|| 
MERULA PAPUENSIS, De Ра. 
PAPUAN OUZEL. 
Merula papuensis, De Vis, Rep. Brit. New Guinea, App. p. 112 (1890). 
M. major: nigra: rostro et pedibus flavis: pileo nigro, dorso concolore, et gutture brunneo distinguenda. 
Tuis species was discovered by Sir William McGregor in the Owen Stanley Mountains in 
South-eastern New Guinea. It is a representative of the group of Oceanic Ouzels in which the 
body is black and the head and neck somewhat lighter in colour, but it is a larger bird than 
M. poliocephala and its allies, and approaches in size Merula merula of Europe. It finds, however, 
its nearest ally in M. thomassoni of Luzon. Between M. papuensis and M. thomassoni there is 
remarkably little difference in colour, but in the New Guinea bird the lighter brown shade, which 
separates the head and throat from the black of the underparts, does not extend beyond the lower 
throat. These portions of the body are rather more ashy and are not of such a chocolate-brown tint 
as in M. thomassoni. There is, moreover, no difference between the colour of the head and the 
back, which are alike black. 
The typical specimen of M. papuensis was obtained by Sir William McGregor in the Owen 
Stanley Mountains, in South-eastern New Guinea. Specimens have since been procured on Mount 
Victoria, and some of these are in the collection of the Hon. Walter Rothschild. 
The adult male is black, with the head like the back and not paler in colour as in M. thomassoni. 
The throat and fore-neck are distinctly browner, but this lighter colour appears to be limited to the 
lower throat and does not extend over the fore-neck as in the Luzon species. Total length 9 inches, 
wing 5:1, tail 3:75, tarsus 1:3. 
Adult female. Similar to the male, but with rufous edgings to the feathers of the under surface; 
the lighter throat is not so pronounced as in M. thomassoni. Total length 9 inches, culmen 0:95, 
wing 4:9, tail 3:6, tarsus 1:35. 
Young. Black above, with rufous shaft-streaks to the feathers; under surface of body rufous, 
with large black spots at the end of the feathers and with pale shaft-streaks ; sides of the body 
black, broadly streaked with rufous. 
The male described is from Mt. Victoria, in British New Guinea, and the female Кот the 
Owen Stanley Mountains, with no exact indications of the particular habitat. Both are in the 
British Museum. Mr. De Vis was so good as to send over to England the type of the species for 
the use of Mr. Seebohm's * Monograph,’ and the figure has been drawn from it by Mr. Keulemans. 
[R. В. 5.1 
VOL. II. P 
