Birds of Celebes: Meliphagidae. 483 



and above the ear-coverts a patch of bare skin ; tail of 1 2 feathers, nearly as 

 long as the wing, graduated, the outermost rectrix about 2 cm shorter than the 

 middle ones, each feather terminally narrowed to a sharp point; 1°' primary- 

 more than half as long as the 2"*, the 2""^ longer than the secondaries, the 4"" 

 and 5* longest, the shafts of all the remiges, except the 1^' and 2""^, terminally 

 projecting as a minute point or thorn (seen likewise in the genera Melipotes, 

 Leptornis, and others); tarsus longer than the middle toe and claw, 9 transverse 

 scales on it; the first and second joints of the fourth toe united to the basal 

 joint of the third toe, as in all Meliphagidae. 



The genus is known only from Celebes. Its most peculiar characters are 

 the tail, the patch of bare skin on the cheek, and its Myzomela-Yike, but un- 

 serrated, bill. 



+* 191. MYZA SARASINORUM M.cS:Wg. 



The Sarasins' Honey-sucker. 

 Plate XXVIII. 



Myza sarasinorum (1) M. & Wg., Abh. Mus. Dresden 1895, Nr. 8, p. 11. 



Male. Head and neck dark slate, with blackish centres to the feathers and almost pure 

 black on the superciliary and malar regions, becoming more lunber-brown with 

 blackish centre-streaks on the back, and almost uiiiforin dark umber on the lower 

 back and upper tail-coverts; wings and tail blackish, with external edgings of 

 umber; under parts reddish umber, the upper breast with blackish centre-streaks, 

 becoming blacker with greyer borders on tlu-oat and chin; under wing-coverts 

 reddish umber; remiges and rect rices below shining dusky; behind the eye a 

 large bare patch ("coloui-less, i. e. pale, without pigment"); bill blackish; legs and feet 

 dark (rf, Gunong Mantinang, south side, c. 1800 m, 29. Vm. 94: Sarasin Coll., 

 type). 



Measurements. Wing 89 mm; tail 82; tarsus 24; culmen from suture 25.5, fi-om nostril 14.2. 



Distribution. Mantinang Mountains, North Celebes (P. & F. Sarasin). 



' The type of this peculiar species and genus of Honey-sucker is at present 

 the only specimen known. It was obtained by the cousins Sarasin at the high 

 altitude of about 6000 ft. during their expedition across the North Peninsula 

 from Buol on the north coast to the Gulf of Tomini. 



The affinities of this bird are somewhat uncertain. Except that its bill is 

 smaller and not serrated, it agrees herein with Melilestes, but differs by its 

 longer graduated tail of pointed feathers (see plate). The Papuan MeUpotes 

 has the rectrices similarly pointed, but not graduated, and similarly much bare 

 skin on the face, but its bill is short, like a Thrush's. Bare skin on the face 

 is found in several other MeHphagine genera, such as Xanthotis, Melirrhophetes 

 and some species of Ptilotis. 



Until Drs. P. & F. Sarasin, Mr. Everett, and Mr. Doherty went to 

 Celebes it was not known that the high mountains harboured so many interest- 



61* 



