VISCOUNT WALDEN ON THE BIEDS OP CELEBES. 73 



MUnia, Hodgson. 



102. Munia nisoeia (Temm.), PI. Col. 500. f. 2, "Java" (8 May, 1830); conf. Blyth, 



Ibis, 1870, p. 172 ; Walden, Ibis, 1869, p. 211, note. 



Hab. Macassar ( Wallace) ; Java (mus. nostr.). 



A single Celebean example in Mr. Wallace's collection, the only individual I have 

 been able to examine, agrees well with Javan specimens. The upper tail-coverts and 

 edges of the rectrices, however, are olive-green, and not grey as is the case in all my 

 Javan examples. Mr. Blyth (I. c.) observes that the Celebean race has no pale shafts to 

 the feathers of the upper parts; but in this Macassar individual the pale shafts are very 

 conspicuous. The two principal characters which distinguish the Javan M. nisoria (T.) 

 from the Indian M. punctularia (L.), are the rufous colouring of the breast-markings 

 and the grey colour of the upper tail-coverts and edges of rectrices. In the Indian bird 

 these are golden yellow, and the breast-markings are almost black. Moulmein indivi- 

 duals, again, differ from those of India in having the breast-markings rufous, and from 

 both Javan and Indian in having the upper tail-coverts and edges of the rectrices 

 yellowish green ; nor are the breast-markings in the Moulmein race as well defined. In 

 the race which inhabits Flores the upper tail-coverts are pale olive-green, as in the 

 Celebean bird. 



M. punctularia and M. nisoria, in young plumage, before the breast-markings appear 

 and the upper coverts assume the waxy lustre found in the adult, are extremely difficult 

 to distinguish. The Indian bird, however, is considerably larger, and has the bill much 

 stouter. From M. rubro-nigra and its allies, when in first plumage, they are likewise 

 difficult to separate. The only sure characters are the sinuated commissure and massive 

 form of the bill in M. rubro-nigra. 



103. Munia Molucca (Linn.), Syst. Nat. ed. 12, i. p. 302 (1766), ex Brisson, Orn, iii. 



p. 241. no. 10 ; Wallace, Ibis, 1860, p. 147. 



Hab. Macassar (Wallace); Flores (mus. nostr.). 



A Celebean example of an adult male collected by Mr. Wallace perfectly agrees with 

 Brisson's description of Count Bentick's specimen obtained in the Moluccas, on which 

 Linnaeus bestowed the above specific title. 



104. Munia beunneiceps, n. sp. (PI. IX. fig. 1.) Conf. Blyth, Ibis, 1870, p. 171. 

 Hab. Macassar (Wallace). 



Head, chin, throat, and breast brown ; abdominal stripe, vent, and under tail-coverts 

 black; remainder of plumage dark chestnut. From a Macassar example of a male 

 collected by Mr. Wallace. In another example from the same locality, marked a female 

 the head and nape are of a lighter and less decided shade of brown. Wing 2 inches. 



vol. viii. — paet ii. May, 1872. u 



