MYZOMELA BjOSENBERGI, Schley.
MYZOMELA ROSENBERGI , Schiegei.
Von Rosenberg's Honey-eater.
Myzomela M T>jdschr. Dierk. iv. p. 38 (1871).—Meyer, Sitz_k
y . . . . T,____v sS-SSHwi rinoimnlroHiii. n. 138. d 1. x v i. fie. 2 ( 187o).—oaivaa.
T h e sem is Myzomela contains a number o f species of small Honey-eaters, most o f them attractive from the
mixture of scarlet and black which forms their staple .coloration, and spread over the Austro-Malayan
Australian, and Pacific subregions. Some few o f them are dull-coloured; but most have a more or less
brilliant plumage. Perhaps the most beautiful of all H H Q - «he g g
which was discovered by Baron von Rosenberg in the North-western :Province | j g | | | g | |
subsequently obtained by D , A. B. Meyer during his sojourn in New Guinea g ¡£¡— 1 1
bv him near the village of Atam in the Arfak Mountains, at an elevation of about 3500 feet above the level
of the sea- and since that time numerous specimens have been procured, byD Albertis, Beccan, Bruijn an
other collectors, from the same district. It is probably to be found over the mountainous portions o f t e
whole of New Guinea, as Signor D'Albertis procured two mutilated skins from the natives of MountEpa in
the south-eastern part of the island. With this exception, however, all tbe known specimens o f ¡g g jg g g |
, . f .1 H M district. Nothing lias been recorded about the habits or food of this bird.
DOTbtksi like other Myzomela;, it frequents flowering trees and shrubs for the sake of the nectar of the
“ 0 ’ . . 1 tl.erebv Nor are we yet quite certain as to its changes of plumage and
sevanTdifferences ;^>1' Dr. Meyer states that, of the specimens killed by himself, the adult males H H H |
i • „1 and be treats tbe bird described and figured here as the female as a young bird which
I have, however, followed Count Salvador! in considering that the
L s are dissimilar, as, owing to the large series a, his disposal, consisting of forty specimens, his opinion
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ for th e ,o a " o f s e ie r a l fiDC sPecimens> from which my ,d ra " i" s s B
made T h t g e n tL a n has lately been preparing a monographic revision o f tbe genui> Myzomela, which
he intends to publish. He has also kindly supplied me with the following diagnosis of M. rosenberg, :
■ A iu lt H i back, rump, and upper tail-coverts, together with the neck and breast, shining scarlet,
the feathers greyish at their bases ; the rest o f the body, wings, and tail deep black, with a slight metallic
lustre ; the quills shining blackish grey beneath ; bill black; legs horn-colour. Length about 3 7 inches,
CU' Z * ° ! iX g^ mostly so on th e back a n d rum p an d p a le r b e n e a th ; th e
fe a th e rT b la ck ish g re y a t th e base, and th e sh aft lig h te r. T h is gives a s tre a k e d o r flammulated appe arance ,
mo,« n oticeable on th e b ac k , h e a d , and ch e s t. W in g s a n d ta il blackish brown, th e g re a te r an d le sse r wing-
c o v e r t s t i p p e d with pale c h e s tn u t ; th e qu ills m a rg in e d ex te rn ally with p a e olive-yellow, becoming pale
ch e s tn u t on th e in n e rm o s t s e c o n d a rie s; wings u n d e rn e a th g rey , th e quills with th e ir in n e r marg in s w h .te ;
h ' ^ ^ i A l J x ^ e r t ^ ' c d by Dr. Beccari). Resembles the young male above described ; but the
AM I,fem a le f 1 and throat blackish. This sex is also a trifle smaller than
I rum n a re scar