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MONARCHA KOR DENSIS, Meyer.

Mysore Yellow Flycatcher.

Monarcha kordensis, Meyer, Sitzunesberichte der k. Akad. Wissensch. Wien, Band lxix p. 202 (1874)

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In introducing this fine new bird to my readers, [

cannot do better than quote Dr. Meyer’s own words
fn tbe subject, as the differences between this bird

and MZ. melanonota are very clearly expressed by him.
In the above-mentioned paper, published in the < Proceedings’ of the Vienna Academy, he eae as
of Kordo on the island of Mysore, in the north of Geelvink’s Bay,
eight specimens of a Monarcha which is closely related to JZ. chrysomela (i.e. M. melanonota, Scl.) of New
specimens from different localities (Nappau, Passim,
nevertheless the Kordo specimen is easily to be
“MM. kordensis is not yellow as 1s JW. chrysomela auct., |

follows :—‘‘I procured near the village

Guinea, a species of which I also got nine Andai, and
Puta on the Arfak Mountains); but distinguished.

jut is orange-coloured ; and the head, which in JZ
, has a very distinct fiery tinge in the species from the
Further, only the upper back is black, and not

chrysomela has an orange hue only TeIeUDO Renae
the whole back, as in JZ chrysomela s so that it might be
described as follows

 

‘upper parts orange, with a black patch on the uppper mantle.’ Otherwise the
colours are distributed as in JZ chrysomela.

“The female of JZ. sordensis differs in a similar conspicuous way from the female of JZ. chrysomela, the
underparts being orange, nearly as bright as in the male, and not brownish yellow as in AZ. chrysomela.

“The throat is whitish, the region of the throat deep orange ; the head is darker orange, with a brownish
hue, not olive-coloured as in JZ chrysomela ; upper parts olive-coloured with an orange gloss ; Wwing-coverts
with broad yellow tips. Total length 6:4 inches ; culmen 0°5, wing 3°3, tail 2-75. A young male differs
from the female only in having some feathers of the throat deep black.” .

But if IZ. horde Ds differs from JZ. melanonota, as I freely confess it does, it is so closely allied to the vide
M. chrysomela from New Ireland that Dr. Cabanis and Reichenow considered ihe two species to be a
al (of. J. f. O. 1876, p. 320). Dr. Sclater, however, informs me that a comparison of the pice : on as
two localities induces him to consider them distinct. as JZ kordensis has the black colour more Cmcumstinihet
onthe back and extending further down the throat ; the black colour also narrowly surrounds the eye, which

; “ , / “YSse eld. . . °
; a eo of my friend Dr. Meyer for the loan of one of the typical specimens of his
M. kordensis, of which the follow ing is a description ee ; eRe a p

Adult male. Similar to M. melanonota, but distinguished at a glance Yy - ne a ae oe

: : 7 » hack is confine 5
being yellow like the wing-coverts; the black patch in the middle of ee cee a richer and ime
the secondaries are much more broadly bordered w bs oe oe a x nt of the ce very small.
clining to fiery orange on the head and neck; the white spot below Y oe : s
culmen 0:6, wing 2°9, tail 2°, tarsus a ize
. >the natural size.
he figures in the Plate represent a pair of this species of the natura

Total length 5-9 inches ;

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