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.
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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.)
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.)
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.
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.)
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.
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.)
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.)
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.)
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.)
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.
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.)
“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.)
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.)
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.)
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, 15.68
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.)
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.)
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.
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.
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.)
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.)
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.
Basilan (Steere, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor).
Adult (male and female).—Entire top and sides of head and neck black, streaked with white; lores white; remainder of upper parts, including exposed edges of wing- and tail-feathers, rusty tan-brown; feathers of mantle and back with lighter shafts; chin and throat white; feathers of breast and abdomen white with gray or brown edges, slightly olivaceous on fore breast; flanks and tail-coverts ocherous buff with lighter shafts; thighs ocherous buff; wing-lining and inner edges of quills dark buff. Length, 140 to 144. A male measures: Wing, 60; tail, 54; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 20. A female, wing, 60; tail, 54; culmen from base, 15.5; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 21.
“The sexes are alike in size and color. Young birds are rather more rufescent below and have the streaks on the head tinged with rufous. Both specimens collected by Doctor Steere had the iris hazel, but Mr. Everett gives the iris as white in all those obtained by him.” (Sharpe.)
“This species seems to be confined to the Island of Basilan, where it is extremely common in the forest and second growth. It works about the dense tangle of vines, and usually keeps within five to ten meters of the ground. Thirteen males average: Length, 134; wing, 60; tail, 54; culmen, 16; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 18. Eight females, length, 130; wing, 58; tail, 53.5; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 17.5. Iris very dark brown; upper mandible black, lower drab; legs and feet drab.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Bohol (McGregor); Dinagat (Everett); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead); Mindanao (Everett, Koch & Schadenberg, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow, Celestino, Clemens); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
Adult.—Similar to Macronous striaticeps, but throat, breast, and sides of head washed with ocherous buff or fulvous giving these parts a soiled appearance. A male from Bohol measures: Wing, 60; tail, 53; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 20. A female from Bohol, wing, 59; tail, 53; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 19.
“Common in Mindanao and Samar. Habits exactly like those of M. striaticeps. Four males average: Length, 144; wing, 60; tail, 56; culmen, 16.5; tarsus, 18.5; middle toe with claw, 19. Four females, length, 135; wing, 55; tail, 54; culmen, 14.7; tarsus, 19; middle toe with claw, 18.5. Iris light yellow-white; legs, feet, and nails drab; bill nearly black, the lower mandible slightly lighter than upper.
“It is remarkable that the differences between M. striaticeps and M. mindanensis should have escaped the notice of naturalists until they were pointed out by Doctor Steere. The two species are quite distinct, and can be distinguished with absolute certainty.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
“Mr. Whitehead found a nest of this species [near Paranas, Samar, June 15, 1896] containing three eggs. These were in such an advanced stage of incubation that the young birds hatched out a few hours after the eggs were placed in his room. Eggs pure white, thickly speckled towards the larger end with dark red. The nest, a large ball of bamboo leaves and loosely constructed, was placed close to the ground in old forest.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
Tah-gó-saa or tah-go-say′-ahn, Bagobo; tar-man′-op, Moros of Pantar and Lake Lanao.
Mindanao (Mearns).
“Adult male and female.—Similar to Macronous mindanensis mindanensis, but very much darker with heavier markings throughout; the dark shaft-streaks are increased in area and intensity; the blackish feathering of the upper side of the head occupies more of the nape; and the back and rump are prout’s brown instead of raw umber; the under parts are dark from the throat backward, the flanks being dark isabella instead of clay-color. This mountain form (from Pantar at 610 meters and Mount Apo at 1,220 meters) is slightly smaller than the subspecies mindanensis. It is still farther removed from Macronous striaticeps Sharpe from the Island of Basilan.” (Mearns.)
Bongao (Everett); Sulu (Guillemard, Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Everett, Bourns & Worcester).
Adult.—Differs from the other Philippine species in having the upper parts nearly uniform brown; shafts whitish; forehead blackish with narrow white shaft-lines; tail and upper tail-coverts pale chestnut; under parts nearly uniform pale fawn; sides of throat and body faintly lined with white; webs of the long dorsal feathers partly white next to the white shafts. Length, about 140; wing, 63; tail, 70; bill, 15; tarsus, 24.69
“Rare in Sulu, very common in Tawi Tawi. Found in the forest working in tangled herbage, like the other Philippine members of the genus. Fifteen males average: Length, 150; wing, 64; tail, 61; culmen, 18.5; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 22. Eight females, length, 155; wing, 62; tail, 59; culmen, 18; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 21. Iris green; legs and feet light brown, washed with yellow; nails light brown; upper mandible black, lower gray.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
“Bill somewhat depressed, broader than high at base, higher than broad at anterior border of nostrils, equal in height and breadth at posterior edge of nostrils; culmen strongly ridged, curved from base; maxilla with a subterminal notch; nostrils apparently elongate-oval; distance between anterior angle of nostril and tip of bill equal to the length of the hind toe without claw; rictal bristles strongly developed; length of skull equal to that of tarsus; length of tarsus contained two and one-third times in that of wing; tarsus booted; hind toe with claw less than half the length of tarsus; wing and tail about equal; wing rounded, the first primary half as long as the third; tail moderate, graduated, with feathers somewhat pointed, and webs not decomposed; plumage full and soft.” (Mearns.)
Doo-roogh-bah-long, Bagobo of Mount Apo.
Mindanao (Mearns).
“Type (adult male).—Third primary equal to ninth; fifth, sixth, and seventh subequal and longest. Upper parts bistre, washed with burnt umber on lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts; tail blackish seal-brown; the feathers of the rump, which are very long and soft, have concealed white spots; sides of head and neck (including lores and ear-coverts), breast, and abdomen slate-gray, the latter washed with white; sides gray washed with burnt umber, particularly on the flanks, some of the feathers with concealed white spots; thighs gray washed with burnt umber; under tail-coverts tawny olive, the longest ochraceous; chin and throat white. Iris reddish brown; bill black; feet and claws plumbeous. Length, 205; alar expanse, 280; wing, 90; tail, 87; bill, measured from nostril, 10; culmen, 16; tarsus, 38; middle toe and claw, 27.” (Mearns.)
The type and only known specimen was taken on Mount Apo, Mindanao, at 1,220 meters altitude.
Tarsus slender; plumage normal, the feathers of back not lengthened; sexes unlike in colors.
Bill small and slender; rictal bristles weak; wing and tail moderate; tarsus long and slender, equal to more than one-half the tail and to about three times the bill from nostril. Sexes very unlike in colors; male with a concealed eyebrow-patch; female with head and neck brown.
Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor); Mindoro (Whitehead).
Male.—Most of the plumage dark slate-blue; middle of abdomen washed with gray; forehead, lores, ring around eye, jaw, and chin black; above each eye a concealed patch of soft silky white feathers; wings and tail black, the feathers edged with slate-blue; bend of wing white. Iris dark brown; bill, legs, and nails black. Length, 140; wing, 67; tail, 49; culmen from base, 14; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 28; middle toe with claw, 22.
Female.—Entire head, neck, chin, and throat umber or rusty brown, much darker on crown, lighter on chin and throat; remainder of plumage slaty blue, similar to the male, but lighter on the under parts and much grayer on abdomen. Length, 127; wing, 63; tail, 42; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 30; middle toe with claw, 21.
Negros (Whitehead).
Diagnosis.—“The Negros shortwing is closely allied to B. poliogyna, which Mr. Whitehead discovered in the highlands of Lepanto, Luzon. The males in fact, are, as one would expect, very much alike, but the Negros bird has the top of the head and throat washed with black instead of dark slate. Between the females the differences are much more marked; the crown of the head in B. brunneiceps is much darker brown, much less strongly washed with sienna on the forehead; the chin and middle of the throat are much deeper in color, very little paler than the sides; and the general tone of the under parts is darker slate-blue, the belly being in no way paler than the breast. Adult male: Length, 127; wing, 67; tail, 48; tarsus, 29. Adult female: Length, 132; wing, 67; tail, 48; tarsus, 29.” (Grant.)
Boor-roo-win′g, Bagobos of Mount Apo.
Mindanao (Mearns, Goodfellow).
“Adult male.—Similar to the male of B. brunneiceps, but larger and apparently less heavily washed with black on the top of the head and throat. Belly without a trace of grayish wash present in B. poliogyna from the Island of Luzon. Measurements of No. 192,256, U. S. National Museum, from Mount Apo at 1,920 meters, July 4, 1904. Total length, 158; alar expanse, 220; wing, 70; tail, 62; bill from base of culmen, 14; bill from nostril, 9.5; tarsus, 33; middle toe with claw, 23. Iris dark brown; bill, feet, and claws gray-black, darker than plumage.
“Adult female.—Similar to the female of B. brunneiceps, but differs in addition to its larger size and relatively longer tail, in having the abdomen washed with brownish gray. The wing-quills and spurious wing are brown. Measurements of type: Length, 158; alar expanse, 212; wing, 70; tail, 56; bill from base of culmen, 14; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 31; middle toe with claw, 24. Iris dark brown; bill, feet, and claws dark gray.
“Young male in first plumage.—Slate-colored feathers of the adult plumage are present in the greater wing-coverts and pectoral region of the specimen (No. 192,257, U. S. National Museum, from Todava, at 1,220 meters, on Mount Apo, July 11, 1904). General color clove-brown, the feathers slaty at base, all but the quills with russet shaft-spots, which are small and triangular on the back, and so extended as to give a general russet tone to the abdomen. Iris brown; bill and feet gray-black. Length, 155; alar expanse, 218; wing, 70; tail, 50; bill from base of culmen, 13; bill from nostril, 8.6; tarsus, 33; middle toe with claw, 22.
“The name ‘boor-roo-wi′ng,’ used by the native Bagobos, is in imitation of the lisping notes of this bird, which suggest sounds of the winds.” (Mearns.)
Mindanao (Mearns).
“Characters.—Most closely related to Brachypteryx brunneiceps Grant and B. mindanensis Mearns. Smaller than brunneiceps, about equaling mindanensis; coloration very dark; russet of front of head intensified to almost a burnt umber, and not extending backward beyond the eyes; edge and lining of wings, slate-color, instead of rusty.
“Adult male * * *.—Uniformly slate-black, becoming practically black on the whole head, except a minute and wholly concealed supraorbital white spot. Iris dark reddish brown; bill all jet-black; feet and claws plumbeous-black (from fresh specimen).
“Adult female (type).—Front of the head back to the eyes rusty burnt umber, with eye-ring of same color; hind half of head, neck all round, and all of body except abdomen, blackish slate; abdomen washed with brownish gray; wings and tail brownish black, washed with slate-color; edge and lining of wings slate-color, not russet. The colors of the iris, bill, and feet were noted as exactly like those of the male topotype.
“Measurements.—Adult male * * *: Total length, 160; alar expanse, 222; wing, 70; tail, 60; culmen (chord), 14.5; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 32; middle toe with claw, 24. Adult female (type): Total length, 148; alar expanse, 213; wing, 66; tail, 53; culmen (chord), 13; bill from nostril, 8.5; tarsus, 34; middle toe with claw, 24.5.” (Mearns.)