M E L A H O P T Ä RM O B O R IE N T A L I® »
MELANOPYRRHUS ORIENTALIS.
Robertson’s Starling.
Gracula mais, Schlegel, Nederl. Tijdschr. Dierk. iv. p. 18 (1871 nec Less )
Gracula anai,:crieulalis, Schlegel, Nederl. Tijdschr. Dieri. iv. p. 52 (W O -K c s e , ,! , Reis, naar Geelvinkbai
p. 14U (1Ö7ÖJ.
Gracula mmtalis Beccali, Ana. Mus. Civic. Genov, vii. p. 714 (1875)._Ramsay, Proc. Linn. See. New South
Wales, iv. p. 99 (1879). -
Gracula rosmbergii, Rnsch in Brehm’s ‘Gefangene Vogel,’ ii. p 562 (1876)
MelauopA y r* * orie^aH, Salvad. Ann. TBus. Civic. Genov, viü. p. 401 '(1876), x. pp. 12, 20, note (1 8 7 7 ).- ■ 11 H B mm H I 90 H B IS i <*■cit- w p-195 ■ 1 om. f»™*» e delle Molucche, 11. p. 463 (1881).—Guillemard, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1885, p. 644.
Mma robertsonii, D’Albert. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, x. pp. 12, 20 (1877).—Id. Ibis, 1877 p 368
Gracula aßnis, Rosenb. Malay. Arch. pp. 554, 590 (1879). ’’
Eulabes orientalis, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, iii. p. 279 (1879).
Melanopyrrhus robertsonii, Sharpe, Journ. Linn. Soc. xiv. pp. 633, 687 (1879).
T his species is closely allied to M. amis, but differs in having the whole o f the head and neck golden
yellow. Its habitat is also somewhat different from th at o f the foregoing species, a* it is found chiefly
in bouth-eastern New Guinea, being by no means uncommon in collections from P o rt Moresby while
bignor D Albertis procured a large series on the Fly River. I t likewise occurs in North-western New
Gumea, having been met with a t Bondey b , Baron von Rosenberg, a t Rnbi by D r. Meyer, and at
Wandammen by D r. Beccari.
T he specimen figured in the accompanying Plate is, according to the researches o f Count Salvadori
not perfectly adnlt, as it shows a patch o f black feathers on the occiput. Sometimes also yellow
plumes are seen on the throat, and the breadth o f the yellow margins to the abdominal plumes also
varies much in proportion to the presence o r absence o f black feathers on the occiput. Count Salvadori
very truly remarks th at the great variation in plumage exhibited by the series o f thirty specimens
examined by him seems to indicate that the species has n o t yet acquired absolute stability o f character.
The following description is translated from Count Salvadori’s work on the ‘ B irds o f New Guinea ’
Head and entire hind neck, upper breast, rump, and upper tail-coverts golden yellow; eyebrows
cheeks, and throat black, the latter often more o r less varied with yellow; back, wing-coverts, abdomen,’
and thighs black, with a green gloss on the edges o f the feathers; wings and tail black; primary-quilll
with a white spot in the middle; iris yellow; bill and feet pale yellow.
The Plate represents a mature, but not quite adult, bird in two positions. The figures have been
drawn from a specimen lent to us by Dr. Guillemard, and supposed to come from the Arfak Mountains.
[R. B. S.]