\ri r: 



75 



JITHOPYGA SHELLETL 



(SHELLEY'S YELLOW-BACKED SUN-BIRD. 



JEthopyga shelleyi, Sharpe, Nature, 3rd August, 1S76, p. 297. 



cj ad. capite summo chalybeo, violaceo nitente : facie et collo lateralibus cum interscapulio saturate coccineis : 

 dorso reliquo olivaceo : uropygio sulfureo : tectricibus supracaudalibus et rectricibus medianis chalybeis, 

 reliquis nigris extus chalybeis : tectricibus alarum olivaceis dorso concoloribus, majoribus vix rubro 

 lavatis : remigibus brunneis, extus olivaceo limbatis : vitta, malari chalybea : subtus lsete sulfureus, 

 bypocbondriis pallidioribus : gula laterali linealiter laete coccinea : prapectore etiam coccineo striolato : 

 subalaribus albis, sulfureo lavatis. 



Hab. in iusulis philippinensibus "Palawan, Balabac " dictis. 



Adult Male. Forehead and crown greenish, shaded steel-blue ; side and back of the head and neck and the 

 upper back deep blood-red ; in front of the eye black ; least and median series of wing-coverts, 

 scapulars, and loose downy feathers on the middle of the back deep olive; lower back sulphur- 

 yellow; upper tail-coverts deep metallic bluish green; tail black, the entire centre feathers and the 

 sides of the others deep metallic bluish green, shaded with violet ; remainder of the wings dark brown, 

 with broad olive edges to the feathers; underparts sulphur-yellow, paler towards the abdomen; chin 

 and sides of the throat deep blood-red, the outer webs of the feathers forming the moustachial streak 

 greenish shaded steel-blue ; lower half of the throat finely streaked with bright red ; under surface of 

 the wings brown, with the inner margins of the quills and the coverts white ; bill, legs, and irides dark 

 brown. Total length 4 inches, culmen 06, wing l - 9, tail T8, tarsus Oo5. 



Hab. Islands of Palawan and Balabae, in the Philippine archipelago. 



This very lovely Sun-bird, which my friend Mr. Sharpe has done me the honour to name after 

 me, was discovered in the Philippine Islands by Dr. Steere, who brought home four specimens, 

 all in adult male plumage, which he has informed me were collected in the mangrove-swamps 

 near the shore. In such localities they were not uncommon, actively flitting around these 

 bushes and chasing each other over the surface of the water, which mirrored back their bright 

 colours. 



Shelley's Sun-bird belongs to a small section of the genus JEthopyga, where the throat is 

 yellow ; of this group there are two known species — the present one and M. duivenbodii, Schlegel, 

 from the Islands of Sanghir, a small group situated between Mindanao and Celebes. 



N^ 



