Bill slender, usually strongly decurved and tapering to the sharply pointed tip; bill as long as head or much longer, without notch or hook, but the cutting edges minutely serrated for their distal thirds; rictal bristles inconspicuous or lacking; each nostril opening covered by a large opercle; first primary less than one-half the second, the latter decidedly shorter than third which nearly equals the fourth and fifth; tail square, rounded, or strongly graduated.
Back, rump, and tail-coverts metallic green and purple; top of head bright metallic green; rectrices graduated; nasal opercles covered with short feathers. The last character mentioned distinguishes Chalcostetha from all nearly related genera.
Balabac (Everett); Palawan (Everett, Whitehead, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, White). Tenasserim, Cochin China, Sunda Islands, Malay Peninsula, Siam, Sumatra, Borneo, Celebes.
Male.—Forehead, crown, and nape metallic green; mantle dull black; median and lesser wing-coverts, back, and tail-coverts metallic purple when held away from the light, changing to dark green when held toward the light; tail black, some of its feathers edged with violet; wings blackish brown, the greater secondary-coverts edged with violet; middle of throat and breast with a large metallic copper-colored patch; chin, a line down each side of the copper-colored patch, and lower breast metallic violet; abdomen and under tail-coverts black; pectoral tufts bright lemon-yellow. Length, about 140; wing, 61; tail, 52; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 16; tarsus, 14. Description and measurements from a specimen taken by C. B. Kloss in Singapore.
“Female.—Crown and nape ashy brown; rest of upper parts yellowish olive; tail black, largely tipped with white; under parts whitish, strongly washed with pale yellow. Wing, 51.” (Gadow.)
“Iris, bill, legs, feet, and nails black. Food insects.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Bill as long as head, strongly curved, the tip very sharp; nasal opercles unfeathered; males with the rectrices narrow and graduated, the middle pair usually much produced and often acuminate. Males brightly colored, largely red or yellow or both; females greenish.
Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, Celestino); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino).
Male.—Forehead and malar stripe metallic, dark royal purple; remainder of head, entire neck, and mantle bright poppy-red; chin, throat, and breast scarlet-vermilion, the basal and central parts of the feathers pale yellow; back and rump black with a median more or less concealed patch of gamboge-yellow; tail and coverts metallic royal purple; wings, lower breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts dead black; axillars and wing-lining black; lesser and median wing-coverts red, and some of the greater coverts narrowly edged with red. A male from Cebu measures: Wing, 59; tail, 49; culmen from base, 24; bill from nostril, 19; tarsus, 16. Upper mandible brown, lower mandible reddish flesh; legs and nails dark brown.
Female.—Dull green with a slight reddish wash across the back; wing-feathers and rectrices blackish brown, the latter edged with dark crimson; wing-feathers and rump more faintly washed with crimson. A female from Cebu, wing, 56; tail, 43; culmen from base, 22; bill from nostril, 18; tarsus, 15.
Young birds resemble the adult female, but the young males early show indications of the red throat and breast and of the black abdomen.
“Eight males from Negros average: Length, 133; wing, 57.6; tail, 47.4; culmen, 25; tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 15. Three females from Cebu measure: Length, 125; wing, 55; tail, 41; culmen, 25; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 16. Nine males from Sibuyan average: Length, 137; wing, 61; tail, 51; culmen, 25; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 16.
“It will be seen that the Sibuyan birds belong to a larger race, but we do not think they can be specifically separated. Breeding in the month of June in Cebu. Native name in Negros ‘a-na-nag-bac.’ Shot in Sibuyan 1,100 meters above sea-level.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Two eggs of the magnificent sunbird collected by Steere in Negros, February, 1888, and three eggs collected at the base of Canlaon Volcano by Whitehead, March 23, 1896, are described as follows:
“Shape ovate. Ground-color pale terra-cotta red, very thickly mottled all over with a darker tint of the same color, the mottlings heaviest at the larger end, a few fine hair-like scribblings crossing the shell transversely. Measurements 17 mm. by 12 mm.”
Another set of two eggs, collected by Whitehead in Negros, April 15, 1896, are described as having the “Ground-color as in the above, but the shell heavily clouded with rich dark terra-cotta and darker scribblings and specks of the same color. Measurements 16 mm. by 12 mm.”
“This sunbird nests in old forest. The nest is generally found suspended among forest débris in the vicinity of some huge tree-trunks only a few feet from the ground. It is well hidden by the undergrowth.
“The nest is a well-woven bag-shaped structure, with a roofed entrance at the side. It is principally constructed of fine grass, rootlets, palm fiber, and fragments of dead leaves woven together with spiders’ webs and lined with fine dead grass tops and seeds. The nest found by Professor Steere was suspended from a root under the overhanging bank of a river, and looked like a tuft of rubbish left by high water.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
Kah-poi-yah-poi-yuh, or kah-pue-yoo-ahn, Bagobo of Mount Apo.
Mindanao (Mearns, Goodfellow).
“Adult male.—Entire head and neck all round, except middle of chin and throat, slate-gray, faintly washed with french-green, the feathers of the forehead narrowly edged with metallic french-green; upper back gray, strongly washed with oil-green; lower back olive-green; rump citron-yellow; wings brownish black with wing-coverts and outer webs of secondaries olive-green; under wing-coverts and edges of inner webs of primaries and secondaries white; tail with longest feather 12 mm. longer than the next, 25 mm. longer than the outer rectrix; middle pair of tail-feathers entirely metallic french-green, the remaining rectrices being green-black, broadly tipped with gray on the outer and white on the inner webs; under parts with a median stripe of citron-yellow extending from bill to chest, broadening posteriorly and minutely mixed with orpiment-orange at upper margin of chest; flanks, abdomen, and under tail-coverts yellow; chest orange; pectoral tufts chinese-orange. Iris red; bill black faintly tipped with horn-color; feet and claws black, except the under side of toes which are yellowish. Length, 130; alar expanse, 180; wing, 57; tail, 55; culmen (chord), 21; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 14.
“Adult female.—Head, neck all round, and chest slate-gray; upper parts, including upper wing-coverts and exposed outer webs of wing-quills, olive-yellow; tail similar to that of male, but shorter and duller, with feathers rounded at tip; under parts, including under tail-coverts, yellow, whitish on middle of abdomen. Size considerably smaller than male. Culmen, 18; wing, 48.
“Young male in first plumage.—Head, sides of throat, and upper parts smoke-gray, washed on lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts with green; upper wing-coverts and exposed portion of outer webs of quills olive-green; under parts, including stripe on middle of chin and throat, smoke-gray washed with greenish yellow; lining of wings white; tail-feathers pointed, similar to the adult but shorter and duller. Iris brown; bill black, orange at base, yellow and orange inside; metatarsus black; toes orange, dusky above. Older males soon grow to resemble adults, the orange first showing in the middle of the breast, the flanks and belly becoming yellow at the same time, the pectoral tufts and richest coloring probably not appearing before the second year.” (Mearns.)
Balabac (Steere, Everett); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester); Palawan (Steere, Whitehead, Everett, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor, Celestino, White).
Male.—Forehead, crown, long moustachial stripe, upper tail-coverts, middle rectrices, and outer webs of remaining rectrices dark metallic green when held away from the light, changing to dark blue when held toward the light; occiput, mantle, and sides of head and neck maroon-red; chin and a narrow line bordering the throat maroon-red; throat and breast sulphur-yellow, the latter streaked with vermilion; abdomen pale gray or white, washed in the middle with pale yellow; under tail-coverts pale yellow; back olive-green; rump sulphur-yellow; wing-feathers blackish brown edged with olive-green. Length, about 110; wing, 47; tail, 44; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 11; tarsus, 14.
Female.—Above olive-green; wing-feathers and rectrices dark brown edged with olive-green; bases of the rectrices with a wash of reddish brown; below white, washed with light olive on the breast and with pale yellow on the abdomen and under tail-coverts. Length, 89; wing, 42; tail, 25; culmen from base, 14; bill from nostril, 11; tarsus, 13.
“Ten males average: Length, 111; wing, 46; tail, 46; culmen, 17; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 12. Ten females, length, 87; wing, 43; tail, 29; culmen, 16; tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 12. Calamianes birds are very slightly smaller, but are otherwise identical. Shot at a height of 760 meters on Mount Pulgar in Palawan, where it was abundant.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Mindanao (Everett, Celestino); Samar (Steere Exp., Whitehead).
“Male.—Chin, throat, breast, and uropygium bright sulphur-yellow; forehead, vertex, minor carpal coverts, upper tail-coverts, and upper surface of rectrices dark metallic green; occiput, nape, and wing-coverts dark olive; cheeks, lores, behind the eye, sides of head and neck, interscapulars, and back deep blood-red; quills almost black, margined with dark olive; abdomen, flanks, vent, under tail-coverts, and under wing-coverts silky white, more or less tinged with pale yellow, especially on the mesial line, under tail-coverts, and carpal edge; a few blood-red feathers on the upper breast; a metallic violet spot on side of head; a narrow line of deep blood-red runs along the rami of the mandible; a bold metallic moustache springs from the base of the mandible, and descends the sides of the neck; the upper half violet, the lower half green. Wing, 42.6; tail, 36.5; culmen, 13; tarsus, 13.
“Female.—Above, wing-coverts, and edgings to quills olive-green; uropygium bright sulphur-yellow as in the male; space before the eye, cheeks, ear-coverts, chin, throat, and upper breast gray, tinged with yellowish olive-green; lower breast, abdomen, flanks, and under tail-coverts white tinged with yellow; under wing-coverts white faintly tinged with yellow; quills and rectrices dark brown margined with olive; lateral rectrices tipped with albescent olive. Wing, 41; tail, 28; culmen, 13; tarsus, 13.” (Tweeddale.)
Three fresh eggs of this sunbird collected by Whitehead near Paranas, Samar, July 19, 1895, are thus described: “Shape ovate. Ground-color pale pinkish white, a heavily, marked irregular zone of dull red toward the larger end, and some scattered spots and blotches of the same color over the rest of the shell, with here and there underlying brown markings. Measurements 14 mm. by 10 mm.
“The nest built by this sunbird differs considerably from that made by Æ. magnifica, being a long bag-shaped pocket, with a loose dangling tail of dead leaves. The entrance is at the side and roofed over, in fact very much like that constructed by the different species of Cinnyris. This nest was found dangling to a bramble in an old native clearing some distance from the forest. The female was obtained after much difficulty.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
Sulu (Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester).
“Adult male.—Slightly larger than Æthopyga bella. Upper surface as in that species; fore breast much more broadly streaked with orange; abdomen and under tail-coverts light lemon-yellow, not white.
“Adult female.—Above uniform olive-green. Does not show the bright yellow rump of Æthopyga bella. Under surface inclining to white, but breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts washed with light lemon-yellow.
“Average measurements from ten males: Length, 87; culmen, 18; wing, 40; tail, 33; tarsus, 12. From four females: Length, 83; culmen, 16; wing, 40; tail, 25; tarsus, 12.” (Bourns and Worcester.)
Cebu (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Masbate (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Celestino); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor).
Male.—Very similar to the male of Æ. arolasi, but the yellow of throat, breast, and rump gamboge or dark lemon-yellow instead of lemon-yellow and the red streaks on breast more conspicuous. Iris dark brown; bill, legs, and nails black. A male from Cebu measures: Wing, 44; tail, 32.5; culmen from base, 17; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 14.
Female.—Similar to the female of Æ. arolasi, but the rump pale yellow and the under parts washed with light yellowish green very much as in the female of Æ. shelleyi. A female from Cebu, wing, 42; tail, 23; culmen from base, 17; bill from nostril, 13; tarsus, 13.
“Four males average: Length, 94; wing, 43; tail, 32; culmen, 18; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 13. Three females, length, 89; wing, 40; tail, 24; culmen, 17; tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 12. Iris dark brown; bill, legs, feet, and nails black. Breeding in Cebu in the month of June.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor); Mindoro (Whitehead, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Polillo (McGregor).
Male.—Very similar to the male of Æ. bella and of Æ. bonita, but with very little or no red on the breast. Length, about 100; wing, 42; tail, 34; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 12.5; tarsus, 12.
Female.—Similar to the female of Æ. bonita, but the head somewhat darker and the bill shorter. Wing, 41; tail, 21.5; culmen from base, 14.5; bill from nostril, 11.5; tarsus, 11.5.
Pi-rit, Lubang.
Lubang (McGregor).
Male.—Very similar to the male of Æ. flavipectus, but the breast paler yellow. Length, about 96; wing, 42; tail, 39; culmen from base, 14.5; bill from nostril, 11.5; tarsus, 13.5.
Female.—Similar to the female of Æ. flavipectus. Wing, 41.5; tail, 20; culmen from base, 14; bill from nostril, 11; tarsus, 12.5.
This genus is very similar to Æthopyga, but the tail is short in both sexes; from Cinnyris it differs in having no metallic colors on the chin and throat.
Basilan (Steere, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Dinagat (Everett); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead); Mindanao (Celestino); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
Male.—Forehead and crown to opposite center of eye metallic french-blue; hind crown, sides of neck, and back olive-green; lower back and rump lemon-yellow; a patch above ear-coverts metallic greenish blue; lores, cheeks, and jaw dull black; under parts rich lemon-yellow becoming much paler on lower abdomen, flanks, and crissum; a large scarlet patch on chest partly broken up by the yellow tips of the feathers; wing-quills blackish brown, externally edged with olive-green and on inner webs with white; secondary-coverts black, broadly tipped with rich metallic green; alula and primary-coverts black, narrowly edged or tipped with metallic green; upper tail-coverts and middle pair of rectrices rich metallic green, the other rectrices black, edged with metallic green; lining of wing white. A male from Basilan measures: Length, 89; wing, 45; tail, 23.5; culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 15; tarsus, 14.
“Female.—Without any metallic colors; upper parts olive, inclining to ashy brown on the crown and sides of the head; tail dark brown, washed with olive, tipped with white; under wing-coverts and inner edge of quills white; rest of under parts dingy yellowish. Wing, 46; tail, 25; tarsus, 14.” (Gadow.)
“Three male birds average: Length, 95; wing, 48; tail, 23; culmen, 21; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 13. Two females, length, 85; wing, 43; tail, 23; culmen, 21; tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 12. Iris brownish red; legs, feet, and nails black; bill black. Birds from Basilan, however, have legs and feet brown. Food insects.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Whitehead collected three slightly incubated eggs of this short-tailed sunbird near Paranas, Samar, on July 26, 1896. They are described as follows: “Shape ovate. Ground-color dull pink, rather thickly mottled all over with pinkish gray, especially towards the larger end, the markings forming a rather distinct zone round the pole. The over-markings are small rounded spots and dots of deep vandyke-brown. Measurements 15 mm. by 12 mm. Nest attached to the under side of a climbing fern about 8 feet [2.4 meters] from the ground.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor).
Male.—Differs from the male of E. pulcherrima in having the outer webs of secondaries metallic green instead of olive-green and entire outer webs of primaries blackish brown with traces of metallic green. Bill, legs, and nails black. Length, 95; wing, 50; tail, 27; culmen from base, 20.5; bill from nostril, 16; tarsus, 14.
Female.—Above olive-green, darker and browner on the crown; rump lemon-yellow; under parts pale yellowish; grayer on chin and throat; wing-feathers blackish brown, edged with olive-green; rectrices blackish brown, tipped with dirty white, and narrowly edged with metallic green. Wing, 46; tail, 27; culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 15; tarsus, 15.
Bohol (McGregor).
Male.—Similar to the male of E. jefferyi, but metallic color on secondaries and wing-coverts steel-blue instead of green; rump-patch and under parts pale sulphur-yellow; red on chest reduced to a few small spots. Bill, legs, and nails black. Length, 89; wing, 45; tail, 24; culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 15; tarsus, 14.
Female.—Similar to the female of E. jefferyi, but the rump-patch sulphur-yellow. Wing, 44; tail, 22; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 14.5; tarsus, 13.
Bill and head about equal in length; tail moderately long, nearly square, and extending beyond the folded wings; nasal opercles covered with short feathers. Males with chin, throat, and fore breast usually metallic colored, or at least of a different color from the lower breast and abdomen; females with no metallic colors and the under parts light yellow or green.
Siete colores, Spanish name in general use.
Basiao, off Samar (Bartsch); Bohol (McGregor); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Cebu (Bourns & Worcester); Dinagat (Everett); Guimaras (Steere, Steere Exp.); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Meyer, Whitehead, McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Masbate (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Everett, Koch & Schadenberg, Celestino); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Everett, McGregor); Negros (Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Keay); Nipa (Everett); Palawan (Everett, Platen, Whitehead, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, White); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Polillo (McGregor); Romblon (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, Bartsch); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Ticao (McGregor).
Male.—Held away from the light top of head and hind neck reddish bronze, lower back, rump, and tail-coverts metallic green and amethystine; held toward the light, head and neck change to bronze-green; back, rump, and tail-coverts change to steel-green; lores, cheeks, and ear-coverts dull black; mantle, sides of neck, and wing-coverts dark maroon-red; chin, throat, and chest metallic violet away from the light, changing to purple when held toward the light; breast poppy-red; abdomen, thighs, flanks, and crissum olive-green; the last washed with red in some specimens; wing-feathers blackish, edged with maroon, a small metallic colored patch at carpal joint; rectrices blackish, edged with metallic violet and green. Iris brown; bill, legs, and nails black. A male from Masbate measures: Length, 102; wing, 50; tail, 29; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 12.
Female.—Above light olive-green; feathers of head edged with gray; below greenish yellow, brighter on abdomen, flanks, and crissum; wings and tail blackish brown; primaries and secondaries edged with dull orange-rufous on outer webs and with white on inner webs; rectrices tipped with light gray. A female from Luzon, wing, 50; tail, 30; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 12.
“Ten males from Palawan average: Length, 104; wing, 50; tail, 31; tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 13; culmen, 20. Ten females, culmen, 19; wing, 47; tail, 28; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 13. Iris dark brown; bill, legs, and feet black. Called by natives of Palawan ‘sopra daraga.’ Breeding in Palawan in December; in Siquijor in February; in Negros in January; and in Samar in April.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Sa-uit sa-uit, Calayan.
Babuyan Claro (McGregor); Calayan (McGregor); Camiguin N. (McGregor); Fuga (McGregor); Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor).
Male.—Similar to C. sperata, but mantle, hind neck, and sides of neck dull black; quills and wing-coverts entirely black, except the metallic green lesser coverts; abdomen, thighs, and crissum black, washed with olive-green. A male from Calayan measures: Wing, 535; tail, 32; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 16; tarsus, 15.
Female.—Similar to the female of C. sperata. A female from Calayan measures: Wing, 52; tail, 31; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 14.5.
Basilan (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Malanipa (Murray); Mindanao (Everett); Sulu (Guillemard); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester, Everett).
Male.—Above similar to the male of C. sperata; chin, throat, and chest metallic amethystine; breast bright lemon-yellow to cadmium-yellow, lighter posteriorly and old birds with a patch of scarlet-vermilion in the center of the breast; abdomen and remainder of under parts dark olive-green mixed with yellow. A male from Basilan measures: Wing, 50; tail, 31; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 13; tarsus, 13.5.
Female.—Similar to the female of C. sperata, but wing-feathers edged with light claret-brown, this color extending faintly across the back; general color of under parts bright apple-green shading into yellow on middle of breast and abdomen. A female from Basilan measures: Wing, 45; tail, 27; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 13.5.
“Nine males average: Length, 98; wing, 49; tail, 30; culmen, 19; tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 13. A female measures, length, 98; wing, 47; tail, 28; culmen, 19; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 13. Iris dark brown; bill, legs, feet, and nails black. Green caterpillars were found in the stomach of one specimen.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Catanduanes (Whitehead); Luzon (Laglaise, Whitehead).
“Adult male.—Forehead and chin metallic violet; upper tail-coverts metallic green; tail black, edged with metallic green and violet; the mantle, back, and outer edges of the dark brown wings olive-yellow; chin, sides of head, sides of neck, and fore neck black, this color extending likewise over the sides of the upper breast; no pectoral tufts; center of fore neck and chest bright orange-red, which color passes gradually into the pale yellow of the rest of the under parts. Culmen, 18; wing, 51; tail, 33; tarsus, 13.” (Gadow.)
“Adult male.—The metallic patch of feathers on the forehead-is steel-green, and does not extend so far back; the rest of the crown and nape yellowish olive-green, shading into orange on the back; and the sides of the belly and flanks are olive-gray, pale yellowish in the middle, with a brilliant orange-red patch above. As in C. guimarasensis, the present species has the chin and upper part of the throat metallic purplish blue, and the chest and breast velvety black, divided up the middle by a brilliant orange-red band. Length, 102; wing, 48; tail, 30; tarsus, 14.
“A bird which appears to be a nearly adult female, though the sex was not ascertained, differs from the female of C. guimarasensis as described by Bourns and Worcester, Minn. Acad. Nat. Sci. Occ. Papers (1894), I, no. 1, 55, in the following points: The head and nape are dull olive-green, shading into brighter olive-green (instead of brownish) on the rest of the upper parts; the sides of the face are dull olive (not dark ashy gray); the throat and chest gray slightly washed with yellow, rather more marked on the chin, and the rest of the under parts are pale yellowish olive, with no trace of the orange-yellow on the breast as described in the female of C. guimarasensis.” (Grant.)
Specimens of the flaming sunbird collected by Whitehead were inadvertently described by Grant as new under the name Cinnyris excellens. Grant’s descriptions are included here to supplement that by Gadow. I have not seen the species.
Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Negros (Keay, Celestino); Panay (Bourns & Worcester).
“Adult male.—Forehead and crown metallic green with violet reflections; hind head, neck, and upper part of mantle dark blood-red; back olive-yellow; chin violet; cheeks, sides of neck, and throat velvety black; breast rich orange separated from the black of the throat by a sulphur-yellow band; a central stripe on the throat, partly concealed, of rich vermilion; flanks and abdomen pale yellow. Length, 89; wing, 48.” (Steere.)
“Adult female.—Head and nape light olive-green, becoming browner on back, wing-coverts, and outer webs of secondaries; upper tail-coverts like back; tail black, webs of central pair of feathers washed with same color as back; sides of face dark ashy gray, edges of feathers darker than centers; chin light yellow; entire throat gray, faintly washed with yellow; entire breast bright orange-yellow paler on flanks, abdomen, and under tail-coverts; axillars, under wing-coverts, and inner webs of quills pure white.” (Bourns and Worcester.)
“The length of our specimens was not taken in the flesh. Average from six males: Wing, 48; tail, 31; culmen, 20; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 13. Six females, wing, 44; tail, 28; culmen, 18; tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 13. Bill, iris, legs, feet, and nails black.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Tam-si, Bohol; pú-si-u, Ticao and Masbate; pi-pít pú-go, Manila.
Bantayan (McGregor); Basiao, off Samar (Bartsch); Basilan (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (Everett, McGregor); Bongao (Everett); Caluya (Porter); Camiguin S. (Murray); Catanduanes (Whitehead); Cebu (Meyer, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Dinagat (Everett); Guimaras (Meyer, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Leyte (Everett, Steere Exp., Whitehead); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor, Bartsch); Maestre de Campo (McGregor & Worcester); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Masbate (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor, Bartsch); Mindanao (Steere, Everett, Koch & Schadenberg, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, Goodfellow); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Meyer, Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Keay); Panay (Steere, Murray, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Polillo (McGregor); Romblon (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Semirara (Worcester); Sibay (McGregor & Worcester); Sibutu (Everett); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Sulu (Guillemard, Bourns & Worcester); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor); Verde (McGregor).
Male.—Above olive-green, brightest on the rump; chin, throat, and chest glossy blue-black washed with dark aster-purple; remainder of under parts gamboge-yellow, darkest next to the black chest-patch; wing-feathers dark brown, outer webs edged with olive-green, inner webs edged with white; rectrices black, two or three outer pairs tipped with white. Bill, legs, and nails black. A male from Bohol measures: Wing, 55; tail, 38; culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 15; tarsus, 15.
Female.—Above similar to the male; below gamboge- or lemon-yellow, whitish on the chin, and with obscure dusky mottlings on the throat, brightest yellow on middle of breast and abdomen. A female from Siquijor measures: Wing, 50; tail, 33; culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 15; tarsus, 15.
The young male resembles the female and from this plumage gradually acquires the black throat and chest. In many specimens (very old males?) there is more or less orange next to the black chest, while the forehead and a small area above the eye often develop a few metallic blue feathers.
“This sunbird shows great variability in the color of the breast, some specimens having an amount of orange approximating, but never quite equaling, that displayed by C. aurora. Ten males average: Length, 119; wing, 56; tail, 40; culmen, 21; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 14. Ten females, length, 114; wing, 52; tail, 36; culmen, 20; middle toe with claw, 14; tarsus, 14. Bill, legs, feet, and nails black; iris very dark brown. Breeds in February and March.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Three eggs of the yellow-breasted sunbird from Marinduque, May 17, 1888, collected by Steere, are described as follows: “Shape ovate. Ground-color whitish partially obscured by the mottled gray under markings, which cover the greater part of the shell; over markings pale brown, with a few spots and irregular marks of a deep brown. Measurements 16 mm. by 12 mm.
“The nest is a neatly woven pocket-shaped structure, with a roofed entrance at the side. It is composed of fiber, dead grasses, and other forest débris bound together with spiders’ webs and lined with cotton and fine grass.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
A-ru-ma-sít, Cuyo; da-gu-man′, Cagayancillo.
Agutaya (McGregor); Balabac (Steere Exp.); Cagayancillo (McGregor); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Cuyo (McGregor); Palawan (Everett, Lempriere, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White).
Male.—Very similar to the male of C. jugularis, but distinguished by a patch or broad band of orpiment-orange next to the black chest. A male from Cuyo measures: Wing, 55; tail, 37; culmen from base, 21; bill from nostril, 17; tarsus, 16.
Female.—Similar to the female of C. jugularis. A female from Siquijor measures: Wing, 50; tail, 34; culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 15; tarsus, 15.
The young male gradually acquires the black chin and throat in the manner of C. jugularis and develops the orange patch at the same time.
“Ten males average: Length, 120; wing, 55; tail, 39; culmen, 22; tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 15. Three females, length, 109; wing, 51; tail, 36; culmen, 22; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 14. Iris dark brown; bill, legs, feet, and nails black. Breeding in December in Palawan and in February in Culion. Called by natives of Palawan ‘chee-wit’.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Bill as long as head, slightly curved, and stouter than in the other Philippine genera of this family; nasal opercles without feathers; tail nearly square. Male with upper parts, sides of neck, and a line along each side of throat metallic colored; under parts without metallic feathers; female with shorter bill than the male and without metallic colors.
Basilan (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Lubang (McGregor); Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Masbate (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Mindanao (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow); Negros (Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Romblon (Bourns & Worcester); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester, Everett); Ticao (McGregor).
Male.—Crown, mantle, and sides of neck metallic green changing to amethystine; back, rump, tail-coverts, and lesser wing-coverts metallic violet-blue; chin and throat liver-brown, bordered on each side by a narrow line of metallic green and violet-blue; remainder of under parts greenish yellow brightest in the middle of breast and abdomen; pectoral tufts lemon-yellow; wings blackish; primaries and secondaries edged with olive-green; alula and greater and median coverts burnt sienna; rectrices black, edged with metallic green which changes to amethystine. A male from Lubang measures: Wing, 71; tail, 46; culmen from base, 20; bill from nostril, 16.5; tarsus, 18. A male from Sibuyan, wing, 71; tail, 50; culmen from base, 22; bill from nostril, 17; tarsus, 19.
Female.—Above tea-green; below apple-green; center of breast and abdomen yellower; wings and tail dark brown, the feathers edged with dull golden olive. Bill shorter than in the male. A female from Basilan, wing, 66; tail, 42; culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 18.
“Ten males from Basilan average: Length, 129; wing, 69; tail, 45; culmen, 20; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 26. Nine females, length, 127; wing, 66; tail, 42; culmen, 20; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 21. Iris brownish red; legs and feet brownish to yellowish olive; nails black; bill dark brown to black. Food, in three cases, seeds.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Balabac (Everett); Calamianes (McGregor & Worcester); Palawan (Steere, Everett, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White); Sibutu (Everett); Sitanki (Bartsch). Cochin China, Malay Peninsula, Siam, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Flores.
Male.—Very similar to the male of A. chlorigaster, but smaller and with the breast and abdomen bright yellow. A male from Palawan measures: Wing, 68; tail, 48; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 17.
Female.—Similar to the female of A. chlorigaster but smaller. A female from Palawan, wing, 62; tail, 42; culmen from base, 16; bill from nostril, 13; tarsus, 15.
“Ten males from Palawan average: Length, 131; wing, 66; tail, 47; culmen, 21; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 16. Ten females, length, 123; wing, 61; tail, 42; culmen, 20; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 15.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Bongao (Everett); Pangamian (Bartsch); Sulu (Guillemard, Platen, Bourns & Worcester, Bartsch); Tawi Tawi (Everett).
Hartert does not give a full description of this bird, but states that the sides of the head are almost as red as with A. rhodolæma and that the under side is like A. chlorigaster. I have not seen specimens of Anthreptes from any of the Sulu group of islands.
Tal-lu-gus-lú-gus, Moros of Cagayan Sulu.
Cagayan Sulu (Mearns).
“This is a slight insular form, most closely related to Anthreptes wiglesworthi (Hartert), from Sulu, P. I., from which it differs in being decidedly yellower below; the sides of the head are more reddish; the greater wing-coverts are narrowly edged with olive instead of broadly with ferruginous; and the bill is smaller. Iris hazel; bill all black; feet greenish olive, with under side of toes yellow.” (Mearns.)
“Characters of adult female * * *. Differs from females of Anthreptes griseigularis in the absence of the grayish white chin and throat; from A. chlorogaster in the yellower coloration of the middle under parts and greener upper parts; and from A. malaccensis only in the greater contrast of the canary-yellow of the middle under parts with the green color of the flanks, which in A. cagayanensis are pale oil-green, and in A. malaccensis olive-yellow. I have no female of A. wiglesworthi for comparison. Wing, 65; tail, 47; culmen (chord), 15.5; bill from nostril, 12; tarsus, 15.8.” (Mearns.)
Palawan (Everett). Borneo.
“Two males from Borneo have the whole breast olive-yellow like the abdomen and flanks; the pectoral tufts are bright yellow, and therefore very conspicuous; under wing-coverts pale buff, edged with yellow; median wing-coverts, scapulars, sides of head, and ear-coverts very deep maroon-red.” (Gadow.)
Luzon (Everett, Whitehead, McGregor); Mindanao (Everett, Celestino); Mindoro (McGregor); Sakuijok (Everett); Samar (Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
Male.—Similar to the male of A. chlorigaster, but chin and throat light gray (gray 6 to gray 10 of Ridgway’s Nomenclature of Colors); breast and abdomen much paler than in A. chlorigaster; pectoral tufts pale lemon-yellow. A male from Bataan Province, Luzon, measures: Length, 127; wing, 68; tail, 41; culmen from base, 20; bill from nostril, 15; tarsus, 17. A male from Mindanao, wing, 63; tail, 38; culmen from base, 18; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 16.5.
Female.—Green like the female of A. chlorigaster but paler. A female from Luzon, wing, 59; tail, 35; culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 15; tarsus, 15.
Bill twice as long as head and much curved; nasal opercles unfeathered; wing moderate in length; first primary equal to about one-half the second; tail nearly square. Colors olive-green, gray, and yellow, no metallic feathers. Members of this genus are easily recognized by their very long bills.
Basilan (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Bohol (McGregor); Leyte (Everett, Steere Exp., Whitehead); Mindanao (Platen, Celestino); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
Male.—Above olive-green, the bases of the crown-feathers dark brown; chin, throat, and breast light gray, washed with pale olive-green; abdomen, flanks, and crissum bright lemon-yellow; thighs gray, washed with yellow; a small tuft of feathers on each side of breast cadmium-yellow; wing-feathers blackish brown edged with olive-green; rectrices blackish, edged with olive-green and, except the middle pair, tipped with white and gray; axillars and wing-lining slightly washed with pale yellow. A male from Basilan measures: Length, 152; wing, 64; tail, 43; culmen from base, 35; bill from nostril, 28; tarsus, 15.
Female.—Slightly smaller than the male and without the yellow pectoral tufts. A female from Basilan measures: Wing, 59; tail, 38; culmen from base, 32; bill from nostril, 26; tarsus, 15.
“Four males average: Length, 141; wing, 62; tail, 45; culmen, 34; tarsus, 15; middle toe with claw, 16. A female, length, 148; wing, 62; tail, 41; culmen, 41; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 16. Iris reddish brown; legs and feet slate-blue; upper mandible black, lower black at tip, gray at base.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Palawan (Steere, Everett, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White).
Male.—Crown olive-brown; ear-coverts leaden gray; remainder of upper parts olive-green; chin, throat, and chest light gray; lower breast, sides, and abdomen pale green; crissum very pale gray; pectoral tufts chrome-yellow; wings and tail blackish brown, the feathers edged with olive-green. A male measures: Wing, 70; tail, 48; culmen from base, 37; bill from nostril, 31; tarsus, 17.
Female.—Similar to the male. Wing, 63; tail, 44; culmen from base, 33; bill from nostril, 28; tarsus, 17.
In this species the yellow pectoral tufts are present in both sexes and are of a lighter yellow than in the male of A. flammifera.
“Ten males average: Length, 165; wing, 69; tail, 48; culmen 40; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 23. Ten females, length, 144; wing, 61; tail, 42; culmen, 35; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 16. Iris brown, legs, feet, and nails slaty blue; bill black except base of lower mandible, which is gray. Food spiders and insects.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Leyte (Whitehead); Mindanao (Platen); Samar (Steere Exp., Whitehead).
“Adult female.—Above olive-green; wings brown, edged with olive-yellow; under surface ashy olive, washed with olive-green; forehead, space about gape, in front of eye, and ear-coverts bare. Length, 168; wing, 81; tail, 46; culmen, 39.” (Steere.) “Iris and bill black; feet pinkish brown; gape brilliant white; bare skin on face pinkish yellow.” (Whitehead.)
Grant states that the plumage is identical in the two sexes of this species.