51 [Vol. xxxvii. 



prove what I have already pointed at, that L. impejanus 

 Ijath. = chambanus Marsh., and L. refulyens Temm. = imjoey- 

 anus auct. are one and the same bird. 



My series, as depicted on the picture before the meeting, 

 apart from the two melanistic aberrations, shows two 

 distinct lines of variation. The one varies by the black of 

 the breast being gradually overspread and swamped with 

 intense metallic blue-green, while the white on the rump 

 is reduced in proportion till the extreme forms show an 

 entire absence of black on the breast and white on the 

 rump. The second line of variation only affects the 

 colours of the neck and interscapulium. Here we find a 

 complete transition from the normal fiery neck and bronze- 

 green interscapulium through every shade of metallic green- 

 bronze, coppery-bronze, metallic maroon-red, and coppery- 

 purple, to the metallic purplish blue of Oustalet's var. 

 mantoui. 



The two melanistic varieties are very striking, and 

 have arisen in quite different ways. The one called by 

 Oustalet var. obscurus is an ordinary melanism, and has 

 been produced by the saturation of the whole of the metallic 

 plumage with sooty-black pigment. The second one appears, 

 however, to have been produced somewhat differently, the 

 only part of the metallic plumage which has been changed 

 by suffusion is the interscapulium, which is velvety-black ; 

 the rest of the metallic plumage is deep purple, evidently 

 the result of the elimination of the green and green-blue 

 pigments. The rufous in the tail has been eliminated and 

 replaced by metallic steel-green. 



I think this series of aberrations proves that we must go 

 back to our standpoint before 1884, and that there are only 

 three species of Monaul known, viz., Lophophorus sclateri, 

 L. rhuysii, and L. impejanus, the latter being a very variable 

 species. I exhibit normal males of these three species. 



Dr. Ernst Hartert exhibited specimens of Textor niger, 

 and made the following remarks : — 



At a meeting of this Club, in June 1903 (Bull. B. 0. C. 



