JRJECTES liEUCOBJEYNCHUS J Crrwy.
RECTES LEUCORHYNCHUS, Gray.
White-billed Wood-Shrike.
Rectes leucorhynchus, Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 430.—Finsch, Neu-Guinea, p. 170 (1865). Meyer, Sitz.
k. Akad. Wissensch. Wien, lxix. p. 206 (1874).— Rosenb. Malay. Arch. p. 395 (1879).
CoUuricincla leucorhyncha, Gray, Hand-list B. i. p. 386, no. 5838 (1869).
Pseudorectes leucorhynchus, Sharpe, Cat. Birds in Brit. Mus. iii. p. 288 (1877).
Rhectes leucorhynchus, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, xv. p. 43 (1879).—Id. Orn. Papuasia e delle Molucche,
ii. p. 206 (1881).
T h is Wood-Shrike is easily distinguished from all the other Papuan members o f the group by its white
bill and sombre coloration. It was originally described by the late Mr. George .Gray, from Gagie Island, in
the Moluccas; but the original specimens, nowin the British Museum, were obtained by Mr. Wallace in
Waigiou, and we do not understand Mr. Gray’s authority for the occurrence o f the species in Gagie. It
has since been obtained by Dr. Beccari both in Waigiou and iu Batanta. Nothing has yet been recorded
concerning its habits.
The following description is copied from the British Museum ‘ Catalogue of Birds
“ Adult male. Above rufous brown, the rump and the tail a little brighter, the crown and sides o f the
head slightly darker; wing-coverts like the back, but a little darker brown ; quills dark brown, externally
dark rufous brown; under surface of body deep rufous fawn-colour, the throat paler; under wing- and tail-
coverts uniform with the breast; bill yellowish white. Total length 12 inches, culmen M 5 , wing 5 7 ,
tail 5*2, tarsus 1*5.”
The Plate represents two specimens o f this bird, of the natural size, and is drawn from individuals in the
British Museum. [R B S ]