M E G A L M A J A V E N S I S.
( T H E B L A C K - B R E A S T E D J A V A N B A R B E T .)
Le Barbu Icotorea (1807) Le Vaill. ; Barbus, Suppl. p. 42, fig. C.
Bucco javensis (1820) Horsf. ; Trans. Linn. Soc. XIII. p. 181.
„ tristis (1822) Drap. ; Diet. Class. d'Hist. N'ai II. p. 195.
„ Icotorea (1831) Temm. ; PL Col. p. 88 (texte).
Megalaima javensis (1842) G. R. Gray ; Gen. of B. IT p. 429.
Megalcema javensis .....(1854) Bonap. ; Consp. Volucr. Zyg. p. 12.
Chotorea javensis (1856) Horsf. & Moore ; Cat. of B. II. p. 640.
M. sexibus similibus : viridis: gutture coccineo: fronte pallide sulphurea.
Hab. in insula " Java " dicta.
Sexes alike; body green; lores scarlet; forehead and head straw-yellow, shading into
green at the back of the neck; sides of the face and a superciliary stripe black, tipped with
green; a large yellow spot at the base of the lower mandible; the upper plumage rich dark
green, the feathers of the nape and sides of the neck being edged with lighter green as in
M. mystacophanus, giving it a scalloped appearance; chin, throat, and upper breast deep
scarlet, below which comes a broad irregular crescent of black, which joins on to the black
of the face; under surface bright grass-green; tail underneath greenish blue; the quills
brown, the inner web pale yellowish at base, the outer bordered with green, especially on
the secondaries, the innermost of which are almost entirely green; rictal bristles strongly
developed; bill black; irides dark brown; legs and feet dull olive. Length about 9"-0,
wing 4"-l, tail 2"-9.
Hab. Java. East Java (Wallace). Temminck also gives Sumatra as a locality; but
this is probably an error.
The Black-breasted Barbet is apparently confined to Eastern Java, where it is stated by
Additional references.—Bucco javensis: Hartlaub (1841), Rev. Zool. p. 337. Megalaima javensis: Goffin
(1863), Mus. Pays-Bas, Bucc. p. 1 9 ; G. R. Gray (1868), Cat. Brit. Mus. Capit. p. 6.