Part 198

BLACK-MANTLED FAIRY BLUEBIRD.

Irena melanochlamys Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1877), 3, 266; Trans. Linn. Soc. 2d ser. Zool. (1877), 1, 334, pl. 51, fig. 2; Hand-List (1901), 3, 309; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 79.

Basilan (Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindanao (Bourns & Worcester).

Adult.--Very similar to Irena cyanogastra, but the upper back and mantle black instead of deep blue. Iris cherry red; bill, legs, and nails black. Length, about 230. A male from Basilan measures: Wing, 121; tail, 102; culmen from base, 27; bill from nostril, 19; tarsus, 18. A female measures: Wing, 118; tail, 98; culmen from base, 28; tarsus, 20.

"This fairy bluebird is a strictly deep woods form and a very fine singer; it is rather shy, but can readily be procured, as it never remains silent for any length of time. It is often difficult to distinguish from Dicrurus striatus when seen at a little distance, unless its tail is in plain view. All of the Philippine Irenidæ are difficult to collect in good condition. They have very thin skins and loose feathers, and frequently ruin themselves in falling. They all feed on fruit. Ten males from Basilan average: Length, 236; wing, 120; tail, 98; culmen, 30; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 22. Eleven females, length, 229; wing, 116; tail, 96; culmen, 30; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 22." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

474. IRENA TWEEDDALI Sharpe.

TWEEDDALE'S FAIRY BLUEBIRD.

Irena tweeddalii Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1877), 3, 268; Trans. Linn. Soc. 2d. ser. Zool. (1877), 1, 333, pl. 51, fig. 1; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 79. Irena tweeddalei Sharpe, Hand-List (1901), 3, 309.

Balabac (? ); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester); Palawan (Steere, Lempriere, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White).

Male.--Crown, nape, hind neck, entire back, rump, upper and under tail-coverts, lesser and median wing-coverts, and tips of inner greater coverts light turquoise-blue; rest of plumage, including forehead, lores, a wide line over eye, and entire sides of head and neck deep black. Length, 240; wing, 127; tail, 99; culmen from base, 26; bill from nostril, 19; tarsus, 16.

Female.--Very different from the male, being dull verditer-blue; feathers of rump and upper and under tail-coverts tipped with brighter blue; primaries dark brown; secondaries and rectrices dark brown, their exposed edges washed with verditer-blue. Wing, 120; tail, 99; culmen from base, 26; bill from nostril, 19; tarsus, 18.

"Tweeddale's fairy bluebird was fairly common about fruit trees in the forest and was found abundantly on Mount Pulgar at an elevation of about 750 meters. Five males from Palawan average: Length, 245; wing, 123; tail, 95; culmen, 31; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 23. Four females, length, 243; wing, 122; tail, 92; culmen, 31; tarsus, 17; middle toe with claw, 24. Males and females from the Calamianes average slightly less in length. Iris red; bill, legs, feet, and nails black." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus HYPSIPETES Vigors, 1831.

Longest rictal bristles about one-half the length of tarsus; nuchal hairs moderate in length; bill slender and compressed; a notch near tip of upper mandible, none in lower mandible; tarsus much less than culmen from base; difference between length of primaries and secondaries greater than length of tarsus; tail slightly rounded; plumage brown and gray, under parts sparsely spotted with white.

Species.

a1. Smaller; bill and tail shorter; flanks more rufescent or fulvescent.

b1. Smaller; forehead cinereous ... fugensis (p. 503) b2. Larger ... batanensis (p. 503)

a2. Larger; bill and tail longer; flanks grayer ... camiguinensis (p. 504)

475. HYPSIPETES FUGENSIS Grant.

FUGA RED-EARED BULBUL.

Hypsipetes fugensis Grant, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club (1895), 5, 2; Ibis (1896), 113; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 214; Sharpe, Hand-List (1901), 3, 310; McGregor, Bull. Philippine Mus. (1904), 4, 31; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 79.

Sa-mot', Calayan.

Calayan (McGregor); Fuga (Whitehead, McGregor, Mearns).

Male and female.--Top of head and crest dark brown, the feathers edged with slate-gray; back, rump, and tail-coverts warm brown or light seal-brown, the feathers edged with olive-gray; wings and tail dark brown; rectrices edged with olive-gray; chin, fore part of throat, and cheeks hoary gray; a band of dark reddish brown across ear-coverts and lower throat, many of the feathers of throat with white spots on the tips of the shafts; rest of under parts ashy brown, becoming fulvous on flanks and thighs; feathers on median part of breast tipped with white; middle of abdomen white. Iris reddish brown; bill, legs, and nails dark brown. Five males from Fuga measure: Wing, 123 to 126; tail, 119 to 124; culmen from base, 27 to 29; bill from nostril, 16.5 to 18; tarsus, 19 to 23.

"Adult male and female.--Most nearly allied to H. squamiceps and H. pryeri, having the chestnut ear-coverts united by a band of the same color extending across the throat, but the top of the head, which is almost devoid of a crest, and the neck are brown, like the back, instead of dark slate-gray; and the white tips to the feathers of the breast and belly are almost entirely absent, or only faintly indicated along the middle line of the under parts. Length, 267; culmen, 29; wing, 123; tail, 117; tarsus, 21.5." (Grant.)

476. HYPSIPETES BATANENSIS Mearns.

BATAN RED-EARED BULBUL.

Hypsipetes batanensis Mearns, Phil. Jour. Sci. (1907), 2, sec. A, 357; McGregor, Ibid, 342.