V 



■ }^. 



~< 



Ordek PASSERES.] 



[Fam. SYLVIID^. 



SPHENCEACUS EUFESCENS. 



(CHATHAM-ISLAND UTICK.) 





▼n iMfM 



n r*.: 



ttHW\ 



fulvous wi-;^. 



I 



J 



l( 



part of abdo. 

 . and tie 



-3; taillj 



•^■■dclaw?; hind 



ui. ^..v.i- -^^"hn^, 



l) resemblance to 



t 



v>, 



upper parts 

 , ^'r ^" absent; 



vA ^ ' ' 



are 



less 



J sorface 



duTer likewise m 



bs. 



Sphenceacus rufescens, Buller, Ibis, 1869, p. 38. 

 Megalurus rufescens. Gray, Hand-1. of B. i. p. 206 (1869). 



Ad supra saturate castaneus, pileo concolori : dorso pauUo fulvcscente, plumis late medialiter nigris : tectrici- 



bus alarum medialiter nigris, dorso concoloribus : remigibus nigris, rufescente limbatis : cauda rutes- 

 cente, subtus Mvescentiore, scapis pennarum nigris : loris et supercilio distineto fulveseenti-a bis : 

 regione parotic^ saturate castanei, nigro notat^ : genis fulvescentibus, nigro maculatis : subtus fulves- 

 centi-albus, corporis lateribus castaneis nigro striolatis, dorso concoloribus : subalaribus strammeis, 

 rufescente lavatis : rostro corneo, mandibuia flavicante : pedibus flavicanti-brunneis : iride nigr^. 



Adult. Upper parts dark rufous brown, brightest on the crown and hind neck ; streak over the eyes, throat, 

 breast, and abdomen dull rufous white, slightly tinged with yeUow on the throat ; sides of the head, ear- 

 coverts, and a series of spots from the base of the lower mandible brownish black ; sides of the body and 

 the flanks bright rufous brown, each feather with a central streak of black ; wing-feathers dusky black, 

 margined on both webs with rufous brown ; the wing-coverts and the scapularies broadly centred with 

 brownish black ; tail-feathers clear rufous brown, with glossy black shafts, paler on their under surface. 

 Irides black ; bill and feet yellowish brown. Total length 7-25 inches ; extent of wings 7 ; wing, from 

 flexure, 2-25 ; tail 4-25 ; bill, along the ridge -5, along the edge of lower mandible -7 ; tarsus 1 ; middle 



toe and claw -85 ; hind toe and claw -75. 



Note. 



figu- 



collection in the Colonial Museum. 



This well-marked species is confined to the Chatham Islands, where it was first discovered, in 

 1868, by Mr. Charles Traill, a gentleman greatly devoted to conchology. He obtained it on a 

 small rocky isle, lying ofi" the coast of the main island, during an expedition there in pursuit of 

 his favourite branch of science ; but was unable to give me much information respecting its habits 

 or economy, merely stating that he observed it flitting about among the grass and stunted vege- 

 tation, and succeeded in knocking it over with a stone. 



Dr. Hector informs me (by last mail from the colony) that several examples of this species, 

 all from the Chatham Islands, have lately been received at the Colonial Museum. 



s2 



