Genus— MON ARCH A. 
Monarcha Vigors and Horsfield, Trans. Linn. 
Soc. (Lond.), Vol. XV., pt. i., p. 254, Feb. 17, 
1827. (Type by monotypy) M. carinata = 
Muscicapa melanopsis Vieillot. 
Also spelt — 
Monacha Swainson, Naturalists’ Library (Jardine), Vol. X., Flycatchers, p. 140, 1838. 
Monarches Hartlaub and Finseh, Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.), 1871, p. 28. 
Medium “ Muscicapine ” birds with stout bills, long wings, long square tail, 
strong legs and weak feet. 
The bill is strong and heavy, not compressed or comparatively broad, 
but with distinct keel to culmen and sides curved ; the under mandible deep 
and stout and not flattened ; six strong rictal bristles developed. The tip is 
distinctly hooked. 
The wing is long with the first primary short, less than half the second, 
while the fourth is longest, the third equal to the fifth, the sixth little less and 
the seventh equal to the second. The tail is long and square. The feet are 
thick and strongly scutellate, the feet small and comparatively weak. 
The genus name Monarcha has been misused to cover many forms of 
apparent different evolution. As above noted, it was based on M. carinata , 
a grey bird with a black face and red abdomen. A series of birds varying 
from that species can be easily observed, and while the general coloration is 
retained structural differences may be seen in course of development. A 
more or less natural group can be circumscribed in this connection ; but to be 
rejected may be noted some forms, such as the species known as Monarcha 
axillaris Salvadori. This is a little black bird with white axillaries (hence 
its name), a small Monarcha-like hooked bill with many strong rietal bristles. 
The wing is more rounded with the first primary longer, the third equal to 
the seventh, and the fourth, fifth and sixth subequal and longest. The tarsus 
is long and smooth, almost booted, and the feet small. The tail is very long 
with broad fantail feathers, and altogether recalling Rhipidura, save in 
the heavy bill. I now find that Ogilvie-Grant has determined Rhipidura 
fallax Ramsay as a synonym, and this fact should indicate its features. In 
order still further to draw attention to it, and suggesting that it may be 
92 
