MYZOMELA MELANOCEPHALA.

Black-headed Honey-sucker.

Cinnyris (?) dubia, Ramsay (nec Bechst.), Proc. Linn. Soc, New South Wales, iv.
1879, p. 430.—Salvad. Ibis, 1880, p. 129.
Cinnyris melanocephalus, Ramsay, Nature, 1879, p. 125.—Reichen. ¢. ¢. p. 101.
Hermotimia melanocephala, Layard, Ibis, 1880, p. 306.
Cyrtostomus melanocephalus, Salvad. Ann. Mus.
ii. p. 269 (1881).

p. 83 (1879).—Reichen. J. f. O.

Civic. Genoy. xvi. p- 66 (1880).—Id. Orn. Papuasia, ete.

 

So peculiar is the coloration of this bird that it is scarcely surprising that some difficulty should have been
experienced in finding its natural position. Mr. Ramsay doubted whether it was a true Sun-bird and called
it Cinnyris ? dubia, and he afterwards changed the specific name to melanocephala. He also expressed an
opinion that the species might belong to the family Meliphagide ; but Count Salvadori considers it to be a
true Sun-bird and has placed it in the subgenus Cyrtostomus.

On receiving the type specimen from Mr. Ramsay, we showed it to Captain Shelley, who has written such
an excellent ‘Monograph’ of the Mectarinide, and, after careful consultation, we both agreed that it is in all
probability a Meliphagine bird. We say this with all caution, as the question is a difficult one; but we

notice that in Sun-birds the nostril is rounded off anteriorly, whereas in the MWeliphagide the anterior edge of

the nostril vanishes gradually into the upper mandible, and this character is apparently accompanied by the
brush tongue. We shall therefore expect to find that the present species has the last-named peculiarity.

In plumage this bird is not unlike some African Sun-birds, and again resembles some of the Spider-hunters
(Arachnothera). nu the genus Myzomela it is singularly out of place as regards it colouring, but appears to
belong structurally to this genus.

The following description is taken from the typical specimen, which came from Savo in the Solomon
Archipelago, and has been lent to us by Mr. E. P. Ramsay :—

Adult male. General colour above olive-yellow, with a slight appearance of brighter yellow on the mantle ;
upper tail-coyerts dusky brown, edged with the same olive-yellow as the back; wing-coverts and quills
dusky brown, narrowly edged with olive-yellow, brighter on the primaries ; bastard wing and primary-coverts
uniform blackish brown; tail-feathers black, with narrow margins of olive-yellow ; crown of head as far as
the occiput glossy black; the nape and the sides of the hinder crown olive-yellow, but dulie: and rather
greener than the back ; lores, feathers above and behind the eye, cheeks, ear-coverts, sides of face, and chgont
black like the head, witha slight metallic gloss; remainder of under surface of body dull olive-yellowish,
clearer olive-yellow on the fore neck, chest, and sides of neck ; breast-feathers mixed with ashy, the bases
being of this colour; under tail-coverts ashy brown, edged with olive-yellow: axillary tufts pale olive-yellow,
with white bases; under wing-coverts white, those near the edge of ae wing be edged ees He
yellow ; quills dusky blackish below, white along the edge ot the inner web. Total length 4°5 inches,
culmen 0°85, wing 2°6, tail 1-9, tarsus 0°7. — ee coun

Another specimen, apparently younger, has a pale reddish tint on he Oe e eu . ae
the margin of the wing-coverts, the thighs and under tail-coverts being likewise ee with this ;
the Were on the head and throat is also less clearly defined. Total length 4°2 inches,
tarsus 0°7.

The figures in the Plate are drawn of the siz

wing 2°, tail 1-65,

e of life, and represent the adult male, lent to me by
’

ie [R. B. 8.]
Mr. Ramsay, in two positions.

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