56 MACH^RIRHYNCHUS NIGRIPECTUS. 



Mr. P. L. Sclater (Ibis, April 1876, 3rd ser. vol. vi. p. 248, " On recent 

 Ornithological Progress in New Guinea "), quotes from an English translation 

 of Dr. Beccari's " ornithological letter," as follows : — " I have a great series 

 of specimens of Machcerorhynchus. There is also a violet-coloured species," 

 — with a footnote by Dr. Salvadori, " Probably this " (the violet-coloured 

 one) ^^is a new species.-— T. S." 



If this is new, the genus consists of five members. 



In the ' NederlandschTijdschrift voor de Dierkunde,' Vierde Deel, 1873, 

 p. 43, Schlegel thus writes respecting 



" Macheirhynchus nigripectus. 



^' There are only known, up to the present time, three species of this 

 small genus, distinguished by its very wide and depressed bill. One of these, 

 Macheirhynchus Jlavwenter (Gould), has the front of the forehead and a streak 

 thence over the eye yellow ; the throat is white ; and the black of the 

 upper part of the head extends over the ear-coverts. This species comes from 

 the north of Australia. Another species, the M, xanthogenys^ G. R. Gray 

 CP. Z. S. 1858, p. 176), inhabits the Arou Islands, and is only distinguished 

 from M,Jlaviventer by the yellow tints of the ear-coverts. M. von Rosenberg 

 has sent home from the Arou Islands a good series of this species. The third 

 species, M. alUfrons, G. R. Gray (P. Z. S. 1861, p. 429, pi. 43. fig. 1), differs 

 from the other two in having the front of the forehead and the streak over 

 the eye white instead of yellow. The region of the ear is yellow, as in the 

 species from Arou. Mr. Wallace has brought this species from the islands 

 of Papou, Waigiou, and Mysol ; and we have, from our different travellers, a 

 fine series collected at Waigiou, Mysol, Salawattie, and in New Guinea 

 (namely, at Sorrong and the shores of Lobo Bay). M. von Rosenberg has 

 just sent from the interior of the northern peninsula of New Guinea a fourth 

 species, new to science, allied to the others in the general distribution of the 

 colours, but distinguished by its black front of chest covering the crop, by its 



