Order PASSERES.J 
anthornis melanocephala. 
(CHATIIAM-ISLAND BELL-BIRD.) 
[Fah. MELIPHAGID2E. 
Anthornis melanocephala, Gray, in Dieff. Trav. ii., App. p. 188 (184o). 
Anthornis auriocula, Buller, Essay on the Orn. of IS . /. p. 8 (I 860 ). 
S similis A. melanurce, sed conspicue major: pileo undique chalybeo, indigotico vel purpureo mtente. 
$ juv. similis adulto, sed pallidior : abdominc imo cam crisso et bypochondriis imis fulvescentibus : fronte vix 
chalybeo mtente : Mamentis pilei gutaque cbalybeo-nigris : fascia mystacali mdxstmcta, pa Me flava: 
tectricibus alarum, remigibus et rectricibas brunnescenti-nigris, paallo chalybeo lavatis, cxtus angas e 
flavicanti-olivaceo limbatis : rostro aigro : pedibas braaaeis, plaatis palbdioribas, aagaibus sataiate b 
aeis : iride aarea. 
Adult male. The .hole of the plamage olive-green, lighter oa the sides of the body and lower part of abdomea ; 
beaeath dark plambeous, this heiag observable oaly oa raisiag the feathers ; forehead aad crown ^eel-Wae 
changing to a parplish-blue gloss on the sides of the head, nape, throat, and fore part of the breast, the 
parts appearing shot with purple aad blue in certain lights, quills dusky brown, with yellowish-brown 
shafts, margined on the outer webs with yellow; the small wing-coverts steel-blue, margined with olive- 
„reen • tail-feathers dusky black, with steel-black margins; the soft ventral feathers and under tail-covei s 
fulvous yellow, the latter with an olivaceous tinge. Irides golden yellow (?) ; bill black; tarsi, toes, an 
claws dark brown. Total length 10 inches; wing, from flexure, 4‘25 ; tail 4'5 ; bill, along the ridge v, 
along the edge of lower mandible ‘9 ; tarsus 1*5 ; middle toe and claw T05 ; hind toe and claw 1T5. 
Female Although, since the publication of my former edition, I have received four or five examples of this 
bird from the Chatham Islands, I have never yet had an opportunity of comparing the female. Prof. Hutton 
says that “ it is similar to the female of A. melanura except as to size.” 
Young. An examination of the type of Anthornis melanocephala in the British Museum satisfied me that the bird 
named by me {l. c.) was only the young of this species. The following is a description of this specimen, 
which is now in the Colonial Museum at Wellington The whole of the plumage yellowish olive, paler on 
the underparts, and tinged with fulvous on the abdomen, flanks, and under tail-coverts ; faint steel gloss on 
the forehead ; produced filaments on the crown, sides of the head, and throat steel-black , from the a 0 
of the mouth a narrow indistinct streak of pale yelldw ; wing-feathers and their coverts, also tail-feathers, 
blackish brown, with a faint steel gloss, their outer webs narrowly margined with yellowish olive ; inner 
lining of wings pale yellow. Irides golden yellow ; bill black ; tarsi and toes brown, with paler soles ; c aws 
umber-brown. Total length 95 inches; wing, from flexure, 4'4; tail 4'5; tarsus 1'5. ( na c osc in- 
spection of this specimen two minute feathers of steel-blue on the side of the head give m ica ion o a 
change of plumage.) 
Obs. Gray’s type was obtained by Dr. Dieffenbach, the naturalist to the New-Zealand Company, who visited the 
Chatham Islands in 1839. I may mention that it is not in the fully-matured plumage. Three of the tai - 
feathers on one side are dusky black, deepening to glossy steel-black on the outer webs ; the rest are, like 
the wing-feathers, dusky brown, margined with olivaceous green. In the adult male the primaries and 
secondaries, as well as the tail, assume the dark colour. 
This species, which is a native of the Chatham Islands, is very similar to the well-known Anthornis 
melanura-, but, as will be seen on referring to the measurements given above, it is considerably 
