PACHYCARE FLAVO-GRISEA.

Yellow-and-grey Thickhead.

Pachycephala flavo-grisea, Meyer, Sitz. Akad. Wien, lxix. p. 495 (1874).—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova, vil.
p- 775 (1875).

 

In describing this bird as a Pachycephala Dr. Meyer seems to have had an idea that the species was by no
means a typical one; and I need hardly do more than draw the attention of my readers to the bird figured
in the opposite Plate to illustrate the very aberrant style of plumage exbibited by it as compared with the
usual black and yellow or green dress of an ordinary Pachycephala. Jn point of fact, not only the plumage,
but the form of the bird differs so strikingly that I feel compelled to institute a new generic title for its
reception.

In the olden days, when the quinary system had sway, we should doubtless have been told that the
present species represented the Sittide, or Nuthatches, among the Shrikes, if, indeed, the Pachycephaline
birds are to be accounted as belonging to the great group of the Laniide. Their position is not well
ascertained ; and by some ornithologists they are considered to belong to the Ampelide, while Mr. D. G.
Elliot raised them at one time to the rank of a family (Pachycephalide). Although the quinary theory is
exploded, and its most potent advocates have passed away, one cannot be surprised at the hold that it once
possessed on the minds of many earnest zoologists, as it brought forward characters and affinities which
would perhaps have been otherwise neglected ; only its advocates were inclined to push their ideas to
too great an extreme. The resemblance in the present instance, however, is very striking, not only in the
grey Nuthatch-like colour of the back, but even in the two long black stripes (so characteristic of the Sitte)
which run down each side of the neck.

Dr. Meyer obtained his type specimen in the Arfak Mountains, in March 1873; and more recently Count
Salvadori has received two specimens from the same locality, sent by Dr. Bruijn. Iam pleased to see that
this excellent ornithologist is inclined to consider its generic separation expedient.

I am once more indebted to Dr. Meyer’s kindness for the opportunity of figuring this interesting addition
to the Papuan avifauna; and the following description is drawn up from the typical specimen.

Face, ear-coverts, throat, and undersurface bright yellow ; crown of the head and all the upper surface
grey; a black mark intervening between the yellow face, ear-coverts, and the grey of the upper surface of
the body. ‘The three secondary wing-feathers next the body black, with a distinct square spot of white at
their tips; underparts of the wing white; tail grey above, terminating in dusky black.

This is by no means a typical Pachycephala, and must receive an appellation as a new genus (Pacuycare),
in which the following characters must be noted :—Plumage lax. Bill stout, with a distinct notch and
overhanging tip on the upper mandible; vibrissz absent. Wing rounded and feeble; first primary short,
the fourth the longest. Tail short and rounded. Tarsi moderately long, exceeding the length of the bill,
rather slight, as are the toes.

Total length 5 inches, bill %, wing 32, tail 2s, tarsi 2.

The figures in the Plate are of the natural size.

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