MYZOMELA SCLATERI, Forbes. 
Sclater’s Honey-eater* 
Myzomela sclateri, Forbes, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1879, p. 265, pi. 25, fig. 2. — Sclat. ibid. p. 448. Reichenow et 
Sehal. Journ. f, Orn. 1880, p. 198.— Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, xvi. p. 72, no. 8 (1880).— Id. 
Ora. della Papuasia &c. ii. p. 298 (1881). 
This elegant little bird is another of the interesting discoveries made by that well-known collector 
the Rev. George Brown in New Britain and the neighbouring islands. It was discovered by him on the 
island of Palakiiru, a small island in mid-channel between New Britain and Duke-of-York Island. It was 
first described by Mr. W. A. Forbes, in bis excellent Synopsis of the Meliphagine genus Myzomela 
(published in the ‘Proceedings of the Zoological Society’ for 1879), where be describes the single male 
bird at that time known. “ At first,” writes Mr. Forbes, “ I bad some doubts as to this individual being- 
adult ; but now, from the absence of red feathers on any other part, and from the singularly bright 
and shining colour of those on the throat, I have little doubt that it has very nearly or quite attained 
its full plumage, Myzomela sclateri hardly admits of being compared with any other species of the group, 
the entirely dark upperside and the red being confined to the throat rendering it quite unlike any species 
yet known to us.” 
In May of the same year Dr. Sclater received a further collection from Mr. Brown, which contained a 
male and a female of this new Myzomela, and amply demonstrated its distinctness from any other known 
species of the genus. It belongs to the section of the genus where the species have the undersurface either 
whitish or greyish-olive, and, further, to the division of black-fronted species comprising M. mlnerata , 
M. jugularis, and M. lafargii ; but from all of these it may be told by its blackish head. 
The following description is translated from Mr. Forbes’s essay above mentioned : — 
Adult male. Upper surface of the body, with the wings and tail, dusky blackish, the head darker ; the 
feathers of the lower back yellow at the tip ; quills, wing-coverts, and tail-feathers externally edged with 
olive-yellow ; throat bright crimson ; undersurface of body greyish yellow, the throat rather duller ; under 
wing-coverts and inner margin of quills white ; bill black ; feet dusky. 
Total length about 4‘5 inches, wing 3' 65', tail U7, bill O’G, tarsus 0’55. 
The adult female is described by Mr. Sclater as follows :■ — Upper surface dark olive ; crown of head, 
wings, and tail blackish, the latter externally edged with olive; underneath greyish yellow; the throat 
slightly tinged with crimson. 
I have been indebted to Dr. Sclater for the loan of male and female birds, from which the life-sized 
figures in the Plate have been drawn, representing two males and a female. 
