BLACK-FACED FLYCATCHER. 
Salvadori, receiving specimens from Cape York, Queensland, described a 
new species as Monarcha canescens. This was admitted as a valid species, on 
Salvadori’s high authority, and all specimens from Cape York were examined 
for that species. Generally it was regarded as non-existent in the collections 
received, all the specimens being regarded as “ carinata ” or 44 melanopsis .” 
When I made up my 44 Reference List ” I concluded that the specimen named 
by Salvadori was simply an aberration, and therefore used his name as the 
subspecific one for the Cape York form of the southern 44 melanopsis .” 
I then described a species as Monarcha kurandi, as follows : 44 General 
colour above pearl-grey ; primaries and secondaries black ; tail brown ; round 
the bill black, which colour extends under the throat ; lower throat grey, 
rest of under-surface chestnut.” Noting that birds from Cape York varied, 
I separated two species living together, referring to one as M. melanopsis , 
the other as M. canescens. Field ornithologists have distinguished these, as 
will be seen from the field notes above. The birds from the Claudie River 
which Macgillivray regarded as M. canescens, I named as a distinct subspecies 
of that species, and then named a Cape York form of M. melanopsis. 
I have criticised these birds again and again, and am inclined to the con- 
clusion that the differences observed are due to plumage and seasonal changes, 
and that only one species occurs. Some birds as above have black primaries 
and others have hoary-grey edges ; while some heads are grey, others are pale 
pearly-grey. The variation, however, appears to be individual and not 
geographic nor specific, and so, for guidance to the field ornithologist, I am 
suppressing my own named forms and only admitting two subspecies, even 
as in my “ List ” : — 
Monarcha melanopsis melanopsis (Vieillot). 
New South Wales, South Queensland. 
Monarcha melanopsis canescens (Salvadori). 
North Queensland. 
As eggs are present in many Australian collections of the two 4 4 species,” 
my action will produce criticism, and I hope that facts will be adduced in 
support by my critics, as only by means of facts will the truth be achieved. 
VOL. IX. 
97 
