BIRDS 367 



which they are specifically separated by the color of the top of the 

 head and the back. 



80. THE NESOMIMUS MELANOTIS SERIES. 



This group, as already stated, differs from the last, N. persona- 

 tus, in having the central areas of the feathers of the back distinctly 

 brown and not blackish. It inhabits Barrington, Indefatigable, 

 Jervis, James, Albemarle, Narboro and Wenman. It has probably 

 been separately derived from N. adamsi of Chatham. It comprises 

 four subspecies. We describe these in the order of their apparent rela- 

 tionships, rather than according to priority of names. The name 

 melanotis vv^as first given to specimens of this species from James. 



80a. NESOMIMUS MELANOTIS DIERYTHRUS Heller 

 and Snodgrass. 



Nesomimus melanotis (in part) Gould, Voy. Beagle, in. Birds, p. 62, 1841. — 



RiDGWAY, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., xix, p. 489, 1896. 

 Nesomimus melanotis melanotis (in part) Rothschild and Hartert, Novit. 



Zool., VI, p. 145, 1899. 

 Nesomimus melanotis dierythrus Heller and Snodgrass, The Condor, 



Vol. Ill, No. 3, May, 1901 (Indefatigable and Seymour Islands). 



Range. — Indefatigable and the Seymours. 



This form presents the first departure from the Chatham race along 

 a line differing from that of the melanistic northern species, N. fer- 

 sonatus, in the retention of the brown color of the upper parts of the 

 Chatham species, and in the loss, from the beginning, of the dark 

 maxillary stripes. 



Suhsfecijic Characters. — Very similar toiV. adamsi oi Chatham, 

 differing from it specifically in never possessing any trace of maxillary 

 stripes. Color of the back brown, averaging darker than on Chatham 

 specimens; lores and auricular region blacker; never any spots on 

 sides of breast; culmen averaging slightly shorter. 



If Chatham specimens should be obtained not possessing maxillary 

 stripes, then it and the Indefatigable form could not be specifically 

 separated and the Chatham variety would have to be named N. mela- 

 notis adamsi., since melanotis was the first name given to any of the 

 brown-backed forms. Although the color of the back intergrades 

 between the two forms, yet that of the Indefatigable and Seymour 

 specimens averages distinctly darker, lacking the almost rusty tone 

 present on the Chatham specimens. 



The collection contains two adult males and two adult females from 

 Indefatigable Island, taken on the part adjoining the Seymour Islands, 



