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Show 166 MR. W. A. FORBES ON THE GENUS LATHAMUS. [Feb. 18, STROPHIDIA CLARISSIMA, n. sp. Allied to S.pannata of Felder (Reise der Nov., Lep. iv. pi. cxxviii. fig. 39). Snow-white, with black fringe ; primaries with a broad subcostal stripe, and the outer border smoky brown, costal area from the margin to the edge of the stripe mottled with black ; secondaries with a rather broad and regular blackish submarginal band from the apex to the second median branch, two large rounded black spots touching the outer margin on the median interspaces, a suhanal transverse black dash ; back of head and upper margin of palpi black ; antennae greyish brown : wings below wbite ; fore wings with the costal margin, a subcostal spot just beyond the cell, the apex, and the external border greyish brown ; hind wings with a broad triangular patch of blackish between the anal angle and the third median branch, continued beyond this branch as a submarginal greyish brown band, which runs in a straight line to the apex. Expanse of wings 2 inches 3 lines. One example of this beautiful species. 6. O n the Systematic Position of the Genus Lathamus of Lesson. By W . A . F O R B E S , F.Z.S. [Eeceived January 30, 1879] (Plate XVI.). In their paper on Australian birds in the Linnean Society's Transactions for 1828 (vol. xv. p. 74), Messrs. Vigors and Horsfield established a genus Nanodes, of which the Psittacus discolor of Shaw1 was made the type, and full generic characters were given. Besides Nanodes discolor, three other species (those now generally known as Melopsittacus undulatus, Euphema pulchella and Platycercus venustus) were included in the genus, which was considered by its authors to be allied to Pezoporus and Platycercus, and as connecting these Australian forms with the South-American Psittacaree(= Conu-rusnact.). Nanodes having beenalready used by Schonherr for a genus of Rhynchophorous Coleoptera2, Lesson3 substituted for this name that of Lathamus, including under that head four other species (one a Euphema, one a Cyanorhamphus, and two Trichoglossi, as now understood), remarking that Swainson "a parfaitement etabli ses caracteres" in his 'Zoological Illustrations,'4 where, however, E. pulchella is considered the type of the genus5. As will be seen from 1 White's Voyage, pi. 263 (1790). For the synonymy of the species, see Finsch, Papag. ii. p. 863. 2 Schonh. Curcul. Disp. Meth. p. 322 (1826). 3 Traite d'Orn. p. 205 (1831). 4 2nd series, vol. i. part 5, no. 21 (1829). 5 Swainson, however, in his ' Classification of Birds ' (vol. ii. p. 304, 1837), makes Lathamus a member of his " subfamily Platycercinss," in which he also includes Coracopsis, Pezoporus, Platycercus, and Calopsitta, with the remark that it is a " subtypical" form. |