CBtffiTOKHYNCBtUS E&POEN'SIS, Meyer.
J lv u id ,fc HrHtir I d .f lith '
C f l i E T O R H Y N C H U S P A P U E N S I S , M e y e r .
Arfak Drongo.
CJuetorhynchus papuensis, Meyer, Sitz. Akad. Wiss. Wien, lxix. p. 493 (1 8 7 4 ).—Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. iii.
p. 242, pi. xiii. (1 8 7 7 ).
T h is little species o f King Crow or Drongo Shrike was discovered by Dr. Meyer during his visit to New
Guinea, and, although not a showy bird, is one o f great interest to the naturalist, who is ever on the watch
for forms which evince unexpected affinities to others o f a distant habitat. In the present instance we find,
in the Arfak Mountains o f North-western New Guinea, a genus of Drongo which, in size, general form,
and especially in the scaly nature o f its plumage, reminds us forcibly of the small genus Chaptia of India
and Malayana. In one respect, however, Chcetorhynchus differs not only from Chaptia, but from all other
genera o f the Dicruridce; and that is, in the shoulder-spot o f white which adorns the New-Guinea bird.
The general coloration - o f the Drougos is black, relieved by a certain gloss or metallic spangles. An
intermixture o f white is o f rare occurrence in the family; it occurs, however, in some o f the Indian
species o f Buchanga (which have a little white on the lower parts), and is most conspicuous in Dicrurus
mirabilis of the Philippines (which has a pure white breast and abdomen).
The Arfak Drongo has a white spot on the shoulders; but this is by no means a conspicuous feature, as
may be gathered from the fact that when Dr. Meyer described the species he did not notice it, nor did
Mr. Bowdler Sharpe, in his *. Catalogue of Birds,’ nor did Mr. Keulemans when he drew the figure for the
latter work. Indeed it was only when Dr. Meyer came to have one o f the typical specimens mounted for
the Dresden Museum that the shoulder-spot became suddenly visible; and its first discovery is due to
him. I have therefore much pleasure in giving the first accurate figure of Chat orhynchus. I find that
the white spot varies much in size, and is almost absent in some specimens. I have examined the typical
examples obtained by Dr. Meyer, as well as others procured by M. Laglaize, one o f which is in the collection
of the British Museum.
The following description is given by Mr. Sharpe in the work above alluded to, and is taken from
one o f the original types:—
General colour black, with a steely gloss, the head more brightly glossed with steel-green, the feathers
rounded and somewhat scale-like in appearance; least wing-coverts steel-black, the median, greater, and
primary-coverts black, narrowly edged with steel-green ; quills black, the secondaries margined with steel-
green, the innermost glossed with the latter colour; tail black, slightly glossed with steel-green on the
edges o f the feathers; sides o f face and under surface o f body black, the.breast glossed with steel reflections;
under wing-coverts greyish black; fill and feet black. Total length 7 inches, culmen Q'7, wing 4 -2, tail
3*5, tarsus 0 -7.
The figures in the Plate represent the species o f the natural size ; they are drawn from the type
specimens, lent to me by Dr. Meyer.