MELIRRHOPHETES LEUCOSTEPHES, Meyer. 
White-faced Honey-eater. 
Melirrhophetes leucostephes, A. B. Meyer, Sitzungsb. der k.-k. Akad. d. Wissenschaften zu Wien, lxx. Juni 1674, 
p. ill. — T. Salvador!, Ann. del Mus. Civ. di Genova, vol. vii. 1875, p. 776. 
This large and attractive Honey-eater must form a conspicuous feature among the flowering trees of New 
Guinea, much as do the large species of this family so numerously spread over Australia; at least we may 
surmise this, as not even a few words have been placed on record by its discoverer Ur. Meyer, or by any 
other person. These meagre descriptions, however, testify to the rarity of the subject, and point out to 
future travellers over New Guinea how very desirable it would be for them to jot down any such particulars 
before they leave the forests, or at least as soon after as an opportunity may occur. All I can now say 
is that my artist, Mr. Hart, has made as faithful a portrait q 1' this new bird as possible, to which I add 
Ur. Meyer’s description very kindly forwarded to me in a letter. 
“ Feathers of forehead and those which encircle the naked skin surrounding the eye white ; throat, 
crown, and binder part of head, nape, ears, and a patch which borders the front of the eye black ; naked 
eye-skin and lengthened skin-fold of the mouth yellowish ; caruncles of the throat orange ; back brownish, 
feathers of the upper part edged with white and brownish white ; under surface black, with some white 
markings on the breast and abdomen ; upper part of wings bright olivaceous ; under surface greyish, with 
light-browm edges on the bases of the inner w r ebs ; under w ing-coverts blackish, with light brown inter- 
mixed ; upper part of tail brown, each feather having a lighter edge on the outer w r eb ; bill bluish grey, 
lighter at the tip ; feet and tarsi blackish grey, soles of feet lighter.” 
Total length 11 inches, bill If, wings 5, tail 5, tarsi If. 
According to Salvadori the sexes are alike in colour. 
Hab. Arfak Mountains in New Guinea. 
The figure in the Plate is of the natural size. 
