MONARCHA PERIOPHTHALMICUS , Sharpe.
Black-Spectacled Flycatcher.
Monarcha periophthalmicus, Sharpe, Joum. Lion. Soc. (Zool.) vol. xvi. p. 318 (1 8 8 2 ).
All the members o f the genus Monarcha are birds o f very elegant coloration ; and the present species is very
delicately coloured. I t belongs to the section of the genus with black wings and tail, to which Monarcha
canescens and M. fra te r also appertain. I t is, indeed, very closely allied to the last-named bird, the type of
which is now in the Civic Museum o f Genoa, but a full description of which will be found in the British-
M use uni ‘ Catalogue of Birds ’ by Mr. Sbarpe, and also in Count Salvadori’s ‘ O rnitologia della Papuasia.
In both these works the forehead and chin are spoken o f as black, while the region round the eye is white.
Although I have not been able to compare the type o f M . periophthalmicus with that o f M . fra te r , yet I have
very little doubt as to its distinctness; for it has the fore p art o f the crown black, as well as the forehead,
while the entire region o f the eye is also black.
The following is a copy o f the full description contributed by Mr. Sharpe to the ‘ Journal of the Linnean
Society’ in a paper read by him on the 6th o f April, 1 8 8 2 | | | |$ | |
“ G eneral colour ahove pearly grey, a little darker on the upper tail-coverts, which have concealed black
bases ; lesser and inner median and greater coverts pearly grey like the b ack; bastard wing, primary-coverts,
as well as the outer median and greater series and the quills, black, only the innermost secondaries externally
pearly g re y ; tail-feathers b lack ; forehead and sinciput, lores, fore p art o f cheeks, feathers below the eye
and a broad ring round the eye b lack ; chin and upper throat black ; lower throat, fore neck, and chest,
pearly grey, as also the sides o f the neck ; remainder o f under surface o f body, as well as the thighs and
under tail-coverts and the axillaries and under wing-coverts, cinnamon-buff; quills blackish below.
Total length 5*5 inches, culmen 0*75, wing 3 -4, tail 2 ’75, tarsus 0 -75.”
The figure in the Plate is drawn from one o f the typical specimens in the British Museum. It
represents a male bird o f the natural size.