Part 281

"The Philippine representatives of this genus are all bold, impudent birds, and invariably appear when there is any disturbance in the woods. If picked up when wounded they bite and scratch viciously. They all feed exclusively on insects so far as our observation goes. Three male birds from Mindoro measure as follows: Wing, 138; tail, 113; culmen, 32; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 24. Three females from Luzon, wing, 131; tail, 116.5; culmen, 31; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 24. Bill, legs, feet, and nails black. Found breeding on the 25th of April." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

717. DICRURUS STRIATUS Tweeddale.

SOUTHERN DRONGO.

Dicrurus striatus Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1877), 545; Challenger Report, Zool. (1881), 2, pt. 8, pl. 4; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 102 (habits); McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 107.

Basilan (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (McGregor); Leyte (Steere Exp., Whitehead); Mindanao (Murray, Everett, Koch & Schadenberg, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Goodfellow, Celestino); Nipa (Everett); Panaon (Everett); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).

Adult.--Similar to Dicrurus balicassius, but mantle, back, and rump velvety blue-black with a very slight gloss; feathers of crown scale-like and glossy; long lanceolate feathers on sides of neck dark glossy green; under parts blue-black; throat and chest spangled with glossy steel-blue. A male from Bohol measures: Wing, 134; tail, 103; depth of fork, 6; bill from nostril, 22; depth of bill at nostril, 10; tarsus, 22. A female from Basilan, wing, 135; tail, 112; bill from nostril, 21; depth of bill at nostril, 10; tarsus, 21.

In general appearance the southern drongo resembles a Chibia, but the tail is even less forked than in D. balicassius.

This species was very abundant near Isabela, Basilan. A female, taken January 15, differs from the usual specimens in having the feathers of lower breast and abdomen tipped with gray. A pensile nest of this species, found on March 12, is composed of plant fibers. Its inside diameter is 76 mm. and its inside depth is 50 mm. The three eggs are light cream, almost white, in color, decorated with faint spots of pale lilac and brighter spots of reddish brown, mostly near the larger end of the egg. The eggs measure: 28.9 by 19.3; 29.2 by 19; 29.4 by 19.5.

"Habits like those of D. balicassius. Abundant in Mindanao and Basilan. Two males from the latter island average: Length, 250; wing, 130; tail, 116; culmen, 32; tarsus, 22; middle toe with claw, 23. Three females, length, 250; tail, 113; wing, 132; culmen, 34; tarsus, 21; middle toe with claw, 23.6. Iris, legs, feet, and nails black; bill black, except tip of lower mandible, which is often white." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

718. DICRURUS SULUENSIS Hartert.

SULU DRONGO.

Dicrurus suluensis Hartert, Novit. Zool. (1902), 9, 441; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 107.

Lapoc, off Siasi (Bartsch); Sulu (Guillemard, Bourns & Worcester).

"The Sulu form differs from the Sula bird in smaller size (wings and tail) and somewhat smaller glossy spangles on the breast and from D. borneensis in having a larger bill and longer tail." (Hartert.) Measurements of this species are given as follows: "Wing, 145 to 155; tail, 133 to 136; bill, 34 to 36."

719. DICRURUS MIRABILIS Walden and Layard.

WHITE-BELLIED DRONGO.

Dicrurus mirabilis Walden and Layard, Ibis (1872), 103, pl. 5; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1877), 3, 231; Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 101 (voice); McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 107.

Ca-uac-uac, Ticao.

Bantayan (McGregor); Cebu (Everett, McGregor); Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Masbate (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Layard, Meyer, Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, Celestino); Panay (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor).

Adult (sexes alike).--Black, glossed with steel-green like D. balicassius, but lower breast, abdomen, and crissum pure white. A male from Ticao Island measures: Length, 280; wing, 142; tail, 121; bill from nostril, 23; depth of bill at nostril, 11.5; tarsus, 13. A female from the same island, wing, 137; tail, 120; bill from nostril, 21; depth of bill at nostril, 11; tarsus, 24.

"Bourns thought that he saw an individual of this species in Siquijor on one occasion, but he failed to secure it, and it was not again met with in the island. If it occurs there, it must be very rare. It is rather more shy than the other Philippine representatives of the genus.

"Four males from Cebu average: Length, 260; wing, 137; tail, 117; culmen, 33; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 25. Five females, length, 260; wing, 137; tail, 119; culmen, 33; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 25. Specimens from other localities agree closely in dimensions with the above. Bill, legs, feet, and nails black. Food insects. Breeding in June and July." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)

Genus CHIBIA Hodgson, 1836.

Tail deeply forked, outermost pair of rectrices with the tips curved upward and more or less rotated. Plumage entirely black, glossed with green and blue; back velvety black with little or no blue gloss; breast black, spangled with glossy steel-green.

Species.

a1. Tail shorter than wing.

b1. Tips of outer rectrices less recurved.

c1. Smaller; wing, about 135 mm. ... palawanensis (p. 706) c2. Larger; wing, about 150 mm.