8H 



that has been said of 2E. cava would equally apply to this species ; but its note differs considerably, 

 in being a sharper one, sounding like the word chin., chin, chin very often repeated. We mea- 

 sured a large series of this species in the flesh. 



"Male. Length 5 - 25 to 5-75 inches, expanse 7"35 to 7 - 75, tail from vent 2 to 2-75, wing 

 2-35 to 2-5, tarsus 0-5 to 0-6, bill from gape 0-8 to 0-9; weight 0'35 to 0-4 oz. 



" Female. Length 4 - S5 to 5 - 25 inches, expanse 6-95 to 7 - 25, tail from vent l - 75 to 1-95, wing 

 2-12 to 2-35, tarsus 0-5 to 0-55, bill from gape 0"8 to 0-85 ; weight 0-3 to 035 oz. 



" The legs and feet are black, in some brownish black ; the bill is black, and the irides 

 brown. 



" We suppose, though we do not know it for certain, that the males of this species put on 

 a much duller non-breeding plumage, as we have several specimens killed at the end of October 

 which appear to be doffing the brilliant garb in which we found the great majority of the males 

 at that time. These may of course be young birds; but to judge from the size of the bill they 

 are adult." 



Two of these specimens, collected at Singapore, Mr. Hume has kindly forwarded to me for 

 examination : one, procured in October, I have here described as the " male in moult," and I 

 believe to be an adult bird ; the other differs only in the upper part of the head being slightly 

 shaded with olive, and in the throat and chest being washed with yellow ; this specimen I suspect 

 to be the young male assuming the perfect plumage for the first time. 



From Penang it has been recorded by Mr. Gould (P. Z. S. 1865, p. 663). Temminck's type 

 came from Java; and it has likewise been recorded from there and from Sumatra by Muller. 

 In Borneo it is widely distributed, having been collected at Banjermassing by Motley, at 

 Sarawak by Doria and Beccari, and on the north-west coast by Mr. Low. According to Mr. 

 Motley (P. Z. S. 1863, p. 220) it is found also in Labuan, where it frequents chiefly the flowers 

 of the Laban {Yitex tomentosa). 



Dr. Briiggemann informs me that the two birds from Celebes, procured by Von Rosenberg, 

 which he provisionally entered (7. c.) under the title of Nectarinia porphyrolwma, undoubtedly 

 belong to this species. He has shown me a description of this specimen in which he mentions 

 the pectoral tufts as yellow, the throat copper-colour, entirely surrounded by a band of lilac, 

 which colour extends over the chest. This clearly shows that these birds must be referred 

 to the present species ; and we therefore have to extend the range of C. insignis to Celebes, 

 unless we doubt the authenticity of Von Rosenberg's locality, which I consider we should not be 

 justified in doing. 



The Marquis of Tweeddale (Ibis, 1870, p. 45), after quoting M. Montbeillard's description, 

 from which Gmelin took his diagnosis of Certhia manillensis, observes: — "Were it not for the 

 alleged Philippine origin, I should not hesitate to refer C. insignis (Jard.) to C. manillensis, Gm. 

 I have not entered C. manillensis, Gm., in the synonymy of this species, as I consider it should 

 be passed over as a name that cannot be actually determined as referring to any known species. 

 Nectarinia pectoralis, Temm., though belonging to this species, must be set aside, as that name 

 has previously been employed for another species ; and N. chalcostetha, Jard., cannot be used, as 

 that title is employed for the genus." 



Schlegel and Muller (I. c.) figure the female as well as the nest and egg of this species. 



