Species of Flycatcher, i^c, 389 



Curlew {Numenius fcmoralis, Peale) a few days ago at " Cocoa- 

 nut Point/' in Sandalwood bay, adds a most interesting 

 novelty to our list. He saw a pair of them, but only suc- 

 ceeded in securing the female. It must be very scarce, as 

 we have kept a special look-out for it, but until this moment 

 without effect. 



During his visit there he also procured the very interesting 

 new Flycatcher I am about to describe, and established the 

 distinctness of Myiolestes buaensis, which is just intermediate 

 between M. vitiensis, Hartl., and M. macrorhyncha, nob., and 

 of Ptilotis similis, nob., from P. carunculata, Gmel. He also 

 procured specimens of both sexes of my new Blackbird [Me- 

 rula vitiensis) in splendid plumage. 



Myiagra castaneigularis, Layard, sp. nov. 



Male. Upper parts dark ashy blue ; crest on head short, 

 azure ; underparts, chin, throat, and upper portion of chest 

 bright clear chestnut ; thence to the vent white ; tail-fea- 

 thers partly white and partly of the colour of the back, 

 the extended pair being white from the tip to two thirds of 

 their length, the others less and less white, until the centre 

 pair have the merest white edge to the tip ; bill rich orange ; 

 legs ash-coloured ; iris dark brown. Length 5" 6'", wing 3^', 

 tail 2" 10"', bill 10'", tarse 10'". 



Female rusty grey above ; top of head dark ashy blue ; 

 below coloured like the male, but less brilliantly. 



Found in the high tree-forest at Kandi (Bua) feeding on 

 insects ; in habits and note resembling its ally M. azureo- 

 capilla, Layard. 



This elegant Flycatcher closely resembles its prototype 

 M. azureocapilla, from Taviuni (which is separated from 

 Vanua Levu by a narrow strait), and is another illustration 

 of the variation of species found in these islands. The upper 

 parts are precisely similar (when the tail is closed, so that 

 the white ends of the feathers do not show), with the exception 

 of the crest, which, though similarly coloured, is shorter. On 

 the underparts the dark chestnut of the throat is changed into 

 a singularly bright chestnut ; and the white of the abdomen, 



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