GLYCYCHAIRA FALLAX, Satvaa.

Silky-plumed Honey-eater.

Euthyrhynchus, sp., Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. vii. p- 953 (1875), ix. p. 23 (1876).

Glycichera fallaw, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genoy, xii. p. 335 (1878).—D’ Albert. & Salvad. op. cit. xiv. p. 78
(1879).—Salvad. op. cit. xvi. p. 74 (1880).

Glycychera fallav, Salvad. Orn. Papuasia e delle Molucche, ii. p. 310 (1881), iii, App. p. 542 (1882).—Meyer,
Zeitschr. gesammt. Orn. i. p. 288 (1884).

Tephras whitet, Ramsay, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1882, p. 357.—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov. xviii. p. 422, note
(1882).

Glycyphila fallax, Gadow, Cat. Birds in Brit. Mus. ix. p. 213 (1884).

 

Tue Marquis Doria having very kindly sent over to England some of the rare Papuan species contained in
the Civic Museum at Genoa, we have enjoyed the privilege of presenting figures of some of the most
interesting forms to our readers. The genus Glycychera at present contains two species, G. fallax and
G. polocephala, the latter being from Andai, in North-western New Guinea. G. Jallax also occurs in
Andai, but is further distributed over New Guinea, having been sent by D’Albertis from the Fly River and
Naiabui in the south-eastern portion of the island. Dr. Beccari also procured a specimen in the Aru
Islands, whence Dr. Meyer has likewise recently received a specimen.

The genus Glycychera has certainly no relation whatever with Glycyphila, into which it has been merged
by Dr. Gadow, without seeing a specimen. It appears to us to be one of the aberrant genera which connect
the Meliphagide aud Diceide, and would by some ornithologists be placed in the latter family, in the vicinity
of Melanocharis. The long fluffy plumes on the lower back and on the flanks are most striking, and are
not accentuated enough in the Plate which accompanies this description.

Adult male. General colour above dull olive-greenish ; the feathers of the lower back and rump long and
fluffy and rather lighter olive; lesser and median wing-coverts like the back; greater coverts and quills
dull ashy brown, edged with olive like the back ; bastard wing and primary-coverts dull ashy brown, narrowly
fringed with olive ; upper tail-coverts like the back ; tail-feathers dull ashy brown, edged with olive ; head
and neck decidedly more ashy than the back, much greyer on the sides of the face and ear-coverts ; round
the eye a ring of white feathers; throat whitish, streaked with yellow edges to the feathers; fore neck,
breast, and sides of the body ashy, the former streaked, the latter washed with pale yellow ; abdomen and
under tail-coverts pale yellow; under wing-coverts white, washed with pale yellow, a little clearer on
the edge of the wing; quills ashy below, whitish along the edge of the inner web: “ bill blackish above,
whitish below ; feet leaden; iris dull white” (D’ Alberts). Total length 4-5 inches, culmen 0°5, wing 2:3,
tail 1°35, tarsus 0°7.

Adult female. Similar to the male, but with less grey on the head and face, both these parts being duller ;
the throat, breast, and underparts more distinctly washed with yellow. Total length 4:5 inches, culmen 0-5,
wing 2°25, tail 1°55, tarsus 0°7.

The figures in the Plate represent the male and female of this species of the natural size ; they are drawn
from specimens belonging to the Genoa Museum, and kindly lent to us by the Marquis Doria. The male is
from the Fly River, and the female from the Aru Islands. The latter is rather smaller in its dimensions.

[R. B. S.J