Chapter XXV: Preface (24)

"Iole monticola differs from Iole siquijorensis, its nearest ally, in its more ruddy upper surface, its lighter head with a wash of ashy gray on front of crown, in its lighter ear-coverts and tawny throat, and in its lighter under wing- and tail-coverts. So far as our observation goes it is a highland form. It was invariably met with by us in the forest on the tops and sides of the hills in central Cebu and was never seen in open or flat country." (Bourns and Worcester.)

"Three males average: Length, 267; wing, 121; tail, 111; culmen, 31; tarsus, 22; middle toe with claw, 24. A female measures, 260 in length; wing, 115; tail, 102; culmen, 31; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 23. Iris, legs, feet, and nails dark brown; bill nearly black. Breeding in June." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus POLIOLOPHUS Sharpe, 1877.

Occipital crest short and pointed; eye surrounded by a narrow wattle; bill from base about equal to tarsus; rictal bristles long, the longest much more than bill from nostril; rectrices graduated and tipped with white; difference between lengths of outermost and middle tail-feathers more than length of bill from nostril.

488. POLIOLOPHUS UROSTICTUS (Salvadori).

WATTLED BULBUL.

Brachypus urostictus Salvadori, Atti R. Accad. Sc. Torino (1870),
5, 509.
Pycnonotus urostictus Walden, Trans. Zool. Soc. (1875), 9, pl. 32,
fig. 2.
Poliolophus urostictus Sharpe,
Trans. Linn. Soc. 2d. ser. Zool. (1877), 1, 334; Cat. Birds
Brit. Mus. (1881), 6, 63 (text figure of head); Hand-List (1901),
3, 315; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 215; Oates and Reid, Cat. Birds'
Eggs (1903), 3, 308, pl. 10, fig. 9 (egg); McGregor and Worcester,
Hand-List (1906), 79.
Poliolophus basilanicus Steere, List Birds & Mams. Steere
Exped. (1890), 19.

Basilan (Steere Exp., McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Catanduanes
(Whitehead); Dinagat (Everett); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead);
Luzon (Meyer, Steere Exp., McGregor, Whitehead); Mindanao (Everett,
Steere Exp., Goodfellow, Celestino); Panaon (Everett); Samar
(Bourns & Worcester).

Adult.--Top of head dark brown, shaft-lines seal-brown; rest of upper parts dark olive-green, the shafts of the feathers darker; feathers of lower back long and thick-set, forming a bunch which covers the feathers of the rump; the long feathers with dark brown subterminal spots and some of the lateral ones tipped with white washed with pale yellow; rectrices brown, each with a subterminal blackish area and a distinct white tip; sides of head dark drab; chin and throat drab-gray; breast ashy brown, this color, faintly washed with olivaceous, extends onto sides of neck and breast and onto flanks; rest of under parts white with some streaks of pale yellow on breast; axillars and wing-lining white, washed with light yellow. Iris gray; eyelids lemon-yellow; bill and feet black. Length, about 185. A male from Luzon measures: Wing, 80; tail, 75; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 16. A male from Bohol, wing, 78; tail, 73; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 17. A male from Basilan, wing, 80; tail, 80; culmen from base, 17; bill from nostril, 10.5; tarsus, 17.

In specimens from Basilan the bill is slightly longer and the white spots on the rectrices occupy more space than in specimens from Luzon.

"The wattled bulbul is fairly common about fruit trees in the forest and in open fields. A male measures: Length, 187; wing, 78; tail, 81; culmen, 16; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 17. A female, length, 174; wing, 78; tail, 80; culmen, 16; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 17. Iris dark brown; legs, feet, and nails brown; bill black; eye-wattles yellow." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus MICROTARSUS Eyton, 1839.

The Philippine species of the genus Microtarsus is characterized by its long tail-coverts, which are two-thirds the length of tail and nearly as long as the outermost pair of rectrices; rectrices graduated, and tipped with bright yellow; the colors are black and yellow.

489. MICROTARSUS MELANOCEPHALOS (Gmelin).

BLACK-HEADED BULBUL.

Lanius melanocephalos Gmelin, Syst. Nat. (1788), 1, pt. 1, 309.
Micropus melanocephalus Sharpe, Cat. Birds, Brit. Mus. (1881),
6, 65; Oates, Fauna Brit. Ind. Bds. (1889), 1, 294, fig. 91 (tail).
Microtarsus melanocephalus Sharpe, Hand-List (1901), 3, 315;
McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 80.

Palawan (Everett, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns &
Worcester, McGregor, Celestino, White). Malay Peninsula, Burmese
provinces, eastern Bengal, Sumatra, Java, Borneo.

Adult.--Entire head, chin, and throat black, faintly glossed with green and purple; mantle and back olive-yellow, gradually becoming citron-yellow on rump and tail-coverts; feathers of lower back long and thick-set, overhanging the rump, each feather with a subterminal black band; breast and sides olive-yellow, becoming lighter posteriorly and bright egg-yellow on middle of abdomen and on under tail-coverts; wings mostly black, but the secondaries and their coverts broadly edged with citron-yellow; inner webs of quills edged with white; axillars and wing-lining pale yellow; basal part of tail olive-green, followed by a wide black subterminal bar; tips of rectrices bright egg-yellow. The sexes are similar in colors, but the female is a little the darker. Length, about 165. A male measures: Wing, 77; tail, 67; culmen from base, 16.5; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 15. A female, wing, 75; tail, 67; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 12.

"The black-headed bulbul is fairly common in Palawan. It is usually seen about trees and bushes in the open, but is occasionally met with in the forest, above the tree tops. Seven males average: Length, 170; wing, 76; tail, 68; culmen, 16.5; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 16. Three females, length, 167; wing, 75; tail, 69; culmen, 15; tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 16. Iris bright blue; bill, legs, feet, and nails black." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus TRICHOPHORUS Temminck, 1821.

This genus resembles Irena in having long nuchal hairs and a rather short, slightly compressed, bill, but in Trichophorus the nostrils are exposed and the wings are relatively short and rounded, the primaries exceeding the secondaries by about the length of tarsus; head slightly crested; the colors are olive-yellow, light yellow, brown, and gray.

Species.

a1. Chin and throat clear gray; much larger; wing, more than 95 mm. ... frater (p. 514) a2. Chin and throat gray, streaked with yellow; much smaller; wing, less than 90 mm. ... palawanensis (p. 515)

490. TRICHOPHORUS FRATER (Sharpe).

GRAY-THROATED HAIRY BULBUL.

Criniger frater Sharpe, Trans. Linn. Soc. 2d. ser. Zool. (1877),
1, 334; Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1881), 6, 79, pl. 5; Hand-List
(1901), 3, 317; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 80.
Trichophorus frater Oberholser, Smiths. Misc. Colls. (1905),
48, 152.

Balabac (Steere Exp., Everett); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester);
Palawan (Steere, Everett, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns &
Worcester, Celestino, White).

Adult.--Top of head dark tan-brown; back and rump olive-green; upper tail-coverts and rectrices tan-brown, edged with tawny olive; lores, sides of face, a narrow supercilium, and ear-coverts light gray, the last streaked with white; chin, throat, and breast clear light gray with white shaft-lines; feathers of breast edged with yellow; rest of under parts yellow, darker on crissum and slightly olivaceous on sides and flanks; wings brown, quills edged with ruddy olive on outer webs and with ocherous-white on inner webs; axillars and wing-lining pale yellow. Sexes similar in colors. Length, about 230. A male measures: Wing, 108; tail, 97; culmen from base, 23; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 22. A female, wing, 100; tail, 92; culmen from base, 21; bill from nostril, 13; tarsus, 20.

"This bulbul is very common and feeds always in the woods, so far as our observation goes. Four males average: Length, 213; wing, 104; tail, 92; culmen, 23; tarsus, 19; middle toe with claw, 21. A female, length, 209; wing, 100; tail, 88; culmen, 23; tarsus, 20; middle toe with claw, 22. Iris reddish to chocolate-brown; legs, feet, and nails very light brown; bill brown." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

491. TRICHOPHORUS PALAWANENSIS (Tweeddale).

PALAWAN HAIRY BULBUL.

Criniger palawanensis Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), 618;
Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1881), 6, 83, pl. 6, fig. 2;
Hand-List (1901), 3, 318; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List
(1906), 80.
Trichophorus palawanensis Oberholser, Smiths. Misc. Colls. (1905),
48, 152.

Palawan (Steere, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns &
Worcester, Celestino).

Adult.--Above scarcely different from T. frater, except that the feathers on top of head have light shaft-lines; ear-coverts olive-green with whitish shaft-lines; lores white, mixed with olive-green; cheeks, chin, throat, and breast pale yellow, streaked with white; rest of under parts pale lemon-yellow, olivaceous along the sides and flanks; crissum light ocherous-yellow. The sexes are similar; length, about 190. A male measures: Wing, 82; tail, 76; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 12; tarsus, 18. A female, wing, 81; tail, 72; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 12; tarsus, 18.

"Common in Palawan; feeds about bushes in the open, frequently in good sized flocks. Four males measure: Length, 185; wing, 84; tail, 73; culmen, 20; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 18. Three females, length, 174; wing, 81; tail, 74; culmen, 19.8; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 18. Eyes usually straw-yellow; in one case light hazel; legs, feet, and nails light brown; upper mandible nearly black, lower gray." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus PYCNONOTUS Boie, 1826.

Bill short, when measured from base, less than tarsus; rictal bristles usually less than bill from nostril; wing short and rounded; the primaries exceed secondaries by less than length of tarsus; a short crest which is not very evident in dry skins.

Species.

a1. Legs and feet black; supercilium white, contrasting with the black lores; ear-coverts brown. ... goiavier (p. 516) a2. Legs and feet light brown; supercilium and lores dull olive-brown like the crown; ear-coverts with white shaft-lines. ... cinereifrons (p. 517)

492. PYCNONOTUS GOIAVIER (Scopoli).

GUAVA BULBUL.

Muscicapa goiavier Scopoli, Del. Flor. et Faun. Insubr. (1786),
2, 96.
Pycnonotus goiavier Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1881), 6, 141;
Hand-List (1901), 3, 330; Grant and Whitehead, Ibis (1898), 239;
Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 215; Oates and Reid, Cat. Birds' Eggs
(1903), 3, 316; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 80.
Pycnonotus goiavier suluensis Mearns, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. (1909),
36, 470 (Sulu, Mindanao, and Basilan). [69]

Pá-la-go, Ticao; this name also used for Iole. Luc-lac, Manila;
cul-cul, in general.

Basilan (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor);
Bohol (Everett, Steere Exp., McGregor); Caluya (Porter); Cebu
(Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Guimaras (Steere
Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Leyte (Everett, Whitehead, Bartsch);
Libagao (Porter); Luzon (Meyer, Möllendorff, Everett, Bourns &
Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor, Bartsch); Marinduque (Steere Exp.);
Masbate (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Murray, Everett,
Koch & Schadenberg, Goodfellow, Celestino); Mindoro (Steere Exp.,
Schmacker, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Everett, Steere
Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Keay); Nipa (Everett); Panay (Bourns
& Worcester); Romblon (McGregor); Samar (Bourns & Worcester,
Whitehead); Sulu (Guillemard, Bourns & Worcester, Bartsch);
Tablas (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Ticao (McGregor); Verde
(McGregor).

Adult.--Middle of forehead and crown seal-brown, bordered on each side by a band of white extending from base of bill over eyes to sides of occiput; lores and a ring around eye black; above including wings and tail dark brown, the feathers fringed with earthy or ocherous brown; ear-coverts brown; spot below eye, jaw, and most of the under parts white; breast and sides with distinct brown shaft-streaks; flanks and thighs brown; abdomen washed with pale yellow; crissum lemon-yellow; axillars and wing-lining white, washed with yellow. Sexes similar in color. A male from Mindanao measures: Wing, 76; tail, 73; culmen from base, 17; bill from nostril, 9.5; tarsus, 20. A female from Basilan, wing, 78; tail, 77; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 20.

"The guava bulbul is one of the commonest of Philippine birds; it is called 'cul-cul' by the natives. Very abundant about fruit trees and bushes in the open fields, and in scrub and second growth; much rarer in deep forest. Four male birds average: Length, 189; wing, 84; tail, 84; culmen, 19; tarsus, 20; middle toe with claw, 21. Iris dark brown; bill, legs, and feet black; one specimen had been eating insects." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Two eggs were collected by Whitehead near Paranas, Samar, on June 24, 1896. Steere took three eggs at Dumaguete, Negros, February 11, 1888, and four eggs in Marinduque, May 12, 1888. The two eggs from Samar are thus described: "Shape ovate. Ground-color pale pinkish white, very thickly mottled all over with light red and underlying grayish lavender blotches. Measurements 21 mm. by 15 mm.

"Nest cup-shaped, built of fine roots, and placed in a low tree about five feet [1.5 meters] from the ground in an open situation." (Grant and Whitehead.)

493. PYCNONOTUS CINEREIFRONS (Tweeddale).

ASHY-FRONTED BULBUL.

Brachypus cinereifrons Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), 617.
Pycnonotus cinereifrons Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1881), 6,
153; Hand-List (1901), 3, 332; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List
(1906), 80.

Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester); Palawan (Everett, Whitehead,
Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor, Celestino,
White).

Adult (sexes alike).--Above dull olive-green; feathers on top of head with dark centers and gray edges; ear-coverts brown with distinct whitish shaft-lines; cheeks brown, streaked with gray; chin and throat whitish; breast and sides ashy brown, slightly washed with olivaceous; abdomen buffy white; flanks brown; thighs and crissum buff; wings and tail brown, most of the feathers edged with dull olive-green; wing-coverts entirely olive-green; axillars and wing-lining light yellow. Length, about 190. A male measures: Wing, 84; tail, 76; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 11; tarsus, 19. A female, wing, 80; tail, 73; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 11; tarsus, 20.

"Four males from Calamianes average: Length, 190; wing, 86; tail, 78; culmen, 22; tarsus, 19; middle toe with claw, 20. Three females, length, 189; wing, 83; tail, 79; culmen, 20; tarsus, 19; middle toe with claw, 20. Both males and females from Palawan average slightly less in length; other measurements are about the same. Bill nearly black; iris, legs, feet, and nails brown." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Family TIMELIIDÆ.

Bill slender, rarely decidedly strong, never broad; culmen more or less ridged, curved at tip; a slight notch near tip of upper mandible; gonys slightly to somewhat strongly curved; culmen from base less than tarsus; nostril opening covered by a flat scale or partly closed by a membrane; rictal bristles evident, but seldom greatly developed; wings short, rounded, and curved to the body; first, second, and third primaries very unequal and much shorter than longest quill; tarsus and toes long; tarsus booted or with obsolete divisions.

Subfamilies.

a1. Male and female similar in colors; plumage, especially of back and rump, lax and decomposed; tarsus stouter. ... Timeliinæ (p. 518) a2. Male and female very unlike in colors; plumage not noticeably decomposed; tarsus more slender. ... Brachypteryginæ (p. 538)

Subfamily TIMELIINÆ.

Tarsus rather stout; plumage of back, rump, and flanks lax and decomposed, the feathers of the back often lengthened and overhanging the rump and tail-coverts.

Genera.

a1. Tail much longer than wing; rectrices pointed, their shafts stiff, and their webs decomposed. ... Pseudotharrhaleus (p. 518) a2. Tail shorter than wing; rectrices usually not pointed, their shafts not very stiff, and their webs not decomposed.

b1. Tail very short, only one-half to two-thirds as long as wing;
tarsus long, the outstretched feet reaching beyond the end of tail.

c1. Tail but little longer than tarsus; wing twice the
tarsus. ... Anuropsis (p. 525)
c2. Tail equal to tarsus and middle toe without claw; wing one
and one-half times the tarsus. ... Ptilocichla (p. 522)

b2. Tail not very short, more than three-fourths as long as wing;
outstretched feet not reaching end of tail.

c1. Bill very much deeper and stronger, the tip decidedly
hooked; rictal bristles well developed, longer than bill from
nostril. ... Turdinus (p. 521)
c2. Bill more slender, the tip but slightly hooked; rictal
bristles shorter.

d1. A tuft of lengthened feathers above each
eye. ... Dasycrotapha (p. 526)
d2. No lengthened feathers above eye; plumage soft and more or
less decomposed.

e1. Feathers of back not greatly lengthened; nostril with an
overhanging membrane ... Zosterornis (p. 527)
e2. Feathers of back greatly lengthened, decomposed, and
overhanging the tail-coverts; nostril opening without an
overhanging membrane.

f1. Long feathers of back without greatly stiffened
shafts. ... Mixornis [70] (p. 533)
f2. Long feathers of the back with shafts conspicuously
stiffened. ... Macronous (p. 534)

Genus PSEUDOTHARRHALEUS Grant, 1895.

Bill slender, rictal bristles short and weak; wing very short, rounded, and curved to the body; fifth to eighth primaries nearly equal and longest; tarsus and feet strong; tarsus one and one-half times the culmen from base; hind toe with claw about equal to culmen; tail long; rectrices graduated, pointed, and with stiff shafts and decomposed webs.

Species.

a1. Smaller; wing, 61 to 63 mm.; tail, 70 to 80.

b1. Chin and throat gray.

c1. Tail longer, about 88 mm. ... caudatus (p. 519)
c2. Tail shorter, about 70 mm. ... griseipectus (p. 519)

b2. Chin and throat light brown tinged with buff; tail, about 75
mm. ... unicolor (p. 519)

a2. Larger; wing, 66 mm.; tail, 90; feathers of chest heavily marked with black centers. ... malindangensis (p. 520)

494. PSEUDOTHARRHALEUS CAUDATUS Grant.

LUZON WOOD ACCENTOR.

Pseudotharrhaleus caudatus Grant, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club (1895),
4, 40; Ibis (1895), 448, pl. 13; Whitehead, Ibis, (1899), 222,
(habits); Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 29; McGregor and Worcester,
Hand-List (1906), 80.

Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor).

Adult (sexes alike).--Above rich umber or dark brown, a grayish line on each side above lores and eye; lores brown; cheeks and ear-coverts brown with narrow whitish shaft-lines; chin and throat whitish, bordered on each side with gray; breast gray; sides of neck and breast gray with a faint olivaceous wash; flanks and thighs dark brown like upper parts; crissum lighter; middle of abdomen gray. Iris light brown; bill black; lower mandible whitish; legs dark brown; feet and nails lighter brown. Length, about 190. Two males measure: Wing, 61, 62; tail, 85, 88; culmen from base 17, 17; bill from nostril, 11, 10; tarsus, 26, 27.

495. PSEUDOTHARRHALEUS UNICOLOR Hartert.

MINDANAO WOOD ACCENTOR.

Pseudotharrhaleus unicolor Hartert, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club (1904),
14, 74; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 80; Grant, Ibis
(1906), 479.

Mindanao (Goodfellow).

"Female.--Of exactly the same structure as P. caudatus Grant, from Luzon, but the tail much shorter, the upper side deeper rufous-brown, the whole under side rufous-brown with an olive tinge, only the upper throat lighter and somewhat tinged with buff. Wing, 92.5 [62.5?]; tail, 75; culmen from forehead, 16; metatarsus, 26." (Hartert.)

496. PSEUDOTHARRHALEUS GRISEIPECTUS Mearns.

GRAY-BREASTED WOOD ACCENTOR.

Pseudotharrhaleus griseipectus Mearns,
Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. (1905), 18, 2; McGregor and Worcester,
Hand-List (1906), 81.

Mindanao (Mearns).

"Adult female (type and only specimen).--Size similar to that of the female of P. unicolor Hartert, assuming that the measurement 'wing 92.5' is a typographical error for 62.5, but the bill appears to be 2 mm. shorter. Coloration similar to that of the male and female of P. caudatus Grant, from which it may be readily distinguished by the shortness of the tail, 81 mm. in the female of P. griseipectus and 86.36 in the female of P. caudatus. The outermost tail-feather is slender and abortive, measuring 32 mm. in length; tarsus with six scutes; rictal bristles scarcely discernible; plumage soft and loose, the feathers of the back and rump 35 mm. in length, with gray bases and fluffy aftershafts; webs of rectrices decomposed and abraded apically; general color above burnt umber, washed with vandyke-brown on rump and upper tail-coverts; tail darker; wing-quills brownish black, the outer webs margined with the same color as the upper parts and extending to the outer webs of the under side of wing; head darker, inclining to sepia, with a dirty grayish supraorbital stripe; sides of throat, breast, and a wash down center of abdomen mouse-gray; chin and middle of throat white, each feather with a grayish middle; sides, crissum, and under tail-coverts like the back; breast tinged with gray. Iris hazel; bill with maxilla black; mandible grayish horn-color; feet and claws sepia-brown (from fresh specimens). Length, 176; alar expanse, 200; wing, 63; tail, 81; bill, measured from base of mandible, 14; bill from nostril, 8.5; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 23." (Mearns.)

497. PSEUDOTHARRHALEUS MALINDANGENSIS Mearns.

MALINDANG WOOD ACCENTOR.

Pseudotharrhaleus malindangensis Mearns,
Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. (1909), 36, 441.

Mindanao (Mearns).

"Characters.--The largest known species of Pseudotharrhaleus; gray of cheeks and supraorbital stripe obscured by heavy markings of brown; feathers of chest heavily marked with black centers.

"Adult male (type and only specimen).--General color above burnt umber, washed with vandyke-brown on rump and upper tail-coverts; tail darker; wing-quills brownish black, with outer webs broadly margined with the same color as the upper parts and extending to the outer webs of the under side of wing; head sepia above, without an appreciable supraorbital stripe; sides of head grayish brown, maculated with bister; chin and upper throat dirty whitish; much obscured by dusky macules occupying the centers of the feathers; middle of chest gray, heavily marked with blackish centers to the feathers; sides, crissum and under tail-coverts, axillars, and lining of wings like the back, this color shading to wood-brown on middle of belly. Iris brown; bill plumbeous-black; feet and claws brown (from fresh specimen). The following measurements were taken from the type specimen, freshly killed, by the writer: Total length, 196; alar expanse, 212; wing, 66; tail, 90; culmen (chord), 16.5; bill from nostril, 10.3; from occiput to tip of bill, 42; tarsus, 28; middle toe with claw, 25.

"This bird was usually found in hollows under mossy logs. Its note resembles the alarm call of the American Pipilo fuscus mesoleucus." (Mearns.)

Genus TURDINUS Blyth, 1844.

Bill stout and deep; tip of upper mandible strongly curved and forming an overhanging hook; rictal bristles well developed, the longest nearly as long as bill from nostril; wing moderate in length, not greatly curved, longer than tail by about one-half the tarsus; tarsus strong and slightly longer than culmen from base.

498. TURDINUS RUFIFRONS (Tweeddale).

RUFOUS-HEADED BABBLER.

Trichostoma rufifrons Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), 616,
pl. 38 (Trichostomus on plate).
Turdinus rufifrons Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1883), 7,
546; Hand-List (1903), 4, 33; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List
(1906), 81.

Balabac (Everett); Palawan (Everett, Whitehead, Platen, Steere
Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino).

Adult.--Above fulvous-brown, the feathers of head more rufous and with dark shafts and tips; back more ashy, rump more rufous; lores, line under eye, and line over eye to occiput ashy gray; cheeks and ear-coverts fulvous; under parts white; chin and throat with a few dusky shaft-lines; fore breast, sides of breast, and under tail-coverts washed with ocherous; flanks and thighs light brown; wings brown, edges of primaries and secondaries lighter and slightly olivaceous; rectrices bark-brown, the edges rusty brown. Length, 185 to 200. A male from Palawan measures: Wing, 86; tail, 81; culmen from base, 23; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 25. A female, wing, 82; tail, 73; culmen from base, 20; bill from nostril, 12; tarsus, 24.

"Common in the deep woods of Palawan, where it is found in the tops of low trees and in tangled vines. It hides cleverly and is difficult to see. It is a great whistler, and can be readily called up by imitating its note.

"Six males average: Length, 204; wing, 85; tail, 78; culmen, 23; tarsus, 24; middle toe with claw, 24. Four females, length, 191; wing, 82; tail, 64; culmen, 21; tarsus, 24; middle toe with claw, 23. Iris pale straw-color; legs and feet light slate; nails lighter than feet, their tips white; upper mandible black, lower light slate." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus PTILOCICHLA Sharpe, 1877.

Bill moderate in size; culmen from base contained one and one-half times in tarsus; no bristles anywhere about the mouth; wings rounded and short; tarsus and feet stout, the outstretched toes extending to, or beyond, the end of tail; plumage lax and decomposed; feathers of the back long and overhanging the rump. Chin and throat white; breast and abdomen streaked with white.

Species.

a1. Back blackish brown; larger; wing, about 80 mm.; tail, 60. ... falcata (p. 522) a2. Back reddish brown; smaller.

b1. Shaft-lines on upper parts less prominent; wing, about 75 mm.;
tail, 50.

c1. Above slightly darker and more reddish brown. ... mindanensis
(p. 523)
c2. Above lighter and slightly olivaceous. ... basilanica (p. 523)

b2. Shaft-lines on upper parts more prominent; wing, about 70 mm.;
tail, 42. ... minuta (p. 524)

499. PTILOCICHLA FALCATA Sharpe.

PALAWAN GROUND BABBLER.

Ptilocichla falcata Sharpe,
Trans. Linn. Soc. 2d. ser. Zool. (1877), 1, 332, pl. 50, fig. 3;
Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1883), 7, 586; Hand-List (1903), 4, 40;
McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 81.

Balabac (Everett); Palawan (Steere, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp.,
Bourns & Worcester).

"Adult male.--Top of the head and nape rufous-brown; sides of the forehead and a stripe behind the eye fawn-rufous; lores narrow and white; spot before the eye and ear-coverts black; cheeks and throat white, with a narrow malar streak of blackish; entire back blackish brown, the feathers broadly centered with fulvous; the feathers of the lower back long, but somewhat sickle-shaped and hanging over on each side, brown or black in color, broadly streaked with white; wings rufous-brown, the quills internally blackish; tail entirely rufous-brown; under surface of body blackish, the feathers broadly streaked with white down the middle; thighs, under wing-coverts, and under tail-coverts brown, streaked with fulvous. Bill yellowish horn-color, the mandible more yellow; feet dark brown. Length, 173; culmen, 24; wing, 81; tail, 61; tarsus, 33." (Sharpe.)

"Not rare in Palawan, but difficult to see, as it is shy and protectively colored. It seems to be a very pugnacious bird, and the males can be readily called by imitating their note. They come apparently prepared to do battle. We found P. falcata at a height of 760 meters on Mount Pulgar.

"A male measures: Length, 203; wing, 86; tail, 70; culmen, 26; tarsus, 33; middle toe with claw, 29. Iris reddish brown; legs and feet dark gray; upper mandible black, lower gray; breeding in January." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

500. PTILOCICHLA BASILANICA Steere.

BASILAN GROUND BABBLER.

Ptiocichla (?) basilanica Steere, List Birds and Mams. Steere
Exped. (1890), 18 (error).
Ptilocichla basilanica Steere, Ibis, (1891), 312, pl. 7; Sharpe,
Hand-List (1903), 4, 40; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List
(1906), 81.

Basilan (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino).

Adult.--Above dark or reddish brown, most of the feathers with lighter shafts, feathers of head darker and with blackish brown margins; lores white, some of the feathers tipped with black; line under eye white; line over eye extending to nape white; ear-coverts brown with light shafts, bordered below by a narrow white line which is separated from the white chin and throat by a black line; feathers of breast, abdomen, and tail-coverts with wide median white stripes and black edges; sides and flanks reddish brown with lighter shafts; thighs brown; primaries, secondaries, and rectrices blackish brown, their shafts black, and outer edges reddish brown; wing-coverts reddish brown with light shafts. A male measures: Wing, 70; tail, 47; culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 11; tarsus, 27. A female, wing, 70; tail, 46; culmen from base, 20; bill from nostril, 11; tarsus, 27.

"Common in Basilan. Lives on the ground, or near it, and sometimes perches on stones, fallen trees, or roots. Note not in the least like that of P. falcata. Ptilocichla basilanica always seems loth to take flight, and one can readily secure it by following it carefully as it runs along the ground, uttering its complaining note at frequent intervals. Sooner or later one is sure to catch sight of it in some little open place, though the protective coloring makes it hard to see.

"Twenty-two males average: Length, 155; wing, 73; tail, 48; culmen, 20; tarsus, 27; middle toe with claw, 26. Fifteen females, length, 150; wing, 71; tail, 45; culmen, 20; tarsus, 26; middle toe with claw, 25. Iris chocolate-brown; legs, feet, and nails light brown; upper mandible black, lower ashy gray." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

501. PTILOCICHLA MINDANENSIS Steere.

MINDANAO GROUND BABBLER.

Ptilocichla (?) mindanensis Steere, List Birds and Mams. Steere
Exped. (1890), 18.
Ptilocichla mindanensis Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 40; McGregor
and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 81.
Ptilopyga mindanensis Blasius, Jour. für Orn. (1890), 146.

Mindanao (Steere Exp., Platen, Bourns & Worcester, Celestino).

"Above fulvous-brown; feathers of head narrowly edged with black; feathers of back showing indistinct shaft-stripes; below much as in P. basilanica which it equals in size also. It is readily separated by the fulvous-brown of the head and the uniform fulvous of the back." (Steere.)

"Habits similar to those of P. basilanica. Our specimens all show the differences pointed out by Dr. Steere between the Mindanao and Basilan birds, and we consider the two birds to belong to distinct species.

"A male from Mindanao measures: Length, 174; wing, 75; tail, 51; culmen, 22; tarsus, 27; middle toe with claw, 27. A female, length, 152; wing, 69; tail, 46; culmen, 20; tarsus, 27; middle toe with claw, 26. Iris light yellow or nearly white; legs, feet, and nails drab; upper mandible black, lower gray." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

502. PTILOCICHLA MINUTA Bourns and Worcester.

LESSER GROUND BABBLER.

Ptilocichla minuta Bourns and Worcester, Minnesota
Acad. Nat. Sci. Occ. Paper (1894), 1, 24; Grant, Ibis (1897),
230; Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 40; McGregor and Worcester,
Hand-List (1906), 81.

Samar (Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead); Leyte (Whitehead).

"Sexes alike.--Feathers of the head and nape black, with heavy rufous-brown shaft-lines; feathers of back and upper wing-coverts bright reddish brown, with conspicuous, nearly white shaft-markings for their entire length; tips of feathers black; the elongated feathers of back, which reach to tail-coverts, with white shafts and white shaft-markings broad at base and narrowing at tip, edges and extreme tips of feathers being dark rich fulvous-brown; upper tail-coverts rufous-brown; tail-feathers fulvous-brown edged with rufous-brown; lores white; superciliary line white, extending as far as hind neck; ear-coverts fulvous with light shaft-stripes, the latter becoming rufous on hind neck, malar stripe black; chin and throat pure white; feathers of breast and abdomen have very broad white shaft-stripes, giving a streaked appearance to the under surface; feathers of flanks much elongated, light fulvous-brown with distinct white shaft-stripes, broadest at base; under tail-coverts colored like flanks; under surface of wing fulvous-brown, brighter on coverts.

"Readily distinguished from P. basilanica by having all the feathers of back, head, rump, and upper wing-coverts with prominent shaft-lines, by the darker color of the long feathers of the back, and by its much smaller size. Exceedingly rare. Length, 136; wing, 69; tail, 42; culmen, 19; tarsus, 24." (Bourns and Worcester.)

"Iris dark reddish brown; legs, feet, and nails dark brown; bill black, except base of lower mandible, which is yellow." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

"'This bird is always found on the ground; when moving it does not hop like the thrush-tribe, but has a most decided walk like the starlings. Its note is a 'chic-chic-chic'; it is most shy and very difficult to obtain. Iris dark brown, tip of upper mandible black, lower light gray; feet brown.'--J. W." (Grant.)

Genus ANUROPSIS Sharpe, 1883.

Bill from nostril less than one-half the tarsus; nostril with an overhanging membrane; rictal bristles weak, the longest less than bill from nostril; wing very short and rounded; tail very short and soft, not more than one-half the wing; legs and feet very large, when outstretched extending well beyond the end of tail; tarsus about equal to tail; body plumage soft and decomposed.

503. ANUROPSIS CINEREICEPS (Tweeddale).

ASHY-HEADED WOOD BABBLER.

Drymocataphus cinereiceps Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), 617.
Anuropsis cinereiceps Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1883), 7,
590; Hand-List (1903), 4, 41; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List
(1906), 81.

Balabac (Everett); Palawan (Everett, Lempriere, Whitehead, Platen,
Bourns & Worcester, Celestino).

Male.--Top of head and hind neck ashy gray, lighter on lores and ear-coverts; remainder of upper parts fulvous-brown, more rusty on outer webs of primaries and secondaries: chin, throat, and middle of breast and abdomen white; sides of breast, flanks, thighs, and crissum light tan or ocherous-brown, extending faintly across fore-breast. Length, 114; wing, 61; tail, 30; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 11; tarsus, 27.

"Adult female.--(Puerto Princesa, Palawan, January, 1878; A. Everett; type of species). General color above dark fulvous-brown, with faintly indicated pale shaft-stripes to the feathers of the mantle; the plumage of the lower back and rump very full and lax, with dusky or silvery gray bases; lesser and median wing-coverts like the back, with the same pale shaft-lines; greater series dark fulvous-brown; quills dark brown internally, externally dark fulvous-brown, somewhat ashy on the outer webs of the primaries; tail-feathers dark fulvous-brown; crown of head dark ashy gray, the hind neck and sides of neck lighter ashy gray; lores and feathers round the eye ashy whitish; ear-coverts light ashy gray with whitish shaft-lines; cheeks white, with a narrow line of black along their upper margin; entire throat pure white, as also the entire abdomen; breast and sides of the body, thighs, and under tail-coverts light fulvous-brown, with paler shaft-lines on the feathers of the breast; axillars fulvous with white bases; under wing-coverts fulvous; quills dusky brown below, ashy fulvous along the edge of the inner web. 'Bill brownish gray, the mandible white; legs pallid, the front of the tarsi tinged brown; iris burnt sienna-orange.' (A. H. Everett.) Length, 144; culmen, 18; wing, 60; tail, 27; tarsus, 28. (Mus. R. G. Wardlaw-Ramsay)." (Sharpe.)

"Rare in the region collected in by us; a single male obtained. It measures: Length, 127; wing, 61; tail, 27; culmen, 20; tarsus, 27; middle toe with claw, 23. Iris brown; legs, feet, and nails pale flesh-color; upper mandible black, lower nearly white." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus DASYCROTAPHA Tweeddale, 1878.

"Base of maxilla densely clothed with short feathers, space behind the eye naked; bill about the length of head, and formed as in Mixornis; wing lengthened, longer than tail; first primary half the length of the second, which is a fifth shorter than the third; third a little shorter than the fourth, which is equal to fifth and sixth; tail moderate and square; tarsus strong; hallux with claw stout and long; digits short and slender; outer a little longer than inner." (Tweeddale.)

504. DASYCROTAPHA SPECIOSA Tweeddale.

BEAUTIFUL ROUGHTEMPLE.

Dasycrotapha speciosa Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), 114,
pl. 9; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1883), 7, 574; Hand-List
(1903), 4, 51; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 81.

Negros (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino).

Male.--"Head crested; forehead with dense short plumes covering the base of the maxilla; circle round the eye, whole space before the eye, tuft on the side of the base of mandible, chin and uppermost part of throat pure lemon-yellow; crown of the head black; post occipital plumes yellow; nape yellowish green tipped with black; a lengthened tuft of plumes springing from above the eye bright orange; a line immediately below this tuft black; a tuft of stiff decomposed feathers springing from below the eye and extending over the ears white or grayish white; an irregular band across the throat black; dorsal feathers gray with light olive-green tips and white shafts; uropygium yellowish green; upper tail-coverts the same, tinged with rufous; lower throat and upper breast bright yellow, most of the feathers with black terminal drops; lower breast and rest of under plumage duller yellow tinged with green on the flanks; quills brown margined with yellowish olive-green, inner margin of quills pale yellow; wing-coverts dull olive-green, carpal edge and wing-lining yellow; tail dull rufous. 'Iris crimson; bill orange-yellow.' (Everett.) Wing, 66; tail, 60; tarsus, 22; culmen, 19." (Tweeddale.)

"Only three specimens of this rare bird were obtained by us. They were all secured in the deep forest, where they were feeding among the leaves of low trees. We feel quite confident that we saw D. speciosa in Panay on one occasion, but the one individual observed escaped us. Three specimens average as follows: Wing, 66; tail, 57; culmen, 17; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 16. Iris reddish brown; legs and feet olive-yellow, nails nearly white; bill yellow." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus ZOSTERORNIS Grant, 1894.

Bill slender and pointed; rictal bristles small, less than bill from nostril; nasal opening oval with a large overhanging membrane; wing pointed, not greatly curved, and slightly exceeding the tail; rectrices well developed; tarsi and feet slender, and moderate in length; tarsus about twice the bill from nostril. Some species in this genus resemble species of Mixornis, but in the latter there is no flap above the nasal opening and the feathers of the back are long and fluffy.

"This genus is most nearly allied to Cyanoderma, but there is no naked space around the eyes, which, on the contrary, are encircled by a ring of short white feathers perfectly similar to that of a true Zosterops. From Mixornis it differs in having the nostrils long and covered by a large membrane. The tail is composed of twelve feathers. The fifth primary is slightly longer than the fourth and sixth; first, short, half the length of the second." (Grant.)

Species.

a1. Outer tail-feathers not tipped with white.

b1. Under parts heavily streaked with black. ... striatus (p. 527)
b2. Under parts not heavily streaked with black.

c1. Larger; wing, 60 mm. or more; forehead and sides of head
chestnut; crown gray; under parts light yellow. ... whiteheadi
(p. 528)
c2. Smaller; wing, 56 mm. or less; forehead and sides of face
not chestnut; under parts white.

d1. Forehead and crown brown with pale shaft-stripes; upper parts
olive-brown with indistinct pale shafts; throat and chest gray
with white shaft-stripes; rest of under parts white. ... pygmæus
(p. 529)
d2. Head, neck, and breast reddish brown with white
shaft-stripes. ... plateni (p. 530)

a2. Outer tail-feathers widely tipped with white.

b1. Forehead, crown, chin, and throat not uniform in color.

c1. Forehead and crown red-brown or auburn. ... capitalis (p. 530)
c2. Forehead and crown black.

d1. Chin and throat lemon-yellow with a patch of dull reddish
brown on each side. ... nigrocapitatus (p. 531)
d2. Chin and throat lemon-yellow, washed with reddish
brown. ... affinis (p. 532)

b2. Forehead, crown, chin, and throat golden yellow; back and under
parts washed with lighter yellow. ... dennistouni (p. 529)

505. ZOSTERORNIS STRIATUS Grant.

STRIPED TREE BABBLER.

Zosterornis striatus Grant, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club (1894), 4,
2; Ibis (1895), 111, pl. 4, fig. 1; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 222
(habits).
Zosterornis striata Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 51; McGregor
and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 82.

Luzon (Whitehead).

"Male and female adult.--In general appearance this new species resembles Mixornis montana Sharpe, from Mount Kina Balu, but it is readily recognizable as forming a second species of the genus Zosterornis by the shape of the nostrils and the peculiar ring of white feathers which surrounds the eye, as well as the absence of rufous-brown or dark chestnut on the wings so characteristic of the genus Mixornis.

"The general color of the upper parts is dull olive, tinged with brownish on the upper tail-coverts: quills dark brown, edged on the outer web with olive, and on the inner with yellowish white. A marked ring of white plumes surrounds the eye; lores and fore part of cheeks whitish, tinged with yellow; a well-marked black eyebrow stripe from the nostril to the posterior margin of the orbit, and a second less distinct band below the eye; hind cheek and ear-coverts dull olive like the crown; chin and throat uniform white, tinged with yellow and bordered on either side by a black malar stripe; rest of the under parts yellowish white, each feather with a wide black shaft-stripe; tail-feathers brown, margined with olive towards the edges of the outer webs.

"Types of the species.--Male adult: Length, 140; wing, 60; tail, 52; tarsus, 18; culmen, 16. Female adult: Length, 140; wing, 61; tail, 52; tarsus, 18; culmen, 16." (Grant.)

The striped tree babbler is known only from the mountains of northern Luzon.

506. ZOSTERORNIS WHITEHEADI Grant.

WHITEHEAD'S TREE BABBLER.

Zosterornis whiteheadi Grant, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club (1894), 3,
40; Ibis (1894); 510, pl. 15, fig. 1; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 222
(habits); Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 51; McGregor and Worcester,
Hand-List (1906), 82.

Luzon (Whitehead, Worcester, McGregor).

Adult (sexes alike).--Forehead, chin, entire side of head, and superciliary stripe cinnamon-rufous; a ring of white around eye; top of head dark gray; remainder of upper parts dull olive-green; under parts greenish yellow; middle of abdomen lemon-yellow; wing- and tail-feathers brown, edged with olive-green; inner webs of quills ocherous fawn; wing-lining pale yellow. Iris brown; bill black; legs dull greenish; nails light flesh-color. Length, about 155. A male measures: Wing, 66; tail, 59; culmen from base, 17; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 23. A female, wing, 64; tail, 65; culmen from base, 17; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 22.

Young.--Similar to the adult, but the colors duller and the gray of crown passing gradually into the olive of back; flanks and crissum washed with cinnamon.

Whitehead's tree babbler is very abundant in the vicinity of Baguio, Benguet Province, Luzon.

507. ZOSTERORNIS DENNISTOUNI Grant.

YELLOW TREE BABBLER.

Zosterornis dennistouni Grant, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club (1895), 5,
2; Ibis (1896), 118, pl. 3, fig. 2; (1897), 234 (key to species);
Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 223, (habits); Sharpe, Hand-List (1903),
4, 51; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 82.

Luzon (Whitehead).

"Adult male and female.--Forehead and crown shining golden yellow, shading into yellowish gray on the back and sides of the head and neck, and greenish gray on the back and rest of the upper parts, all the feathers with narrow whitish shaft-stripes; wings dark brown, the quills margined with yellowish brown; chin and throat golden yellow, but paler than the crown, and shading into whitish yellow on the breast and rest of under parts; sides and flanks washed with greenish gray; tail-feathers brownish black, margined on the outer webs with yellowish brown, the five outer pairs tipped with white, the tips increasing in width towards the outer pair, which has also the greater part of the outer web white.

"Immature birds resemble the adult, but the golden yellow forehead is represented by yellowish brown feathers with pale middles, the quills are edged with rufous, and the under parts are white slightly tinged with yellow." (Grant.)

Grant's measurements of the types, converted to millimeters, are: Male, length, 140; wing, 68; tail, 61; culmen, 18; tarsus, 19; female, length, 135; wing, 66; tail, 56; culmen, 18; tarsus, 19.

The yellow tree babbler is resident in the vicinity of Cape Engaño, northern Luzon.

508. ZOSTERORNIS PYGMÆUS Grant.

PYGMY TREE BABBLER.

Mixornis plateni Bourns and Worcester, Minnesota
Acad. Nat. Sci. Occ. Papers (1894), 1, 58, (not of Blasius).
Zosterornis pygmæus Grant, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club (1896), 6, 18;
Ibis (1897), 233, pl. 6, fig. 1; Whitehead, Ibis, (1899), 223
(habits).
Zosterornis pygmæa Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 51; McGregor and
Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 82.

Leyte (Whitehead); Samar (Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).

"Adult male and female.--General color above brownish olive, brownest on the crown, each feather of which has a narrow whitish shaft-stripe; lores whitish; feathers above and below the eye blackish with white shafts; chin whitish; throat, fore neck, and chest gray with white middles to the feathers, most marked on the throat; breast and belly white, shading into grayish on the sides, flanks, and under tail-coverts. 'Iris bicolored, outer ring red, inner pale yellow; bill slate-blue, black at tip; feet slate-gray.' (Whitehead.) Length, 102; culmen, 13; wing, 53; tail, 39; tarsus, 16.5." (Grant.)

509. ZOSTERORNIS PLATENI (Blasius).

PLATEN'S TREE BABBLER.

Mixornis plateni Blasius, Journ. für Orn. (1890), 147.
Zosterornis plateni Grant, Ibis (1897), 233, (key to species);
Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 51; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List
(1906), 82.

Mindanao (Platen).

Diagnosis.--Similar to Zosterornis capitalis, but noticeably smaller.

Description of female.--Above olive-brown; rump and tail-coverts more rust-colored; upper back with white shaft-stripes; entire head above and on sides, neck, and breast red-brown, with fine white shaft-stripes; chin and throat more blackish with broad white shaft-stripes; tail-feathers uniformly brown, washed with olive-brown on the outer webs; tail-feathers above and upper wing-coverts similar; under wing-coverts and axillars whitish. Length, 120; wing, 55; tail, 47; culmen, 10; tarsus, 15. [71]

510. ZOSTERORNIS CAPITALIS (Tweeddale).

RUFOUS-CROWNED TREE BABBLER.

Mixornis capitalis Tweeddale, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (1877),
20, 535; Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), 110, pl. 7, fig. 2; Sharpe,
Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1883), 7, 582.
Zosterornis capitalis Grant, Ibis, (1897), 233, (key to species);
Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 51; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List
(1906), 82.

Basilan (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor);
Dinagat (Everett); Leyte (Everett); Mindanao (Platen, Goodfellow,
Celestino); Panaon (Everett).

Adult (male and female).--Forehead and crown rufous-chestnut or reddish auburn, some of the feathers with yellowish shaft-stripes; occiput, back, and lesser and median wing-coverts dark brown with pale yellow shaft-stripes; rump and tail-coverts slightly olivaceous and without shaft-stripes; lores, ear-coverts, and cheeks ashy with whitish shaft-stripes; chin and throat chestnut, washed with light yellow; remainder of under parts very pale yellow; sides and flanks gray; wings brown, the outer webs edged with lighter brown, inner webs edged with white; rectrices brown, all but the middle pair tipped with white which increases on each pair toward the outermost, the outer webs of which are entirely white. A male from Mindanao measures: Length, 147; wing, 69; tail, 60; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 18. A female, wing, 67; tail, 60; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 9.5; tarsus, 18.5.

"Not uncommon in the deep forest of Basilan, where it is usually found in company with Macronous, Hypothymis, and other birds. Seventeen males average: Length, 143; wing, 67; tail, 61; culmen, 18; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 16. Eleven females, length, 141; wing, 67; tail, 60; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 16; culmen, 16. Iris reddish brown; legs and feet drab, with a greenish tinge; feet and nails yellowish; bill almost black." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

511. ZOSTERORNIS NIGROCAPITATUS (Steere).

BLACK-CROWNED TREE BABBLER.

Mixornis nigrocapitatus Steere, List Birds and Mams. Steere
Exped. (1890), 17.
Zosterornis nigrocapitatus Grant, Ibis (1897), 232; Whitehead,
Ibis (1899), 223 (habits).
Zosterornis nigrocapitata Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 51;
McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 82 (part).

Bohol (McGregor); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead); Samar (Steere
Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).

Adult (male and female).--Forehead, lores, and crown black, on each side behind eye a small patch of dark chestnut; remainder of upper parts ashy gray with lighter shaft-stripes; tail-coverts slightly olivaceous; ear-coverts and sides of head and neck like the back; chin and throat clear saffron-yellow, extending faintly onto fore breast; a short stripe of dark chestnut on each side of throat; middle of lower breast and abdomen and tail-coverts white; sides, flanks, and thighs gray; quills brown, externally edged with dull olivaceous, internally with white; median and lesser coverts like the back; rectrices brown, all but the middle pair tipped with white which increases on each pair toward the outermost, the outer webs of which are entirely white. Length, about 145. A male from Bohol measures: Wing, 68; tail, 62; culmen from base, 14.5; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 17. A female, wing, 65.5; tail, 59; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 9.5; tarsus, 17.

"Professor Steere originally described this bird as a Mixornis, but the structure of the nasal opening, as well as the shape of the wing, clearly shows that it is a species of Zosterornis, most nearly allied to Z. dennistouni Grant from Luzon. Young birds have the top of the head brownish and the interscapular region darker than in the adult, and both these parts have well-defined whitish shaft-stripes; the color of the chin and throat is also paler than in the adult, while the outer webs of the primary-quills are pale sandy.

"(The black-headed babbler is common in Samar and Leyte, and frequents the higher branches of the undergrowth. Iris two-colored, having an outer ring of red and an inner one of pale yellow; bill black; legs dull lead-blue.--J. W.)" (Grant.)

"Fairly common in the deep forest of Samar. Never seen in any other locality by us. Seven males average: Length, 140; wing, 66; tail, 59; culmen, 17; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 16. Five females, length, 139; wing, 67; tail, 57; culmen, 16; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 16. Iris varies from light brown to brick-red, in young birds it is dull yellow; legs and feet light olive-brown, often with a wash of yellow; nails brown to yellow; bill black. Breeding in July and August." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

512. ZOSTERORNIS AFFINIS McGregor.

RUFOUS-CHINNED TREE BABBLER.

Zosterornis nigrocapitata McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List
(1906), 82, (part).
Zosterornis affinis McGregor, Phil. Journ. Sci. (1907), 2,
sec. A, 292.

Luzon (Celestino).

Male (type).--Forehead and crown black, the shafts obscurely whitish; a small patch of chestnut behind each eye next to the black crown; general color above dull olive-gray, feathers of neck and mantle with conspicuous, narrow, whitish shaft-lines; rump uniform; a narrow ring around eye, ear-coverts, and cheeks gray with pale yellow shaft-lines; chin, throat, and fore breast pale lemon-yellow, the chin heavily washed with chestnut-rufous which becomes gradually less on throat and disappears on breast; middle of breast and abdomen very pale yellow, their sides gray, overlaid with a faint yellow wash; under tail-coverts pale yellow; wings blackish brown, outer edges of quills lighter and inner edges whitish; median and lesser coverts with light shaft-lines; upper tail-coverts dull olive-brown; rectrices dark brown, except the outermost feathers, their outer webs edged with olive-brown, all but the center pair tipped with white, increasing in extent toward the outermost feather which has its outer web almost entirely white. Length, 152; wing, 68; tail, 61; culmen from base, 17; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 19.

This species is similar to Z. nigrocapitatus, but is slightly larger and the back is distinctly olivaceous; the reddish brown of chin and upper throat are diffused over these parts instead of forming a patch on each side. The only known specimen, a male, was taken in Bataan Province, Luzon, December 3, 1904.

Genus MIXORNIS "Hodgson" Blyth, 1842.

Rictal bristles nearly as long as bill from nostril; culmen from base a little shorter than tarsus; nasal opening oval and with no overhanging membrane; feathers of lower back long, decomposed, and hair-like, without stiff shafts, the longest reaching to tips of tail-coverts; entire body plumage soft and decomposed.

Species.

a1. Chin and throat light yellow, narrowly striped with black. ... woodi (p. 533) a2. Chin and throat white, broadly striped with black. ... cagayanensis (p. 534)

513. MIXORNIS WOODI Sharpe.

PALAWAN TIT BABBLER.

Mixornis woodi Sharpe, Trans. Linn. Soc. 2d. ser. Zool. (1877),
1, 331; Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1883), 7, 577; Hand-List (1903),
4, 53; Oates and Reid, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1905), 4, 49, pl. 2,
fig. 9; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 82.

Balabac (Everett); Palawan (Steere, Everett, Whitehead, Platen,
Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor, White, Celestino).

Adult (sexes similar).--Forehead, lores, cheeks, ear-coverts, and feathers around eye ashy gray, more or less streaked with black; crown dark chestnut; occiput, nape, sides of crown behind eye, sides of neck, and back olive-gray; long feathers of lower back dark ocherous brown; chin white; throat and fore breast light sulphur-yellow with narrow black shaft-lines; remainder of under parts light olive-gray, more yellowish along middle of breast and abdomen; wings, tail, and upper tail-coverts rusty chestnut; primaries and secondaries edged with white on inner webs; rectrices with narrow obsolete bars. Length, about 140. A male measures: Wing, 60; tail, 55; culmen from base, 14; bill from nostril, 8.5; tarsus, 20. A female, wing, 62; tail, 56; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 21.

"Very common in the vines and thickets of forest and second growth in Palawan. Not found by us in the Calamianes. Four males average: Length, 137; wing, 61; tail, 56; culmen, 16; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 18. Seven females, length, 133; wing, 58; tail, 52; culmen, 16; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 17." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

514. MIXORNIS CAGAYANENSIS Guillemard.

CAGAYAN SULU TIT BABBLER.

Mixornis cagayanensis Guillemard, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1885), 419,
pl. 25; Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 53; McGregor and Worcester,
Hand-List (1906), 82.

Cagayan Sulu (Guillemard).

Male.--"Above grayish olive; the forehead grayish, with black shafts to the feathers, the occipital region with a tinge of chestnut; feathers round the eye and in the parotic region ashy; throat and chin pure white, broadly striped with black; breast pale yellow, also broadly striped, shading off below into the yellowish olive-gray of the crissum and under tail-coverts; thighs with a slight reddish tint; under wing-coverts white; wings chestnut; tail brown with traces of dark barring. Iris pale yellow; bill and feet lead-colored. Length, about 145; wing, 64; tail, 60; bill from gape, 18; tarsus, 20.

"This species, which was common in low bushes in the more open situations in the island, is at once distinguishable from M. bornensis by the upper surface being of an ashy olive-brown instead of chestnut. It has a loud note of alarm, is very restless in its movements, and apparently rarely flies far off the ground." (Guillemard.)

Genus MACRONOUS Jardine and Selby, 1835.

Rictal bristles about as long as bill from nostril; nasal opening oval and not protected by a flap; culmen from base less than tarsus; long feathers of the back reaching to or beyond the tips of tail-coverts, their shafts stiff and usually white; feathers on sides of body long, decomposed, and hair-like; most of the plumage loose and decomposed. Macronous resembles Mixornis in its long dorsal feathers, but differs from the latter in having the shafts of these feathers thick and stiff. Zosterornis differs from both of these genera in having shorter dorsal plumes and in having a flap above the nasal opening.

Species.

a1. Entire top of head black with conspicuous white shaft-stripes.