RHIPIDURA HAMADRYAS, Sezer.

Rufous-backed Fantail Flycatcher.

Rhipidura hamadryas, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1883, p. 54.

 

Tuts species belongs to the section of the genus Réipidura with the rump and upper tail-coverts rufous or
einnamon-coloured. Its nearest allies would appear to be 2. semicollarts from Eastern Timor and R. dryas
from Northern Australia; but from both of these it is distinguished by the mantle being rufous like the rest
of the back, and by the ashy tips to the tail-feathers.

The only specimens known were procured in Larat by Mr. H. O. Forbes during his first expedition to
the Tenimber group; and I am indebted to Dr. Sclater for lending me the type specimen from which the
accompanying description has been drawn up.

Adult female. General colour above dark ferruginous or cinnamon-rufous ; lesser wing-coverts brown, with
a slight wash of rufous ; median and greater coverts, bastard-wing, primary-coverts and quills dusky brown,
narrowly margined with ashy rufous, a little clearer rufous on the inner greater coverts and the secondaries ;
upper tail-coverts like the back ; tail-feathers ashy brown, all but the centre ones with a broad tip of greyish
white to the inner web, before which is a shade of black, the outer feathers also shaded with ashy whitish at
the end of both webs; the bases of all the tail-feathers edged with ferruginous; forehead bright ferruginous,
extending backwards to above the eye; remainder of the crown and hind neck dusky brown; lores and
feathers below the eye blackish; ear-coverts sooty brown; cheeks and throat white, with a large spot of
black on the lower part of the latter ; remainder of under surface creamy buff; the sides of the upper breast
ashy olive; sides of body and flanks a little deeper fulyous, as also the thighs; under tail-coverts fulvous
white ; under wing-coverts and axillaries ashy fulvous, the latter with whitish edgings ; quills below dusky ;
inner edge of quills ashy; “ legs and feet black ; iris dark brown or black” (H. O. Forbes). Total length
5:6 inches, culmen 0°5, wing 2°4, tail 3, tarsus 0:8.

The Plate represents an adult female of this species, of the natural size, in two positions.

[R. B. S.J

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