T O D O p ey I S G RAY I, Wall.

Gray’s Todopsis.

Todopsis grayi, Wallace, P. Z. S. 1862, p. 166.—Finsch, Neu-Guinea, p. 168.—Beccari, Ann, Mus. Civic. Genov.
vil. p. 709.—Meyer, Sitz. k. Akad. Wien, lxix. pp. 81, 212.
Tchitrea grayi, Gray, Hand-list of Birds, 1. p. 334, no. 5034.

 

Tuts is one of the most distinct species of Zodopsis yet discovered, being totally unlike any of the other
members of the genus, its silvery grey or glaucous coloration being quite sufficient to distinguish it at a
glance. It was discovered by Mr. Wallace in the mountains of Sorong in North-western New Guinea; and
it still remains one of the rarest species of the genus, as | am only aware of one other instance of its
capture, viz. the specimen mentioned by Beccari as having been obtained by Mr. Bruijn’s hunters in the
Arfak mountains. It is probable, however, that the Zodopsis sericyanea of Rosenberg, and the Myiagra
glauca of Schlegel may also belong to the present species 5 but at present I have not been able to determine
this for certain.

It is much to be regretted that Dr. Beccari never met with this bird himself, as from his pen we should
have undoubtedly received some information as to its habits, of which I can at present record absolutely
nothing. The following description of the type is from Mr. Sharpe’s ‘ Catalogue of Birds :’—

Adult. General colour above dull blue, brighter and more cobalt on the lower back and rump; wing-
coverts brown, slightly washed externally with olive, and tipped with dull verditer blue; quills brown,
broadly washed externally with olivaceous brown; tail-feathers brown, externally bluish, slightly washed
with olivaceous on the margins and tipped with white; head dull greyish blue, inclining to ashy verditer
above the eyes and on the sides of the crown: feathers in front of the eye blackish, as also a broad streak
above the ear-coverts; round the eye a circlet of verditer feathers; ear-coverts verditer blue, the feathers
rather elongated, and streaked with brighter cobalt; cheeks and throat silvery whitish, with a bluish gloss,
the rest of the under surface pale ashy blue, washed with a cobalt shade ; under wing-coverts like the breast ;
thighs olivaceous brown.

Total length 5:7 inches, culmen 0°7, wing 2°55, tail 2°5, tarsus 1:0.

The figures in the Plate, which represent the species in two different attitudes, are taken from the type

specimen in the British Museum.