RECTES ARUENSIS, Sharpe 
Aru-Island Wood-Shrike. 
Rectes dichrous, pt. (nec Bp.), Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1858, pp. 173, 193. — Id. List Mamra. &c. New Guinea, 
pp. 33, 68 (1859).— Id. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 435. 
Rectes ariiensis, Sharpe, Cat. Birds in Brit. Mus. iii. p. 285 (1877).— Salvad. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1878, p. 96. 
Rhectes aruensis, Salvad. Ann. Mus. Civic. Genov, xv. p. 42 (1879).— Id. Rep. Voy. ‘Challenger,’ p. 79 (1881). 
—Id. Ucc. Papuasia e delle Molucche, ii. p. 194 (1881).— Meyer, Zeitschr. ges. Orn. i. p. 284 (1884). 
Rhectes analogus, Meyer, Zeitschr. ges. Orn. i. p. 284 (1884). 
The present species belongs to the caj)ped section of the genus Rectes, and its nearest ally is Rectes uropy- 
gialis from New Guinea and Mysol. It is, however, a much smaller bird than the latter, which it represents 
in the Aru Islands, and is further distinguished by the black of the upper tail-coverts not extending over the 
rump, while on the under surface of the body the black descends down the centre of the breast and abdomen 
instead of ending abruptly on the breast. 
The birds which we have described as the young have recently been considered by Dr. A. B. Mey er to belong 
to a distinct species, which he has named Rectes analogus. With all due respect to Dr. Meyer, wlio is a 
recognized authority on all matters relating to the zoology of Papuasia, we still think that there is only one 
species inhabiting the Aru Islands, and we consider Rectes analogus to he the same species as R. aruensis. The 
whole subject, however, of the colour of the sexes and young birds in this genus is so imperfectly understood, 
in our opinion, that we are free to admit that Dr. Meyer’s second sjiecies from the Aru Islands possesses 
quite as good claims to specific distinction as some of those allowed by naturalists to inhabit New Guinea. 
The following are the descriptions of specimens in the British Museum, published by us in the ‘ Catalogue 
of Bii’ds ’ (/. c.) : — 
Adult 7nale. Above very bright chestnut, the upper tail-coverts black ; head crested, blaek all round, with 
the sides of face, fore neck, and chest also entirely black ; rest of undersurface of body deep tawny buff, the 
whole of the breast shaded with black ; under wing-coverts deep ochreous, those near the edge of the wings 
black ; wings and tail deep black ; bill and legs black. Total length 10 inches, culmen 1'2, wing 4-3, tail 
41, tarsus 1’35. 
Young. Paler ochre-rufous below, not mixed with black on the hreast ; the cap and black throat almost as 
strongly defined as in the adidt, but both are mueh washed with brown ; rum|) dingy ochreous brown, washed 
with chestnut, the tail-coverts inclining to hlackish ; quills and tail blackish, the outer webs of the quills 
dingy ochreous hrown ; tail-feathers brown, slightly washed with rufous, and inclining to black near the base 
and upwards along the centre of the feathers. Total length 10 inches, culmen L2, wing 4-45, tail 4-3, 
tarsus 1'3. 
The figures in the Plate represent the type of Rectes aruensis and the type of R. analogus, the latter having- 
been kindly lent to us by Dr. Aleyer. 
[R. B. S.J 
