.<£ 



21 



CINNYRIS COMOEENSIS. 



(JOANNA SUN-BIRD.) 



Cinnyris comorensis, Peters, J. f. O. 1864, p. 161. 



Xectarinia comorensis, Sclat. Ibis, 1864, pp. 297, 299 ; Gray, Hand-1. B. i, p. 107, no. 1303 ; 

 Hartl. Vog. Madagascar, p. 93 (1877); E. Newton, P. Z. S. 1877, pp. 297, 302. 



3 ad. supra metallice viridis, uropygio nigricante : tectricibus alarum minimis dorso concoloribus, medianis et 

 majoribus nigris, illis late, his anguste metallice viridi marginatis : remigibus brunneis, secundariis vix 

 olivascenti lavatis : supracaudalibus nigris metallice viridi marginatis : rectricibus purpurascenti-nigris 

 metallice viridi limbatis : facie laterah tota guttureque metallice viridibus, plumis jugularibus vix 

 purpurascente adumbratis : fascia transversali prsepectorali sordide coccinea : corpore reliquo subtiis 

 fumoso-nigro chalybeo vix lavato : fasciis pectoralibus lsete miniatis basaliter flavis : subalaribus 

 fumoso-brunneis : rostro et pedibus nigris : iride saturate brunnea. 



5 ad. mari dissimilis : supra olivascens : tectricibus alarum majoribus dorso concoloribus, reliquis et remigibus 

 brunneis anguste olivaceo limbatis : rectricibus nigris, apicaliter cinerascenti-albido notatis, externis 

 latiiis : supercilio indistincto flavido : facie laterali dorso concolori : genis et gutture toto palbde 

 olivascenti-flavidis, plumis basaliter fuscis quasi marmoratis : corpore rebquo subtiis olivascenti-flavo, 

 subcaudalibus fuscis late flavido marginatis : subalaribus et remigum pogonio interno marginaliter 

 albidis : axillaribus olivascenti-flavis. 



Hab. in insula Comorensi "Anjouan" vel "Johanna" dicta. 



Adult Male. Entire head and neck, back, least series of wing-coverts, scapulars, and upper tail-coverts 

 metallic green ; a small black patch in front of the eyes ; remainder of the wings brownish black with 

 the median series of wing-coverts broadly edged with metallic green, the greater series only slightly 

 margined; tail black, the feathers edged with metallic green; at the base of the uniform metallic 

 green throat is a reddish-brown pectoral band ; remainder of the underparts brownish black ; pectoral 

 tufts bright scarlet; bill and legs black; irides dark brown. Total length 4"4 inches, culmen - 75, 

 wing 22, tail 1*65, tarsus 065. 



Adult Female. Upper parts olive including the sides of the head ; wings dark brown, all the feathers with 

 paler edges, shaded with olive on the least and median series of coverts and on the primaries ; tail 

 black with white tips to the feathers, broadest towards the outer ones ; underparts pale olive-shaded 

 yellow fading almost into white on the throat and under tail-coverts ; the dark centres to the feathers 

 of the throat partially visible ; under surface of the wings brown with the inner margins of the quills 

 and the coverts white, the latter faintly tinted with yellow. Total length 4'1 inches, culmen 065, 

 wing 2, tail 1*3, tarsus 065. 



Hab. Joanna, one of the Comoro Islands. 



The Comoro Islands are situated in the Mozambique channel, about halfway between the main- 

 land of Africa and the northern extremity of Madagascar. From these islands we at present 



