Bill conoidal and stout, shorter than head; no notch in cutting edge, and tip not hooked; nostrils slightly oval, hidden by the antrorse frontal plumes; rictal bristles short and inconspicuous; wing flat and somewhat pointed; first primary less than one-half of second, the latter less than the third; fourth and fifth longest; third and sixth about equal in length; rectrices broad with nearly square tips; tail much shorter than wing; tarsus stout, less than twice the bill from nostril, distinctly scutellate in front; basal joints of anterior toes more or less united.
Chin, throat, and much or all of the head black; breast and abdomen yellow; rectrices and many of the wing-feathers with wide tips of white or of pale yellow.
Pi-pít mó-tas, Manila.
Bongao (Everett); Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Guimaras (Steere, Steere Exp.); Luzon (Cuming, Everett, Möllendorff, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor, Mearns, Bartsch); Mindoro (Bourns & Worcester); Negros (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Panay (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Sulu (Guillemard, Bourns & Worcester);78 Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester).78
Male.—Entire top of head and hind neck glossy black; in the center of hind neck a large irregular yellow spot; upper back mostly black, but with some large spots of pale yellow; scapulars, lower back, and rump olive-green; tail-coverts black; chin, throat, chest, and sides of chest glossy black, separated from the black of head and neck by a broad lemon-yellow stripe which begins under the front of the eye and ends on side of neck; remainder of under parts lemon-yellow; wings black; inner webs of quills edged with white; most of the primaries white toward the tips of outer webs; secondaries and some of the primaries tipped with white; greater and median secondary-coverts with broad white tips, forming two wing-bars; rectrices black, tipped with white, three outer pairs with white on outer webs. Iris and bill black; feet and nails plumbeous. Length, about 120; wing, 65; tail, 42; culmen from base, 11; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 17.
Female.—Duller, the chin and throat dark brown instead of glossy black. An adult breeding female from Benguet Province, Luzon, measures: Wing, 62; tail, 37; culmen from base, 11.5; bill from nostril, 8.5; tarsus, 18.
Young.—Birds of the year have the entire upper parts olive-green, but the yellow nuchal patch is always indicated; under parts gray to pale yellow, somewhat washed with olive; chin and throat more or less uniform with the abdomen, but the black patch beginning to show in older individuals; wings and tail marked as in the adult.
“The habits of the elegant titmouse are like those of P. amabilis; it feeds in leaves at the ends of branches, often back downward. Ten males average: Length, 110; wing, 63; tail, 37.5; culmen, 12; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 16. Four females, length, 101; wing, 59; tail, 35; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 15; culmen, 11. Iris dark brown; legs and feet slaty blue to black; bill black; nails gray. We found this species breeding in Cebu in the month of June.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Masbate (McGregor); Ticao (McGregor).
Specific characters.—Similar to P. elegans Lesson, but with little or no olive-green on upper parts, and the white on scapulars and back much more extensive, to a large extent replacing the black. Male (type), wing, 63; tail, 38; culmen from base, 11; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 17.
Calayan (McGregor); Camiguin N. (McGregor).
Male.—Top of head, sides of neck and mantle glossy blue-black; an irregular white patch in center of nape; a number of large white spots on mantle; back and rump gray, washed with olivaceous; upper tail-coverts glossy black; chin, throat, and fore breast dead black, forming a large triangular patch, bounded above by a broad band of white, slightly washed with yellow, which extends under eye across ear-coverts onto side of neck; rest of lower parts pale lemon-yellow, washed with olivaceous on sides of neck and abdomen and on flanks; wings glossy black; primaries narrowly edged with gray on their outer webs and with white on the inner; greater and median coverts with white spots at tips (much smaller than in P. elegans and not forming bands as in that species); secondaries tipped with white; tail black with white markings as in P. elegans, but the white tips much smaller and white on outer webs of two outer pairs of rectrices. Bill black except basal third which is horn-blue; legs dull blue; nails horn-brown. Length, 122; wing, 67; tail, 43; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 17.
Female.—Similar to the male, but somewhat duller and upper parts more olive-green. Wing, 63; tail, 38; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 18.
Kah-too-reé-nay, Bagobo of Mount Apo.
Mindanao (Mearns, Clemens).
Adult male.—“Similar to Pardaliparus elegans elegans, but smaller with a relatively smaller bill; coloration heavier and yellower, the black of chin and throat extending to the chest; whitish spots of upper wing-coverts and tail-feathers washed with yellow. Length, 117; alar expanse, 210; wing, 67; tail, 41; culmen, 9.5; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 15.” (Mearns.)
The Mindanao titmouse differs from the species found in more northern localities in the characters given by Mearns. A male from Lake Lanao measures: Wing, 63; tail, 37; culmen from base, 10; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 15. A female, wing, 62; tail, 36; culmen from base, 10; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 15.
Balabac (Steere, Everett); Palawan (Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White).
Adult male.—Entire head, neck, chin, throat, and chest glossy blue-black; neck bordered behind by a mantle of clear canary-yellow; back and rump lavender-gray; tail-coverts black; breast and remainder of under parts bright lemon-yellow; wings and tail black; greater and median coverts and primary-coverts broadly tipped with white; primaries with small white tips or marks on outer webs; secondaries with wider white tips and pale gray edges; inner webs of quills edged with white; rectrices broadly tipped with white and all but the center pair with outer webs white, but this much reduced in pair next the center pair. Wing, 72; tail, 46; culmen from base, 10.5; bill from nostril, 7; tarsus, 16.
Adult female.—Black of head and throat much duller than in the male; yellow of the mantle reduced to a narrow band; remainder of the back olive-green, somewhat mixed with lavender-gray on rump; white marks on wings and tail much smaller than in the male. Wing, 70; tail, 44; culmen from base, 10.5; bill from nostril, 7; tarsus, 16.
“Young.—Very different from the adult. It is brown above with an olive-greenish tinge, the head and face browner. Below it is yellow, duller than in the adult, the throat olive; wings and tail browner than in the adult, with the same white spotting, but not so pronounced.” (Sharpe.)
The genus Penthornis is distinguished from Pardaliparus by its nearly uniform black plumage and white frontal band.
Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor); Negros (Steere Exp.).
Adult male.—Greater part of plumage glossy black, the following parts white: Forehead to opposite center of eye, lores, line under eye, fore part of cheeks; a concealed patch on hind neck formed by the white bases of the feathers; part of the inner webs of wing and quills, wing-lining, axillars, and outer webs of under tail-coverts white. In one specimen before me, probably immature, the tail-coverts are entirely black. Iris light brown; bill, legs, and nails black. Length, about 130; wing, 75; tail, 50; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 17.
Female.—A female from Bataan Province, Luzon, has the under parts mostly seal-brown but this is probably because of immaturity. Wing, 71; tail, 59; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 15.
Mindanao (Sonnerat?, Platen).
Male.—Similar to Penthornis semilarvatus, but with a broad white band across the inner primaries and outer secondaries near their bases. “Length, 140; wing, 78.5; tail, 53; culmen, 12.5; tarsus, 15.” (Blasius.)
Muscicapa tessacourbe Scopoli and M. luzoniensis Gmelin were both based upon Sonnerat’s plate. The species was unrecognized until Platen collected a male in Mindanao. Blasius described this specimen under the name Micropus nehrkorni, suggesting the probability that it was the same as Muscicapa luzoniensis. Sonnerat’s figure does not look much like a Penthornis.
Bill slender and pointed, about as long as head; neither notched nor toothed; culmen but very slightly curved; nostrils oval, nearly hidden by the antrorse frontal plumes; shafts of the latter hair-like and extending beyond the nostrils; rictal bristles very small; wing long, pointed and somewhat curved; first primary equal to about one-third of second; fourth and fifth nearly equal and longest; second between fifth and sixth in length; tail square, very short, scarcely more than one-half the wing; tarsus distinctly scutellate, equal to culmen from base; three anterior toes with their basal joints united; outer toe much longer than inner toe; hind toe with claw much longer than tarsus and nearly equal to middle toe with claw.
Upper parts of body blue, forehead black; under parts, buff or cinnamon, more or less washed with lilac.
Balabac (Steere, Everett); Palawan (Steere, Platen, Whitehead, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Doherty, Celestino, White).
Adult male.—Above french-blue; lores and forehead velvet-black; a black stripe over eye, extending from the black frontal patch to nape; under parts vinaceous-buff, chin and throat considerably paler; abdomen and sides slightly washed with lilac; sides of head vinaceous-buff, slightly washed with violet; a blue line under eye; alula, primary-coverts, and primaries mostly black, some of the feathers narrowly edged with blue; secondaries and secondary-coverts mostly blue; rectrices blue, each feather with a large black mark which occupies much of the inner web and part of the outer web. A male from Puerto Princesa, Palawan, measures: Length, 127; wing, 75; tail, 42; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 17.
Adult female.—Like the male, but with no black line over eye and ear-coverts, although there is an indication of the line. Wing, 72; tail, 41; culmen from base, 15.5; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 15.
“Eye straw-yellow; bill vermilion; orbital skin gray; legs light brown.” (Whitehead.)
Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Guimaras (Steere); Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor); Negros (Whitehead, Celestino); Panay (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester).
Adult male.—A small white spot on lower part of lores; very similar to Callisitta palawana, but slightly darker blue above, bases of mantle feathers vinaceous-buff forming an ill-defined patch; under parts slightly darker than in C. palawana and more strongly washed with lilac; ear-coverts washed with blue. A male from Bataan Province, Luzon, measures: Length, 127; wing, 75; tail, 41; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 11; tarsus, 17.
Adult female.—Similar to the male, but lacking the black line over eye and auriculars.
Ta-ká, Benguet.
Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor, Worcester, Mearns, Bartsch).
Adult male.—A small white spot on lower part of lores; middle of mantle with the bases of feathers pale vinaceous-buff to whitish, forming a patch; under parts pale buff with no lilac wash; throat and chin very pale, almost white. Iris yellow; bill and bare skin around eye greenish yellow; legs and nails dark green. Length, about 140; wing, 75; tail, 43; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 10.5; tarsus, 16.
Adult female.—Differs from the male in having no black line over the eye to nape. Wing, 72; tail, 40; culmen from base, 17; bill from nostril, 12; tarsus, 16.
Callisitta mesoleuca is very abundant in the mountains of Benguet Province, while C. œnochlamys inhabits the forests of the lowlands.
Basilan (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Leyte (Whitehead); Mindanao (Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow); Samar (Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
Adult male.—Spot on lower part of lores buff; hind neck, mantle, and sides of neck vinaceous-buff, washed with lilac; throat vinaceous-buff deepening to vinaceous-cinnamon on chest, and on the rest of under parts which are heavily washed with lilac. A male from Basilan measures: Length, 120; wing, 73; tail, 39; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 16.
Adult female.—Similar to the male, but lacking the black line over eye to nape. A female from Basilan measures: Wing, 70; tail, 40; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 15.
Bill gently curved, moderate in length, slender, decidedly compressed beyond nostril, and with an obsolete notch in cutting edge near tip; culmen with a distinct ridge; nostril-opening linear, exposed, and overhung by an operculum; rictal bristles few and very short; no frontal bristles; a number of long retrorse hairs springing from among the feathers of forehead; wing moderate in length, flat, and somewhat pointed; first primary slender and less than one-third of second, the latter nearly equal to third, fourth, and fifth which are subequal and longest; tail square, little more than one-half of wing; divisions between tarsal scutes obsolete; tarsus, longer than bill from nostril, and equal to, or shorter than, middle toe with claw. The characters detailed above are taken from Rhabdornis, a genus not typical of the family, but the only Philippine representative of the Certhiidæ.
Characters the same as those given for the Family. Upper parts brown or gray, and black, streaked with white; under parts white, sides streaked with brown or black.
Luzon (Meyer, Möllendorff, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor); Masbate (Bourns & Worcester); Negros (Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, Celestino); Panay (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester).
Male.—Top of head and hind neck with broad white shaft-streaks; back and rump drab-gray, the shafts of the feathers white; wings like the back; primaries, secondaries, and rectrices blackish brown; inner webs of wing-quills edged with light buff; stripe under eye, on ear-coverts, and on side of neck black; under parts white; feathers of sides, flanks, and crissum bordered with black, producing a streaked appearance; under wing-coverts and axillars pale buff. Length, about 155. A male from Bataan Province, Luzon, measures: Wing, 82; tail, 49; culmen from base, 24; bill from nostril, 17; tarsus, 18.
Female.—Top of head, nape, and ear-coverts brown.
“This creeper feeds in deep woods, but is more common in second growth; it is nowhere very abundant. Very variable in size and in length of bill. Three males average as follows: Culmen, 26; wing, 80; tail, 28; tarsus, 20; middle toe with claw, 20.5. A female, length, 149; wing, 80; tail, 49; culmen, 23; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 19.5. Bill, legs, and feet black.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Basilan (Celestino); Bohol (McGregor); Dinagat (Everett); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead); Mindanao (Everett, Celestino); Samar (Whitehead, Bourns & Worcester).
Male.—Differs from Rhabdornis mystacalis in having the back brown (near prout’s brown of Ridgway) instead of gray, and in having the bill decidedly shorter. Length, about 142. A male from Bohol measures: Wing, 78; tail, 45; culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 13; tarsus, 19.
Female.—Differs from the male in having general color of crown, ear-coverts, and sides of neck brown instead of black. A female from Basilan measures: Wing, 77; tail, 43; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 12; tarsus, 18.
Mindanao (Clemens); Samar (Whitehead).
“Adult male.—Easily distinguished from R. mystacalis and R. minor by having the bill altogether stouter and stronger, the top of the head and nape uniform dull grayish brown; mantle brown with whitish shafts only to the feathers; the lesser and median wing-coverts with well-marked white shaft-stripes; chin, throat, and fore neck grayish white; the margins of the sides and flank-feathers narrower and browner. ‘Iris dark brown; bill and feet black.’ (Whitehead.) Length, 157; culmen, 19; wing, 81; tail, 51; tarsus, 20.” (Grant.)
Female.—Similar to the male, but top of head browner. Wing, 89; tail, 57; exposed culmen, 16; tarsus, 20; middle toe with claw, 23.
Bill curved and pointed, very similar to the bill of Dicœum, but without serrations in the cutting edges; nostril opening beneath an opercle or scale; rictal bristles inconspicuous; eye usually surrounded by a ring of short white feathers of a silky texture; wing with nine primaries; tail square, moderate in length and extending beyond the toes.
Culmen decidedly ridged; eye, except in Z. goodfellowi, surrounded by a ring of white feathers; general color yellow and yellowish green, the abdomen in some species white, gray, or drab.
Cu-sil-sil, Benguet; ti-tit, Calayan.
Banton (Celestino); Calayan (McGregor); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Meyen, Steere Exp., Möllendorff, Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor, Bartsch); Verde (McGregor).
Male.—Above olive-yellow, brighter and yellower on forehead and tail-coverts; rectrices and wing-feathers brown and, except first alula feather and first primary, edged with olive-yellow on outer webs; primaries, secondaries, and rectrices edged with white on inner webs; a narrow ring around eye silky white, below this slightly dusky; lores olive-yellow; sides of head and neck like back; chin, throat, chest, and crissum light lemon-yellow; breast and abdomen white, very faintly drab-gray on sides and with a wash of yellow on median line; thighs, lining of wing, and axillars white faintly washed with yellow. A male from Manila measures: Length, 100; wing, 52; tail, 36; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 7; tarsus, 16.
Female.—Similar to the male. A female from Nueva Ecija Province, Luzon, measures: Wing, 52; tail, 36; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 7; tarsus, 16.
“Shot in great numbers in bamboo clumps in the open fields. Four males average as follow: Wing, 53; tail, 37; culmen, 14; tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 13.7. Three females, wing, 51; tail, 37; culmen, 13; tarsus, 14.7; middle toe with claw, 14.4. Iris light brown; legs, feet, and nails leaden.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Luzon (Whitehead, Worcester, McGregor, Mearns, Bartsch).
Diagnosis.—Similar to Zosterops meyeni from the vicinity of Manila, but male and female “differ conspicuously in being darker above and not so yellow, especially on the crown and forehead, in having darker and more greenish olive ear-coverts, all the feathers of the upper side having much darker gray bases, more greenish flanks, and a black loral patch which is not developed in Z. meyeni. Wing ♂ ♀, 52 to 53.5; tail, 36; bill, 9.” (Hartert.)
Mindanao (Goodfellow, Mearns).
Diagnosis.—“Entirely like Z. w. whiteheadi but larger and with a dusky shade under the eye. Wing, 58.8; tail, 40; bill, 10.5.” (Hartert.)
A male from Mount Apo measures: Wing, 55; tail, 38; culmen from base, 12.5; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 18. A female, wing, 54; tail, 37.5; culmen from base, 12.5; bill from nostril, 7.5.
This subspecies appears to be very slightly different from Zosterops meyeni.
Mindoro (Mearns).
“Characters.—Sexes alike. Similar to Zosterops vulcani, but slightly larger. Wing, 56 against 55 millimeters; tail, 42 to 41; culmen, 12 to 11.5. Color yellower, but without a longitudinal yellow stripe on middle of abdomen; sides more whitish gray; cheeks and ear-coverts paler and yellower, but the yellow confined to the chin and throat not suffusing the upper chest; upper surfaces of a more golden green. From Zosterops whiteheadi the Mindoro form is easily distinguished, when similar seasonal plumages are compared, by its greater size and more yellow coloration.” (Mearns.)
Da-ti-ú, Batan.
Batan (McGregor).
Male (type).—Above yellowish green or light olive-yellow, brighter on crown, rump, and upper tail-coverts; lores and frontal band bright yellow; eye surrounded by a ring of silky white feathers, interrupted in front by a small dusky spot; an indistinct dusky line below eye-circle; auriculars and sides of neck light yellowish green like the crown; chin, throat, breast, and under tail-coverts bright yellow like the forehead; a faint yellow wash on middle of breast and abdomen; wing-coverts olive-yellow like the back; quills blackish and, except first primary, edged with olive-yellow, inner webs margined with white; edge of wing light yellow; axillars and wing-lining white, faintly washed with yellow; rectrices blackish edged with olive-yellow. Iris light brown; upper mandible black; lower mandible and legs leaden blue; nails brown. Length, 127; wing, 58; tail, 43; culmen from base, 14; bill from nostril, 8.5; tarsus, 18. Iris pale brown; upper mandible black; lower mandible and legs lead-blue; nails brown.
Female.—Similar to the male. Wing, 55; tail, 40; culmen from base, 13; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 18.
A nest containing four fresh eggs of the Batan silvereye was taken on June 1, 1907. The nest, compactly made of plant fibers, was situated in the fork of a small tree; its inside diameter is 63 mm.; inside depth, 33. The eggs are pale blue and unmarked; they measure from 16.5 to 17.5 mm. in length, and from 12.1 to 12.9 mm. in breadth. Two nests containing young birds were found on the 5th of June.
Bu-lai-og′, Siquijor.
Negros (Whitehead, Celestino); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino).
Male and female.—Above bright olive-yellow similar to Z. meyeni, but with a well-marked, yellow, frontal band; lores yellow; a faint dusky line under eye; below similar to Z. meyeni, but with a well-developed median line of lemon-yellow; sides of breast and of abdomen pale ashy gray. A male from Siquijor measures: Wing, 54; tail, 42; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 17. A female, wing, 54; tail, 39; culmen from base, 13; bill from nostril, 8.5; tarsus, 16.
Bohol (McGregor).
Male and female.—Similar to Z. siquijorensis, but the sides of breast and abdomen darker ash-gray or cinereous; white eye-circle interrupted in front by a small dusky spot. The type measures: Length, 119; wing, 60; tail, 43; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 15. A female, wing, 51; tail, 36; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 7.5; tarsus, 15.
Cebu (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor).
Adult.—Very similar to Z. basilanica, but the lores dusky; from Z. siquijorensis and boholensis it differs in having a distinct blackish line under the eye. A male measures: Wing, 53; tail, 37; culmen from base, 12.5; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 15. A female, wing, 51; tail, 38; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 7.5; tarsus, 15.
Basilan (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bongao (Everett); Dinagat (Everett); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead); Mindanao (Everett, Koch & Schadenberg, Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow); Papahag (Bartsch); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead); Sulu (Bourns & Worcester).
Adult.—Resembles Z. everetti, but the lores dusky; from Z. boholensis and siquijorensis it differs in having a distinct dusky line under the eye and the upper parts more greenish; sides of breast and of abdomen dark cinereous. A male from Basilan measures: Wing, 51; tail, 39; culmen from base, 11; bill from nostril, 7; tarsus, 16. A female, wing, 51; tail, 40; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 7; tarsus, 15.
Camiguin N. (McGregor).
Male (type).—Above bright olive-yellow, lighter on rump; forehead and lores golden yellow; ear-coverts and sides of neck like the back; a wide circle of short, silky, white feathers about the eye bordered below by a dusky line; below bright lemon-yellow; sides slightly dusky; wing-feathers and rectrices dark brown edged with olive-yellow. Iris brown; bill black, but basal two-thirds of lower mandible leaden blue; legs and nails flesh-color. Length, 114; wing, 53; tail, 38; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 16.
Female.—Similar to the male in color. Wing, 51; tail, 37; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 15.
In color this species is similar to Z. richmondi, but it lacks the black line under the eye and has the white eye-ring much wider than in any other Philippine species.
Tam-mig, Cagayancillo.
Cagayancillo (McGregor).
Adult male (type).—Resembles in general color the male of Z. meyleri, but has a distinct black line under the eye, a small dusky spot in front of the eye, and a narrow eye-ring. Length, 114; wing, 56; tail, 44; culmen from base, 14; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 17.
Female.—Similar to the male. Wing, 54; tail, 40; culmen from base, 13; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 17.
Luzon (Whitehead).
Diagnosis.—“Most nearly allied to Z. nigrorum from Negros, but distinguished by having no black spot in front of the eye, the upper parts brighter olive, and the yellow of the throat and middle of the under parts more golden with no greenish tinge. Length, 96.5; wing, 46; tail, 35.5; tarsus, 15.” (Grant.)
Caluya (Porter);80 Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor); Mindoro (Whitehead).
“This beautiful species is most nearly allied to Z. luzonica Grant, from the Mayon Volcano, in the Albay district, but is distinguished by its altogether brighter plumage above and below, and by the brilliant golden yellow frontal band, which forms a conspicuous patch on the lores and in front of the eyes.
“Adult male.—Length, about 114; wing, 47 to 52; tail, 35.5 to 38; tarsus, 15.
“Adult female.—Length, about 114; wing, 49.5 to 52; tail, 35.5 to 38; tarsus, 15.” (Grant.)
A male from Bataan Province, Luzon, measures: Wing, 50; tail, 35; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 15.
Cresta de Gallo (McGregor); Masbate (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead); Panay, (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor).
Adult.—Similar to Z. aureiloris. Above dark olive-yellow; frontal band and lores bright lemon-yellow; a black line under eye; eye-ring interrupted in front by a small black spot; sides of head and neck like the back; chin and throat lemon-yellow, becoming more greenish on breast and abdomen. In general color this species is much greener than Z. aureiloris or other related species. Iris greenish white; bill dark above, bluish horn-color below; legs plumbeous; nails light horn-color. A male from Masbate measures: Length, 114; wing, 53; tail, 37; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 8; tarsus, 15. A female from Masbate, wing, 52; tail, 36; culmen from base, 12; bill from nostril, 7.5; tarsus, 15.
“Found in abundance about flowering trees in the forest together with sunbirds and Dicæidæ. Ten males average: Length, 114; wing, 55; tail, 40; culmen, 14; tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 14.4. Nine females, length, 111; wing, 53.5; tail, 39; culmen, 13.7; tarsus, 14.4; middle toe with claw, 14. Iris light brown; legs and feet pale slaty; bill same color. Breeding in Negros in the month of January.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Mindanao (Goodfellow).
Male.—Above olive-green; forehead and line over eye drab; ear-coverts dull green; lores blackish; no white eye-ring; chin and fore throat buffy white; remainder of under parts light green, becoming light sulphur-yellow on middle of breast and abdomen; wing-feathers and rectrices blackish brown edged with olive-green. “Iris reddish brown; bill all plumbeous black; feet and claws pale olive.” (Mearns.) Length, 158; wing, 72; tail, 56; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 20. The male is described from a specimen collected by Mearns.
“Female.—Above olive-green, crown and ear-coverts tinged with brown; remiges deep brown with greenish outer edges and pale sulphur-yellow inner margins; tail brown with olive-green outer webs; under side sulphur-yellow; chin and upper throat pale buff; fore neck and sides of breast and abdomen strongly tinged with olive-greenish. No indication of white orbital ring. Wing, 71 to 75; tail, 58; bill from feathers, 12.5; tarsus, 21.” (Hartert.)
Goodfellow’s silvereye is a very distinct species of entirely different coloration from any of the preceding species. It is known only from Mount Apo, Mindanao.
Mindanao (Mearns).
“Characters.—Smaller than typical Zosterops goodfellowi, with stouter bill, front half of head grayish brown instead of olive-green; nape greenish gray instead of olive-green; auricular patch more sharply defined and less greenish; malar region washed with brown instead of being dirty white; throat and upper breast more distinctly washed with brown. The iris is reddish brown in both; bill black in malindangensis, plumbeous-black in goodfellowi; feet and claws pale olive, yellowish on under side of toes in both.” (Mearns.)
Bill similar to that of Zosterops, but somewhat stouter and ridge of culmen rounded; colors very different from Zosterops; entire upper parts cinnamon-rufous and no white eye-ring.
The characters of Hypocryptadius as given by Hartert follow: “Bill rather higher and comparatively short, the culmen distinctly curved; nasal groove less than one-third of the length of the exposed portion of the culmen; culminal ridge more rounded. Wing as in Zosterops (i. e., ‘nine primaried’), the first (developed) primary only 5 mm. shorter than the next and at least 1½ cm. longer than the secondaries. Larger than Zosterops, coloration different from all Zosteropidæ. Sexes alike. Feet very strong, but structurally similar to those of Zosterops.”
Mindanao (Goodfellow, Mearns).
Male.—Above bright cinnamon-rufous; wing-feathers and rectrices blackish brown with most of the outer webs cinnamon-rufous; inner webs of primaries and secondaries cinnamon; under parts buff, tinged with cinnamon on breast, and becoming lilac-gray on lower breast and abdomen, and nearly white on crissum; thighs darker. Wing, 90; tail, 54; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 10; tarsus, 21.
The female is similar to the male. This species is known only from Mount Apo, Mindanao.