MONARCHA Pp ERIOPHTHALMICUS

Black-Spectacled Flycatcher,

Sharpe.

Monarcha periophthalmicus, Sharpe, Journ. Linn. Soc. (Zool.) vol. xvi. p. 318 (1882)

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Aun the members of the genus Monarcha are birds of very elegant coloration ; and the present species is very
delicately coloured. It belongs to the section of the genus with black wings and tail, to which Monarcha
canescens and A. frater also appertain. It is, indeed, very closely allied to the last-named bird, the type of
which is now in the Civic Museum of Genoa, but a full description of which will be found in the British-
Museum ‘Catalogue of Birds’ by Mr. Sharpe, and also in Count Salvadori’s ‘Ornitologia della Papuasia.’
In both these works the forehead and chin are spoken of as black, while the region round the eye is white.
Although I have not been able to compare the type of J7 perrophthalmicus with that of Srater, yet I have
very little doubt as to its distinctness; for it has the fore part of the crown black, as well as the forehead,
while the entire region of the eye is also black.

The following is a copy of the full description contributed by Mr. Sharpe to the ‘ Journal of the Linnean
Society ’ ina paper read by him on the 6th of April, 1882 :—

“General colour above pearly grey, a little darker on the upper tail-coverts, which have concealed black
bases ; lesser and inner median and greater coverts pearly grey like the back; bastard wing, primary-coverts,
as well as the outer median and greater series and the quills, black, only the innermost secondaries externally
pearly grey; tail-feathers black; forehead and sinciput, lores, fore part of cheeks, feathers below the eye
and a broad ring round the eye black; chin and upper throat black ; lower throat, fore neck, and chest,
pearly grey, as also the sides of the neck ; remainder of under surface of body, as well as ee and
under SEE overts and the axillaries and under wing-coverts, cinnamon-buff; quills blackish below.
Total length 5-5 inches, culmen 0-75, wing 3:4, tail 2°75, tarsus 0°78.” .

The figure in the Plate is drawn from one of the typical specimens in the British Museum.

[R. B. S.J

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represents a male bird of the natural size.

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