MERULA BICOLOR, Layord. 
KANDAVU OUZEL. 
Merula bicolor, Layard, Ibis, 1876, pp. 153, 392 ; Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 256 
(1881). . 
Merula ruficeps, E. P. Ramsay, Pr. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. i. p. 43 (1876); Seebohm, Р. 7. S. 
1890, p. 668; Wiglesw. Aves Polyn. p. 38 (1891). 
Turdus bicolor, Layard, P. Z. S. 1876, pp. 492, 505. 
M. rostro et pedibus flavis: nigra: pileo cum collo, gutture et prapectore lætè cinnamomeis. 
Or all the Ouzels of Oceania this is perhaps the most distinct. It has the light head and neck 
of the Oceanic species of Merula, but these are rufous, contrasting with the black plumage, so as to 
render the species easily recognizable. 
In the * Catalogue of Birds” Mr. Seebohm has recognized Mr. Layard's specific name of bicolor 
for this species, but afterwards, in 1890, he called it Merula ruficeps of Ramsay, and in this he is 
followed by Mr. Wiglesworth. Не was, however, apparently led to the conclusion that Layard's 
name deserved the priority, for I find that he had lettered the Plate for the present work Merula 
bicolor. There can, I think, be no doubt that this view is the correct one, confirmed as it is by the 
following note of Mr. Layard's in the ‘Ibis’ for 1881, p. 171. Referring to an error in the identifi- 
cation of a specimen of Pachycephala from Kandavu which had been obtained by his “ old servant 
Pierce," Mr. Layard continues:—* The same sort of error seems to have occurred in the Merula 
from the same locality, which I pointed out and labelled as M. bicolor, Layard, having expressly 
sent Pierce to Kandavu to procure it for Mr. Ramsay, but which the latter, ignoring my label and 
information, has renamed M. ruficeps (Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, 1. р. 48). In the same paper 
Vitia ruficapilla, Ramsay, is described. This I also labelled as having been sent home to Dr. Finsch, 
who was then describing it in Europe under the name of Drymochera badiceps.” 
Nests of this species are in the Hamburg Museum and are described by Mr. A. Nehrkorn as 
follows (J. f. O. 1879, р. 405):—“ The material of the nest is of fibrous roots and dry leaves, 
especially in the cup, which is lined with them. Опе nest contained lancet-shaped fern-leaves of a 
kind which had the spores on the under surface. Тһе measurements were: height 85 mm.; depth 
of cup 40; entire breadth 155; breadth of cup 90 mm. Another was placed on the base of a fern- 
tuft, and was made of moss, roots, and plant-stems, without any exterior decoration: height 130 mm.; 
depth of cup 40; entire breadth 133; breadth of cup 80 mm. The eggs are very like those of 
T. vitiensis, and measure 27 x 21 mm." 
Adult male. General colour above black, including the wings and tail; crown of head and hind- 
neck, sides of face, throat, and chest pale cinnamon-rufous ; remainder of under surface from the 
chest downwards black ; thighs brown ; under tail-coverts black; under wing-coverts and axillaries 
brown: “bill and feet yellow” (Е. L. Layard). Total length 6:8 inches, culmen 0:85, wing 41, 
tail 2:65, tarsus 1:25. 
The specimen described and figured is the type in the Seebohm Collection. ГВ. B. 6. 
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