W.Harb d el/, et/ Util/. MEZOBHYNCHÜS SQÜAMÜXATÜS,^*-.
M w te rn sB ro 's Im p .
PIEZORHYNCHUS SQUAMULATUS, Tristram.
^ Scaly-necked Pied Flycatcher.
Piezorhynchus squamulatus, Tristram, Ibis, 1882, pp. 136, 142.— Ramsay, tom. cit. p. 472.
Monarcha squamulatus, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, xviii. p. 423 (1 8 8 2 ).—Id. Grn. Papuasia, etc. iii.
A p p . p . 530 (18 8 2 ).
T he island o f Ugi in the Solomon group is the home o f this Flycatcher, which belongs to the same section
of the genus Piezorhynchus as P . vidua of Tristram, to which species it is closely allied. Like that bird it
has a white collar round the neck, and the lower back and rump also white ; but it is easily recognized by
the black and white mottlings on the fore neck, which are not present in the San Cristoval species.
The subject o f the present article was discovered by Lieut. Richards, R.N., who has brought to our
knowledge so many fine species o f birds from the Solomon Archipelago. I t appears to be confined to the
island o f Ugi, whence Mr. Ramsay also informs us that he has received several specimens. .
The following is a description o f the type specimen :—
Adult male. General colour above blue-black, the crown o f the head separated from the mantle by a
broad white co lla r; lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts wh ite; lesser wing-coverts like the b a ck ;
median and greater coverts with large spots o f white a t the ends, margined with black in the median series,
and extending to the edge o f the feathers in the greater series, where the white is more largely developed,
especially on the iriher ones ; bastard wing, primary-coverts, and quills black, the innermost secondaries
with a triangular spot of white a t the en d s; tail-feathers black, with the two outer ones tipped with
white (N.B. The tail is imperfect, and three white-tipped feathers may e x is t) ; lores, sides o f face, ear-
coverts, cheeks, and throat b lack ; the fore neck white, all the feathers edged with black, producing a scaly
appearance; remainder o f under surface o f body pure white; thighs black ; under' wing-coverts and
axillaries white, the edge of the wing black, as well as the adjoining coverts; quills black below, white at
extreme base o f inner w e b ; “ bill and feet drab colour; iris light brown ” (.Richards) . Total length
6 inches, culmen 0 ’5, wing 3*1, tail 2*8, tarsus 0 -8.
We are again indebted to our friend Canon Tristram for the opportunity o f figuring and describing this
interesting species in the present work. The Plate represents the male bird o f the natural size, and is
drawn from the original specimen, which, as far as this country is concerned, still remains unique in Canon
Tristram’s collection.
[R. B .S .]