THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
“Differs from M. n. nigra in its smaller size (wing 68 mm.) and darker 
coloration, especially noticeable on the primaries. (Day Dawn) West 
Australia.” 
West Australia. 
When Witmer Stone examined the reputed type specimens of Gould’s 
Australian birds in Philadelphia he reported that a male from West Australia 
was marked “ type.” I accepted this, and therefore named 
Myzomela nigra ashbyi. 
“ Differs from M. n. nigra (from West Australia) in its larger size and lighter 
upper coloration. Mount Barker, South Australia.” 
South Australia to Queensland. 
The recent information that Gould presented many of his earlier types 
to the British Museum involves this case, and there can be no doubt whatever 
that the type did come from the Interior of New South Wales, and that the 
specimen in Philadelphia from West Australia is not the type. This means 
reversion to my earlier subspecific names. Unfortunately the generic name 
is also under review. Bonaparte introduced a new genus Cissomda with 
Gould’s nigra for type, but fortunately he described his specimen, which shows 
it to be Gould’s pectoralis and not nigra. When I split up Myzomela in my 
1913 “ List ” I used Cissomela for the black and white Myzomela and classed 
niger with pectoralis in Cissomela. Here the fatuity of genus-lumping is 
well exposed, as tins species proves to have little or no connection with the 
other species classed under Myzomela, whether they be closely related or not. 
as the wing is of quite a different formation. I have therefore introduced 
a new genus for this form, but do not yet know its exact location. 
The names and forms will now be 
Sugomel niger niger (Gould). 
Interior New South Wales, Queensland, 
South Australia and Victoria. 
At present I cite Myzomela nigra ashbyi Mathews as a synonym, but it 
may later need reinstatement. 
Sugomel niger westraliensis Mathews. 
West Australia. 
Here also more than one subspecies may be confused. 
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