NOVITATES ZOOLOGICAE XXIII. 1916. 289 



ON SOME FORMS OE CORACINA {GRAUCALUS Atjct.) 

 EROM THE SOLOMON ISLANDS. 



By LORD ROTHSCHILD AND ERNST HARTERT. 



I. 



IN Nov. Zool. 1901, p. 181, and 1905, pp. 263, 264, we have discussed some 

 specimens of Coracina welchmani (Tristr.) {Graucalus welchmani Tristram, 

 Ibis 1892, p. 294, described from Bngotu = Isabel Island). We then already called 

 attention to the facts, that the Knlambangra specimens have longer and slightly 

 slenderer bills, and that the black on the underside of the males is confined to the 

 throat, while in the males of the Bougainville examples it extends on to the chest. 

 To this may be added that the tails of the Kulambangra birds are about 1 cm. longer 

 (measuring about 163 mm.), that the tips to the outer rectrices are less distinctly 

 grey, and that their upperside is a fine shade darker. We have once more compared 

 the type of G. welchmani, kindly lent by the authorities of the Liverpool Museum, 

 and find that it agrees well with the Bougainville specimens, though the colour of the 

 upperside is slightly darker, but this may possibly be due to the treatment of the 

 skin. Formerly we hesitated to give a definite name to the Kulambangra form, 

 because we could not see males from Isabel, where Mr. Meek did not come across 

 this species. Though we have to admit the possibility that a series of males from 

 Isabel might reveal some differences from the Bougainville series, it is quite certain 

 that the Kulambaugra form is different, and we therefore propose for it the name 



Coracina welchmani kulambangrae subsp. nov. 



Type 6 ad., Kulambangra 25. ii. 1901, no. 2796, A. S. Meek coll. 



We refrain from giving measurements of the wings, because most of our 

 specimens have the primaries moulting. 



It is quite in accordance with the usual rule, that the Kulambangra form differs 

 from that of the north-eastern chain, consisting of the islands Bougainville, Choiseul, 

 and Isabel, which very often have one and the same form. Malaita still remains 

 almost unknown. 



II. 



In Nov. Zool. 1901 pp. 180, 374, 1902 p. 582, 1905 p. 264, and 1908 p. 357, 

 we have mentioned and discussed specimens of a form of what we called Graucalus 

 hypoleucus. Mr. Arthur Goodson called our attention to the fact, that this and 

 other allied forms can only be looked upon as forms of Graucalus (now Coracina) 

 papuensis, a name which dates from 1788, while hypoleucus was given in 1848. 



The birds from the Solomon Islands all differ at a glance from C. papuensis 

 louisiadensis by having a much less massive bill and darker tail. Those from 

 Guadalcanar, New Georgia, Gizo, and Vella Lavella are, as we called them before, 

 Graucalus, or rather Coracina papuensis elegans (Rams.), originally described from 

 Guadalcanar. Those from the islands of Florida, Isabel, Choiseul, and Bougainville, 



