.i-7 



CINNYEIS CORINNjE. 



(DUKE-OF-YORK-ISLAND SUN-BIRD.) 



Nectarinia astasia, Sclat. P. Z. S. 1877, p. 102. 



Hermotimia astasia!, Salvad. Atti R. Ace. Sc. Torino, xii, p. 312 (1877). 

 Cinnyris aspasice, Shelley, Monogr. Sun-birds, pt. v. (1877, part). 

 Hermotimia comma, Salvad. Atti R. Ace. Sc. Torino, xiii, p. 532 (1878). 



3 ad. similis C. aspasice, sed gutture chalybeo minime lilacino tincto distinguendus. 



2 ad. similis ? C. aspasice, sed pectore laetius flavo diversa. 



Hab. in insula papuana "Duke of York" dicta. 



Adult Male. Similar in plumage to C. aspasice from Dorey, excepting that the throat is entirely steel- 

 blue only very slightly tinted with lilac. Total length 41 inches, culmen 065, wing 2 - 5, tail \ m 7, 

 tarsus 0"62. 



Adult Female and Immature Male. Differ only from Dorey examples of C. aspasice in the colours being 

 brighter, especially the yellow on the breast. 



Hab. Duke-of-York Island. 



The Duke-of-York Island is situated to the east of New Guinea, between New Britain and New 

 Ireland. In this island Mr. George Brown collected several specimens of a Sun-bird to which 

 Count Salvadori has applied the title of Hermotimia corinna, and insists upon its being speci- 

 fically distinct from C. aspasice. I have therefore here treated of this form in a separate article, 

 and give an illustration of the adult male and female, and of the male in moult. 



I have carefully reexamined this subject, and have come to the same conclusion which I 

 have previously expressed, that it is not specifically distinct from C. aspasice, but only a local race 

 of that species. 



With regard to the measurements, the two birds agree in size, in the length of the culmen 

 and wing, with C. aspasice ; in the length of the tail they occasionally, but not invariably, exceed 

 that of typical C. aspasice, as measured by me, by 0T to 02 inch ; and the tarsus is very slightly 

 longer, but never more than 0*05 inch ; so that I do not consider that any specific characters can 

 be based upon the measurements. In colouring the only character in the adult male to be 

 remarked upon is the constantly very blue throat only slightly tinged with lilac ; but this 

 character I have already recognized as very variable in C. aspasice ; for in the British Museum 

 I have examined two specimens collected by Mr. Wallace on the island of Mysol, in one of 

 which the throat is quite as blue as in the Duke-of- York-Island specimens, while in the other 

 the throat is blue and lilac, and perfectly identical with Dorey specimens. 



The females have on the under surface of the body a plumage much lighter than we have 



