ABLURCEDUS BTJCCOIBES.
AILURCEDUS BUCCOIDES.
Barbet-like Cat-bird.
Kitta buccoides, Temm. PI. Col. 575.—Von Rosenb. J. f. O. 1864, p. 122.
Cissa buccoides, Gray, Gen. B. iii., App. p. 14.
Ptilonorhynchus buccoides, Gray, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 1 9 4 .- I d . Cat. Mamm. & B. N . Guin. p. 37.—ScU. Mus. P. B.,
Coraces, p. 118.—Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 294.—Schl. N . T. D. iv. p. 49.
JElwrcedus buccoides, Elliot, Monogr. Parad. pi. 36.—Selater, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 697.
A l t h o u g h this bird, aptly named buccoides by Temminck on account of its resemblance to the Barbets of
the genus Megalama, has been known for so many years, and specimens not unfrequently turn up in
collections from New Guinea, there is nothing recorded o f its habits or economy. It is confined to the
islands o f Nejv Guinea and Waigiou, the Leiden Museum possessing a considerable number o f specimens
collected in these localities by the late Dr. Bernstein. The original specimen was procured at Triton Bay,
on the west coast o f New Guinea; and other localities mentioned by Professor Schlegel are Sorong, the
north coast o f Salwatti, and the island o f Batanta.
In its general green coloration this bird resembles the other species o f the genus; but it may be readily
distinguished by the more decided spotting of the breast and by the very distinct whitish streaks which are
seen on the nape o f the neck; besides which it is by far the smallest species of the whole genus, a group
o f birds intimately allied to the Bower-hirds ( Chlamydodera and PtilonorhyncKm'); but up to the present
moment we have no information as to whether the members o f the genus J ilw x d m ever construct a bower.
Upper surface o f body, the wings included, grass-green, the secondaries slightly tipped with yellow; head
olive-brown washed with g reen; all the feathers o f the neck pale yellow, with large terminal spots of
black, giving a streaked appearance to this part; a great many o f the interscapulary plumes barred with
yellow, some spotted with black; tail green; sides o f face and throat bully white, the former thickly spotted
with black; rest o f under surface ochraceous buff washed with green, with a black spot to each o f the
feathers, disappearing on the under tail-coverts; the spots greenish on the lower abdomen; under wing-
coverts salmon-buff, the outermost with brown-mottled bases; bill yellowish white; tarsi and feet lead-
colour. Total length 10 inches; culmen TO. wing 4'9, tail 3 ‘6, tarsus T4.
Apparently there is no difference in the sex es; and the figures in the accompanying Plate are as nearly
life-size as possible.