116 CAMPOPHAGID.E. 



O-eHTAS Ij.A.Xj-A.C5-E, Boie. 



Lalage leucomela. 



WHITE-EYEBROWED CATERPILLAR-EATER. 

 Campephaga Icucomp.la, Vig. and Horsf., Trans. Linn. Hoc, Vol. XV., p. 215 (18"20). 

 Cavipephaga leucomela, Gould, Bds. Au.str., fol.. Vol. IT., pt. 02 (1848): id.. Handlik. Bds. Austr., 



Vol. I., p. 203 (186.")). 

 Lalage leucomelcena (partim), Sharpe, Cat. Bds. Krit. iMus., Vol. IV., p. 106 (187'J). 



Adui.T m.vlk — General colour above glossy black; feathers of the rump grey, ivith a subterminal 

 spot or bar of black; upper tail-coverts grey ; tail black, the lateral teathers tipped with tvhite, ivhich 

 increases in extent towards the outermost feather; lesser 7ving-coKerts black, the median series tv/tite 

 except at tfie base; tfie greater coverts black, tvith an oblique u-liite tip; quills black, the secondaries 

 externally edged ivith tvltite ; a line extending from llie nostril over tlie eye p-are tchite ; a triaiignl ar- 

 shaped patch in front oj the eye black; chin, throat, cheeks, a^id. earcoverts white, passing into faint 

 greyis/i-uhite on the remainder of the under surface, which is slightly tinged with orange-bitjf ; under 

 tail-coverts orange-buff; under wing-coverts pure white; bill and iris dark brown; legs and feet dark 

 grey. Total length /■/) inches, wing S'9, tail 3'2, bill 0:J2, tarsus 82. 



Adui/p fkm.\le — General colour above blackish-grey ; rump and upper tail-C07;erts brownish-grey, 

 with greyisli-w/iite lips to t/ie feathers ; quills and upper wing-coverts dark brown, and similarly 

 marked with white as in the male; eyebro/r not .<io distinct; ear-coverts white, mottled or edged with 

 black; chin and centre of the throat white; remainder of tlie under surface greyish-white, wasJied 

 witli ocliraceous-buff and crossed with narrow wavy black lines, except on the centre of the abdomen 

 w/iicli, with tlie under tail-coverts is a deep ochraceous-buff; under wing-coverts white, tinged tvith 

 ochraceous-buff. Total lengtli 7:5 inches, wing 3'7, tail 3',', bill ()■■'>■'>, tarsus OS. 



Distribution. — Northern Territory of Soutli .\ustralia, (,)ueen.slancl, Xorth-eastern New 

 South Wales. 



/■ |(_^HE range of this species extends from I'ort Essinf(ton, in Xorlhern Australia, to Cape 

 J- \'ork, and ihroufrhout all the coastal districts of Eastern Queensland into North-eastern 

 New South Wales. I have specimens now before me from Port Essington, Cape York, Cook- 

 town, Cairns, Port Denison, Wide Bay, Brisbane, Richmond River, and Bellinger River, and 

 find little or no variation in their plumage. The wing of adult males from Cape York and 

 Cooktown measures 3-8 inches; from Gayndah, Queensland, 4-3 inches; from the Bellinger 

 River, New South Wales, 3-8 inches. 



As Count Salvador!" points out, the present species is distinct from Lalage l;aru, and 

 Dr. Sharpe was in error in the " Catalogue of Birds in the British Museum, "I- in regarding 

 them as one species. Sub.sequently, in his Report on the Birds collected during the "\'oyage 

 of H.M.S. Alert," I Dr. Sharpe apparently holds the same views as Count Salvador!. 



The type of Lalage Imru was obtained in New Ireland; that of L. leucomela from Broad 

 Sound, Queensland. I have never seen L. karu from any part of the .Vustralian continent. 

 Specimens from the Laloki River, New Guinea, may be distinguished by their more broadly- 

 barred under parts, less extent of white on the upper wing-coverts, and the very distinct white 

 margins to the feathers of the rump. 



I met with a few examples of L. leucomela in the Upper Clarence District, in November, 

 1898. It had just arrived in that district, and was not apparently breeding during my stay there. 



* Orn. Pap. et Molucc, Pt. ii , p. 163 (1881). 



t Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol iv., p. io5 (1879). 



* Voy. Alert, p. 13 (18S4). 



