NASITERNA. 161 



This excellent species is nearly allied to N. pusio, from the Solomon 

 Islands, having also a blue crown ; but this blue is more vivid and distinct. 

 Besides, in A^. pusio the front, tempora, and cheeks are ochreous brownish, 

 and the feathers of the lower ear-region lack the blue tips. N. pygmcea has 

 the crown yellow and a red longitudinal stripe along the breast. We must 

 remark, however, that Professor Schlegel notices one specimen which has the 

 vertex adorned with a yellow patch. The specimen with the blue on the 

 vertex replaced by brown, mentioned by Professor Schlegel and said to be a 

 male, is most likely a female. 



As already mentioned, Baron H. von Rosenberg discovered N.geelvmhiana 

 in February 1869 on the island of Mysore, or Mefoor, the Willem-Schouten 

 Island of the older Dutch maps. This island is situated north of the large 

 island of Jobi, and separates the large Geelvink Bay to the north from the 

 Pacific. Dr. A. B. Meyer collected the species on the same island — more 

 precisely at Kordo, which is the chief hampong or village of it. H. von 

 Rosenberg besides got specimens at Soek, a small group of islands in the 

 neighbourhood of Kordo. The geographical distribution is, as far as our 

 knowledge reaches now, confined to these two islands. 



With respect to the habits of N. geekinkiana nothing is known ; but 

 we may trust that Dr. Meyer, who collected so much valuable biological 

 information, will add to our knowledge also in regard to this species. 



I append the characters of the other known species of Nasiterna. 



Nasiterna pygm^a, Quoy & Gaim. 

 Psittacus [Psittacula) pygmaus, Quoy & Gaim. Voy. de I'Astrol. Zool. i. (1830), p. 232, pi. 21 . 



f. 1 (c?),f. 2(2). 

 Nasiterna pijgmcea, Wagl. Mon. Psitt. (in Abhandl. der Kon. Baier. Akad. d. Wissensch. zu 



Miinchen (Band i. Jahrgang 1829-30), 1832* p. 631. 



* Although the first volume of the Munich- Academy Transactions bears the years 1829-30 on its 

 titlepage, it did not appear until 1832. It is therefore difficult to settle which year must be 

 quoted ; if 1832, Lesson's generic appellation " Micropsitta " will have priority. 



z 2 



