jl

Sa eS

AILURGEDUS ARFAKIANUS,

Arfak Cat-bird.

Asluredus melanotis, Sclater, P. Z.S. 1873, p. 697 (mec Gray).
————- arfakianus, Meyer, Sitz. Akad. Wien, lxix. p. 82.

 

Ir will be seen, on reference to the synonymy, that Dr. Sclater considered the Cat-bird collected by Signor
d’Albertis in the Arfak mountains to be the same as Aihiredus melanotis of the Arru Islands ; consequently
in his list of New-Guinea birds, published in the ‘ Proceedings,’ it is given under that name. Dr, even
on the other hand, has separated them; but, although I have followed Meyer rather than Sclater, I am mee
altogether satisfied as to the correctness of this view, and fear it must remain for future observers to
determine this point. I may, however, state that the Arfak bird is much more strongly coloured, the spots
being blacker and more sparkling; to which it must be added that it is of smaller size. I regret that
nothing is known of the habits of the bird, or even of its distribution in New Guinea. It will not be long,
however, before the ornithological secrets of this ¢erra incognita will be laid bare; and we may expect
that, when the interior of this great island is explored, not only will the ranges of many well-known species
be extended, but new forms even of Bower-birds will be discovered. Each new traveller adds some striking
novelty or other to the ornithological series; and there is probably no country in the world which will
yield such a rich harvest of unknown species as New Guinea.

I must refer my readers to the accompanying Plate for a correct idea of the present species, as Signor
d’Albertis’s hurried departure for Italy with his collections gave me no time to describe the bird in
detail.

The figure is of the natural size.

y
y HAY

5 BE

Yagi vk
KON
S = > m

i
x

TBS
SRR AS

"oer