Bill large and compressed, longer than head; culmen strongly curved; gonys straight; nostrils completely hidden by stiff antrorse frontal feathers, the longest of which equal nearly one-half the length of bill from base; first primary much shorter than second, but more than one-half the length of wing; second primary much shorter than third, fourth longest, third and fifth nearly equal; rectrices broad; tail slightly or much rounded; feet and tarsi strong, the latter less than culmen from base. Plumage entirely black, glossed with purple and green; sexes alike.
First primary about equal in length to the outer secondaries, the latter shorter than some of the more interior ones; tail much rounded and about as long as the longest secondaries.
Corone philippina Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1877), 3, 42; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 110.
Wak, in general use.
Babuyan Claro (McGregor); Bantayan (McGregor); Basilan (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (Everett, McGregor); Bongao (Bartsch); Cagayancillo (McGregor); Calayan (McGregor); Caluya (Porter); Camiguin S. (Murray); Catanduanes (Whitehead); Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, [missing text] Everett); Fuga (McGregor); Guimaras (Meyer, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Libagao (Porter); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Cuming, Meyer, Everett, Whitehead, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Maestre de Campo (McGregor & Worcester); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Masbate (McGregor); Mindanao (Murray, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Meyer, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead); Palawan (Everett);104 Panaon (Everett); Panay (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 (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Sulu (Guillemard, Bourns & Worcester); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi (Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor); Verde (McGregor).
Adult.—Entirely black, the feathers white basally; feathers, of neck at least, more white than black; upper parts including greater part of wing glossed with purple; alula and primary-coverts glossed with dark green; two outer primaries without gloss; under parts with a slight bluish gloss. Length, about 500 mm. A male from Siquijor measures: Wing, 325; tail, 230; culmen from base, 65; bill from nostril, 47; tarsus, 52. A female from Bohol, wing, 300; tail, 220; culmen from base, 60; bill from nostril, 41; tarsus, 48.
Three eggs of the Philippine crow collected by Steere in Marinduque, May, 1888, are thus described: “Shape ovate. Ground-color pale sea-green, thickly mottled all over, especially towards the larger end, with olive-brown; under-markings faint gray. Measurements 43 mm. by 28 mm. The nest is a loosely constructed platform of fiber, mixed with a few rootlets, etc.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
“The Philippine crow is very common throughout the Islands, except in the Palawan group, where it is lacking. It picks into young coconuts, steals young pigeons, and even comes into the kitchens of the native houses to steal. As a natural consequence, the bird is thoroughly detested. Two males measure: Length, 546; wing, 314; tail, 210; culmen, 59; tarsus, 54; middle toe with claw, 52.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
First primary decidedly shorter than the outer secondaries, the latter longer than any of the interior ones; tail very slightly rounded and shorter than the longest secondary.
Balabac (Everett); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Schmacker, Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor); Palawan (Everett, Lempriere, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White).
Adult.—Entirely black, faintly glossed with purple; bases of many of the feathers drab-gray or white; gloss on alula, primaries, and primary-coverts dark green. A male from Mindoro measures: Wing, 250; tail, 135; culmen from base, 50; bill from nostril, 37; depth of bill at nostril, 18; tarsus, 44. A female from Mindoro, wing, 240; tail, 145; culmen from base, 50; tarsus, 46.
Steere collected a single egg of this species in Mindoro in June, 1888. The egg, taken from the oviduct of female, is thus described: “Shape ovate, rather rounded towards the smaller end. Ground-color pale greenish white, finely spotted and dotted over the entire shell with greenish brown and pale lavender. Measurements 38 mm. by 26 mm.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
“The little crow is very common in Mindoro; much rarer in Palawan and the Calamianes Islands. Unlike Corone philippina, it is a very shy bird. Its note sounds like that of an overgrown ‘katy-did.’ Iris dark brown; legs, feet, nails, and bill black. A male from Culion measures, 381 in length; wing, 243; tail, 136; culmen, 50; tarsus, 46; middle toe with claw, 45. A female from Palawan, length, 368; wing, 237; tail, 137; culmen, 47; tarsus, 39; middle toe with claw, 43.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Mindanao (Celestino); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester).
Adult.—In color the same as Corvus pusillus, but smaller in size; bill somewhat shorter and deeper. A female from northern Mindanao measures: Length, 340; wing, 220; tail, 120; culmen from base, 47.5; bill from nostril, 34; depth of bill at nostril, 18; tarsus, 38.
“The Samar crow has the shy habits of C. pusillus, but its note is entirely different. We heard its note for a long time without suspecting that it was made by a crow. We occasionally found C. pusillus about the open fields, but never met with C. samarensis except on the sides of well-wooded hills. A male measures: Length, 355; wing, 252; tail, 116; culmen, 52; tarsus, 35; middle toe with claw, 45. Three females average: Length, 338; wing, 215; tail, 118; culmen, 48; tarsus, 46; middle toe with claw, 44. Iris dark brown: legs, feet, nails, and bill black. Food fruit and insects.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)