Order PASSEEES.] [Fam. MELIPHAGID.E. 



P0G0N0ENIS CINCTA. 



(STITCH-BIRD.) 



Meliphaga cincta, Dubus, Bull. Acad. Sc. Brux. vi. pt. 1, p. 295 (1839). 

 Ptilotis auritus, Lafr. Rev. Zool. 1839, p. 257. 

 Ptilotis cincta, Gray, Voy. Ereb. and Terror, Birds, p. 4 (1844). 

 Pogonomis cincta, Gray, Gen. of B. i. p. 123 (1846). 



Native names. 



Ihi, Hihi, Tihe, Kotihe, and Kotihewera ; male and female sometimes distinguished as Hihi- 

 paka and Hihi-matakiore or Tihe-kiore. 



6 supra uigerrimus : fasciis duabus conspicuis postocularibus albis : dorso imo et uropygio cinerascenti- 

 brunneis, vix olivaceo tinctis : dorsi plumis quibusdam lateralibus laete aurantiaco terminatis : rectrici- 

 bus alarum miuimis lsete aurantiacis, plagam magnaru forrnantibus, majoribus nigris, extus aurantiaco 

 marginatis : alae spuria? pluuiis ad basin albis speculum exliibentibus : remigibus nigris, primariis versus 

 apicem albido, secundariis aurantiaco marginatis : tectricibus alarum majoribus intimis et secundariis 

 dorsalibus pure albis, plagam distinctam formantibus, dorso proximis medialiter nigris : gutture toto et 

 collo laterali nigerrimis : torque pectorali angusta aurantiaca : corpore reliquo subtiis cinerascente, 

 hypochondriis et subcaudalibus saturatioribus, illis brunneo striatis : subalaribus cinerascentibus, mar- 

 gine alarum aurantiaco : rostro brunnescenti-nigro : pedibus bruuneis : setis rictalibus nigris : iride 

 nigra. 



2 mari omnino dissimilis : supra brunnea obvaceo lavata, pileo obscuriore : macula parva. postoculari alba. : 

 tectricibus alarum olivaceo-fulvo lavatis, minimis aurantiaco nitentibus, majoribus intimis et secundariis 

 dorsalibus albis, brunneo medialiter lineatis et marginatis, plagam magnam albam formantibus : remigi- 

 bus et rectricibus cinerascenti-brunneis, extvis late fulvescente lavatis, primariis ad basin pogonii interna 

 albis : subtiis obscure brunnea, pectore et abdomine fulvesceutibus, obscure brunneo striatis. 



Adult male. Head, neck, and upper part of tbe back velvety black ; on eacb side of tlie head there is a 

 tuft of snow-white feathers which the bird has the power of erecting. A band of rich canary-yellow 

 encircles the breast, contrasting finely with the dark plumage immediately above it ; narrow in the 

 centre, it widens on both sides and expands on the wings, covering the small coverts and the margins of 

 the scapularies, and becomes very conspicuous wheu the wings are spread. Underparts light greyish 

 brown, incliniug to ohvaceous brown on the sides of the body. Primaries and tail-feathers black, mar- 

 gined outwardly with olivaceous brown ; the secondaries in their basal portion and their coverts white ; 

 the upper tail-coverts olivaceous brown. Irides and rictal bristles black ; bill brownish black ; tarsi 

 and toes pale brown. Total length 8 inches ; extent of wings 12'5 ; wing, from flexure, 4 ; tail 3 ; 

 bill, along the ridge "60, along the edge of the lower mandible - 75 ; tarsus 1 ; middle toe and claw 1 ; 

 hind toe and claw '75. 



Female. Obscure olivaceous brown, darker on the upper parts, and changing to pale brown on the abdomen 



