CINNYEIS MYSOEENSIS. 



(MYSORE-ISLAND BLACK SUN-BIRD.) 



Chalcostetha aspasia, var. mysorensis, Meyer, Sitz. k. Ak. Wissensch. zu Wien, lxx. p. 124 



(1874); Sclat. Ibis, 1874, p. 419. 

 Hermotimia mysorensis, Salvad. Atti R. Ace. Torino, x. pp. 208, 224 (1874), xii. p. 301 



(1877). 



J ad. C.jobiensi similis, sed plaga gutturali metallice lilacina. ampliiis extensa et versus praepectus rotundata. 



? ad. feminae C. aspasia similis. 



Hab. in insula Papuana " Mysore " dicta,. 



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

 median series of wing-coverts, scapulars, lower half of the back, and the upper tail-coverts metallic 

 green, very strongly shaded with blue ; the tad-feathers and a few of the outer greater wing-coverts 

 edged with the same metallic bluish green ; chin and throat rich metallic lilac, and extending further 

 on the chest than in C. aspasia ; bill and legs black ; irides dark brown. Total length 4'6 inches, 

 culmen - 8, wing 2 5, tail 1*7, tarsus - 65. 



Adult Female and Young Male. Similar in plumage to those of C. aspasia. 



Hab. Island of Mysore, in the Bay of G-eelvink. 



This form is nearly related to C. aspasice ; and I place it in the green-backed division of the 

 " Hermotimia " group : yet it much depends upon the light in which we view these feathers, as 

 to whether the green or blue shade predominates ; in this respect therefore it may be readily 

 distinguished from C. aspasice, as well as in the greater extent of the metallic throat. It also 

 differs from typical specimens of that bird in having the crown of a darker colour, and the throat 

 almost pure lilac ; but these parts in C. aspasice vary to a certain extent in individual specimens, 

 as may be seen in my article upon that species. 



The present bird has only been found on Mysore, the large outer island of the Bay of 

 Geelvink, where it was first collected by Dr. Meyer, who pointed out its specific characters. 



I have figured and described the adult male from a specimen lent to me by Count Salvadori ; 

 and I have examined four typical specimens of Dr. Meyer's collecting from the Dresden Museum. 

 These are : — a fully plumaged male perfectly similar to the adult male above described ; a male in 

 nearly full plumage, with a few feathers of the moult still remaining on the median series of wing- 

 coverts, and a large patch of yellow on the abdomen ; the third specimen is nearly in full moult — 

 that is to say, similar in plumage to the female, with a few feathers of the full dress on the back, 

 upper tail-coverts, and breast, and with well-defined metallic moustachial lines down the sides of 

 the throat ; the fourth specimen is an adult female. 



