PIEZORHYNCHUS VIDUA, Tristram. 
White-backed Pied Flycatcher. 
Piezorhynchus vidua, Tristram, Ibis, 1879, p. 439.— Salvad. Ibis, 1880, p. 130.— Tristram, Ibis, 1880, p. 246. 
Piezorhynchus melanocephalus, Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. W. iv. p. 468. 
Monarchy vidua, Salvad. Orn. Papuasia, etc. ii. p. 24 (1881). 
The original specimen of this Flycatcher was obtained by Lieut. Richards, R.N., at Makira Harbour, San 
Cristoval, in the Solomon group of islands, on the 3rd of October 18/8; and on the 21st of May 1879 
the same gentleman procured a second specimen in the same locality, and this was named by Mr. Ramsay 
Piezorhynchus melanocephalus. Count Salvadori expressed at one time an opinion that the present bird was 
identical with Mr. Ramsay’s Monarcha brodiei, but afterwards, in his great work on the birds of New Guinea, 
he came to the conclusion that they were really different species ; and this proves to be the case, now that 
we have examined the typical specimens of both birds. 
The present species belongs to a section of the genus Piezorhynchus which is very distinct from all the other 
groups of these Pied Flycatchers by reason of the white collar and white rump. The only species with which 
it could be confounded is P. squamulatus, which has similar white markings on the wings, but has the feathers 
of the fore neck edged with black, so as to present a scaled appearance. 
The following is a description of the type specimen : — 
Adult male. General colour above blue-black on the mantle, upper back and scapulars ; lower back and 
rump white, as well as the upper tail-coverts ; lesser wing-coverts black, with ovate spots of white, the median 
and greater coverts white, with rather broad black edgings ; bastard wing, primary-coverts, and quills black, 
the inner secondaries with a broad mark of white towards the end of the outer web ; tail-feathers black, the 
three outer feathers tipped with white, increasing in extent towards the outermost ; head blue-black, separated 
from the mantle by a broad collar of white, which also occupies the sides of the neck ; lores, feathers round 
the eye, cheeks, and ear-coverts black ; throat also black ; remainder of the under surface of body pure white ; 
thighs black ; under tail-coverts white, as also the under wing-coverts and axillaries ; the coverts near the 
edge of the wing black ; quills blackish below, with their extreme inner base white ; “ feet ash-colour ; bill 
black ; iris grey ” (Richards). Total length 5*8 inches, culmen 065, wing 2*95, tail, 2*9, tarsus 0*8. 
The figures in the Plate are drawn from the typical specimen, which has been very kindly lent to us by 
Canon Tristram. 
[R. R. S.] 
