SERS i.

POMAREA RU FOCASTANEA

Rufous-and-Chestnut Flycatcher.

Monarcha rufocastanea, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Sia
Pe 29:

Monarcha rufocastaneus, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. (

N.S. Wales, iv 79, ¢
S. Wales, iv. pp. 79, 313 (1879),—Salvad. Ibis, 1880,
renoy. xiv. p. 508 (1879).

Pomarea castaneiventris, Salvad. Orn. Panuasia ete 2: ©
. Papuasia, ete. ii. p- 11 (1881, pt.).

Tus species resembles very closely Pomarea castaneiventris of the

a ; Solomon group of islands, and to the latter
bird it has been united by Count Salvadori.

ee ; ; aah Our own idea was also that these two species were identical,
judging from — tamsay’s description; but the latter gentleman, during his visit to England as Commis-
sioner for New South Wales to the International Fisheries Exhibition, brought over the types of his
Monarcha rufocastanea, and we are enabled to say that they are not the same species.
On comparing males it is evident that P. rufocastanea is a smaller bird, is duller and more slaty black
above and lighter chestnut below. The axillaries are entirely bay-coloured like the breast, whereas in
P. castaneiventris the axillaries have distinct blackish bases and are rufous for not quite the terminal half.

The females of the two species differ much more than the males. That of JZ rufocastanea, besides being
a much paler bird, is distinguished at once by its light grey throat, this being black in P. castaneiventris,

The following are the descriptions of the typical specimens :—

Adult male (type of species). General colour above slaty black with a purplish-blue gloss, the hinder
neck and mantle more ashy; lesser and median wing-coverts like the back ; greater coverts, bastard wing,
primary-coverts, and quills blackish brown, with slight remains of lighter brown edgings; tail-feathers blue-
black ; lores and crown of head like the back ; ear-coverts also slaty black, surmounted by a faint indication
of an iron-grey streak from above the fore part of the eye to about the end of the ear-coverts ; feathers
below the eye and cheeks deeper black, with a slight wash of ashy grey; sides of neck and entire throat
dull cindery grey; fore neck and rest of underparts clear chestnut or bay, including the thighs and under
tail-coverts ; axillaries also bay-coloured like the breast ; the under wing-coverts bay, except near the edge
of the wing,
0°65, wing 2°75, tail 2:5, tarsus 0°7. (Mus. Austr.)

Adult female. Different from the male. Above slaty grey, rather lighter on the crown of the head ; as
ereater coverts, bastard wing, primary-coverts, and quills brown, with

where they are either dull ashy or are bay with ashy bases. Total length 5:3 inches, culmen

and median wing-coverts like the back ;
| tail-feathers dingy blackish brown; sides of crown paler grey than the top
evelid dusky slate-colour ; feathers below the eye hoary whitish; ear-
: ; which are somewhat washed with

narrow reddish-brown margins ;
of the head, which is like the back ;
hy grey, as also the sides of the neck,

gre) . ae
d with rufous, and gradually deepening into

d with rafous; axillaries and under wing-

coverts, sides of face, and cheeks as
rufous; throat slaty grey, the lower part and the fore neck washe

“th arts; thighs ashy, washe
the rich bay of the breast and underparts; thighs ashy, Wé 2 cr
F Total length 5°5 inches, culmen 0:65, wing

coverts slaty grey, the former edged with rufous near the ends. 4

30, tail 2:7, tarsus 0°7.
The two sexes are figured of the
loan of which we are indebted to Mr. E. P. Ramsay. [R. B. S.]

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