140 Mr. W. U. Ogilvie-Grant on Birds 



than typical M. nitidus, about 80-82 mm. as compared with 

 72-76 mm. 



No. 13, a young male, is in partial female plumage, with 

 several black tail-feathers and under tail-coverts on the right 

 side. 



" The species was only observed near the coast. It 

 frequented the undergrowth, the lower trees, and the 

 man grove- swamps." — C. H. B. G. 



Monarcha axillaris. 



Piezorhynchus axillaris (Salvad.) ; Sharpe, Cat. iv. p. 426 

 (1874). 



Monarcha axillaris Salvad. 0. P. ii. p. 30 (1881) ; Roths. 

 & Hartert, N. Z. x. p. 465 (1903), xiv. p. 462 (1907), xx. 

 p. 493 (1913). 



RMpidura fallax Ramsay, P. Z. S. 1884^ p. 580 [Astro- 

 labe Range]. 



a. (? . Camp 6 c, Utakwa River, 5500 ft,, 18th Feb. 1913. 

 [C.B.K.-] 



This specimen and others from South-east New Guinea 

 appear to differ somewhat from a typical example of M. axil- 

 laris from the Arfak Mountains, in having the belly washed 

 with grey, but a close examination shows that this apparent 

 difference is due chiefly to the way in which the skin has 

 been made up. The bird from Arfak in the British Museum 

 seems to have the white patches on the sides of the breast, 

 formed by the axillaries, and feathers on the sides of the 

 body larger ; it also has well-marked white tips to the 

 lateral under tail-coverts. 



It is possible that further material may indicate that the 

 eastern form should be kept separate, and, in that case, it 

 would have to bear the name M. fallax (Ramsay). Rhipidura 

 fallax of Ramsay has been attributed, by Messrs* Rothschild 

 & Hartert, to R. atra Salvad.; but it is evidently not a Rhipi- 

 dura, and the description given by Ramsay can only apply 

 to Monarcha axillaris or a close ally. R. fallax is said to be 

 black, slightly glossy, with no trace of white over the eye, 



