EBOLUSQMA MQNXáNUM.
EDOLI ISOMA MONTANUM.
Mount Arfak Cuckoo-Shrike.
Campephaga mmtana, Meyer, Sitzl). k. Ak. Wise, zu Wien, M r p. 386 (1874).
W K H B S t Salvad. Ann. Mns. Civ. Gen. M p. 9 2 7 ;;g875).-S harpe , Mitth. zool. Mus. Dresd. |
Dt>. 367 369 (1878).—Id. Cat. B. iv. p. 46 (1879).—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. xv. p. 35, n. 19
T h is species was discovered in the Arfak Mountains by Dr. Meyer, and has since been met with in the same
locality by Dr. Beccari and Mr. Bruijn’s hunters. I t is one o f the finest m embers o f the genus Edoliisoma,
the female being more brightly coloured than is usual in this genus, and not being barred below as so many
o f the hen birds are.
T he male bird has the upper surface grey, and the lower parts entirely b lack ; and the female is recognized
by its perfectly black tail from all the other species o f Edoliisoma with which it might be confounded.
The following description o f the species is taken from Mr. Bowdler Sharpe’s C a t a lo g u e S S H
“ Adult male. General colour above blue-grey, including the wing-coverts ; greater coverts black, edged
with g rey ; bastard wing, primary-coverts, and quills black, with a steel-green gloss on the margin, the
inner secondaries broadly edged with g re y ; tail-feathers black, glossed with steel-green on the margins; a
narrow frontal line, lores, feathers round the eye, sides o f face, sides o f neck, and entire under surface o f body
glossy black, the thighs ashy g r e y ; under wing-coverts black; greater series of under wing-coverts and
quills, below ashy grey. Total length 9 5 inches, culmen 0 ’8, wing 5-4, tail 4-3, tarsus 1.
“ Adult female. Differs from the male in being o f a lighter blue-grey both above and below ; only the
lores, feathers a t base o f forehead aud in front o f the eye, front half o f eyelid, a spot a t base o f lower
mandible, and chin black. Total length 9*5 inches, culmen 0*75, wing 5 ‘05, tail 4*1, tarsus 1.
“ The typical specimens lent to me by Dr. A. B. Meyer measure, in inches, as follows
Total
length. Culmen. Wing. Tail. Tarsus.
a. <j. Arfak Mountains............................. 9*2 0*75 5*3 4*3 1
b . s „ „ 8*8 0-8 5-0 4-1 1
“ The female is not fully adult, and has the inner secondaries and the outer tail-feathers tipped with white ;
the under tail-coverts are rufous, barred with dark slaty-grey, from which it may be inferred th at the young
bird is entirely marked in this manner on the under surface.”
The figures in the Plate represent a pair of birds of about the size o f life. They are drawn from the
typical specimens kindly lent to me by Dr. Meyer.
[R. B. S.]