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A IL U E ^D U S M E L A N O T U S
iELURCEDUS MELANOTIS.
BLACK'-CHEEK CAT BIRD.
PTILONORHYNCHUS MELANOTIS, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1858) p. 181. sp. 76.—Von Rosenb. Jour. fur. Ornith. (1 864) p. 122.—Scbleg.
Tijdsch. Dierk. pt. v. p. p § |
AILURiEDUS MELANOTIS, Gray, Hand-1. Birds (1 869), part i. p. 294, sp. 4338.
H a b . Aru Islands (W a l l a c e ) . Islands of Wokam, Traugan, Maykor (R o s e n b e r g ) .
T h i s third species of Mlurmdim was described by the late G. R. Gray, F.R.S. &c., from specimens procured by
Mr. Wallace in the Aru Islands. It resembles very closely the A. buccoides, but has a much larger bill, besides
some other differences. Nothing has been related by its discoverer about its economy or habits; and it is
at present altogether too rare a bird for us to have had any opportunities of learning its mode of life. A single
specimen in the British Museum, another in Mr. Wallace’s private collection, one in my own, together with a
series in the Leyden Museum, procured by the Dutch collectors in the East Indies, are all that are at present
known.
Upper part of head brownish black, each feather with a round buff spot near the tip. Upper part of back the
same, the buff spots much larger. Back, wings, and tail deep green, the latter tipped with white. Ear-coverts
black. Throat white, barred with dark brown. Upper part of breast blackish brown, a heart-shaped spot near
the tip white. Abdomen and under tail-coverts bright yellow. Flanks greenish yellow, "brownish in the centres
of the feathers. Bill yellowish white. Feet and tarsi black.
There is no difference in the plumage of the sexes.