Nectarinia calcostetha Jardine, Monogr. Sun-Birds (1842), 263.
Nectarinia insignis Jardine, Monogr. Sun-Birds (1842), 274.
Chalcostetha insignis Shelley, Monogr. Nect. pt. 4, (1877), 87;
pl. 30; Gadow, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1884), 9, 12; McGregor and
Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 98.
Balabac (Everett); Palawan (Everett, Whitehead, Steere Exp.,
Bourns & Worcester, White). Tenasserim, Cochin China, Sunda
Islands, Malay Peninsula, Siam, Sumatra, Borneo, Celebes.
Male.--Forehead, crown, and nape metallic green; mantle dull black;
median and lesser wing-coverts, back, and tail-coverts metallic purple
when held away from the light, changing to dark green when held toward
the light; tail black, some of its feathers edged with violet; wings
blackish brown, the greater secondary-coverts edged with violet; middle
of throat and breast with a large metallic copper-colored patch; chin,
a line down each side of the copper-colored patch, and lower breast
metallic violet; abdomen and under tail-coverts black; pectoral
tufts bright lemon-yellow. Length, about 140; wing, 61; tail, 52;
culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 16; tarsus, 14. Description
and measurements from a specimen taken by C. B. Kloss in Singapore.
"Female.--Crown and nape ashy brown; rest of upper parts yellowish
olive; tail black, largely tipped with white; under parts whitish,
strongly washed with pale yellow. Wing, 51." (Gadow.)
"Iris, bill, legs, feet, and nails black. Food insects." (Bourns and
Worcester MS.)
Genus ÆTHOPYGA Cabanis, 1850.
Bill as long as head, strongly curved, the tip very sharp; nasal
opercles unfeathered; males with the rectrices narrow and graduated,
the middle pair usually much produced and often acuminate. Males
brightly colored, largely red or yellow or both; females greenish.
Species.
a1. Much larger; wing more than 50 mm.; bill from nostril more than 15.
b1. Central rectrices lengthened, their tips rounded (males).
c1. Chin, throat, breast, head, and mantle bright red ... magnifica
(p. 644)
c2. Chin and throat with a narrow median stripe of citron-yellow
changing to orange on breast; mantle dark green ... boltoni
(p. 645)
b2. Central rectrices not lengthened (females).
c1. Tail-feathers edged with dull crimson; under parts dull
green. ... magnifica (p. 644)
c2. Tail-feathers edged with green; chest gray; abdomen
yellow. ... boltoni (p. 645)
a2. Much smaller; wing less than 50 mm.; bill from nostril less
than 15.
b1. Mantle and sides of neck dark red; chin, throat, and breast
yellow (males).
c1. Breast streaked with vermilion.
d1. Chin, throat, and breast paler, sulphur-yellow.
e1. Metallic frontal band extending backward to the occiput;
occiput dark red like the back ... shelleyi (p. 646)
e2. Metallic frontal band extending backward to the hinder
border of eye; occiput green ... arolasi (p. 648)
d2. Chin, throat, and breast darker, more gamboge-yellow.
e1. Smaller; wing, about 40 mm.; bill from nostril, 11
... bella (p. 647)
e2. Larger; wing, about 44 mm.; bill from nostril, 14
... bonita (p. 648)
c2. Breast pure yellow, or very faintly streaked with vermilion.
d1. Breast gamboge-yellow and slightly darker than
chin. ... flavipectus (p. 649)
d2. Breast, throat, and chin more nearly uniform and lighter
yellow. ... rubrinota (p. 649)
b2. Upper parts bright olive-green; under parts whitish, more or
less washed with pale yellowish green (females).
c1. Rump olive-green like the back ... shelleyi (p. 646); arolasi
(p. 648)
c2. Rump lemon-yellow ... bella (p. 647); bonita (p. 648);
flavipectus (p. 649); rubrinota (p. 649)