Bill short and very stout, both deep and broad; culmen flat and slightly curved; outline of bill, viewed from above, kite-shaped; nostrils small and round, pierced near the frontal feathers and situated nearer to the culmen than to the cutting edges; primaries ten.
First primary narrow and pointed, shorter than primary-coverts. All the Philippine members of this subfamily are of small size and social habits.
Bill large, length of culmen about twice the width of upper mandible; tail nearly square; rectrices but slightly, if at all, pointed; legs and feet stout. Head and chin black; a large white patch covering face and ear-coverts; young with under parts buff and the head without the black and white markings.
Maí-an͠g cos′-ta, Manila.
Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Luzon (Heriot, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Steere); Panay (Bourns & Worcester); Samar (Bourns & Worcester). Java, Sumatra, Malacca.
Adult (sexes similar).—Lores, entire top of head, chin, fore throat, rump, upper tail-coverts, and rectrices black; sides of head and ear-coverts white forming a large conspicuous patch; entire back, lower throat, fore breast, sides of throat and of breast, secondaries, and secondary-coverts lilac-gray; lower breast, abdomen, and flanks dark vinaceous; thighs and crissum white; alula, primaries, and primary-coverts slate-gray, edged with cinereous. Bill, legs, and nails pink. A male from Luzon measures: Length, 135; wing, 69; tail, 49; culmen from base, 16; tarsus, 18.
Young.—Above smoke-gray and drab-gray; breast and throat light drab-gray; sides of face, chin, abdomen, thighs, and crissum cream-buff.
The Java sparrow occurs in some abundance in the vicinity of Manila, but is rarely found in other localities in the Philippines.
In Munia the bill is shorter in proportion to its width than in Padda; rectrices slightly graduated and, except the two of three outer pairs, sharply pointed at their tips.
Bi-ching, Benguet; maí-ya, Ticao; má-ja, Bohol.
Balabac (Everett); Bantayan (McGregor); Banton (Celestino); Batan (McGregor); Basilan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (Everett, Steere Exp., McGregor); Bongao (Everett); Cagayan Sulu (Mearns); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester); Calayan (McGregor); Cantanduanes (Whitehead); Cebu (Meyer, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Fuga (McGregor); Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Leyte (Everett, Steere Exp., Bartsch); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Masbate (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Steere, Murray, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Keay, Whitehead, Celestino); Palawan (Whitehead, Bourns & Worcester, White); Panay (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Polillo (McGregor); Romblon (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Semirara (Worcester); Sibay (McGregor & Worcester); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester); Sulu (Guillemard, Bourns & Worcester, Bartsch); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor).
Adult.—Entire head, chin, throat, and chest blackish brown; hind neck and sides of neck usually lighter or chocolate-brown, sharply defined against the chestnut of back, scapulars, wing-coverts, and edges of quills; sides of breast, flanks, and a narrow band across breast chestnut, brighter than the back; middle of lower breast, abdomen, thighs, and crissum, black or blackish brown; rump and tail-coverts deep maroon; tips of longest coverts and edges of two central rectrices golden brown or orange-rufous. Iris dark brown; bill, legs, and nails light horn-blue. A pair from Luzon measure: Male, length, 120; wing, 54; tail, 39; culmen from base, 11; tarsus, 16; female, wing, 54; tail, 38; culmen from base, 10; tarsus, 13.
Young.—Head and neck hair-brown; back and wing-coverts wood-brown, tail-coverts lighter; throat creamy buff; breast, abdomen, and crissum yellowish buff; rectrices and wing-feathers dark brown edged with buff.
The Philippine chestnut weaver, or rice bird, is abundant throughout the Islands. It is extremely social in its habits and in many cases a dozen of its globular nests may be found within a radius of a few meters.
The nests are frequently built among the branches of a common species of pandanus which grows on sandy beaches. Chestnut weavers in great numbers, and Munia cabanisi, Padda oryzivora, and Uroloncha everetti in lesser numbers, are captured in nets and sold, either in the Manila markets for food or on the streets as cage-birds.
“This chestnut weaver finch feeds in large flocks and is much prized by some of the inhabitants as an article of food, its small size being compensated for by the fact that a score can be killed at one discharge of a gun. It seems to breed throughout the year; its bulky nest is placed in the grass, and is composed entirely of grass stems and leaves; the entrance is a round opening at the side. The eggs are pure white and more or less globular; from six to ten eggs are deposited in a set.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Luzon (Whitehead). Formosa.
Adult.—This species is very similar to M. jagori from which it may be distinguished by its smoky brown head and neck; fore part of crown and sides of face blacker. The measurements of the type as given by Sharpe and changed to millimeters are: Length, 96.5; culmen, 11.4; wing, 48; tail, 35.5; tarsus, 15.
“Munia formosana Swinhoe, of which a specimen was recorded from Isabela, north Luzon, appears to be a distinct pale-colored form, the head, even in freshly-molted male examples, being of a dark smoky brown. In addition to the specimens recorded in the Catalogue of Birds, I have examined a number of Formosan examples of this species in the Seebohm collection.” Grant, Ibis (1896), 554.
Luzon (Meyer, Heriot, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor, Bartsch); Mindoro (Porter); Panay (Bourns & Worcester).
Adult (sexes alike).—Upper parts, including secondary-coverts and tertials, dark hair-brown with whitish shaft-lines; tail-coverts and rectrices light yellowish green; lores dusky; face and ear-coverts brown with light shaft-lines; chin and middle of throat vandyke-brown with lighter shaft-lines; feathers on the remaining under parts white with white shafts and white edges, each feather with a broad, median, brown mark and a wide brown band around the feather, next to the white edge, producing a peculiar and characteristic pattern. Iris light brown; bill horn-blue, the upper mandible darker especially toward the tip; legs and nails horn-blue. A male from Benguet Province, Luzon, measures: Length, 108; wing, 48; tail, 39; culmen from base, 10.5; tarsus, 13. A female, wing, 48; tail, 36; culmen from base, 11; tarsus, 13.
Young.—Upper parts broccoli-brown, darker on crown; under parts cream-buff, nearly white on middle of abdomen and on crissum.
Cabanis’s weaver is sometimes found in small flocks, but it is much rarer than either Munia jagori or Uroloncha everetti.
“A large flock of Cabanis’s weavers was seen in an open field in Panay, but this species was not again found by us. A female measures: Wing, 50; tail, 37.5; culmen, 11; tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 17.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
The genus Uroloncha as represented in the Philippines differs very little from Munia; in the two species of Uroloncha found here the plumage is all, or nearly all, chocolate-brown, the tail is wedge-shaped, and the central pair of rectrices, although pointed, are less acute than in Munia.
Bi-lit′, Calayan.
Balabac (Everett); Basilan (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester); Calayan (McGregor); Camiguin N. (McGregor); Catanduanes (Whitehead); Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester); Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Leyte (Whitehead); Luzon (Everett, McGregor); Mindanao (Koch & Schadenberg, Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Mindoro (Porter); Negros (Whitehead, Celestino); Palawan (Everett, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, White); Panay (Steere Exp.); Polillo (McGregor); Romblon (Bourns & Worcester); Samar (Whitehead); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester, Everett).
Adult (sexes alike).—Above chocolate-brown, darkest on forehead and tail-coverts; tertials, secondary-coverts, hind head, neck, back, and rump with distinct white shaft-lines; rectrices dark brown, edged with pale greenish yellow; lores blackish; sides of head and neck like back; under parts dark chocolate-brown, nearly black on chin and crissum; lower breast and abdomen white, forming a large patch. Iris dark red-brown; upper mandible black, lower mandible light horn-blue; legs and nails dark blue. Length, 110 to 120. A male from Camiguin Island measures: Wing, 51; tail, 40; culmen from base, 12; tarsus, 12. A female from Palawan, wing, 50; tail, 37; culmen from base, 11; tarsus, 12.
Young.—An immature male has the color pattern like the adult, but the brown is lighter, the shaft-lines are less pronounced, and the abdomen is washed with buff.
“Everett’s weaver was common about the rice fields, and was several times observed in deep forest, greatly to our astonishment. Four males average: Length, 108; wing, 48; tail, 39; culmen, 12; tarsus, 13; middle toe with claw, 16.5. Four females, length, 107; wing, 48.5; tail, 37.5; culmen, 12; tarsus, 14; middle toe with claw, 17. Iris dark brown; legs, feet, and nails leaden; upper mandible black, lower gray. Found breeding in Palawan in the month of December.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Cagayan Sulu (McGregor). Borneo.
Adult (sexes alike).—Entire plumage chocolate-brown; chin, throat, wings, and tail darker; lower breast and abdomen with indications of light shaft-lines. A male measures: Wing, 49; tail, 37; culmen from base, 10.5; tarsus, 13. Female, wing, 50; tail, 39; culmen from base, 10.5; tarsus, 14.
Tail short and square; outstretched feet reaching to end of tail. Forehead blue, remaining upper parts mostly green; breast and abdomen tawny-rufous.
Luzon (Whitehead); Mindoro (Whitehead, McGregor).
Adult.—Above including tail-coverts dark grass-green; head green; forehead blue with a narrow black band along base of bill; lores, sides of face, ear-coverts, and under parts tawny-rufous, paler posteriorly; sides of breast green, washed with blue; sides of body and flanks grass-green; primaries edged with olive-yellow; tail-feathers green at ends; center ones green, washed with orange. “Iris dark brown; bill black; feet flesh-color.” (Whitehead.) Length, 106; wing, 58.
This curiously colored weaver appears to be very rare or, at any rate, to be difficult to collect. Whitehead’s interesting notes on this species follow:
“These small bamboo sparrows are always difficult to obtain; being wary and of swift flight, they disappear in a second when alarmed. Amongst the bamboo-flowers, on which they feed, their movements are very slow and quiet, and it is only after one has found a number of bamboo-clumps in full flower, by carefully hiding and watching the flowers, that any success is obtained. My first specimens were collected in Benguet at an elevation of only 2,000 feet [610 meters], and we next met with the species again at 7,600 feet [2,300 meters] on Monte Data, where a single specimen was secured. In Mindoro I shot a Chlorura [=Reichenowia] in a pine tree close to my camp, and noticed another some days previously feeding at the end of a pine branch; this was at an elevation of 4,500 feet [1,370 meters]. The note, which seems only to be uttered when the bird is on the wing, is ‘tsit, tsit,’ and is a somewhat hissing sound.”
Bill as long as head, the terminal half decidedly compressed; culmen slightly curved throughout; gonys straight or slightly curved; a small but distinct notch near tip of bill; nostril oval, exposed, and nearer to cutting edge of mandible than to culmen; rictal bristles short; wing long, covering one-half or more of the tail; primaries ten, the first more than one-half and less than two-thirds of second, the latter shorter than third and equal to sixth; the fourth longest; rectrices well developed, tail slightly rounded.
Characters the same as those given for the family. In the Philippine species the prevailing colors are yellow, black, and gray; the rectrices are black, tipped with yellow in all the species.
Cul-au-uan, Palawan; cu-li-au-an, Lubang; kee-ao, Calayan and Ticao; tu-li-haó, Bantayan, Bohol, and Masbate; ca-li-lau-an, Cagayancillo; tu-tu-li-ao, Cuyo; da-mud-lao, Bohol.
Banton (Celestino); Bantayan (McGregor); Balabac (Steere, Everett); Basilan (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (Everett, McGregor); Bongao (Everett); Cagayancillo (McGregor); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Calayan (McGregor); Caluya (Porter); Camiguin N. (McGregor); Catanduanes (Whitehead); Cebu (Meyer, Murray, Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Cuyo (McGregor); Dinagat (Everett); Fuga (Whitehead); Guimaras (Meyer, Murray, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Lapac (Guillemard); Leyte (Everett, Steere Exp.); Libagao (Porter); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Cuming, Meyer, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor, Bartsch); Maestre de Campo (McGregor & Worcester); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Masbate (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Steere, Murray, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow, Bartsch); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Schmacker, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Layard, Meyer, Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Keay); Palawan (Everett, Lempriere, Platen, Whitehead, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, White); Panaon (Everett); Panay (Murray, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Pangamian (Bartsch); Polillo (McGregor); Romblon (Bourns & Worcester); Samar (Steere Exp.); Semirara (McGregor & Worcester); Sibay (McGregor & Worcester, Porter); Sibutu (Low, Everett); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Siquijor (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Sulu (Burbidge, Guillemard, Bourns & Worcester); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor); Verde (McGregor).
Adult male.—Bright golden yellow and black; forehead and part of crown yellow; lores, a wide space about eye continued with a broad band across crown and occiput black, forming a broad crescent-shaped mark; wings black, some of the primaries narrowly edged with gray; tertials tipped with yellow; secondary-coverts, axillars, wing-lining, and edge of wing bright yellow; rectrices black, tipped with yellow, the yellow tip narrowest on the central pair and gradually wider on each succeeding pair to the outermost; entire under parts bright yellow, not so deep as the back. Iris pale pink; bill pinkish flesh-color; legs plumbeous; nails horn-color. An adult male from Luzon measures: Length, 305; wing, 150; tail, 104; culmen from base, 34; bill from nostril, 24; tarsus, 25.
Adult female.—Similar to the male, but the mantle with a dusky, slightly olive, wash contrasting strongly with the clear golden yellow of hind neck. A female from Mindoro measures: Wing, 149; tail, 112; culmen from base, 34; bill from nostril, 25; tarsus, 26.
Young.—Above olive-yellow or golden olive; the crescent crown mark obscure and more or less dusky olive in color; tertials and rectrices dusky, washed with olive; under parts much paler than in the adult, near lemon- or gamboge-yellow; feathers of breast with distinct black shaft-lines. As the bird becomes older the crescent-mark on the head becomes better developed and the shaft-marks on the breast become less distinct. The bill is dusky brown in immature individuals.
Three eggs of the Philippine oriole, taken by Whitehead at Cape Engaño, Luzon, on April 15, 1895, are thus described:
“Shape ovate. Pure white, with scattered spots and minute dots of deep blackish brown, and a few faint under-markings of slate gray. Measurements 32 mm. by 23 mm.” Two eggs from Fuga, April 5, 1895, are “similar to the above.” Measurements 33 mm. by 22 mm.
“The first nest was placed in a casuarina tree on the seacoast at some distance from the forest; the second was found in a high tree close to the freshly made nest of the white-breasted sea eagle (Haliætus leucogaster) from which the bird was disturbed. Both nests were of the usually oriole type.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
“After a careful comparison of specimens from Palawan and the Calamianes Islands, we can see no good reason for making distinct species of them. The amount of yellow on the head is extremely variable. We have birds from Luzon and Mindoro which show quite as much as any of our Palawan or Calamianes birds. Nor do we find any constant difference in size between the Palawan-Calamianes birds and those from other parts of the group.
“Nine males average: Length, 290; wing, 155; tail, 107; culmen, 37; tarsus, 25; middle toe with claw, 28.7. Five females, length, 280; wing, 149; tail, 105; culmen, 36; tarsus, 25; middle toe with claw, 28.4. Iris brown; legs and feet dull black; bill pinkish, white along gape and at tip. One of the commonest Philippine birds, found abundantly among the coconut groves and in the scattered trees about open fields, and not infrequently met with in the forest as well. Variously called ‘antu-li-hao’, ‘tu-li-hao’, ‘tu-li-hi-ao’, and ‘ku-li-ao-an’ by the natives, in attempted imitation of its rather musical note.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor, Celestino).
Adult (sexes alike).—Upper parts, lores, face, ear-coverts, and sides of neck dark, rich olive-yellow, slightly more olive on crown and exposed edge of wing-feathers; a circle of light yellow around eye; entire under parts, wing-lining, and axillars rich lemon-yellow, slightly darker on chest; thighs slightly olive; wing-quills, primary-coverts, and greater secondary-coverts narrowly edged with lemon-yellow; inner webs of quills dusky brown, broadly edged with lemon-yellow; rectrices edged with lemon-yellow on the tips and inner webs; shafts brown above, lemon-yellow below. A male from Bataan Province, Luzon, measures: Length, 215; wing, 114; tail, 82; culmen from base, 25; bill from nostril, 18; tarsus, 22.5. In a female the iris was brown with an inner darker and outer lighter ring; bill, legs, and nails bluish horn-color. Length, 215; wing, 107; tail, 79; culmen from base, 26; bill from nostril, 19; tarsus, 22.
Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor, Celestino).
Adult (sexes alike).—Wing and upper surface rich olive-yellow like O. isabellæ; lores, a small space under eye, base of jaw, and chin white; under parts lemon-yellow, streaked on sides of breast, sides of abdomen, and sides of body and flanks with dark olive-green; feathers of thighs olive-green with yellow tips; rectrices olive-yellow, each with a triangular, lemon-yellow patch at the tip preceded by a dark brown patch; central pair unmarked; shafts brown above, lemon-yellow below; wing-feathers as in O. isabellæ. Bill reddish brown. Length, 190 to 200. A male from Bataan Province, Luzon, measures: Wing, 120; tail, 80; culmen from base, 22; bill from nostril, 15; tarsus, 20. A female, wing, 109; tail, 75; culmen from base, 21; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 19.
Leyte (Whitehead); Mindanao (Celestino); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
Adult (sexes alike).—Upper parts, ear-coverts, sides of neck, secondary-coverts, tertials, and middle pair of rectrices rich olive-yellow; lores, jaw, chin, throat, and chest cinereous; lower breast, abdomen, flanks, and thighs white, boldly streaked with black; crissum bright gamboge-yellow; primaries blackish edged with gray or olive on the outer webs; secondaries blackish, edged with olive-yellow on outer webs; inner webs of quills broadly edged with bright lemon-yellow; axillars, wing-lining, and bend of wing lemon-yellow; rectrices largely olive-yellow, blackish subterminally, each of the inner webs with a large yellow spot at the tip; shafts black above, yellow below. Bill dull red. A male from northern Mindanao measures: Wing, 113; tail, 79; culmen from base, 25; bill from nostril, 17; tarsus, 21. An unsexed specimen from Samar, wing, 101; tail, 68; culmen from base, 20; bill from nostril, 15; tarsus, 20.
“A well-marked species sharply distinct from O. steeri, as well as from O. assimilis, though Dr. Steere has not made the points of difference very plain. Five males average: Length, 195; wing, 105; tail, 72; culmen, 24; tarsus, 20.5; middle toe with claw, 22.3. A female measures: Length, 203; wing, 104; tail, 71; culmen, 23; tarsus, 20.5; middle toe with claw, 22. Iris dull brown to light brownish red; legs and feet dark slate-color, nails blackish; bill light to dark reddish brown.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Masbate (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Negros (Steere, Keay, Whitehead, Celestino).
Male.—Above olive-yellow; slightly darker on head, and brighter, more golden, on rump and tail-coverts; chin, throat, and chest dark ashy gray; lower breast and abdomen whitish, each feather with a broad median black streak; thighs black, mottled with white; under tail-coverts bright lemon-yellow with dusky shaft-lines; primaries, outer secondaries, primary-coverts, and alula-feathers blackish, edged with ashy gray; inner webs of primaries edged with white; secondary-coverts and inner secondaries edged with dark olive-yellow; rectrices blackish, the outermost pair each with a large yellow spot (about 18 mm. in length) at tip of inner web, the spot gradually decreasing in size on each succeeding feather. A male from northern Negros measures: Wing, 122; tail, 86; culmen from base, 24; tarsus, 21.
Female.—The female resembles the male in colors, but is slightly smaller and has a smaller yellow spot on the outermost rectrix. A female from northern Negros measures: Wing, 111; tail, 78; culmen from base, 23.5; tarsus, 21.
Steere’s oriole differs from the Basilan oriole in having the inner webs of the primaries white and the yellow spots on the rectrices much larger.
Basilan (Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Platen, Bourns & Worcester).
Adult.—Similar to Oriolus steeri of Negros from which it differs in having the lores, chin, throat, and chest lighter gray and the black stripes of lower breast and abdomen narrower; inner webs of quills edged with pale yellow instead of with white; the yellow spots on inner webs of rectrices much smaller. Iris red; bill reddish brown; feet dark plumbeous. A male measures: Length, 200; wing, 111; tail, 69; culmen from base, 22.5; bill from nostril, 16; tarsus, 21. A female measures: Length, 195; wing, 106; tail, 68; culmen from base, 22; bill from nostril, 16; tarsus, 20.
Young.—Like the adult but chin, throat, and chest white, streaked with gray or black. Iris gray with very little mixture of red; bill dark brown.
“Had we known the habits of the orioles of this type as well at the beginning of our trip as we did at its close, we should doubtless have done more than we did to extend their known distribution within the Philippines. The peculiar note which they utter at frequent intervals when feeding is absolutely unmistakable, and can be heard for a considerable distance. They feed for the most part in the tops of high trees, seldom coming down into the second growth. They can, however, be readily called by imitating their note.
“Eleven males average: Length, 192; wing, 111; tail, 71; culmen, 23.8; tarsus, 21; middle toe with claw, 23. Five females, length, 182; wing, 105; tail, 71; culmen, 23.6; tarsus, 20; middle toe with claw, 22. Iris varies from gray to brown and red; legs and feet dark drab, nails black; bill light reddish brown.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Bongao (Everett); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester, Everett).
“In uniting the Tawi Tawi birds with O. steerii [basilanicus] from Basilan and Mindanao, Dr. Sharpe has evidently overlooked the fact that the Tawi Tawi birds invariably have the cheeks and ear-coverts clear ashy gray, while in birds from Basilan and Mindanao they are just as invariably olive-green. As we find no exception to this rule among our fourteen specimens from Basilan and twenty from Tawi Tawi we have no hesitation in separating the birds from the latter locality. It may be added that the rump of the Tawi Tawi birds is rather brighter, and the throat decidedly lighter than in Basilan birds. Not one of our Tawi Tawi birds shows the uniform gray throat of O. steerii [basilanicus]. Both species show great variability in the color of under tail-coverts. In some specimens they are pure yellow and in others heavily streaked with black. Fifteen males from Tawi Tawi measure as follows: Length, 203; culmen, 24.3; wing, 116.5; tail, 81; tarsus, 21.” (Bourns and Worcester.)
“Four females average: Length, 200; wing, 111; tail, 76; culmen, 23.3; tarsus, 21; middle toe with claw, 21.8. Eyes usually reddish brown, but in two cases gray; legs and feet dark drab; bill reddish brown usually, in two cases black. Very common near Tataan, in Tawi Tawi.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor).
Adult (sexes similar).—Above olive-yellow; lores, jaw, cheeks, chin, throat, and chest cinereous; lower breast, abdomen, flanks, and thighs white heavily streaked with black; feathers of crissum dark olive-green, edged with olive-yellow; rectrices black slightly washed with olive basally, narrowly tipped with dark gray on both webs and with light yellow on inner webs; inner webs of wing-quills edged with pale gray; axillars and wing-lining cinereous; bend of wing gray, washed with yellow. Iris bright red; bill dull red-brown; feet lead-blue; nails black. In the immature bird the iris is white and the bill dull brown. An adult male measures: Length, 234; wing, 122; tail, 94; culmen from base, 24; bill from nostril, 16.5; tarsus, 22. Adult female, wing, 116; tail, 86; culmen from base, 24; bill from nostril, 16.5; tarsus, 22.
“While this species is plainly of the Oriolus steeri type it differs in being larger, in the much darker and greener upper parts and under tail-coverts, in the darker throat and breast, in the wider black markings of abdomen, and in the reduced yellow tips of rectrices.
“O. assimilis is exceedingly common in the small amount of forest left in Cebu. It is a well-marked species and could not possibly be mistaken for O. steeri, being a much darker bird. The lack of the bright rump and under tail-coverts is an especially striking point of difference. Sixteen males average: Length, 225; wing, 120; tail, 89; culmen, 26; tarsus, 22.3; middle toe with claw, 23.8. Ten females, length, 217; wing, 118; tail, 87; culmen, 25.6; tarsus, 22.3; middle toe with claw, 23.3. Iris usually bright red, but in one case gray; legs and feet dark drab, nails black; bill light to dark reddish brown. Food worms, grubs, snails, and fruit.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Calamianes (Worcester); Palawan (Everett, Whitehead, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White). Malacca, Java, Sumatra, Borneo.
Adult male.—Entire head, neck, chin, throat, and chest black; back, rump, tail-coverts, and crissum rich lemon-yellow; feathers of back with obscure dusky shaft-lines; basal feathers of crissum with mesial streaks of olive-green; lower breast, abdomen, sides, and flanks white with wide, black, mesial streaks; sides and flanks washed with yellow; breast also washed with yellow in some specimens; feathers of thighs black, tipped with light yellow; wings black; primaries edged with light gray; secondaries, tertials, and greater coverts narrowly edged with bright yellow; median coverts more widely edged with yellow; lesser coverts entirely yellow; inner webs of quills edged with pale yellow; under wing-coverts black, edged with yellow; axillars yellow; rectrices black, slightly fringed with yellow basally, widely tipped with yellow on inner webs, about 25 mm. on outermost pair and reduced to a mere trace on the middle pair; shafts of rectrices black above, brown below. A male measures: Wing, 111; tail, 75; culmen from base, 23; bill from nostril, 16; tarsus, 20.
Female.—Head, neck, sides of neck and ear-coverts black, streaked with olive-green; back yellow, but not so bright as in the male; jaw, chin, throat, and chest cinereous with whitish streaks; breast and abdomen like the male, but less heavily streaked with black; primaries more widely edged with pale gray than in the male; secondaries and tertials broadly edged with olive-green; primary-coverts and alula edged with gray; exposed edges of all the secondary-coverts olive-green; rectrices heavily washed with olive-green on outer webs; both webs of central pair nearly all olive-green; shafts yellow below. A female measures: Wing, 109; tail, 76; culmen from base, 23; bill from nostril, 16.5; tarsus, 21.
“Eight males average: Length, 197; wing, 114; tail, 77; culmen, 25; tarsus, 20.5; middle toe with claw, 22.3. Five females, length, 192; wing, 106; tail, 73; culmen, 23; tarsus, 20.5; middle toe with claw, 21.5. Iris deep red; legs and feet slaty blue, nails blackish; bill light reddish brown.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)