Part 197

YELLOW-QUILLED LEAFBIRD.

Phyllornis flavipennis Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1877), 761; pl. 77, fig. 1. Chloropsis flavipennis Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1881), 6, 34; Hand-List (1901), 3, 308; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 78.

Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Platen, Celestino).

Male and female.--Nearly the entire plumage leaf- or grass-green, much darker above than below; lores, ring about eye, ear-coverts, and chin washed with light yellow; outer webs of some primaries and inner webs of all the remiges and rectrices, edged with chamois-yellow; lower thighs chamois-yellow; shafts of flight-feathers black. Three males from Cebu measure: Wing, 91 to 96; tail, 74 to 76; bill from nostril, 16 to 17. Three females, wing, 89 to 91; tail, 72 to 76; bill from nostril, 15 to 16.

This species, which is very distinct from C. palawanensis, is rare in the only islands where it has been found.

"Found only in the forest and breeding in June. Nine males average: Length, 200; wing, 92; tail, 75; culmen, 25; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 20. Four females, length, 183; wing, 86; tail, 70; culmen, 24; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 20. Iris dark brown to black; upper mandible almost black, lower drab." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus IRENA Horsfield, 1821.

Nuchal hairs well developed, their exposed portions equal to about two-thirds the length of bill from nostril; nostrils hidden by short close-set feathers; a notch near the tip of each mandible; primaries longer than secondaries by much more than tarsus; tarsus less than bill from nostril; tail slightly rounded. Colors blue and black. In the thin and tender skin and hidden nostrils this genus shows some affinity to the Campophagidæ; the well-developed nuchal hairs and short tarsus indicate a close relationship to the bulbuls.

Species.

a1. Mantle and back blue.

b1. Chin and throat black.

c1. Crown and nape cobalt; mantle and back navy-blue. ... cyanogastra (p. 500) c2. Crown, mantle, and back bright turquoise-blue (male). ... tweeddali (p. 502)

b2. Chin and throat and nearly the entire plumage dull verditer-blue (female). ... tweeddali (p. 502)

a2. Mantle and back velvety black. ... melanochlamys (p. 501); ellæ (p. 500)

471. IRENA CYANOGASTRA Vigors.

LUZON FAIRY BLUEBIRD.

Irena cyanogastra Vigors, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1831), 97; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1877), 3, 266; Grant, Ibis (1896), 116; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 216 (habits). Irena cyanogaster Sharpe, Hand-List (1901), 3, 308; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 79.

Luzon (Meyer, Möllendorff, Steere Exp., Whitehead, McGregor, Celestino).

Male.--Forehead, lores, a wide band over eye, entire sides of head and neck, chin, throat, and fore breast velvety black; rest of under parts deep blue; tail-coverts tipped with cobalt and the black bases of feathers showing through the blue to some extent; crown and nape bright cobalt; mantle, back, and rump deep blue, the black bases showing through to some extent as on the under parts; upper tail-coverts tipped with cobalt; wings black; lesser coverts tipped with dark blue; median and greater coverts with wide tips of cobalt, forming two bands; alula-feathers and primary-coverts narrowly edged with dark blue; inner secondaries broadly edged with cobalt; rectrices black below; above, outermost pair all black, the middle pair all blue, the others blue on outer webs. Bill, legs, and nails black. Length, about 260; wing, 135; tail, 112; culmen from base, 30; bill from nostril, 21; tarsus, 21.

Female.--Differs from the male in having the black on head and throat duller and extending for a less distance on the breast; blue of under parts slightly lighter. Wing, 135; tail, 113; culmen from base, 27; bill from nostril, 19; tarsus, 18.

472. IRENA ELLÆ Steere.

ELLA'S FAIRY BLUEBIRD.

Irena ellæ Steere, List Birds & Mams. Steere Exped. (1890), 18; Ibis (1891), 313 (fig.), pl. 8; Sharpe, Hand-List (1901), 3, 309; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 216 (habits); McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 79.

Leyte (Steere Exp.); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).

"Adult male.--Crown of head and nape deep cobalt-blue as in I. cyanogastra; sides of neck, back, and scapulars velvety black; lower back washed with cobalt, this becoming rich cobalt on upper tail-coverts; tail black, washed with deep cobalt; wings marked with cobalt much as in cyanogastra; under surface deep velvety black, feathers of abdomen slightly washed with blue; under tail-coverts deep cobalt.

"Adult female.--Chin and throat velvety black; breast, abdomen, and flanks purplish blue. Size that of cyanogastra. I. ellæ can be readily distinguished from I. cyanogastra, its nearest ally, by its black back." (Steere).

"This fine Irena was discovered by Bourns the first time that we succeeded in reaching the woods back of the town of Catbalogan in Samar, in 1888. Three males average, 252 in length; wing, 125; tail, 102; culmen, 31; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 23. A female, length, 257; wing, 123; tail, 103; culmen, 31; tarsus, 16; middle toe with claw, 23. Bill, legs, feet, and nails black; iris red." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

473. IRENA MELANOCHLAMYS Sharpe.