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.ELURCEDUS JOBIENSIS, Rothsch.
Jobi-Island Cat-bird.
jElilradus joUensis, Rothschild, Bull. Brit. Oni. Club, iv. p. xxvi (1895).
THIS s|)ecles LI.is been descrik-D by the Hon. Walter Rothschild from s|>eeimen collected in the
Islatul of Johl by the late Mr. Bruijn's hunters. I I,ave examined the type-specimen in Mr. Rothschild's
mnsenm, and at first sight it looks very distinct from mfakiauus, and has the hinder neck much
mottled u-itb bulF, with the blackish shade overspreadins f' « tli'-oat; but there are other specimens in
t h e Rothschdd museum whicli appear to me to be intermediate.
T h e following is Mr. Rothschild's description This species is nearest to /E. mclamcephalas of
Ramsay, from Hntish New Guinea, but shows sufficient dilfcrcnces to justify its separation. The licad
is black, uniformly spotted with buffish yellow, and docs not show the black band on the sides of the
occiput so consj)icuous in JE. mdanocephalun. Up|,er i.eck and back brownish huff, with l.lack margins.
E a r - c o v e r t s consisting of the large patch of bristly feathers found in its three nearest allies ; hut'this
p a t c h passes straight into the black of the throat, without any marked area of pale feathers surroimdinoit,
as in /B. melmoth, /E. mdimoeephalm, and arfakumm. The pale spots on the tips of the win',
coverts not very distinct and of a dusky hnlf colour. Throat, hreast, and uppermost ])art of abdomcm
black, with a small central buff spot in eacli feather, while in melanotk (froni the Am Islands)
and JE. melanocphahis tlicse feathers are buff or wliitisli, with narrow black borders. The breast is
much greener in M. arfakkmm from Mt . Arfak. Lower abdomen and under tail-coverts buff with
dtisky margins, shaded here and there with green. In all other respects most si.nilar to JE. melamcephalus
but the feathers on the sides of the neck just behind the ear-coverts are almost uniform buff, havi,,.^
nearly lost tlieir dark margins. Culmen I'o inch, wing 6'5, tail 5-4, tarsus I'Oo." "
I have not considered it necessary to give a figure of this species.