PIEZORHYNCHUS CASTUS. 
White -crowned Flycatcher. 
Monarcha castus, Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. 188.3, p. 53, pi. xii. fig. 1. 
This beautiful species of Flycatcher belongs to the pied section of the genus Monarcha (or of the genus 
Piezorhynchus, as set forth in the ‘ Catalogue of Birds ’), which includes M. verticalis, M. Icucotis, M. loricatus, 
and other well-known Moluccan and Papuan species. It would appear to resemble M. verticalis veiy closely, 
and, like that species, has the ear-coverts, sides of neck, and summit ot crown white, while the distribution 
of white on the wing-coverts is the same ; but it would seem to be at once distinguished by the lines 
of white spots on the throat, and by having the inner secondaries edged with white instead of their being 
entirely pure white as in M. verticalis. 
Only a single specimen was contained in Mr. Forbes’s collection, from which we gather that the species 
is rather rare in the part of the Tenimber Islands visited by him. 
The following is a description of the original type : — 
Adult male. General aspect above variegated ; the back and mantle bluish black, somewhat mixed with 
grey on the lower back as it approaches the rump, the lower part of which, with the upper tail-coverts, is 
white ; least wing-coverts black ; entire median series and inner greater coverts white ; outer greater 
coverts black tipped with white ; bastard wing, primary-coverts, and quills black, the secondaries narrowly 
fringed with white near the tip of the outer web ; the innermost secondaries broadly edged with white 
externally ; centre tail-feathers black, the next with a small triangular tip of white, which increases in extent 
towards the outer feathers until the external one is white for more than the terminal half; forehead, lores, 
and a narrow superciliary line extending backwards and forming a broad nuchal collar bluish black ; the crown 
of the head pure white encircled by the black aforesaid ; feathers below the eye, cheeks, and throat black, 
which extends in a broad band and joins the black nuchal collar above mentioned, thus encircling the white 
ear-coverts, which form a conspicuous patch ; the lower throat decorated with white tips to the feathers, 
forming a triple line ; sides of neck white, extending backwards so as to form a more or less distinct collar 
separating the nuchal band from the mantle ; remainder of under surface from the throat downwards pure 
white, excepting the hinder aspect of the thighs, which is black ; the white of the under surface slightly 
sullied with a grey shade ; under wing-coverts and axillaries white, excepting the edge of the wing and the 
adjacent coverts, which are black; quills blackish below, edged with white along the inner web; ‘ £ bill lavender, 
tip black ; legs and feet lavender; iris reddish brown” (H. 0. Forbes). Total length 5'75 inches, culmen 
055, wing 2 - 7, tail 2 '7 , tarsus 075. 
The Plate represents the typical specimen of the present species, of the natural size, in two positions. 
[R. B. S.] 
