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MYZOMELA ERYTHRINA, Ramsay,

New-Ireland Honey-sucker.

Myzomela erythrina, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. New South W
1879, p. 270.—Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1879, pp. 4
(1880).—Id. Orn. Papuasia, etc. ii, p. 297 (1881).

Myzomela coccinea, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. New South Wal

ales, ii. p. 107 (1877).—Forbes, Proc. Zool. Soc.
49.—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. xvi. Dee
: | es, ll. p. 106 (1878).—Forbes, Proc. Zool. Soc.
nae 270.—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. xvi. p. 72 (1880).—Id. Orn. Papuasia, ete. ii. p. 296
(1881). |

 

Tue original specimen of this elegant little Honey-sucker came from New Ireland, where it was collected by

Mr. Cockerell, and, according to our judgment, is a young bird, probably a male. In the succeeding year
Mr. Ramsay described a second species from Duke-of-York Island as 1. coccinea, and, from an examination
of the type, we have little hesitation in saying that it is only the adult male of his JZ erythrina. Indeed
Mr. Ramsay tells us that this was his first impression, but that the collectors insisted that the birds in the
two islands were always constant in their colouring. We think, however, that there has been some mistake
in the matter.

M. coccinea is closely allied to MZ. cruentata of Meyer, from the Arfak Mountains, but, as Count Salvadori
has pointed out, it differs in the red colouring, which is more crimson or rosy, and also in having the head
darker red than the back. The bird from New Britain appears to us to belong to an undescribed species
which we propose to call Myzomela kleinschmidti, after the late well-known collector who discovered it. It
closely resembles JZ. erythrina, but differs in its dusky head and throat and in the colour of the under wing-
coverts and axillaries; these are smoky brown, washed with crimson, whereas is JZ. erythrina they are pale
earthy brown, with scarcely any tinge of red.

The following is a description of the types of AZ. coccinea and M. erythrina respectively :—

Adult male. General colour above crimson, rather glossy on the back; head rather more dusky crimson
than the back, as also the lores, sides of face, ear-coverts, and throat, becoming brighter crimson again on the
lower throat and remainder of under surface of body; under tail-coverts rosy ; wing-coverts and quills dusky
brown, narrowly edged with crimson, brighter on the margins of the quills; centre tail-feathers dull crimson,
the rest brown, dull crimson along the outer web; under wing-coverts and axillaries pale earthy or ashy
brown, with a very faint tinge of red; quills dusky below, ashy white along the edge of the inner web.
Total length 4 inches, culmen 0:6, wing 2°25, tail 1-6, tarsus 0°00.

Young. Much duller in colour than the male, being obscure rosy on the upper surface, the feathers
being brown washed with rosy ; head a little brighter ; wings and tail as in the adult, but edged with much duller
crimson ; sides of head like the crown; throat brighter crimson; the remainder of the we surface
earthy brown, washed with rosy, deepening into the latter colour on the under tail-coverts. Total length
3:4 inches, culmen 0°55, wing 1:9, tail 1-4, tarsus 0°09. tale Bele en

The figures in the Plate represent the two birds lent to me ly su Ramsay, a ac _ ae ee br
his M. coccinea, and the young being the type of his MZ. erythrina. They are represented of the size .

[R. B. S.]

Is SD a Er TL