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Show 266 MR. W. A. FORBES ON THE GENUS MYZOMELA. [Mar. 4, Myzomela meyeri, Salvadori, Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. vii. p. 947 (1875). cS nitenti-niger, subalaribus et remigum margine interna albis; rostro nigro, pedibus cornels. $ griseo-brunnea, subtus dilutior; fronte gulaque rubro lavatis remigibus externe olivaceis. Hab. in Nova Guinea occidentali et insulis vicinis. This Myzomela, conspicuous for the almost entirely black plumage of the adult male, was first described by the late Mr. Gray from specimens collected in the Aru Islands by Wallace, where it was obtained again during the recent voyage of the ' Challenger.' It also occurs on the mainland of the north-western peninsula of New Guinea, at Dorey ( Wallace) and Rubi (Meyer), and in the islands of Jobi and Miosnom (Meyer and Beccari), the birds from the mainland and these islands being considerably bigger than those from Aru. This is particularly the case with those from Jobi and Miosnom, so that Count Salvadori is inclined to separate them as a new species. But, as the following table will show, considerable differences in the measurements of this species occur in various localities; so that at present I consider it better to retain all forms under one name. Beak (from fore- Wing. Tail. head). Tarsi. 1. 6. Aru? 2*2 1*65 *55 *5 2. 6. Wokan 2*4 165 '55 *5 3. 6. Aru 2*35 1*7 - '5 4. 6 • Rubi 2*5 20 *65 *5 5. eS. Dorey 2*4 1*8 -65 - 6. eS. Miosnom 2*7 2*0 *65 *5 Y'M-Pluto" 7. 6. Jobi 2*5 2*0 *67 *5 I Salvadori, 8. cS jr. Miosnom 2*6 1*7 *67 '53 J in litt. 9. J jr. Rubi 2*3 1*8 *6 -53 10. S jr. Rubi 2*3 1*8 *58 *5 1 1 . $ . Rubi 2*1 1*65 *55 -45 12. $. Aru? 21 1*4 *55 -45 The male of this species resembles that o^Myzomelapammelcena from the Admiralty Islands, but differs as below specified. The female retains more of the normal colouring of the group, and approaches those of M. boicci and M. adolphince. The young birds resemble the female, the red on the head in the young males being obtained before any indication of the black plumage. Dr. Meyer obtained only females and young of this bird, and referred these with considerable hesitation to M. erythrocephala of Gould, a very different species. Count Salvadori saw that this was a mistake, and proposed the name meyeri for the specimens collected by Dr. Meyer. But on subsequently examining the birds at Dresden, he found that in reality they were the young and females of the present species, the female having been only briefly indicated in Gray's original description. |