MYZOMELA NIGRA, Gould.
Black

Mas. Myz. capite, gutture, striga abdominali, corpore supra, alis cauddque fuliginosis ; partibus reliquis albis ; rostro
pedibusque nigris.
Fam. Capite, corpore supra, alis cauddque fuscis ; gutture et corpore subtis fuscescente-albis ; colore in medio plumarum
pravalente.
Long. tot. 5 unc. ; rostrt, 35 ala, 2+; caude, 1%; tarsi, +.

Mate. Head, throat, stripe down the centre of the abdomen, all the upper surface, wings and tail sooty black ;
the remainder of the plumage pure white ; bill and feet black.

Femate. Head, all the upper surface, wings and tail brown; throat, and all the under surface brownish white ;
the centre of each feather the darkest.

Myzomela nigra, Gould, in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. 1837.

 

Srverax examples of both sexes of this new species formed part of the collection made by Mr. Charles Coxen,
during his last excursion into the interior of New South Wales. In structure it corresponds most closely
with the type of the genus (Myzomela cardinalis, Vig. and Horsf.). Colour generally offers to our notice
the best guide as to affinity ; but, as will occasionally occur, the present species is an exception to the rule,
its colours being black and white, while those of the Myzomela cardinalis are scarlet and white. The females
of both species closely resemble each other.

Nothing whatever is known of its history.