CINNYRIS MAFORENSIS. 
Mafoor-Island Black Sun-bird. 
Ghalcostetha aspasia, var. ma/orensis , Meyer, Sitz. k. Akad. Wisscnsch. in Wien, lxx. p. 123 (1874). — Sclater, 
Ibis, 1874, p. 419. 
Ilcrmotimia ma/orensis, Salvad. Atti R. Accad. Torino, x. pp. 208, 22 7 (1874), xii. p. 301 (1877). 
Ginnyris ma/orensis, Shelley, Monograph of the Cinnyridas, part v. (1877). 
This species is the representative of the Black Sun-birds in the island of Mafoor, situated in Geelvink 
Bay. It was discovered by Dr. Meyer during his expedition to New Guinea, and has been allowed to be 
specifically distinct by Count Salvadori and Captain Shelley. I must say that I feel considerable 
compunction in admitting these species ; they seem to me to be rather races of one form. But a good 
many specimens of all these different Sun-birds have been procured by the travellers ; and the characters, 
if slight, are constant. As might be expected, there has been nothing written on the habits of this Sun- 
bird ; so that I have only to transcribe the single paragraph given by Captain Shelley respecting it: — 
“The present species belongs to the division of the ‘ Hennothnia ’ group in which the lower back is 
green. It only differs from C. aspasia; in the golden colour of the crown, which in this bird is only faintly 
tinted with green in certain lights. It is also slightly larger. As far as we yet know, it is entirely 
confined to the small island of Mafoor, in the Bay of Geelvink.” 
The following description is also taken from Captain Shelley’s work. 
Adult male. Black with a deep-blue gloss, the entire crown golden ; the least median series of wing- 
coverts, the scapulars, the lower half of the back, and the upper tail-coverts metallic green very slightly 
shaded with blue ; a few of the outer greater wing-coverts and the tail-feathers edged with the same 
colour; chin and throat violet-shaded steel-blue. Total length 4 inches, culmen 075, wing 2 - 5, tail 1*5, 
tarsus 0‘65. 
Two male birds are represented in the Plate, of the size of life. They were lent to me by Dr. Meyer. 
