ARTAMIDES UNIMODUS.
Slaty-grey Cuckoo-Shrike.

Graucalus untmodus, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1883, pp. 55, 198.

 

Tuts fine Cuckoo-Shrike is very nearly allied to Artamides ceruleigriseus of the Aru Islands, like which
species it has buff-coloured axillaries and under wing-coverts. Excepting in this respect, however, the two
birds are quite different ; for 4. ceruleigriseus is blue-grey instead of slaty grey, and the male has only the
lores, feathers in front of the eye, the base of the chin, and the base of the cheeks black, showing none
of the black on the throat and fore neck which distinguishes 4. unimodus.

The females of the two species are also distinct ; for besides the blue-grey colour of 4. ceruleigriseus, the
latter has the lores grey, and no black on the chin or cheeks, whereas in 4. unimodus the lores and the base
of the chin and base of the cheeks are black.

The female bird was shot by Mr. H. O. Forbes in the island of Larat in the Tenimber group on the 4th
of August 1882, and the male was obtained in Loetoer, on the mainland of Timor Laut, in September of the
same year.

Mr. Forbes informs us that he found this species frequenting the mangroves along the shores on both
occasions when he procured it.

The following descriptions are taken from the type specimens kindly lent to us by Dr. Sclater :—

Adult male (type of species). General colour above uniform slaty grey; lesser and median wing-coverts
like the back; greater coverts, bastard wing, primary-coverts, and quills blackish, washed externally with
ashy grey and edged with slaty grey like the back, lighter on the margins of the primaries ; upper tail-coverts
like the back, but crossed with dusky bars under certain lights and with more or less of a subterminal shade
of black ; tail-feathers black, barred across with dusky under certain lights, the feathers edged with ashy grey
round the tips; forehead slightly shaded with darker slate-colour than the crown; nasal plumes, lores,
feathers round the eye, ear-coverts, sides of hinder crown, and entire throat and centre of fore neck greenish
black, the lower part of this latter washed with slaty grey ; sides of neck and rest of under surface slaty grey,
darker on the under tail-coverts ; thighs black ; under wing-coverts pale fawn-colour or buff with slaty-grey
centres to the feathers, all the lower greater coverts and those near the edge of the wings blackish slate-colour ;
quills dusky below, ashy grey on their inner face ; “ bill, legs, and feet black ; iris dark brown ” (HZ. O. Forbes).
Total length 13-8 inches, culmen 1:25, wing 7:65, tail 6-5, tarsus 1:15.

Adult female. Differs from the male in wanting the black on the throat and fore neck ; the lores and
feathers in front of the eye, a spot at the base of the cheeks, and another smaller mark at the base of the
chin black ; axillaries and under wing-coverts more wholly ochreous buff, less distinctly washed with slaty
grey in the centres; thighs grey like the rest of the under surface; “iris black” (2. O. Forbes). Total
length 13°6 inches, culmen 1:3, wing 6-2, tail 5-9, tarsus 1:15.

The Plate represents the adult male and female described above, of about the natural size. They are
now in the British Museum.

[R. B. S.]