1862.] of the sula islands. 343 



Nectarinia auriceps. 



Nectarinia auriceps, G. R. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1860, p. 348, 

 Hub, Sula Islands, Batchian, and Gilolo. 



Anthreptes lepida, 



Certhia lepida, Lath. 

 Anthreptes javanica, Sw. Zool. 111. t. 12L 

 Sab. Sula Islands, Celebes and islands westward of it. 

 Remark. — This is the furthest eastei-n range of the species, whieh 

 does not reach the Moluccas. 



CoRvus vALiDtJS, var. 



Corvus validus, Schleg. " Not. sur le genre CorvmJ* 



In size between €. validus and C. enca {but the latter has the third 

 quill longest) : fourth and fifth quills longest, nearly equal ; third a 

 little longer than the sixth ; second between sixth and seventh ; wings 

 reach nearly to end of tail ; wings 10| to 11 inches ; tail 5f inches ; 

 total length 16 inches; bill 2 inches to 2-i- inches to root of feathers 

 on culmen X -| inch deep. Skin bare and black behind the eye ; tail 

 rounded ; side feathers ^ inch, shorter than middle feathers, entirely 

 purple-black, less glossy beneath ; iris olive-brown. 



Hab. Sula Islands, Celebes, Java, and Sumatra. 



Calornis metallica. 



Lamprofornis metallica, Temm. PI. Col. 266. 

 C viridescens et amboinensis, G. R. Gray. 



I cannot separate the birds of this little group, whether from Am- 

 boina, Ceram, Gilolo, Batchian, or the Aru Islands, from this speci- 

 men from Sula ; and as Temminck first described the Amboina bird, 

 his name must be retained, 



Hab. Sula Islands and the Moluccas, 



Calornis obscura, var. 



Lamprotornis obscura, Bp. (ex Forst.) Consp. Gen. Av. 417. 



The numerous modifications of this bird, varying slightly in colour, 

 form, and dimensions in every island of the Moluccas, cannot, I think, 

 be separated into distinct species, for the simple reason that it is 

 quite impossible to characterize them intelligibly, or even to separate 

 them from each other, when their localities are unknown. This 

 variety is rather larger and rather greener than the type form of 

 Gilolo. C. mysolensis, G. R. Gray, has a more purple tinge, and C. 

 placidus, G. R. Gray, MSS., more olivascent. These I would con- 

 sider all as local varieties. C. cantoroides, G. R. Gray, from Mysol, 

 will alone stand as a good species, being very distinct from C, obscura 

 in its short square tail. 



Hab. Sula Islands and the Moluccas. 



" Length 9? inches ; iris red." 



