TODOPSIS CYANOCEPBALA, (Q, tc &.)
JGmüi tcW Jhrt, del/ebliäv
TODOPSI S CYANOCEPHALA, Q. &; g .
New-Guinea Todopsis.
Todus cyanocephalus, Quoy et Gaimard, Voy. de 1’Astrolabe, Zool. p. 227, pi. v. fig. 4.
Philen toma cyanocephala, Jacq. et Pucher. Yoy. Póle Sud, Zool. iii. p. 79, pi. xx. fig. 2.
Tchitrea ? caruleocephala, Gray, Gen. B. i. p. 260.
Todopsis caruleocephala, Up. Comptes Rendus, xxxviii. p. 652.
Todopsis cyanocephala, Gray, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 177 ; 1859, p. 156 ; 1861, p. 434.—Id. Cat. Mamm. & Birds
New Guinea, p. 27.—Finsch, Neu-Guinea, p. 168.—Sclater, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 696.—Meyer, Sitz. k.
Akad. Wien, lxix. pp. 74, 78.—Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, x. p. 148.
Tchitrea cyanocephala, Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 334, no. 5031.
O ne o f the greatest difficulties I have had to contend with in the present work has been the utter want of
any notes on the habits of m ost o f the birds which it becomes my duty to figure. In the work on the Birds
o f Australia I had my own personal observations to record, the result o f two years’ acquaintance with
the birds in their native wilds; in the Birds of Asia th ere is generally a chance o f finding some field-
notes among the papers o f Mr. Hume or some o f his excellent coadjutors in In d ia ; while, o f course, in
writing the ‘ Birds of G reat Britain,’ there was always a plethora o f works to consult, which rendered it
rather a matter o f selection than of copying. In the present work, however, the case is quite different.
Many o f the species figured are from obscure or little-known localities, penetrated by European naturalists
for the first time, where no leisure for studying the habits o f the birds shot was obtainable; or the
collection has been made by trained native hunters, whose oqly object is to shoot and preserve specimens,
and from whom, o f course, no information on the economy o f the birds can be expected. The above remarks
have been called forth by the fact that all my attempts to gain the slightest clue to the habits of Todopsis
have failed, neither the early nor the recent travellers in New Guinea having given us any information on
the subject. This is the more to be regretted, as I find myself a t variance with several ornithologists as to
the position o f these little birds. From my knowledge o f the Australian Wrens of the genus Malurus, I
cannot help the conviction that, notwithstanding their long broadened bills and plentiful bristles, the
members of the genus Todopsis are Warblers and not Flycatchers, and should be placed in the vicinity of
the above-named genus. Count Salvadori arrived a t this conclusion quite independently ; and I am glad to
have his support in this opinion. On the other hand, Mr. Sharpe considers them to be Flycatchers, and
regards this (th e usual) view o f their position as strictly correct. I am indebted to my friend Mr.
Sharpe for the opportunity o f seeing his MSS. on these birds, and for permission to copy the careful
descriptions o f this and the succeeding species from the fourth volume o f the ‘ C atalogue of Birds,’ as
follows
A dult male. Crown o f head bright turquoise-blue, extending in a narrow band down the nape and hind
n e ck ; lores, and a narrow frontal band, feathers above the eye, sides o f face and o f neck, and hinder neck
velvety b lack ; middle o f the back and scapulars bright cobalt, as also the lesser wing-coverts; greater and
primary coverts black, externally edged with p u rp le ; quills black, the secondaries externally bright cobalt,
the innermost purplish b lu e ; entire back from below the mantle velvety black, with a slight purple gloss ;
upper tail-coverts deep p u rp le ; tail-feathers black, dull blue on the outer webs, the two centre feathers
entirely shaded b lu e ; cheeks and entire under surface o f body dark p u rp le ; under wing-coverts black.
Total length 6 inches, culmen 0 6 5 , wing 2 35, tail 2 ‘4, tarsus l -0. Signor D ’Albertis describes the
bill, feet, and iris as black.
Adult female. General colour above chestnut-brown, the wing-coverts like the b a c k ; quills dark brown,
externally edged with ch e stn u t; crown of head bright turquoise-hlue, extending in a band down the n a p e ;
a narrow frontal line, lores, sides of face, and sides of the hinder crown purplish b lack ; cheeks
and throat dull cobalt j lower throat, breast, and centre o f the body dull creamy white, the lower