JLlf / 



CINNYKIS PKOSEKPIN.E. 



(BOURU BLACK SUN-BIED.) 



Nectarinia proserpina, Wallace, P. Z. S. 1863, p. 32; Finsch, Neu-Guinea, p. 163 (1865). 



Promerops proserpina, Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 110. no. 1358 (1869, err.). 



Chalcostetha proserpina, Walden, Ibis, 1870, p. 46 ; Meyer, Sitz. k. Ak. Wissensch. zu 



Wien, lxx. p. 123 (1874). 

 Hermotimia proserpina, Salvad. Atti R. Ace. Torino, x. pp. 208, 230 (1874), xii. p. 307 (1877). 



6 ad. niger : pileo saturate smaragdineo : tectricibus alarum minimis, dorso postico et supracaudalibus 

 metallice viridibus chalybeo nitentibus : scapularibus et tectricibus medianis nigris : cauda nigra, 

 rectricibus chalybeo marginatis : gula metallice violacea chalybeo nitente, clarius lateraliter. 



$ ad. pileo et collo postico cinerascentibus : dorso, scapularibus, supracaudalibus, remigum rectricumque 

 marginibus olivascenti-flavis : alis caudaque aliter saturate brunneis : rectricibus quibusdam externis 

 albo terminatis : mento gulaque pallide cineraceis, pectore et subcaudalibus olivaceis, sulfureo lavatis. 



Hab. in insula " Bouru " dicta. 



Adult Male. Black, with a deep blue gloss; crown deep metallic emerald-green with a bluish gloss; least 

 series of wing-coverts, lower back, and upper tail-coverts metallic green, glossed with steel-blue ; 

 scapulars and median series of wing-coverts black, remainder of the wings brownish black ; tail blue- 

 black, the feathers edged with steel-blue ; throat metallic violet, glossed with steel-blue, especially on 

 the sides; bill and legs black; irides dark brown. Total length 5 inches, culmen - 85, wing 2'5, 

 tail 1'8, tarsus - 65. 



Adult Female. Upper half of the head and back of the neck ashy grey ; back and upper tail-coverts and 

 edges of the feathers of the wings and tail olive-yellow, remainder of the wings and tail dark brown ; 

 some of the outer tail-feathers with broad white ends ; chin and throat pale ashy ; breast and under 

 tail-eoverts olive-shaded yellow ; under surface of the wings brown, with the inner margins of the quills 

 and the covei-ts white, the latter tinted with yellow. Total length 43 inches, culmen - 8, wing 2"2, 

 tail 1'5, tarsus 0"6. 



Hab. The island of Bouru. 



The black Sun-bird which we find in the island of Bouru belongs to that division of the 

 " Hermotimia" group in which the metallic portions of the wings and lower back are green, 

 and in which the scapulars and median series of wing-coverts are black. It differs from C. nigro- 

 scapularis and C. salvadorii by possessing a greater amount of metallic green on the wings, and 

 in the somewhat different shade of the green of these parts and on the lower back. 



It is a rare species in collections, which may probably be accounted for by its being limited 

 in its range to the island of Bouru. I have only been able to examine four adult males and 

 three females, all of which were collected by Mr. Wallace ; in these I find the colouring and 

 measurements are remarkably constant. 



The specimens which I have here figured and described are in the Marquis of Tweeddale's 

 collection. 



2a2' 



