TODOPSIS GRAYI, Wall
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TODOPSIS GRAY I, w m .
Gray’s Todopsis.
Todopsis grayi, Wallace, P. Z. S. 1862, p. 166— Finsch, Neu-Guinea, p. 168 Beccari, Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov.
vii. p. 709.—Meyer, Sitz. k. Akad. Wien, lxix. pp. 81, 212.
Tchitrea grayi, Gray, Hand-list o f Birds, i. p. 334, no. 5034.
T his is one o f the most distinct species o f Todopsis yet discovered, being totally unlike any o f the other
members o f the genus, its silvery grey or glaucous coloration being quite sufficient to distinguish it a t a
glance. I t was discovered by Mr. Wallace in the mountains o f Sorong in North-western New Guinea • and
it still remains one o f the rarest species o f the genus, as I am only aware o f one other instance o f its
capture, viz. the specimen mentioned by Beccari as having been obtained by Mr. Bruijn’s hunters in the
Arfak mountains. I t is probable, however, that the Todopsis sericyanea of Rosenberg, and the Myiagra
glauca o f Schlegel may also belong to the present species ; but at p resent I have not been able to determine
this for certain.
I t is much to be regretted th at D r. Beccari never met with this bird himself, as from his pen we should
have undoubtedly received some information as to its habits, o f which I can a t present record absolutely
nothing. The following description o f the type is from Mr. Sharpe’s ‘ Catalogue o f Birds : ’—
Adult. General colour above dull blue, brighter and more cobalt on the lower back and rum p ; wing-
coverts brown, slightly washed externally with olive, and tipped with dull verditer b lu e ; quills brown,
broadly washed externally with olivaceous brown ; tail-feathers brown, externally bluish, slightly washed
with olivaceous on the margins and tipped with w h ite ; head dull greyish blue, inclining to ashy verditer
above the eyes and on the sides o f the crown : feathers in front o f the eye blackish, as also a broad streak
above the ear-coverts; round the eye a circlet o f verditer feathers; ear-coverts verditer blue, the feathers
rath er elongated, and streaked with brighter co b a lt; cheeks and throat silvery whitish, with a bluish gloss,
the rest o f the under surface pale ashy blue, washed with a cobalt shade ; under wing-coverts like the b rea st;
thighs olivaceous brown.
Total length 5-7 inches, culmen 0 ‘7, wing 2 ‘55, tail 2*5, tarsus 1-0.
The figures in the Plate, which represent the species in two different attitudes, are taken from the type
specimen in the British Museum.