CINNYEIS JOBIENSIS. 



(JOBI-ISLAND BLACK STJN-BIKD.) 



Chalcostetha astasia, var. jobiensis, Meyer, Sitz. k. Ak. Wissensch. zu Wien, lxx. p. 124 



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

 Hermotimia jobiensis, Salvad. Atti R. Ace. Torino, x. pp. 208, 225 (1874), xii. p. 302 



(1877). 



<3 ad. C. aspasice simillimus, sed pileo saturatiore smaragdineo cyanescente : alae dorsique plumis metallicis 

 cyanescenti adumbratis : tectricibus majoribus paucis exterioribus et rectricibus cyanescenti-viridi mar- 

 ginatis : mento gulaque lsete metallice lilacinis abrupte definitis et vix ut in C. aspasid extensis. 



2 ad. feminse C. aspasice similis. 

 Hab. in insula Papuana " Jobi " 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 tail-feathers and a few of the outer greater wing-coverts 

 edged with the same metallic bluish green ; chin and throat rich metallic lilac, abruptly terminating in 

 a nearly straight line, and barely extending so far down as in C. aspasice ; bill and legs black ; irides 

 dark brown. Total length 4 - l inches, culmen 07, wing 2"4, tail l - 5, tarsus 065. 



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



Hab. Jobi Island, in the Bay of Geelvink. 



C. jobiensis is nearly intermediate in plumage between C. aspasice and C. mysorensis, and is one 

 of tbose closely allied species which are very hard to distinguish. Its specific characters appear 

 mostly to depend upon the strong blue shade on the metallic green parts of the wings and lower 

 back. In this respect it resembles C. mysorensis, but differs decidedly from that bird by the 

 metallic portions of the throat being shorter and very abruptly terminated in nearly a straight 

 line, being, if any thing, shorter than in C. aspasice. This metallic throat appears to be con- 

 stantly lilac with no steel-blue shade ; and this character is sufficient to distinguish it from 

 C. aspasice of the mainland of New Guinea ; but so variable, is this character in that species that 

 the present bird cannot be separated on that account from some of the specimens of C. aspasice 

 from the islands on the west coast. The crown, again, in the present species, as in C. myso- 

 rensis, is darker, and not of such a golden green as is generally met with in C. aspasice ; but some 

 specimens of C. aspasice, notably those from the Am Islands, in some cases approach it very 

 nearly. 



This species was first collected by Dr. Meyer near Ansus, in Jobi, one of the islands in the 

 Bay of Geelvink. He remarks (I. c.) that it resembles C. mysorensis, but that the metallic throat 



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