of the upper parts is a little darker ; the reddish colour of the chest 

 is less vivid, being tinged with greyish ; the tibiae and the under 

 wing-coverts are purer white and not tinged with reddish. 



Of the two young birds, one is like the young bird from the Ke 

 Islands, also described by me, while the other has the fore neck 

 darker, from the dark spots being larger and nearly confluent. 



After having made these comparisons, it seems to me not im- 

 probable that the Timor-Laut specimens belong to a form distinct 

 from that of the Ke Islands ; but before deciding the point we must 

 have large series of specimens from both localities. 



^ Quite recently Dr. Meyer Las specifically separated the Siigmafops as 

 S. salvadorii (Zeitscbr. f. d. Ges. Orn. 1884, p. 217, Sejiarat-Abdruck, p. 28). 



