ee Ss 2 Die p OD NS a ed . SS ei v4 S WM ERE NN i Dy NVWN Nan yi Tea bre R E C l kK s AR U EN SI S, Sharpe. Aru-Island Wood-Shrike. Rectes dichrous, pt. (nec Bp.), Gray, Proce. Zool. Soc. 1858, pp. 173, 193.—Id. List M: 8, IN| ri pp. 33, 58 (1859).—Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 435, | - a Rectes aruensis, Sharpe, Cat. Birds in Brit. Mus. iii. p. 285 (1877 Rhectes aruensis, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genoy. —Id. Uce. Papuasia e delle Molucche, Khectes analogus, Meyer, Zeitschr. ge —Salvad. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1878, p. 96. xv. p. 42 (1879),—Id. Rep. Voy. ‘Challenger,’ ‘ ll. p. 194 (1881).—Meyer, Zeitss s. Orn. i. p. 284 (1884). jo 79) (iltstsiil). hr. ges. Orn. i. p. 284 (1884), é ; : : TuE present species belongs to the capped section of the genus fecfes, and its nearest ally is gialis from New Guinea and Mysol. It is, however, a much smaller bird than the latter, which it represents in the Aru Islands, and is further distinguished by the black of the upper tail-coverts not extending over the rump, while on the under surface of the body the black de instead of ending abruptly on the breast. Rectes wropy- scends down the centre of the breast and abdomen The birds which we have described as the young have recently been considered by Dr. A. B. Meyer to belong to a distinct species, which he has named Rectes analogus. With all due respect to Dr. Meyer, who is a recognized authority on all matters relating to the zoology of Papuasia, we still think that there is only one species inhabiting the Aru Islands, and we consider Rectes analogus to be the same species as 2. arvensis. The whole subject, however, of the colour of the sexes and young birds in this genus is so imperfectly understood, in our opinion, that we are free to admit that Dr. Meyer's second species from the Aru Islands possesses quite as good claims to specific distinction as some of those allowed by naturalists to inhabit New Guinea. The following are the descriptions of specimens in the British Museum, published by us in the ‘Catalogue of Birds’ (¢. ¢.) :— Adult male, Above very bright chestnut, the upper tail-coverts black ; head crested, black all round, with the sides of face, fore neck, and chest also entirely black ; rest of under surface of body deep tawny buff, the whole of the breast shaded with black ; under wing-coverts deep ochreous, those near the edge of the wings black ; wings and tail deep black ; bill and legs black. ‘Total length 10 inches, culmen 1-2, wing 4:3, tail 4°], tarsus 1°35. Young. Paler ochre-rufous below, not mixed with black on the breast ; the cap and black throat almost as strongly defined as in the adult, but both are much washed with brown ; rump dingy ochreous brown, washed with chestnut, the tail-coverts inclining to blackish ; quills and tail blackish, the outer webs of the quills dingy ochreous brown ; tail-feathers brown, slightly washed with nufons: and Cee black near the Pe and upwards along the centre of the feathers, Total length 10 inches, culmen 1-2, wing 4:45, tail 4°38, us| 3 , f 7? fogus, the latter having The figures in the Plate represent the type of Hectes aruensis and the type of 2. analogus, the latter having been kindly lent to us by Dr. Meyer. [BR Bos] : er aS PU ——w— gy ea eS es Qs AA. BSE oo Ps OS a de z a — APO SATIN PL SABES — wes: em <