RHIPIDURA OPISTHERYTHRA, Seiater.

Larat Fantail Flycatcher.

Rhipidura opistherythra, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1883, p. 197.

 

THE present species belongs to the Australian group of Rufous-backed Fantail Flycatchers ; it is very nearly
allied to Rhipidura rufa, but is much larger and has a white spot on the lores. The throat is also white
instead of being dull ashy, and the tail likewise seems different, as 2. rufa is described as having broad tips
of pale rufous to the tail-feathers, which cannot be said to be the case with the present species.

Mr. H. O. Forbes discovered this Flycatcher on the islands of Larat and Maroe in the Tenimber group.
The latter island is distant about twenty miles to the north-west of the mainland of the northern island, which
the natives call Yamdena, and which is known to Europeans as Timor Laut.

The following description is taken from the typical specimen :—

Adult male. General colour above dusky brown, gradually shading off into rufous on the back, and
deepening into ferruginous on the lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts ; lesser wing-coverts like the
back, slightly washed with ferruginous ; median and greater coverts, bastard wing, primary-coverts, and
quills dusky brown, narrowly edged with deep ferruginous ; tail-feathers dusky brown, externally ferruginous,
the centre feathers broadly tipped with the latter colour, the others becoming reddish brown towards their
ends, this colour increasing in extent towards the outermost feather ; lores dull white, forming a rather
conspicuous spot; no eyebrow; ear-coverts dusky brown, with pale shaft-lines ; cheeks and throat white ;
fore neck and chest pale ochraceous buff, deepening into pale reddish buff on the rest of the under surface ;
thighs and under tail-coverts more ferruginous ; under wing-coverts and axillaries like the breast; quills
below dusky, inner edges ashy rufous; ‘‘ upper mandible sooty brown, lower one sooty brown at tip, pale
flesh-colour at the base; legs and feet lavender-pink ; iris dark brown” (Hl. O. Forbes). Total length
6:8 inches, culmen 0°6, wing 2°8, tail 4, tarsus I.

The type specimen, for the loan of which we are indebted to the kindness of Dr. Sclater, is represented in

the accompanying Plate of the natural size and in two positions.

(Rk. B. S.J