STIGMATOPS KEBIRENSIS , Meyer.
Kebir Scaly-throated Honey-eater.
Stigmatops Icebirensis, Meyer, in Madarasz, Zeitschr. ges. Orn. i. p . 218 (1 8 8 4 ).
T h is spec ie s h a s lately been d e sc rib ed by D r . M ey e r from spec imens s e n t to him by M r. R ie d el, an d we
hav e th o u g h t it advisable to g iv e a figure o f it in th e p re s en t work.
As m ig h t be expected* f t is very closely allied to Stigmatops squamata from th e n e ig h b o u rin g g ro u p o f
i s la n d s ; an d it is somewha t rem a rk a b le th a t any difference should b e found in spec imens from a d ja c en t
islands like K e b ir an d T im o r L a u t, when example s from th e la tte r is la n d -g ro u p a r e n o t to be distin g u ish ed
from o th e rs co llec ted in th e island o f C h o o r, which is much fu r th e r d is ta n t from T im o r L a u t th an K e b ir.
'1'he a d u lt Stigmatops kebirensis is a much g re y e r b ird th an S . squamata, especially on th e wings.
U n d e rn e a th , th e squamations o r m o ttlin g s o f th e p lum ag e a r e confined to th e low e r th ro a t an d ch e s t, n o t
ex te n d in g n ea rly so fa r down th e b re a s t. Beyond th is we c a n n o t perceiv e any differences, and th e distinc tive
c h a ra c te rs must be adm itte d to be very slight.
T h e p a ir se n t by D r . M eye r m e a su re a s f o l l o w s -
Total
length. Culmen. Wing. Tail. Tarsus.
a. Ad. Kebir (RiedeI) . . . . . 5-3 0-75 2-95 2-3 0-80
b. ? Juv. Kebir (Riedel) . . ., . . 5 0 0-b0 2-90 2-4 0 -75
T h e second sp e c im e n , w hich, in sp ite o f som e o f its la rg e r dimensions, we ta k e to b e a somewha t y o unger
bird , is g re e n e r than th e type, especially ou th e wings an d sides o f th e body, b u t it p re serv e s th e more
re s tric te d m o ttlin g on th e b re a s t which d istin g u ish e s th e spec ie s from Stigmatops squamata.
T h e P la te re p re s e n ts an a d u lt and a somewha t y o u n g e r b ird , o f th e size o f life. T h e figures a r e drawn
from th e p a ir o f b ird s d e sc rib ed above and len t to us by D r . Meyer.
[R . B . S . |