Lesser Ground-Robin

SCI Name:  Amalocichla incerta
Protonym:  Eupetes incertus Ann.Mus.Civ.Stor.Nat.Genova 7(1875) p.967
Taxonomy:  Passeriformes / Petroicidae / Amalocichla
Taxonomy Code:  legrob1
Type Locality:  Mount Arf ak.
Author:  Salvadori
Publish Year:  1876
IUCN Status:  Least Concern

DEFINITIONS

AMALOCICHLA
(Petroicidae; Ϯ Greater Ground-robin A. sclateriana) Gr. αμαλος amalos  soft; κιχλη kikhlē  thrush; "AMALOCICHLA, n. g.  Bill geocichline, but with the nostril small and placed in the anterior end of the nasal groove, and with the under mandible straight as far as the tip, which is slightly deflected; mandibular notch shallow. Rectal bristles moderate. Wing short, rounded, concave; first primary about half its length shorter than the second; second to fifth, which is the longest, graduated. Tail of twelve feathers, rounded, shorter than wing. Tarsus elongate, slender, ocreate. Plumage soft and loose.   AMALOCICHLA SCLATERIANA, n. s.  ...  Notwithstanding the geocichline affinities of this bird apparent in the bill and under-wing pattern, the form of the wing seems to relate it to the Timeliidæ proper. Its nearest ally appears to be Ptilopyga" (DeVis 1892); "A ground living bird recalling vaguely a Thrush, but with probably little real relationship, and which seems merely a large alpine development of some small bird until it now recalls the Bush Robins rather than Thrushes.  ...  These are the structural features of SCLATER'S FALSE-THRUSH (Amalocichla sclateriana) described from Mount Owen Stanley, south-east New Guinea  ...  The feathering is full and soft, even the primaries being inclined to be soft, while the secondaries are also long and soft; the back feathers are long and disintegrated, forming a large puff over the rump, the tail feathers also softish.  ...  The two False Thrushes have recently been included with the true Thrushes, but there is great doubt as to that affinity, and are here placed with the other "Timalian" birds, as there is nothing known about their exact relationship save that it is not with the true Thrushes" (Iredale 1958); "Amalocichla De Vis, 1892, Ann. Rept. British New Guinea, 1890-91: 95.  Type, by monotypy, Amalocichla sclateriana De Vis." (Beehler and Pratt, 2016, Birds New Guinea, p. 456).
Var. Amatocichla.
Synon. Pseudopitta.

incerta / incertum / incertus
L. incertus  uncertain, doubtful  <  in-  not; certus  definite, certain, sure  < cernere  to separate.  Used of species of doubtful status, perhaps because of trivial differences, or of uncertain systematic position.  Some examples are given below.
• "Sp. 54.  Eupetes incertus, nov. sp.  ...  L'apparenza dell' individuo descritto non è quella di un adulto; per le dimensioni si avvicina all' Eupetes leucostictus, Sclat., ma ha il tarso più lungo, il becco più breve, ed un' apparenza tale, per cui non è possibile che sia il giovane di quella specie, tanto più che manca affatto ogni traccia di macchie bianche sulle cuopritrici delle ali e sugli apici delle timoniere.  Inoltre la fascia rossigna obliqua sulla faccia inferiore delle ali, risultante dalle macchie dello stesso colore, poste presso la base delle remiganti, la fanno distinguere da ogni altra specie." (Salvadori 1875) (Amalocichla).
• "135. F.  INCERTA (N.),  P. incertain, chinsoun.   Cette fringille, qu'on ne peut comparer à aucune des précédentes, a le corps svelte, le dos d'un gris verdâtre, la tête obscure, la gorge d'un gris roussâtre, la poitrine et le ventre blancs; les ailes cont noires, bordées de roussâtre, qui forment deux espèces de bandes très légèrement imprimées  ...  App. Octobre.  Séj. De passage.  Dép. Novembre." (Risso 1826) (syn. Carpodacus erythrinus).
• "CARPODACUS  INCERTS, sp. n.   Ad. ♀ .  Closely allied to C. edwardsi, Verr., from N. India and Western China, but differs in having a smaller bill; no pale spotted feathers on the forehead; no very well-marked pale buff superciliary stripe; the under-parts darker brownish-buff; the under tail-coverts similarly coloured, and with dark shaft-stripes.  ...  The only male of this species procured by Mr, Goodfellow is an immature bird in the brown plumage similar to that of the female." (Ogilvie-Grant 1906) (syn. Carpodacus formosanus).
• "200.  Charadrius bicinctus incertus subsp. n.   Western Double-banded Dottrel.  ...  Differs from C. b. bicinctus in having the black band on the breast narrower." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Charadrius bicinctus).
• "1168  Myzomela pectoralis incerta subsp. n.  ...  Queensland Banded Honey Eater.  ...  Differs from M. p. pectoralis in its smaller size: wing 63 mm., typical wing 66-74 mm." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Cissomela pectoralis).
• "3.  Turturœna incerta.   ...   The type specimen is a bird which was alive in the Zoological Society's Gardens; it has a great resemblance to the female of T. iriditorques, but it differs in having the tail entirely slate-black, without any rufous-brown tinge, and with no yellowish-buff band at the tip of the lateral feathers.   Hab. Unknown."  (Salvadori 1893) (syn. Columba iriditorques).
• "Campephaga incerta n. sp.   Zusammen mit Campephaga Boyeri (Puch.) (siehe unten) kommt auf der Insel Jobi, in der Geelvinksbai, eine Form vor, welche sich zwar in ihrem allgemeinen Habitus an manche der überhaupt untereinander sehr nahe verwandten Arten dieser Gattung eng auschliesst, aber mit keiner bekannten genau übereinstimmt und daher vorläufig als neue Art beschrieben werden muss.  Da ich jedoch leider nur ein Exemplar und zwar nur ein Weibchen bei Ansus auf der Insel Jobi im April 1873 erbeutete und daher das ausgefärbte Männchen mir unbekannt geblieben ist, so nenne ich die Art: C. incerta."(Meyer 1874) (Edolisoma).
• "1361.  Munia pectoralis incerta subsp. n.   Northern White-breasted Finch.  ...  Differs from M. p. pectoralis in being brown and not blue-grey above." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Heteromunia pectoralis).
• "Pitohui incertus nov. spec.  ...  These four examples apparently belong to an undescribed species of the genus Pitohui.  They somewhat resemble P. ferrugineus, but they are much duller brown and considerably smaller.  Nos. 38 and 243 seem to be adult birds, nos. 47 and 48 are still young ones." (van Oort 1909) (Pseudorectes).
• "PSITTACUS  INCERTUS.  ...  THE BLUE-GREEN PARROT.  ...  The present species of Parrot does not appear to have been distinctly described by any ornithological writer.  In size it considerably exceeds the Psittacus pullarius of Linnæus, measuring about seven inches in length.  Its general habit is rather distinguished by an appearance of strength than delicacy  ...  This bird is supposed to be a native of India, and was in the possession of Lady Read, with whom it lived during the space of nine years." (Shaw 1807) (syn. Psittinus cyanurus).
• "PROCELLARIA  INCERTA.   Je n'ai pu rapporter cette espèce à aucune de celles décrites jusqu'à ce jour.  Elle paraît être voisine de la Procellaria rostrata de Peale, Cassin, United States Explor., Birds, 1858, p. 412, pl. 41, mais elle a les souscaudales de couleur foncée et non pas blanches, et ses teintes tirent beaucoup moins au brun.  Le prince Bonaparte, en examinant nos individus, y avait mis le nom d'Aestrelata rostrata, mais dans son ouvrage, p. 189, il cite la rostrata comme sous-espèce de moindre taille de la désolata, qui elle-même n'a que la moitié de la taille de notre Procellaria incerta.  Je me suis donc vu dans la nécessité, afin d'éviter des erreurs, de décrire notre oiseau sous une dénomination différente." (Schlegel 1863) (Pterodroma).
• "1184.  Gliciphila albifrons incerta subsp. n.   Victorian White-fronted Honey Eater.  ...  Differs from G. a. albifrons in its darker throat, and larger size." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Purnella albifrons).
• "Sporophila incerta sp. nov.  ...  Similar to Sporophila grisea Gmelin, but larger, darker above, and with the white below more restricted.  ...  I can find no record for Sporophila grisea from Ecuador and while the relationship of the above described specimen would probably be better expressed by a trinomial, I prefer for the present to use a binomial." (Riley 1914) (subsp. Sporophila schistacea).
• "161.  Sterna striata incerta subsp. n.   Australian White-fronted Tern.  ...  Differs from S. s. striata in its slightly smaller size and darker wings.  ...  As Sterna melanorhyncha Gould is preoccupied it becomes necessary to give this bird a new name." (Mathews 1912) (subsp. Sterna striata).
• "Thamnophilus incertus Pelzeln.  (N. 538).  ...  Thamnophilus sp. Natterer Catal. msc.   Hab. Pará.  Feminae Th. polionoti valde similis sed rostro angustiore et gastraeo multo clariore." (von Pelzeln 1869) (subsp. Thamnophilus aethiops).
• "9.  Zosterops incerta, sp. nov.  ...  Secondo lo Sharpe, cui ho inviato alcuni essemplari di questa specie, essa somiglia alla Z. auriventer, Hume, ma ne differisce per avere dimensioni maggiori, il becco molto più grande, ed il colore cenerino dei lati del corpo meno puro.  A me sembra che gl' individui suddetti somiglino molto alla figura ed alla descrizione della Z. ceylonensis (Legge, B. of Ceyl. p. 585, pl. 26, f. 2), che viene considerata come esclusiva di Ceylon!" (Salvadori 1892) (syn. Zosterops salvadorii).

SUBSPECIES

Lesser Ground-Robin (incerta)
SCI Name: Amalocichla incerta incerta
incerta / incertum / incertus
L. incertus  uncertain, doubtful  <  in-  not; certus  definite, certain, sure  < cernere  to separate.  Used of species of doubtful status, perhaps because of trivial differences, or of uncertain systematic position.  Some examples are given below.
• "Sp. 54.  Eupetes incertus, nov. sp.  ...  L'apparenza dell' individuo descritto non è quella di un adulto; per le dimensioni si avvicina all' Eupetes leucostictus, Sclat., ma ha il tarso più lungo, il becco più breve, ed un' apparenza tale, per cui non è possibile che sia il giovane di quella specie, tanto più che manca affatto ogni traccia di macchie bianche sulle cuopritrici delle ali e sugli apici delle timoniere.  Inoltre la fascia rossigna obliqua sulla faccia inferiore delle ali, risultante dalle macchie dello stesso colore, poste presso la base delle remiganti, la fanno distinguere da ogni altra specie." (Salvadori 1875) (Amalocichla).
• "135. F.  INCERTA (N.),  P. incertain, chinsoun.   Cette fringille, qu'on ne peut comparer à aucune des précédentes, a le corps svelte, le dos d'un gris verdâtre, la tête obscure, la gorge d'un gris roussâtre, la poitrine et le ventre blancs; les ailes cont noires, bordées de roussâtre, qui forment deux espèces de bandes très légèrement imprimées  ...  App. Octobre.  Séj. De passage.  Dép. Novembre." (Risso 1826) (syn. Carpodacus erythrinus).
• "CARPODACUS  INCERTS, sp. n.   Ad. ♀ .  Closely allied to C. edwardsi, Verr., from N. India and Western China, but differs in having a smaller bill; no pale spotted feathers on the forehead; no very well-marked pale buff superciliary stripe; the under-parts darker brownish-buff; the under tail-coverts similarly coloured, and with dark shaft-stripes.  ...  The only male of this species procured by Mr, Goodfellow is an immature bird in the brown plumage similar to that of the female." (Ogilvie-Grant 1906) (syn. Carpodacus formosanus).
• "200.  Charadrius bicinctus incertus subsp. n.   Western Double-banded Dottrel.  ...  Differs from C. b. bicinctus in having the black band on the breast narrower." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Charadrius bicinctus).
• "1168  Myzomela pectoralis incerta subsp. n.  ...  Queensland Banded Honey Eater.  ...  Differs from M. p. pectoralis in its smaller size: wing 63 mm., typical wing 66-74 mm." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Cissomela pectoralis).
• "3.  Turturœna incerta.   ...   The type specimen is a bird which was alive in the Zoological Society's Gardens; it has a great resemblance to the female of T. iriditorques, but it differs in having the tail entirely slate-black, without any rufous-brown tinge, and with no yellowish-buff band at the tip of the lateral feathers.   Hab. Unknown."  (Salvadori 1893) (syn. Columba iriditorques).
• "Campephaga incerta n. sp.   Zusammen mit Campephaga Boyeri (Puch.) (siehe unten) kommt auf der Insel Jobi, in der Geelvinksbai, eine Form vor, welche sich zwar in ihrem allgemeinen Habitus an manche der überhaupt untereinander sehr nahe verwandten Arten dieser Gattung eng auschliesst, aber mit keiner bekannten genau übereinstimmt und daher vorläufig als neue Art beschrieben werden muss.  Da ich jedoch leider nur ein Exemplar und zwar nur ein Weibchen bei Ansus auf der Insel Jobi im April 1873 erbeutete und daher das ausgefärbte Männchen mir unbekannt geblieben ist, so nenne ich die Art: C. incerta."(Meyer 1874) (Edolisoma).
• "1361.  Munia pectoralis incerta subsp. n.   Northern White-breasted Finch.  ...  Differs from M. p. pectoralis in being brown and not blue-grey above." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Heteromunia pectoralis).
• "Pitohui incertus nov. spec.  ...  These four examples apparently belong to an undescribed species of the genus Pitohui.  They somewhat resemble P. ferrugineus, but they are much duller brown and considerably smaller.  Nos. 38 and 243 seem to be adult birds, nos. 47 and 48 are still young ones." (van Oort 1909) (Pseudorectes).
• "PSITTACUS  INCERTUS.  ...  THE BLUE-GREEN PARROT.  ...  The present species of Parrot does not appear to have been distinctly described by any ornithological writer.  In size it considerably exceeds the Psittacus pullarius of Linnæus, measuring about seven inches in length.  Its general habit is rather distinguished by an appearance of strength than delicacy  ...  This bird is supposed to be a native of India, and was in the possession of Lady Read, with whom it lived during the space of nine years." (Shaw 1807) (syn. Psittinus cyanurus).
• "PROCELLARIA  INCERTA.   Je n'ai pu rapporter cette espèce à aucune de celles décrites jusqu'à ce jour.  Elle paraît être voisine de la Procellaria rostrata de Peale, Cassin, United States Explor., Birds, 1858, p. 412, pl. 41, mais elle a les souscaudales de couleur foncée et non pas blanches, et ses teintes tirent beaucoup moins au brun.  Le prince Bonaparte, en examinant nos individus, y avait mis le nom d'Aestrelata rostrata, mais dans son ouvrage, p. 189, il cite la rostrata comme sous-espèce de moindre taille de la désolata, qui elle-même n'a que la moitié de la taille de notre Procellaria incerta.  Je me suis donc vu dans la nécessité, afin d'éviter des erreurs, de décrire notre oiseau sous une dénomination différente." (Schlegel 1863) (Pterodroma).
• "1184.  Gliciphila albifrons incerta subsp. n.   Victorian White-fronted Honey Eater.  ...  Differs from G. a. albifrons in its darker throat, and larger size." (Mathews 1912) (syn. Purnella albifrons).
• "Sporophila incerta sp. nov.  ...  Similar to Sporophila grisea Gmelin, but larger, darker above, and with the white below more restricted.  ...  I can find no record for Sporophila grisea from Ecuador and while the relationship of the above described specimen would probably be better expressed by a trinomial, I prefer for the present to use a binomial." (Riley 1914) (subsp. Sporophila schistacea).
• "161.  Sterna striata incerta subsp. n.   Australian White-fronted Tern.  ...  Differs from S. s. striata in its slightly smaller size and darker wings.  ...  As Sterna melanorhyncha Gould is preoccupied it becomes necessary to give this bird a new name." (Mathews 1912) (subsp. Sterna striata).
• "Thamnophilus incertus Pelzeln.  (N. 538).  ...  Thamnophilus sp. Natterer Catal. msc.   Hab. Pará.  Feminae Th. polionoti valde similis sed rostro angustiore et gastraeo multo clariore." (von Pelzeln 1869) (subsp. Thamnophilus aethiops).
• "9.  Zosterops incerta, sp. nov.  ...  Secondo lo Sharpe, cui ho inviato alcuni essemplari di questa specie, essa somiglia alla Z. auriventer, Hume, ma ne differisce per avere dimensioni maggiori, il becco molto più grande, ed il colore cenerino dei lati del corpo meno puro.  A me sembra che gl' individui suddetti somiglino molto alla figura ed alla descrizione della Z. ceylonensis (Legge, B. of Ceyl. p. 585, pl. 26, f. 2), che viene considerata come esclusiva di Ceylon!" (Salvadori 1892) (syn. Zosterops salvadorii).

Lesser Ground-Robin (olivascentior)
SCI Name: Amalocichla incerta olivascentior
olivascentior
Mod. L. olivascentior, olivascentioris  more olive  < comp. olivascens, olivascentis  somewhat olive  < L. oliva  olive.

Lesser Ground-Robin (brevicauda)
SCI Name: Amalocichla incerta brevicauda
brevicauda
L. brevis short; cauda tail.
● ex “Beffroi de Cayenne” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 706, fig. 1 (syn. Myrmothera campanisona).
● ex “Merle des Philippines” of d’Aubenton 1765-1781, pl. 89 (syn. Pitta sordida).