Part 253

638. DICÆUM FLAVIVENTER Meyer.

YELLOW-BELLIED FLOWERPECKER.

Dicæum flaviventer Meyer, Jour. für Ornith. (1894), 91; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 96.

Cebu (Burger).

Description.--Head, upper back, and wing-coverts greenish black, with somewhat of a luster; wing-quills blackish brown; secondaries with glossy greenish borders to the outer webs; lower back and tail-coverts dark slate-color; tail black; front and sides of throat white, lower throat and chest as well as sides of lower body light ash-gray; at the middle of the latter a beautiful cadmium-yellow stripe, up to 6 mm. wide (Ridgway-cadmium-yellow, pl. VI, 6), becoming white toward vent; under tail-coverts, axillars, and under wing-coverts white, outer ones with a blackish spot in the middle; thighs externally white, blackish behind; feet brown; bill black, strong.

639. DICÆUM PYGMÆUM (Kittlitz).

PYGMY FLOWERPECKER.

Nectarinia pygmæum Kittlitz, Mem. pres. Acad. St. Petersb. (1833), 2, pts. 1, 2, pl. 2. Dicæum pygmæum Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1885), 10, 43; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 234 (distribution, nest); McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 97.

Pi-pít dá-po, Manila.

Balabac (Everett); Bohol (McGregor); Calayan (McGregor); Fuga (McGregor); Guimaras (Meyer); Leyte (Everett, Whitehead); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Meyer, Everett, Steere Exp., Whitehead, McGregor); Maestre de Campo (McGregor & Worcester); Masbate (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor, Bartsch); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Everett, McGregor); Negros (Steere Exp.); Palawan (Everett, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White); Polillo (McGregor); Romblon (McGregor); Samar (Bourns & Worcester); Semirara (McGregor & Worcester); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester); Siquijor (Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Ticao (McGregor).

Male.--Above glossy steel-green heavily washed with yellow on lower back, rump, and tail-coverts; lores blackish; sides of head, of throat, and of breast dark cinereous; middle of chin, throat, and chest white faintly washed with yellow and interrupted in the middle of breast by a cinereous patch; middle of abdomen and tail-coverts light buff; sides and flanks olive-green; rectrices black, edged with metallic green; wings black; secondaries and greater coverts edged with olive-yellow; alula, lesser coverts, and median coverts edged with glossy green. A male from Cebu measures: Wing, 46; tail, 23; culmen from base, 10; bill from nostril, 6.5; tarsus, 11.

Female.--Above somewhat similar to the male, but lighter and greener and with less metallic gloss; wing-feathers edged with olive-yellow; all the under parts lighter and paler than in the male. A female from Cebu, wing, 43; tail, 21; culmen from base, 10; bill from nostril, 7; tarsus, 11.

"The pygmy flowerpecker is the smallest and most widely distributed of Philippine Dicæidæ. Invariably found by us in the deep woods. A very fearless bird. Iris dark brown; legs, feet, and nails dark brown to coal-black; bill black, except base of lower mandible, which is yellowish to gray. Breeding in Palawan in December and in Samar in July. Four males average: Length, 92; wing, 46; tail, 25; culmen, 13; tarsus, 12; middle toe with claw, 12. Three females, length, 83.5; wing, 45; tail, 24.6; culmen, 13; tarsus, 12; middle toe with claw, 12." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

640. DICÆUM DAVAO Mearns.

DAVAO FLOWERPECKER.

Dicæum davao Mearns, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. (1905), 18, 87; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 96.

Mindanao (Mearns, Celestino).

Male.--Above, including the edges of wing-feathers and of rectrices, glossy steel-green; lores, sides of head and of neck black; chin and middle of throat white faintly washed with yellow and interrupted by a black patch on breast; sides of breast black; sides of abdomen and flanks olive-yellow; under tail-coverts and middle of lower abdomen light buff-yellow; axillars and wing-lining white; edge of wing black. A male from northern Mindanao measures: Wing, 44; tail, 21; culmen from base, 10; bill from nostril, 7; tarsus, 10. The female is unknown.

641. DICÆUM HYPOLEUCUM Sharpe.

WHITE-BELLIED FLOWERPECKER.

Dicæum hypoleucum Sharpe, Nature (1876), 24, 298; Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1885), 10, 37; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 97.

Basilan (Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bongao (Everett); Siasi (Everett); Sulu (Guillemard).

Male.--Upper parts, including sides of head and of neck deep black; under parts white; wing-lining and axillars white. A male from Basilan measures: Wing, 53; tail, 24; culmen from base, 13; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 13.

Female.--Above mouse-gray faintly washed with olive-green except on tail-coverts where the green is heavier; secondaries and greater coverts edged with olive-green; under parts white. Wing, 50; tail, 24; culmen from base, 13; bill from nostril, 9; tarsus, 13.

"Found by us in the deep woods. Stated by Guillemard to frequent coconut groves. Three males average: Length, 89; wing, 53; tail, 27; tarsus, 12; middle toe with claw, 12.7. Iris reddish brown; bill, legs, feet, and nails black." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

642. DICÆUM MINDANENSE Tweeddale.

MINDANAO FLOWERPECKER.

Dicæum mindanense Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1877), 547; Challenger Report, Zool. (1881), 2, pt. 8, pl. 5, fig. 1; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1885), 10, 37; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 97.