PIEZORHYNCHUS AXILLARIS

W hite-tufted Flycatcher.

Monarcha avillaris, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genovy. vii.
delle Molucche, ii

Piezorhynchus axillaris, Sharpe, Cat.

- 291 (1875 iV 5 (1879) i |
p (1875), xiv. p. 495 (1879).—Id. Orn. Papuasia e |

p. 30 (1881),

Birds in Brit. Mus. iv. p. 426 (1879)

Tats plain-coloured but elegant Flycatcher is easily distinguished from all the members of the genus

; embers 8
Piezorhynchus by its pure white axillaries, which contrast strongly with the general black plumage, so that it
forms a distinct section of the genus to which it belongs.

It is apparently a very local species ; for, as far as is known at present, it is an inhabitant only of the Arfak

Bruijn’s hunters procured an adult female in May and
ayoung female in June, while the type specimen was obtained by Dr. Beccari in July, at Profi, in the Arfak

Mountains in North-western New Guinea, where Mr.

Mountains, at a height of 3400 feet. No other travellers appear to have met with the species 5 but
Mr, Bruijn sent a few specimens to the Leyden Museum, one of which Professor Schlegel allowed us to have
for the British Museum.

The following descriptions are taken from the typical adult males and the young female specimen in the
Genoa Museum. They were examined |

y us during Count Salvadori’s visit to England, when he kindly
allowed us to take descriptions of them for the purposes of the British Museum ‘ Catalogue of Birds’ :—

Adult male. General colour above and below glossy blue-black ; wing-coverts blackish, edged with glossy
Diie-black, like the back: tail black = under wing-coverts and axillaries pure white, the latter forming a
conspicuous patch on each side of the breast. ‘Total length 5:7 inches, culmen 0-5, wing 3°2, tail 2:95,
tarsus 0°75.

Female (not quite adult). Differs from the male in being dark slate-colour above and below, with
a slight bluish gloss, the breast brown (appar ntly remains of young plumage) ; wing brownish black ; tail
black. ‘Total length 6 inches, wing 3:1, tail 2:9, tarsus 0-7. -

The figures in the Plate are of the size of life, and are drawn from the male specimen in the British Museum.

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