109 



CINNYKIS ASPASIOIDES. 



(CERAM BLACK SUN-BIRD.) 



Nectarinia astasia, S. Mull. Natuurl. Gesch. Land- en Volkenk. p. 110 (1843); S. Mull. & 



Schl. Verh. Nat. Gesch. Aves, p. 58 (1846, part); Finsch, Neu-Guinea, p. 163 (1865, 



part.). 

 Nectarinia aspasioides, Gray, P. Z. S. 1860, p. 348 ; Pelz. Verh. k. k. zool.-bot. Gesellsch. 



in Wien, 1872, p. 427. 

 Cinnyris aspasia, Rosenb. J. f. O. 1864, p. 123 (part.). 

 Nectarinia aspasinoides, Finsch, Neu-Guinea, p. 163 (1865). 

 Nectarinia amasia, Finsch, torn. cit. p. 163. 



Promerops aspasinoides, Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 110. no. 1356 (1869). 

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



Wien, lxx. p. 123 (1874). 

 Ptiloturus aspasioides, Gieb. Thes. Orn. i. p. 631 (1872). 

 Chalcostetha goramensis, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genova, vi. p. 85 (1874). 

 Hermotimia aspasioides, Salvad. Atti R. Ace. Torino, x. pp. 208, 216 (1874), xii. p. 306 



(1877). 



3- ad. similis C. aspasia sed major : culmine et cauda longioribus, ptilosi brunnescentiore, pileo minus aureo 

 et cyaneo adurnbrato, tectricibus minimis et medianis, scapularibus, dorso postico, supracaudalibus et 

 rectricum marginibus magis cyanescenti-viridibus, his partim pure chalybeis, tectricibus majoribus 

 externis haud metallic! marginatis, gutture pure chalybeo haud lilacino lavato, distinguendus. 



2 similis feminae C. proserpince, sed dorso olivaceo sordidiore et pectore pallidiore distinguenda. 



Hab. in insulis Moluccensibus australibus. 



Adult Male. Very similar to C. aspasia, but larger, especially in the measurements of the culmen and tail ; 

 the black portions of the plumage slightly browner ; the crown less golden and shaded with blue ; the 

 least and median series of wing-coverts, the scapulars, lower back, upper tail-coverts, and margins of 

 the tail-feathers of a bluer green, with a portion of the edges of the tail-feathers almost pure steel-blue ; 

 the outer greater wing-coverts with no metallic margins ; the throat pure steel-blue with no lilac shade. 

 Total length 4*5 inches, culmen 0'85, wing 2"4, tail T7, tarsus - 6. 



Adult Female. Similar in plumage to the female of C. proserpince, excepting that the olive on the back is 

 duller and the breast whiter. Total length 4'35, culmen 0"75, wing 2*15, tail 1'55, tarsus 0"6. 



Hab. Amboyna, Ceram, Goram, Matabello, and Banda? 



The Ceram Black Sun-bird is very similar to C. aspasice, the characters by which it is distin- 

 guished being very slight ; but they are numerous, as I have shown in my description of the adult 



