CINNYRIS MAFORENSIS. Mafoor-Island Black Sun-bird. Chalcostetha aspasia, var. maforensis, Meyer, Sitz, k. Akad. Wissensch, in Wien, lxx. p. 123 (1874).-—Sclater, Ibis, 1874, p. 419. Hermotima maforensis, Salvad. Atti R. Accad. Torino, x. pp. 208, 227 (1874), xii. p. 301 (1877). Cinnyris maforensis, Shelley, Monograph of the Cinnyride, part v. (1877). Tuis species is the representative of the Black Sun-birds in the island of Mafoor, situated in Geelvink Bay. It was discovered by Dr. Meyer during his expedition to New Guinea, and has been allowed to be specifically distinct by Count Salvadori and Captain Shelley. I must say that I feel considerable compunction in admitting these species; they seem to me to be rather races of one form. But a good many specimens of all these different Sun-birds have been procured by the travellers ; and the characters, if slight, are constant. As might be expected, there has been nothing written on the habits of this Sun- bird ; so that I have only to transcribe the single paragraph given by Captain Shelley respecting it :— “The present species belongs to the division of the ‘ Hermotimia’ group in which the lower back is ereen. It only differs from C. aspasi@ in the golden colour of the crown, which in this bird is only faintly tinted with green in certain lights. It is also slightly larger. As far as we yet know, it is entirely confined to the small island of Mafoor, in the Bay of Geelvink.” The following description is also taken from Captain Shelley’s work. Adult male. PBilack with a deep-blue gloss, the entire crown golden; the least median series of wing- coverts, the scapulars, the lower half of the back, and the upper tail-coverts metallic green very slightly shaded with blue; a few of the outer greater wing-coverts and the tail-feathers edged with the same colour; chin and throat violet-shaded steel-blue. Total length 4 inches, culmen 0°75, wing 2°5, tail 1:5, tarsus 0°65._ Two male birds are represented in the Plate, of the size of life. They were lent to me by Dr. Meyer.