SOUTH-BASTEBN NEW aTJINEA. 81 



4. Centropus spilopterus. 



Uentropus spilopterus, Gi-ay, P. Z. S. 1868. p. 184 ; Schl. Obs. Zool. iv. 



Tliis is a very interesting bird, as hitherto the species has been 

 supposed to be confined to the Ke Islands. On comparing the 

 specimen now sent with the type of C spilopterus, I can find uo 

 specific differences, nor with two other specimens from New 

 Gruinea collected by Mr. Wallace. These latter birds are named 

 G. violaceus ; but they are certainly not the true species, as they 

 are greenish and have no violet shade about them. The bird will, 

 I believe, ultimately bear the name of C. spiloptertis, — not that the 

 streaks on the wing-coverts are a specific character ; for I regard 

 them as nothing but the last remains of the speckled plumage. 

 Professor Schlegel has given a sketch of the Papuan. Gentropi (Obs. 

 Zool. iv. p. 11), in which he recognizes four species : — 



(1) C. MENEBEKI, LeSS. 



Hab. New Guinea, Salwatti, Aru Islands, Mysol. 



(2) C. BERNSTEINI, ScM. 



Hab. Salwatti. 



(3) C. SPILOPTERUS, Gray. 

 Hab. Ke Islands. 



(4) C. VIOLACEUS, Q. ^ G. 

 Hab. Seek Island. 



This latter species Count Salvadori has named Nesoeentor chaly- 

 heus from a Mjsor skin, believing it to be distinct from the true 

 G. violaceus, which is from New Ireland. 



As regards C. hernsteini and G. spilopterus, I believe that they 

 are one and the same species, the latter not being quite adult. 

 The synonymy, therefore, will be as follows : — 



C. SPILOPTERUS.— C. spilopterus. Gray, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 184 ; id. 

 Cat. Mamm. Sf B. N. Guinea, p. 43 (1859) ; id. P. Z. S. 1861, p. 437 j 

 Schl. Obs. Zool. iv. p. iii; Gray, Hand-l. B. ii. p. 214 (1870).— C. 

 violaceus, Finsch, Neu-Guinea, p. 160 (1865) ; Gray, Hand-l. B. ii. 

 p. 214 (1870).— C. bernsteinii, Schl. Obs. Zool. ii. p. 31, iv. p. 11. 



Mr. M'Farlane's specimen measures as follows — total length 

 19"5 inches, eulmen 1"5, wing 8'8, tail 12'5, tarsus 2"0. 



6. Graucalus ANGUSTiFRONS, sp. n. — G. hypolcucus, GomZc? ; Salvad. 



^ D' Albert, t. c. p. 24. 

 I cannot follow Count Salvadori in referring the white-breasted 

 Graucalus of Southern New Guinea to the G. hypoleucus of Gould. 



