23 [Vol. xii. 



Ceyx meeki, n. sp. 



cJ ad. Bill black. Crown and sides of head black, with 

 tiny brilliant ultramarine-blue dots near the tips of the 

 feathers and with a longitudinal blue mark behind the eye ; on 

 the right and left above the bill and on each side of the neck 

 are buffy-yellow patches ; a broad band from the ear-coverts 

 to the sides of the breast and along the flanks, black. Back 

 black, with a broad line of glossy turquoise-blue along the 

 centre, becoming darker and more cobalt-blue on the upper 

 tail-coverts ; wings brownish black, the quills yellowi-h huff 

 towards the base of the inner webs, the secondaries narrowly 

 margined with dull blue externally. Wing-coverts black, 

 with ultramarine-blue apical spots. Under surface chrome- 

 yellow, somewhat more buffy on the breast and flanks; 

 under wing-coverts yellow, with a black line across the 

 middle of this area; tail black. Wing 63 to 61 mm., tail 

 26, metatarsus 10, bill 30 and 37. " Iris dark brown. Feet 

 light pale yellow, bill black. " 



2 . Like the male, but with the underside as well as 

 the patches on the forehead and neck darker and more 

 ochraceous. 



Hab. Isabel Island, Solomon Islands [A. S. Meek Coll.). 



Obs. This beautiful species differs from all forms of the 

 C. tepida-group (to which also Ceyx sacerdotis and allies 

 belong) in its entirely black bill, the totally different tint of 

 the blue above, the black lateral line, and other characters, 

 while C. gentiana, Tristr., from St. Christoval, is white 

 below. 



Mr. Walter Rothschild further exhibited specimens of 

 the following recently described or very rare species from the 

 Solomon Islands : — Charmo synopsis margarethce (Tristr.), 

 Kulambangra Island ; Hypocharmosyna meeki, Rothsch. & 

 Hart. (Nov. Zool. 1901, p. 187), Kulambangra Island ; 

 Myzomela eichhorni, Rothsch. & Hart. (Nov. Zool. 1901, 

 p. 181), Kulambangra Island; Myzomela lafargei, Hombr. & 

 Jacq., Isabel Island. 



