CAMPEPHAGA LEUCOMELA, Vig. and Eforsf.

Black and White Campephaga.

 

Campephaga leucomela, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 215.

 

Tuts species, which frequents the brushes of the eastern parts of New South Wales between the river Hunter
and Moreton Bay, differs from the Campephaga Karu in its much greater size, in the rufous colouring of the
lower part of the abdomen and under tail-coverts, in the more uniform grey colouring of the breast, and in
the barring of this part being much less conspicuous. I have had examples of this species in my collection
for many years, but was not fortunate enough to see it alive during my visit to Australia. Mr. Strange
has also sent me a pair which he had shot in the scrubs on the banks of the Clarence. Its nest and
eggs, and any information of its habits, are desiderata to me.

The sexes, as in the other species, differ considerably from each other; they may be thus described :—

The male has the head, back, wings and tail deep glossy black ; wing-coverts largely tipped and the
secondaries broadly margined with white ; the two outer tail-feathers tipped with white, the external one
also narrowly margined on the outer web with the same hue; rump and upper tail-coverts very dark grey ;
line over the eye snow-white ; under surface greyish white, gradually passing into rufous on the abdomen
and under tail-coverts, and indistinctly rayed with dark grey; bill, feet and irides black.

The young male is brown where the male is black; has the wings not so conspicuously marked with
white; the under surface washed with rufous and conspicuously rayed with brown; and the under tail-
coverts deep rufous.

The figures represent an adult male and young male of the natural size.