Passerine Bird from New G /tinea. 375 



$ . Supra fuscescenti-oleaginea, alis caudaque brunneis, 

 remigum et rectrieum piarginibus extern is rufescenti- 

 oribus : subtus dilution flavescens ; lateribus. et ventre 

 inferiore saturatioribus, viridibus ; subalaribus et remi- 

 gum marginibus externis pallide rufescentihus : rostro 

 nigricante, pedibus pallide brunneis ; caruncula rictali 

 nulla. 



Tbe male is labelled " Iris reddish brown, feet dark violet, 

 l)ill black"; tlie female "Iris light brown, feet lavender ; 

 bill black, light at base of under mandible." 



Besides Mr. Rothschild/s specimens I have examined two 

 skins, apparently referable to this species, in the British 

 .Museum. 



The first of these, received in 1891, was obtained by one 

 of Emil Weiske's collectors on the Aroa River, at a height of 

 6000 feet, in January 1890. It is labelled " ? : iris brown ■ 

 feet and bill green." This specimen agrees very fairly with 

 the female now figured, but has a somewhat stronger bill 

 and is rather more whitish beneath. 1 have no doubt that 

 it is a female of this species. 



The second specimen in the British Museum is from a 

 small collection from Mount Albert-Edward, in S.E. New- 

 Guinea, obtained through Messrs. John Blyth and Co. in 

 May 1898. It is generally similar to the first, but has a rather 

 shorter and smaller bill, and the greater and lesser win 0- - 

 coverts are broadly tipped with chestnut-rufous. It appears 

 to me to be a younger female of the same species*. 



As regards the exact position of Eulacestoma in the 

 Passerine series, it is obviously a very distinct form, easily 

 recognised by its excessively compressed bill (which is some- 

 what like that of the Neotropical form Cyclorhis) and the 

 curious rictal wattles of the male. In his ' Handbook ' 

 (vol. iv. p. 314), Dr. Bowdler Sharpe has placed Eulacestoma 

 in the subfamily Pachycephalias of the family Laniidse and 

 this, I think, is not far wrong. The Australian Shrike-Tit 

 {Fulctw cuius), which is arranged by Dr. Sharpe in the same 

 subfamily, is probably one of its nearest allies. 



• Cf. Grant, Bull. B. 0. C. viii. p. x ( 1898). 



