EUPETES CASTANONOTUS, Saivad.
Chestnut-backed Eupetes.
Eupetes castanonotus, Saivad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, vii. p. 966 (1876), xvi. p .187 (1880).—Id. Orn. Papuasia,
etc. ii. p. 411 (1881).
Eupetes pulcher, Sharpe, Journ. Linn. Sue., Zool. vol. xvi. pp. 319, 440 (1882).
T h is beautiful species was discovered by Dr. Beccari in North-western New Guinea, and has recently been
sent in some numbers by Mr. A. Goldie from the Astrolabe range of mountains in the south-eastern portion
of the island. Owing to a discrepancy in the colouring o f the head and in the extent, o f the black collar
with the account o f the species as given by Count Salvadori, Mr. Sharpe described the specimens from the
last-named locality as new; but having received from the Genoa Museum the types of E . castanonotus, he has
become convinced that the two species-are identical.
The following is a full description o f the two sexes:—
“ Adult male. General colour above rich chestnut, including the hinder head and neck, mantle, and back ;
lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts blue ( scapulars blue washed with light reddish, with paler shaft-
lines, indications o f which are also seen on the feathers o f the mantle; wing-coverts bright blue; bastard-
wing feathers black; primary-coverts black edged with blue; quills black, the primaries slightly, the secondaries
more plainly washed with blue externally, the innermost with olive-brown ; tail dull blue, brighter blue on
the edges o f the feathers; base o f forehead and lores black, succeeded by a band of dull blue across the
forehead and forming a distinct eyebrow, which extends to behind the ear-coverts, which are black ; cheeks,
lower portion o f ear-coverts, and entire throat pure white, surrounded by a very narrow line of black feathers,
increasing in extent on the fore neck; remainder of under surface bright blue, the under tail-coverts blue
with a broad spot of black at the ends ; under wing-coverts and axillaries blackish, the outer ones washed
with blue ; quills ashy blackish below. Total length 9 inches, culmen 1*05, wing 3 '7 f tail 4*3, tarsus 1*35.
“Adultfemale. Differs from the" male in having the entire upper surface chestnut without any blue; the
chestnut colour, however, is much duller than in the male, except on the lower back and rump; wings as
in the male; cheeks'and throat white; remainder of under surface blue as in the male. Total length 8*5
inches, culmen 1*0, wing 3'65, tail 3-9, tarsus 1 3 .”
The figures in the Plate represent an adult male and a young bird o f this species : they are drawn from
the typical specimens now in the collection o f the British Museum. [R. B. S.]