PACHYCEPHALA MELANURA, Gould.

Black-tailed Pachycephala.

Pachycephala melanura, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part X. p. 134.

 

Tun Pachycephala melanura is a native of the northern coasts of Australia, where it was procured by
B. Bynoe, Esq., during the surveying voyage of H.M.S. the Beagle. It may be readily distinguished from
the P. gutturalis and P. glaucura by the jet-black colouring of the tail, which organ is also shorter and
more square than that of any other species, by its much longer bill, and by the colouring of the back of the
neck and the under surface being richer than that of either of those above-named. I have not yet seen a
female of this fine species, wanting which I have figured two males in different positions.

It may be thus described :-—

Head, crescent commencing behind the eye and crossing the chest and the tail black ; throat pure white ;
collar round the back and sides of the neck, and all the under surface very rich gamboge-yellow ; upper
surface rich yellowish olive ; wings black, the coverts margined with yellowish olive; the primaries narrowly
and the secondaries broadly margined with yellowish grey ; bill and feet black ; irides brown.

The figures are of the natural size.

 

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