Bill stout and strong; nostrils at base of bill and visible from above, partly covered by long stiff bristles; wings moderate; first primary very short; tail short and nearly square; rectrices ten; toes four, the outer one reversed, middle and inner ones united for their basal joints.
Characters same as those given for the Order.
Characters same as those given for the Order.
Bristles about bill reaching beyond its tip; a small bunch of shorter bristles on chin; a narrow circle of bare skin around eye; prevailing color green with patches of red and yellow; length, about 150 mm. Individuals of the Philippine species are solitary and may be observed perched in dead trees where they remain for an hour or more at a time, repeating a single monotonous note. Eggs three or four, pure white; deposited in a hole excavated in a limb of a tree.
A-so-ni-pú-song, Manila; took-took, generally.
Calamianes ? (Bourns & Worcester); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead); Luzon (Meyer, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor); Mindanao (Martens, Everett, Koch & Schadenberg, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, Goodfellow); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Everett, Schmacker, Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor, Porter); Samar (Whitehead). Malay and Indian Peninsulas, Burmese Provinces, Ceylon, Sumatra.
Adult (sexes similar).—Forehead and crown crimson, followed by a blackish cross-band extending behind eye to ear-coverts; occiput and nape bluish slate; rest of upper parts olive-green; superciliary line, subocular line, chin, and throat light sulphur-yellow; lores, jaw, and ear-coverts black; posterior to yellow throat a narrow crimson band, followed by a narrower golden yellow band; remainder of under parts pale yellow heavily streaked with dark green, lighter on middle of abdomen; exposed edges of wing and tail-feathers grass-green. Iris brown; bill and nails black; legs and bare skin about eye red. A male from Bataan Province, Luzon, measures: Length, 175; wing, 87; tail, 42; bill from nostril, 17; culmen from base, 21; tarsus, 20; middle toe with claw, 21. A female from Bataan Province measures: Wing, 83; tail, 40; bill from nostril, 16; culmen from base, 20; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 18.
“Young.—Differs from the adult in wanting the scarlet on the head and the bright colors of the under parts; uniform green above with yellowish white edgings to wing-coverts and secondaries; a pale yellow mark above and below eye; cheeks and ear-coverts blackish; throat and abdomen pale yellow; fore neck and breast dull green, the breast and sides of body narrowly streaked with green.” (Shelley.)
“We heard a barbet on several occasions in Busuanga, but were unable to procure any specimens. As X. hæmacephalum occurs in Mindoro, it seems most probable that the Busuanga bird will prove to be of this species. Called ‘took-took’ by the natives from its habit of perching in the top of some tree and singing ‘took, took, took’ by the hour. Sometimes called ‘clock-bird’ by the Spaniards, from the regularity with which it utters its note.
“Seven males from Mindanao average, 158 in length; wing, 78; tail, 34; culmen, 22; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 45. Seven females from same locality: Length, 157; wing, 78; tail, 33; culmen, 22; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 20. Iris brown; legs and feet red; nails black; skin around eye deep red.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Masbate (McGregor); Negros (Layard, Everett, Steere Exp., Whitehead); Romblon (McGregor); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino). Bali, Java, Sumatra.
Adult (sexes alike).—Superciliary stripe, subocular band, chin, and throat crimson; otherwise the plumage is like that of Xantholæma hæmacephalum. Bill and nails black; legs and bare skin about eye crimson. A male from Tablas measures: Length, 170; wing, 78; tail, 36; bill from nostril, 15; culmen from base, 21; tarsus, 19; middle toe with claw, 20. A female from Romblon measures: Length, 170; wing, 81; tail, 33; bill from nostril, 16; culmen from base, 22; tarsus, 22; middle toe with claw, 22.
Young.—A young bird has the feathers of forehead and crown blackish slate, tipped with olive-green; below eye a pale yellow band; greater and median wing-coverts and inner secondaries tipped with pale yellow; no crimson feathers; legs flesh-color; otherwise like the adult.
“Five males from Tablas average, 160 in length; wing, 79; tail, 36; culmen, 22; tarsus, 19; middle toe with claw, 20. Four females from same place: Length, 160; wing, 78; tail, 33; culmen, 22; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 20. Iris dark brown; legs and feet red; nails black; bill black, except base of lower mandible, which is gray.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Shelley gives the name Xantholæma intermedia to the Philippine bird distinguishing it from the Javan form as having upper parts uniform green with no pale edges to the feathers; cheek-band black in front, passing into olive-gray down the sides of the red throat; under parts more strongly marked with brighter green centers to the feathers. The validity of this species is somewhat doubtful.
Bill strong and tapering, neither hooked nor cered; its outlines straight or nearly so, its tip compressed and chisel-shaped; legs rather short; feet and nails strong; two toes in front, two or rarely one behind, all free to their bases.
Characters same as those given for the Order.
Tail-feathers twelve, more or less wedge-shaped at their tips, the shafts large and very stiff.
Culmen nearly straight; nasal ridge weak; nostrils hidden; first primary short and slender; second primary nearly equal to third, fourth, and fifth which are subequal; upper parts black or brown, more or less barred with white or ocherous-white; below white or buff with blackish spots and stripes; wings and tail black or blackish brown, more or less barred with white; females with no red on the head. This genus includes the smallest Philippine woodpeckers; length, about 150 mm.
Car-pen-te-ro ma-liit′, Manila; cu-di-nang′-a, Benguet.
Catanduanes (Whitehead); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Jagor, Möllendorff, Everett, Steere Exp., Whitehead, McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Everett, Porter).
Adult male.—Above blackish brown; browner on forehead and crown; ear-coverts brown; a wide white stripe from eye to nape; a very short, narrow, red line on side of occiput; middle of throat white, with a blackish line on each side and above this a white line; rest of under parts white with a fulvous wash; breast with large blackish spots; abdomen with blackish stripes; rump and upper tail-coverts white, spotted with black. A male from Lubang measures: Wing, 81; tail, 42; culmen from base, 20; tarsus, 14.
Female.—Differs from the male in having no red on sides of occiput. A female from Bataan Province, Luzon, measures: Wing, 82; tail, 45; culmen from base, 18; tarsus, 14.
“Dr. J. B. Steere, the first naturalist before whom a series of specimens [of Yungipicus] from all these localities ever lay, saw at once the differences between the Luzon and Panay birds, which unfortunately he seems not to have thought worth pointing out, and rightly retained the name ‘maculatus’ for the Panay species. The Luzon birds he called ‘validirostris,’ with apparent reason as they most certainly are not maculatus and the birds described by Blyth may well have come from Luzon. The Mindanao-Basilan species he re-described under the name ‘Yungipicus basilanicus’ overlooking Hargitt’s name and description entirely. * * * The other species of the genus found in the Philippine Islands with the possible exception of that from Samar and Leyte are so well-marked that no possibility of confusion exists.” (Bourns and Worcester.)
“Quite common in Marinduque. Not abundant in the parts of Mindoro visited by us, and no specimens were gathered by the Menage Expedition. A female specimen in the Steere collection measures as follows: Wing, 79; tail, 44; culmen, 17; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 15.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Cebu (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Guimaras (Koch & Schadenberg); Negros (Whitehead); Panay (Sonnerat, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester).
Male.—Above dark brown tinged with olive; white band from eye to nape broken; a long wide red stripe on each side of occiput; spots on throat and breast not so black as in validirostris. A male from Cebu measures: Length, 145; wing, 85; tail, 44; culmen from base, 19; tarsus, 15.
Female.—Similar to the male but with no red on the head. A female from Cebu measures: Wing, 86; tail, 52; culmen from base, 19; tarsus, 14.
“Quite common in Cebu; rarer in Panay. Not met with in Negros though it probably occurs there. Almost certainly absent in Masbate. Most abundant about dead trees in the open, and in low second growth.
“Three males measure, 142 in length; wing, 81; tail, 38; culmen, 19; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 15. A female measures, 152 in length; wing, 80; tail, 42; tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 23; culmen, 18. Iris reddish brown to dark brown; legs and feet dirty olive-green; nails brown; bill nearly or quite black, leaden at tip. Food insects and larvæ.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor).
“Adult male.—General color of upper surface dark blackish brown; top of head uniform black; small spot above and behind the eye creamy white; scarlet stripes on sides of occiput shorter than in Y. maculatus and beginning further back; they are confluent on nape; behind and under the scarlet stripe is a partially concealed spot of creamy white; scapulars, interscapulars, and back barred with creamy white; rump creamy white, some of the feathers with narrow brownish black shaft-stripes; upper tail-coverts brownish black, broadly edged with buffy white; tail brownish black, paler at base of feathers and with both webs of feathers spotted with pale buff; wing-coverts brownish black, each feather having one or two creamy white spots on outer web; wing brownish black; outer five primaries with two or three very narrow creamy white spots on outer web, or with no spots at all; tips of inner primaries and inner webs of all primaries spotted with creamy white; secondaries similarly spotted on both webs; ear-coverts rusty brown; creamy white malar-stripe extending back of ear-coverts; chin and narrow stripe down center of throat white, bordered by a broad stripe of brownish black on each side, the tips of feathers forming side stripes being brownish white; under surface with strong fulvescent wash; feathers of upper breast with distinct brownish black shaft-marks; feathers of lower breast and abdomen with ill-defined streaks of the same color; feathers of flanks nearly white with only slight dark markings; under tail-coverts yellowish white, with dark shaft-stripes; under surface of tail slightly lighter than upper, but tips of two central pairs of feathers nearly black; under wing-coverts and axillars creamy white, spotted with brownish black; bend of wing uniform brownish black.
“The adult female lacks the scarlet head markings of the male and the creamy white spot, which is partially concealed in the male, is in the female quite conspicuous; otherwise the sexes are alike.
“Five males measure in length, 148; culmen, 20; wing, 78; tail, 40; tarsus, 15. Eight females, length, 152; culmen, 20; wing, 81; tail, 41; tarsus, 17.” (Bourns and Worcester.)
“Common in Sibuyan; usually found in the forest. Seems not to occur in Tablas or Romblon. Iris dark brown to brownish red; legs and feet olive-brown; nails leaden; bill black, except base of lower mandible, which is gray.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Bá-tuc, Bohol, used for all woodpeckers.
Bohol (McGregor); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
Male.—Forehead and crown black; wings and back barred with white; lower back and rump white, washed with pale fawn; ear-coverts black; white stripe from above eye to side of neck very broad; a conspicuous red patch on each side of occiput; throat and breast washed with pale fawn. Length of a male from Bohol, 145; wing, 83; tail, 42; culmen from base, 20.
Female.—Similar to the male but with no red patches.
“Two males from Samar average, 152 in length; wing, 80; tail, 31; culmen, 19; tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 17. A female, length, 159; wing, 87; tail, 37; culmen, 20; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 17. Iris reddish brown; legs, feet, and nails yellowish brown; upper mandible and tip of lower black; base of lower mandible yellowish.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Basilan (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Mindanao (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow, Celestino).
Male.—Above black, barred with white and washed with pale fawn; forehead and crown seal-brown; ear-coverts and side of neck black; a wide white stripe from above eye to side of nape; a conspicuous bright red stripe on side of occiput; back and rump pale fawn; lower parts strongly washed with light ocherous yellow; round spots on breast much smaller than in preceding species; abdomen and sides but faintly lined with black; no dark spots on crissum. Length of a male from Basilan, 152; wing, 84; tail, 40; culmen from base, 19.
Female.—Similar to the male but without red patches on head. Length of a female from Basilan, 147; wing, 82; tail, 43; culmen from base, 19.
“A younger male has the rump and upper tail-coverts uniform; the white on the sides of the face and neck, chin and throat purer; the spots on the chest and breast smaller, and the breast not so yellow; the under wing-coverts less spotted with black, and the primaries tipped with white.” (Hargitt.)
“Quite abundant in low second growth in Basilan. Nine males from that island average, 141 in length; wing, 81; tail, 39; culmen, 20; tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 17.
“Three females, length, 149; wing, 84; tail, 38; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 17; culmen, 19. Iris reddish brown; legs and feet dirty olive-yellow; nails brown; bill black, paler at base.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Bongao (Everett); Sulu (Guillemard, Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester).
Male.—Above earthy brown; white bars mostly wanting except on inner webs of quills; rump white; no well-defined spots or stripes on breast and abdomen; breast with a strong wash of saffron-yellow; sides and abdomen dirty white, faintly streaked with dusky brown. A male from Tawi Tawi measures: Wing, 81; tail, 47; culmen from base, 18.
Female.—Similar to the male but with no red on the head. A female from Sulu measures: Wing, 84; tail, 42; culmen from base, 18.
“The younger female has some indistinct spots of pale brown upon the inner webs of the four central rectrices. ‘Iris brown; bill slate-black; tarsus olive-green.’ (Guillemard.)” (Hargitt.)
“Very abundant about dead trees in open fields both in Sulu and Tawi Tawi. Seven males from Sulu average, 136 in length; wing, 84; tail, 34; culmen, 20; tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 17. Three females from same place, length, 142; wing, 81; tail, 37; culmen, 17; tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 17. Iris dark brown to brownish red; legs and feet olive-brown, nails nearly black; bill black at tip, ashy gray at base.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Three toes, two in front, one behind; bill much smaller and weaker than in Chrysocolaptes; culmen curved; nostrils situated near the culmen, nasal ridge weak; occipital crest full.
Balabac (Everett); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Palawan (Steere, Everett, Lempriere, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White).
Male.—Forehead, crown, occipital crest, back, and rump scarlet; feathers of crown with black bases; mantle, wing-coverts, and secondaries golden yellow; a few of the mantle-feathers slightly washed with scarlet; primaries, tail, and tail-coverts blackish brown; inner webs of quills with large white spots; a wide black band from eye to ear-coverts, above this and behind eye a pale buff line bordered above with black; a pale buff line from corner of mouth passing below eye and ear-coverts to side of neck, below this a black line extending from base of lower mandible to side of neck and washed with crimson on the jaws; lower parts pale creamy buff, spotted and barred with blackish brown; a large patch on fore breast olivaceous brown, feathers just below this with large blackish brown centers. Length of a male from Palawan, 275; wing, 136; tail, not fully grown, 92; culmen from base, 31; tarsus, 23.
Female.—Differs from the male in wanting the red on jaw, forehead, and crown, these parts being black; crest-feathers black with some red near their tips. Length of a female from Palawan, 255; wing, 137; tail, 95; culmen from base, 30; tarsus, 23.
An immature female has no red on the crest.
“Common in Palawan and the Calamianes Islands. Food, ants and their larvæ. Observed in trees in the open fields in Culion. Found only in the forest in Palawan.
“Ten males average, 260 in length; wing, 150; tail, 84; culmen, 29; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 27. Five females, length, 261; wing, 134; tail, 84; culmen, 28; tarsus, 21; middle toe with claw, 28. Iris chocolate-brown; legs and feet dirty green; bill black, except base of lower mandible, which is gray.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Culmen nearly straight; nasal ridge strongly marked; nostrils exposed; feathers of throat and breast with large nearly circular light spots bordered with black or blackish brown; upper parts red or yellow; inner webs of quills with large white spots; of medium size, length 250 to 280 mm.; bare space around eye larger than in Tiga and the crest laterally compressed instead of being spread out.
Balabac (Everett); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Palawan (Steere, Everett, Lempriere, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White).
Male.—Entire head, sides of head, and upper throat crimson, the throat very pale, almost rose-color, and with three narrow black lines, one in the middle and one on each side; ear-coverts black; mantle and wings golden yellow; back and rump scarlet; tail black; feathers of under parts white with a slight buff wash and black edges, producing the spotted appearance usual in this genus; tail blackish brown. Length, about 280; wing, 153; tail, 98; culmen from base, 43; tarsus, 27.
Female.—Differs from the male in having forehead, crown, and crest olive greenish tinged with red, each feather with a light yellow spot near its tip. Wing, 147; tail, 97; culmen from base, 42; tarsus, 27.
“Young female.—Resembles the adult male in having the top of the head and the crest entirely red, but the color is scarlet (not crimson) and the feathers are extremely soft; there is less red on the face and upper part of the side of the neck, and only a tinge of this color on the chin and throat; the general color above and on the wings is more olive, and the feathers of the back, the scapulars, the lesser and median wing-coverts are margined with reddish orange; the scapulars and the feathers of the back and rump have the partially exposed black bases spotted with white; on the outer primaries there is a subapical spot of dull white. Described from a specimen sexed female by Mr. John Whitehead.” (Hargitt.)
“Much less common than T. everetti. Never met with outside of the forest; feeds on insect larvæ. A male measures, 274 in length; wing, 147; tail, 81; culmen, 41; tarsus, 26; middle toe with claw, 32. Three females average, 274 in length; wing, 147; tail, 86; culmen, 37; tarsus, 25; middle toe with claw, 31. Iris dark red; legs and feet dirty olive, nails lighter; bill white at tip, greenish yellow at base.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Luzon (Meyer, Everett, Möllendorff, Steere Exp., Whitehead, Worcester, McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.).
Male.—Head, wings, and upper parts deep crimson; hind neck black with large pale buff spots; tail dark seal-brown with black shafts; under parts pale fulvous-buff; a black median line on upper throat and two black lines on each side of throat; lower throat and breast black, each feather with a large round buffy white spot; lower breast and abdomen faintly barred with dusky brown. Bill black; legs dirty greenish; nails brown. Length, 275; wing, 140; tail, 92; culmen from base, 40; tarsus, 29.
Female.—Differs from the male in having top of head black, each feather with a small, sharply defined, white spot. Wing, 142; tail, 88; culmen from base, 40; tarsus, 24.
SCOPOLI’S GOLDEN FLICKER.
Basilan (Steere, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Everett, Murray, Koch & Schadenberg, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow).
Male.—Top of head, back, and rump scarlet; mantle and wings dull golden yellow, the feathers edged with dull crimson, producing a mixture of yellow and red on these parts; tail brown; upper tail-coverts dull golden, washed with crimson; under parts olive-brown, most of the feathers with round buff spots or tips. Length, 275; wing, 142; tail, 99; culmen from base, 43; tarsus, 27.
Female.—Similar to the male but feathers on top of head olive-green, washed with dull crimson and each feather having a pale yellow spot at its tip. Wing, 134; tail, 92; culmen from base, 38; tarsus, 26.
“Young.—The male differs from the adult of the same sex in having less red on the feathers of the back, which, together with the scapulars, are more spotted with white, some of these spots being exposed; face duller yellow; chest and upper breast dusky olive, the feathers having close to the tip a large heart-shaped spot of pale golden buff, with a concealed spot of pure white separated from it by a dusky bar. The female has the feathers of the forehead, crown, occiput, and nape olive-golden, with dusky olive bases, the crown-feathers slightly tinged with red, those of the occiput and nape more so, the whole being covered with small rounded spots of golden white; the chin, throat, and malar region whiter, the latter without any tinge of red.” (Hargitt.)
“Common in Mindanao and Basilan. Found both in forest and in second growth. Seven males from Mindanao measure, 262 in length; wing, 133; tail, 79; culmen, 45; tarsus, 25; middle toe with claw, 31. Four females, length, 267; wing, 134; tail, 68; culmen, 35; tarsus, 24; middle toe with claw, 31. Iris red; legs and feet dull greenish white; upper mandible black, lower greenish.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
MOUNTAIN GOLDEN FLICKER.
Mindanao (Goodfellow, Celestino).
Adult.—“Adult male and female differ from the male and female of C. lucidus in having the mantle and wing-coverts orange with scarcely a tinge of crimson. In the female also the top of the head and occipital crest are orange, not washed with crimson. In the male: ‘Iris red; upper mandible black, lower greenish yellow; feet blackish gray.’ In the female: ‘Iris ruby-red; upper mandible black, lower greenish yellow; feet grayish olive.’ Length, about 241; culmen, 38; wing, 132; tail, 74; tarsus, 28.
“In C. lucidus the greater part of the wing-coverts and the outer margins of the secondaries are crimson, giving the whole wing a crimson appearance, whereas in the present form, though some of the males have narrow crimson-orange edges to the wing-coverts, the general color of the wings is distinctly orange.
“This form may be regarded as a partially alpine representative of C. lucidus, of which it is no doubt a subspecies; it also occurs on the coast, for two fully adult male specimens were procured at Piso.” (Grant.)
Bohol (McGregor); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead); Panaon (Everett); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
Male.—Above bright crimson, similar to C. hæmatribon; below black with large pear-shaped buff spots; lower parts similar to C. lucidus but the cheeks washed with pale crimson. Length, 275; wing, 141: tail, 87; culmen from base, 40; tarsus, 27.
Female.—Very similar to the female of C. hæmatribon but the entire head washed with crimson; lower parts as in the male. Wing, 140; tail, 86; culmen from base, 38; tarsus, 27.
“Usually found in the forest. Quite abundant in Samar. Three males measure, 273 in length; wing, 138; tail, 75; culmen, 36; tarsus, 25; middle toe with claw, 33. Iris dull cherry-red; legs and feet dull olive-yellow, nails black; bill nearly black. Food, larvæ.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Tu-ba-lá-tuc, Masbate; tuc-tuc-ba-lá-tuc, Ticao.
Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Masbate (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Negros (Layard, Steere, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Keay); Panay (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor).
Male.—Forehead, crown, and occiput light crimson; lores, a narrow line over eye, cheeks, and ear-coverts light golden yellow; mantle, back, rump, secondaries, and secondary-coverts crimson, not so bright as crown; alula, primary-coverts, and primaries edged with dull golden yellow; chin yellow with a black line down the middle and a black line on each side; neck and fore breast blackish brown, each feather with a large spot of pale yellow or yellowish buff; rest of under parts uniform yellow; tail dark brown. Iris carmine; bill dark brown above, greenish below; legs pale yellow; nails dark horn-brown. Length, 260; wing, 148; tail, 90; culmen from base, 40; tarsus, 26.
Female.—Similar to the male but differs in having the crown and crest golden yellow like the sides of head. Wing, 145; tail, 94; culmen from base, 39; tarsus, 24.
“Habits like those of C. lucidus. Seven males from Masbate measure, 274 in length; wing, 144; tail, 80; culmen, 35; tarsus, 24; middle toe with claw, 31. Three females, length, 283; wing, 144; tail, 85; culmen, 34; tarsus, 24; middle toe with claw, 31. Iris red; legs and feet light yellow; upper mandible black, lower dull green.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Culmen slightly curved for its entire length; nasal ridge prominent; nostrils partly concealed by plumes; occipital crest short; plumage slate-black; chin, throat, and sides of neck with a minute white spot at the tip of each feather.
Catanduanes (Whitehead); Luzon (Meyer, Heriot, Steere Exp., Whitehead, McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.).
Male.—Black with a slight gloss on wings and back; throat and abdomen smoky brown; lores, forehead, cheeks, and a wide space around each eye deep crimson; chin, throat, sides and back of neck with a small white spot at the tip of each feather. Iris pale yellow; bill white; legs plumbeous; nails light horn-blue. Length, 330; wing, 156; tail, 138; culmen from base, 37; tarsus, 29.
Female.—Similar to the male but with no crimson anywhere on the head; the cheeks, like the throat, spotted with white. Length, 315; wing, 155; tail, 133; culmen from base, 34; tarsus, 27.
This species is fairly common in the lowland forests of Luzon.
Leyte (Whitehead); Mindanao (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Samar (Steere Exp., Whitehead).
“Adult male (type of species).—Plumage slaty gray, the whole of the body, wings, and tail uniform, the head (except the loral and orbital region) and neck spotted with white, the spots on the top of the head and on the nape having a striped character, those on the chin and throat larger and more or less triangular in shape; a large patch of brilliant scarlet covers the entire malar region and extends upwards nearly to the eye; shafts of the quills and of the tail-feathers dusky black. ‘Iris naples-yellow.’ (Everett.) Length, 305; culmen, 41; wing, 160; tail, 110; tarsus, 30.” (Hargitt.)
“Adult female.—Closely resembles the female of M. funebris, but may be distinguished by the general color of the plumage being grayer; the ground-color of the chin and throat gray like the cheeks, and the white dots distinctly larger. In the female of M. funebris the chin and throat are brownish gray, and contrast with the blackish gray cheeks. Length, 269; culmen, 37; wing, 147; tail, 104; tarsus, 28.” (Grant.)
Of large size; bill very powerful; proximal half of culmen curved, distal half straight; nostrils large, oval, and covered by feathers; nasal ridge prominent; feathers of head short; no crest.
Balabac (Everett); Palawan (Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White). Sumatra, Cochin China, Malay Peninsula, Burmese provinces, northwestern India, Java, Borneo, Himalayas.
Adult male.—Blackish slate, abdomen and crissum lighter; feathers of crown, occiput, neck, sides of neck, and breast with small gray tips producing a spotted appearance, most pronounced on occiput and neck; on malar region below each eye a large patch of light crimson; chin and throat saffron-yellow, washed with pink or light red on the posterior part. Length of a male from Palawan, 465; wing, 235; tail, 165; culmen from base, 65; tarsus, 38.
Adult female.—Differs from the male in having no red on cheeks and but a slight wash of pink on the throat. Wing, 235; tail, 180; culmen from base, 64; tarsus, 35.
“Young male.—Differs from the adult male in having the entire malar region, forehead, and greater part of the crown washed with pale crimson, this color being very faint upon the crown; the head darker slaty gray and the tips of the feathers less white; upper parts rather browner; the under surface of the body unspotted; abdomen, sides of the body, and under tail-coverts more of a dusky brown, but assuming the dark slaty-gray plumage; chin, throat, and fore neck light buff, the latter washed with pale red. It has also a pale crimson stripe, rather than a spot, and the hinder part of the malar region, as in the adult.” (Hargitt.)
“Quite abundant in some parts of Palawan. Shot on dead trees in clearings, and in low scrub. We failed to find it in the Calamianes. Two males average, 467 in length; wing, 227; tail, 147; culmen, 59; tarsus, 34; middle toe with claw, 41. A female, length, 457; wing, 220; tail, 140; culmen, 59; tarsus, 31; middle toe with claw, 44. Iris very dark brown; legs and feet dull leaden, nails nearly black; upper mandible black except along gape and at base where it is gray; lower mandible light gray.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Culmen nearly straight; nasal ridges well developed; nostrils scantily covered; plumage mostly black, abdomen white; both sexes with a full scarlet crest; length, from 380 to 410 mm.
Tul-tu-lan, Benguet.
Bongao (Everett); Cebu (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Luzon (Meyer, Everett, Heriot, Whitehead, McGregor); Mindanao (Koch & Schadenberg, Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow); Sulu (Platen, Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester, Everett). Malay Peninsula, southern Tenasserim, Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Banka.
Adult male.—Nasal tufts black; forehead, crown, occipital crest, and malar stripe bright scarlet; feathers of forehead and crown with white bases; feathers of crest with white bases; remainder of head, chin, throat, breast, and entire upper parts black; feathers of lower back with concealed white or gray bases; a few narrow white stripes on throat and behind ear-coverts; abdomen and flanks pale yellow or buffy white; thighs black, some of the feathers with pale buff edges; under tail-coverts black; wings and tail black; three or four primaries white at base of inner web; secondaries with considerable white on inner webs. Length, about 435; wing, 210; tail, 170; culmen from base, 53; bill from nostril, 41; width of bill at gape, 19; tarsus, 32.
Adult female.—Similar to the male but the forehead, crown, and malar region black, occipital crest alone being red. These sexual differences are found in all the Philippine species of the genus. Wing, 200; tail, 160; culmen from base, 47; bill from nostril, 38; width of bill at gape, 18; tarsus, 31.
Here described from Luzon specimens. An adult male from Trong, lower Siam, differs only in having a slightly larger bill and longer wing.
Young birds have the abdomen white, and the malar stripe entirely black or with a few red spots.
“If the Luzon record of this species is correct, and we can see no reason for doubting it, the distribution of T. javensis within the Philippines is very peculiar. Why should it disappear in Samar and Leyte, to reappear in Cebu and Luzon? There is not the slightest doubt as to the identity of the Cebu birds, of which we have a fine series.
“Three males from Sulu average, 400 in length; wing, 185; tail, 146; culmen, 45; tarsus, 28; middle toe with claw, 39. Two females from same place, length, 384; wing, 192; tail, 141; culmen, 42; tarsus, 28; middle toe with claw, 36.
“Cebu birds are slightly larger. Two males average, 403 in length; wing, 204; tail, 158; culmen, 48; tarsus, 29; middle toe with claw, 41. Two females, length, 407; wing, 198; tail, 159; culmen, 45; tarsus, 29; middle toe with claw, 37.
“Iris varies from light to dark yellow; legs and feet gray; nails nearly black; upper mandible black, lower dirty white. Food, ants.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Bohol (McGregor); Leyte (Everett, Steere Exp., Whitehead); Panaon (Everett); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
Adult male.—Upper parts as in T. javensis; chin and throat white with narrow black shaft-stripes; ear-coverts and sides of neck black, narrowly streaked with white; breast-feathers black with edges and tips light buff; rest of under parts as in T. javensis but with more buff on the thighs. A few feathers of breast and hind neck may be tipped with red but this character is variable. Length of a male from Bohol, about 450; wing, 224; tail, 200; culmen from base, 50; bill from nostril, 39; width of bill at base, 19; tarsus, 33.
“Adult female.—Has the forehead and crown black; the malar region white, striped with black. In other respects like the adult male. Length, 419; culmen, 48; wing, 199; tail, 169; tarsus, 34.
“Young male.—Differs from the adult of the same sex in having the white of the throat and fore neck duller, and the striations less intense black; the feathers of the malar region white, with dusky bases, a few assuming the red tips.” (Hargitt.)
“A well-marked species which takes the place of T. javensis in Panaon, Leyte, and Samar. Quite abundant in Samar. Usually met with in the forest. Occasionally seen in second growth.
“Three males average, 434 in length; wing, 198; tail, 159; culmen, 51; tarsus, 33; middle toe with claw, 48. Two females, length, 419; wing, 201; tail, 154; culmen, 47; tarsus, 32; middle toe with claw, 41. Iris light yellow; legs and feet light slate; nails nearly black; upper mandible black, lower grayish white.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Basilan (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor).
Adult male.—Forehead, crown, crest, and malar-stripe bright crimson, the feathers whitish at base; nasal plumes blackish; lores and a wide transocular band black; rest of upper parts, wings, and tail black; second, third, and fourth primaries with a white spot at base of inner web; third to seventh primaries with a white spot at tip of outer web; inner secondaries white at base; chin, throat, and postauricular area black, each feather narrowly margined with whitish, producing a striped appearance; breast black, the feathers of fore part narrowly bordered with buffy, producing a series of crescentic light marks; abdomen and sides buffy white; thighs black, each feather widely bordered with light buff; vent and tail-coverts black. Length in flesh, 420; wing, 210; tail, 166; culmen from base, 52; tarsus, 29.
Adult female.—Forehead, crown, and malar-stripe black, otherwise like the male. Wing, 215; tail, 185; culmen from base, 50; bill from nostril, 38; tarsus, 31.
Ma-nuc′-toc, Mindoro.
Mindoro (Steere Exp., Schmacker, Bourns & Worcester, Everett, McGregor, Porter).
Adult.—Very much like T. javensis but clearly distinguished from that species by having a wide light buff or white band across the lower back; from T. hargitti it differs in having a more slender bill which is entirely black. A female measures: Length, 394; wing, 215; tail, 170; culmen from base, 47; bill from nostril, 35; width of bill at base, 18; tarsus, 31.
“Very abundant in the interior of Mindoro. Two females average, 381 in length; wing, 191; tail, 145; culmen, 45; tarsus, 27; middle toe with claw, 37. Iris straw-yellow; legs and feet leaden; nails nearly black; bill black.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Masbate (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Keay); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Palawan (Steere, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester).
Adult.—Differs from T. javensis in having a wide band of light buff across the lower back thus resembling T. mindorensis from which it differs in having a much stouter bill and in having lower mandible gray or horn-white; lower mandible in dry skin dull yellow with a gray tip. In males the red malar-stripe is longer than in the other species mentioned and many of the black feathers of chin and sides of neck are tipped with red. Length of male, 420; wing, 220; tail, 180; culmen from base, 51; bill from nostril, 38; width of bill at base, 20; tarsus, 36. Wing of female, 218; tail, 185; culmen from base, 52; bill from nostril, 38; tarsus, 33.
The description and measurements above are from specimens taken in Masbate, one of the type localities of Thriponax philippinensis of Steere. In Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum the type locality of Thriponax hargitti is given as Palawan. Of these two supposed species Grant says: “The types have been compared and agree in all particulars.” It seems to me almost incredible that this genus should be represented by the same species in Masbate and Palawan but as I have seen no specimens from the latter island I follow Grant’s identification.
“Iris yellow; legs, feet, and nails leaden; upper mandible black, lower horn-gray. Three males average, 430 in length; wing, 207; tail, 174; culmen, 50; tarsus, 48; middle toe with claw, 39. Three females, length, 410; wing, 204; tail, 169; culmen, 50; tarsus, 31; middle toe with claw, 39.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)