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ad. pileo et nucha aurantiaco-fusck, illo vix viricli tincto : fronte et linea superciliary dorso et tectrieibus alarum, 
viridibus fusco tinctis : alis aurantiaco-fuscis eonspicue nigro apicatis, pennis extus viridi lavatis ; secundariis 
intimis elongatis, viridibus cseruleo tinctis : dorso imo, uropygio et supracaudalibus cseruleis : cauda nigra vix 
furcata, rectrieibus duabus eentralibus valde elongatis attenuatis et indistincte spatulatis : vitta per oculum 
ducta et regione parotica intense nigris, subtus turcino marginatis : guM flava, lateraliter aurantiaco lavata : 
torque pectorali nigro : corpore subtus viridi fusco tincto : subcaudalibus cseruleis : iride fusco-rubra : rostro 
nigro : pedibus viridi-cinereis. 
Juv. supra sordide viridis CEeruleo tinctus : uropygio, supracaudalibus et secundariis intimis sordide Cicruleis : 
corpore subtus sordide viridi-cseruleo : gula sordid^ ocbracea : torque pectorali nullo : alis et cauda sicut in 
adulto, sed sordidioribus : rectrieibus eentralibus nee elongatis. 
Adult male (Port Moresby). — Crown and nape orange-brown, tinged with green on the fore 
part of the crown ; forehead and a line over the eye, back, and wing-coverts green tinged with 
brown ; wings orange-brown, broadly tipped with black ; the quills externally washed with green, 
the elongated inner secondaries green tinged with blue ; lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts 
c cerulean blue ; tail black, slightly foi’ked, the two central rectrices considerably elongated, 
attenuated, and slightly spatulated ; lores and a broad band through the eye and the ear-coverts 
rich velvety black, bordered below with turquoise-blue ; throat bright yellow, becoming orange on 
the sides of the neck and lower throat ; below this the breast is crossed by a broad black band ; 
underparts green tinged with brown ; under tail-coverts bright c cerulean blue ; iris light brownish 
red ; bill black ; legs greenish grey. Total length about 9 inches, culmen 1-7, wing 4*4, tail 5-2, 
central rectrices extending T78 beyond the lateral ones, tarsus 045. 
Immature (Cape York). — Much duller in general coloration than the adult, the nape much 
greener, the blue line beneath the eye paler, the pectoral band very slightly marked, and the two 
central rectrices only extending a little beyond the lateral ones. 
Young (Moluccas). — Upper parts dull greenish tinged with blue; the rump, upper tail- 
coverts, and inner secondaries dull casrulean; underparts dull greenish blue, the throat pale dull 
oclireous, no blue line below the eye or black pectoral band; wings and tail as in the adult, but 
duller, and the central rectrices not elongated. 
Obs. Specimens which I have examined vary somewhat in intensity of coloration and 
especially as regards the amount of blue in the plumage. A specimen in the Tweeddale collec- 
tion from Port Albany has the crown, scapulars, and back slightly tinged with turquoise-blue ; 
and one in the British Museum, a female from Dorey, has the abdomen washed with blue and is 
labelled Merojts cceruleseens. Another example in the British Museum, a female from Lombock, 
is peculiar in having a tolerably broad band of blue below the black pectoral band, but does not 
otherwise differ from typical examples of this species. From an examination of the specimens I can 
indorse Mr. Wallace’s remarks (l. c .) that specimens from the Sula Islands agree with those from 
Ternate in having more brown on the head and less blue on the breast than the Timor and 
Lombock specimens ; and according to Mr. Bamsay (Ibis, 1866, p. 326) “ specimens from Port 
Denison are somewhat smaller than those from Yew South Wales.” 
The present species ranges from Borneo, Java, and the Moluccas to Yew Guinea and the 
whole of Australia. There is a specimen from Java in the Tweeddale collection. Wallace 
