Descriptions of a new genus and eleven new species of Philippine birds

VOL. _XVIII, PP. 1-8 JANUARY _20,

1905

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON

DESCRIPTIONS OF A NEW GENUS AND ELEVEN NEW

SPECIES OF PHILIPPINE BIRDS.

BY EDGAR

A.

MEARNS,

(MajorandSurgeon, U. S.Army.)

These

descriptions are

based on a

collection ofbirds

made _by me, ^with

the assistance of

members

ofthe

Philippine

^Scientific Association,*

during

^{a residence of}

more than _{a year}

in the military

department

^of

Mindanao.

I

would _express my

^sincere

thanks

to

Mr.

Oberholser,

and

_especially to

Dr. Richmond,

^of the

U.S. National Museum,

^{fortheirassistance}

during

the

prepa

ration of this paper.

Leonardia,

new

_genus of Timaliimu.

Type

^{Leonardiawoodi}sp.nov. Bill

somewhat

_depressed,broaderthan high at base, higher than broad at anterior border of_nostrils,equal ⁱⁿ height

and

breadthat posterioredge^of nostrils;

culmen

strongly ridged, curved from base; maxilla with asubterminal notch; nostrilsapparently elongate-ovalf; distance betweenanterior angle of^nostril

and

tip ofbill equal ^tothe length of thehindtoewithoutclaw. Rictal bristles strongly developed. Length ^ofskullequal^tothatoftarsus. Length^oftarsuscon tained_2\,timesinthat of wing. Tarsus booted.

Hind

toewithclawless

than halfthe length of^tarsus.

Wing ^and

^tailaboutequal.

Wing

rounded, thefirstprimary^halfaslong^asthethird. Tailmoderate, graduated,with feathers

somewhat

_pointed,

and

websnotdecomposed.

Plumage

^full

and

soft.

*The activities of this organization, ofwhichMajor-GeneralLeonard Wood,^{U. S.}

Army,^ispresident,haveresulted in a_largegeneralcollectionwhich has beensent to theUnitedStatesNationalMuseum.

tSpecimenslightly defectivefrom attack ofants.

1 PROC.BIOL. Soc.WASH., VOL. XVIII, ^1905. (1)

Philippine Birds.

Leonardia woodi

sp. nov.

BAGOBO

BIRD. Donroogh-bah' -long (Bagobo).

Type No. 192,260, U. S. National

Museum.

_{Original number, 13,689,}

Male

adult.

Mount _Apo

at

Todaya

(4,000 feet altitude),Mindanao, ^P. I.,

July 11, 1904.

Descriptionoftype. Third primaryequal^toninth; fifth,sixth,

and

sev enth _subequal

and

_{longest. Upperparts}bistre,

washed

with burnt

umber

on lower _back,rump,

and

_upper tail-coverts. Tail blackish seal brown.

The

feathers ofthe rump,

which

are very long

and

_soft,

have

concealed white _spots. Sides of head

and

neck _(including lores

and

ear-coverts), breast,

and abdomen

slate-gray,thelatter

washed

withwhite. Sides gray,

washed

with burnt umber,particularlyontheflanks,

some

of the feathers with concealed white _spots. Thighs gray

washed

with burnt

umber

;

under tail-coverts

tawny

^olive, the longest ochraceous; chin

and

throat white. Irisreddish

brown

; billblack; feet

and

claws plumbeous. ^Total length, 205

mm.;

^alarexpanse, 280^; wing, 90^{; tail,}87_{; bill,}measured from

nostril, 10; culmen, ¹⁶; tarsus, 38; middletoe

and

claw,^27.

Thisgenus

and

_speciesare

named

ⁱⁿhonor of Major-General Leonard

Wood,

^U.S.

Army,

who,^asGovernorofthe

Moro

_Province,has encouraged every form^{ofscientificeffortinthe}Southern_PhilippineIslands.

Pseudotharrhaleus

griseipectus sp. nov.

GRAY-BREASTED WOOD-ACCENTOR.

Type No. 192,259,U. S. National

Museum. Mount Apo

^at 6,200 feet,

Mindanao,^P. I.,July^8,1904.

Adah

female (type

and

_{only specimen).} Size similar to that of the femaleof P.unicolorHartert,assuming^thatthe

measurement "wing

^92.5"

is a typographical error for 62.5_; butthebillappears^tobe2millimeters shorter. Coloration similartothatofthemale

and

female of P.caudatus Grant,from

which

it

may

^bereadilydistinguished

by

the shortness of the

tail,81

mm.

in the female of P. griseipectus

and

86.36 inthefemaleof P.

caud'Uu*.

The

outermost tail-feather is slender

and

_{abortive, measuring} 32

mm.

in length. Tarsus with six scutes. Rictal bristles scarcely ^dis- cernable.

Plumage

^soft

and

_loose,the feathers of the back

and rump

³⁵

mm.

inlength, withgray^bases

and

fluffy aftershafts;

webs

ofrectricesde

composed and

^abradedapically. Generalcolorabove burnt umber,

washed

with

Vandyke brown

on

rump ^and

upper tail-coverts; ^tail darker;

wing

quillsbrownish black, the outer webs margined with^the

same

color asthe upperparts,

and

_extending to the outer

webs

of the undersideof wing;

headdarker, inclining^to sepia,with a _dirty grayish supraorbital stripe;

sidesofthroat, breast,

and

a

wash down

the center ofthe

abdomen mouse

gray; chin

and

middleof throat white,eachfeatherwitha_grayishmiddle;

sides, crissum,

and

under tail-coverts like the back; breast tinged with gray; ^iris hazel; ^bill with maxilla _black, mandible grayish horn-color;

Mearns A New Genus and Eleven New

Philippine Birds. 3 feet

and

claws sepia

brown

_(fromfreshspecimen). Total_length,176_; alar expanse, 200; wing, 63^{; tail,81 ; bill,}measured from base ofmandible,¹⁴;

billfrom _nostril,8.5; tarsus, 14; middletoewith _claw,23.

Remarks.

The

_type

and

_{only specimen} of P. unicolor Hartert _(Bull.

Brit.Orn. Club, Vol.

XIV,

^No. cvi, p. 74,April28, 1904)

was

taken

by

^Mr.

John

Waterstradton adifferentpart of

Mount

_Apo, atanaltitudeofonly 3,000feet,or_{3,200 feet}lower than_{the typelocality}of P.griseipectux. Mr.

Waterstradt'sspecimen was^{killed in}

November

while

mine was

takenin July,

and

^{it is}_possiblethat his bird

was

an

immature

individual ofthe specieshere described.

Brachypteryx mindanensis

_sp. nov.

MOUNT APO SHORTWING.

Boor-roo-wing' (Bagobo).

Type No.192,255,U.S.National

Museum,

^from

Mount Apo

at 6,000feet,

June

_21,1904. Adultfemale.

The

three Philippine species of Brachypteryx are closely related. In color,theform from

Mount

Apo, Mindanao, ^{is nearest to B.}brunneic.eps fromthe Island ofNegros^; butthelatteristhe smallest ofthe three forms, while theformeristhe largest.

Adultmale.. Similartothe male of B. brunnnceps,but _larger

and

_ap parently^lessheavily

washed

with blackonthe top of thehead

and

throat.

Bellywithoutatraceof grayish

wash

_presentinB.poliogynafromthe Island ofLuzon. MeasurementsofNo.192,256,11.^S.National

Museum,

^from

Mount Apo

^{at 6,300}feet,July4,1904: Total length, 158; alarexpanse, 220; wing, 70; tail,62; ^billfrom base ofculmen,14; ^billfrom_{nostril,9.5; tarsus,}33;

middle toe

and

claw, ^{23. Iris} dark

brown

; bill, feet,

and

claws gray- black,darkerthan plumage.

Adult_female. Similar to the female of B. brunneiceps,but _differs,in additiontoitslarger size

and

_{relativelylonger}tail,inhaving^the

abdomen washed

with brownish _gray.

The

wing-quills

and

_spurious

wing

^are brown. Measurementsof type: Totallength,158; alarexpanse,212;wing, 70; tail,56; billfrombase ofculmen,14; ^bill from_{nostril,9; tarsus,}31_; middle toe with _claw, 24. Iris dark

brown

; bill, feet,

and

claws dark gray.

Young male^infirstplumage. Slate-coloredfeathersofthe adult

plum

age are present ⁱⁿ the greater wing-coverts

and

_pectoral region of the specimen(No. 192,257,^IT.S.National

Museum,

from Todaya,at 4,000 feet

on Mount

_{Apo, July 11, 1904).} General color clove brown,the feathers slaty atbase,^allbut the_quillswith russetshaft spots,

which

aresmall

and

triangularon _{the back,}

and

soextendedas togive ageneral^russettoneto the

abdomen.

Iris

brown

; bill

and

feet gray-black. Total _length, 155;

alar expanse, 218^; wing, 70^{; tail,} 50; bill from base ofculmen, ¹³; bill

from_nostril,8.6_; tarsus,33_; middletoe with claw, ^22.

The name

Boor-roo-wing',used by^{the native} Bagobos, ^{is in imitation} ofthe_lispingnotesof_{this bird,}

which

suggestsoundsofthe winds.

Philippine Birds.

MEASUREMENTS

OF

THREE

ALLIKD SPECIES OF Brachypttryx.

Mearns A New Genus and Eleven New

Philippine Birds. 5 websof secondaries olive-green; under \ving-coverts,and edges of inner webs of primaries

and

secondaries, white. Tail with longest feather ¹² millimeters longer than _{the next,} 2o millimeters longer than the outer rectrix; middle_pairoftail-feathers entirelymetallicFrench_{green, the}re maining^rectricesbeing green-black, broadly tipped with grayonthe outer

and

white on the inner webs. Underparts with^a

median

_stripeofcitron yellowextending from ^bill to chest,broadeningposteriorly

and

_minutely

mixed

withorpiment orange^at upper margin of chest; flanks,

abdomen, and

undertail-covertsyellow; chest orange; pectoral^tuftsChinese_orange.

Irisred; billblack, faintly tipped with horncolor; feet

and

clawsblack, except theundersideoftoeswhichare yellowish. Length,130; ^alar ex panse, 180; wing,^57; tail,55;

culmen

_(chord),21; tarsus,18; middletoe with claw,^14.

Adult_female. Head, neck^allround,

and

chest, slate-gray. Upperparts, includingupperwing-coverts

and

_exposedouter

webs

ofwing-quills, olive- yellow. ^Tail similar to that of male, but _{shorter, duller,} with feathers roundedat_tip. Underparts, includingundertail-coverts, yellow, whitish on middleof

abdomen.

Size considerably smaller than male. Culmen, 18; wing,^48.

Young

^maleinfirstplumage (No.192,278,11.^S.National

Museum, Mount Apo

at 7,800 feet,

June

20,1904. Head, ^{sides of}throat,

and

upperparts,

smoke

_gray,

washed

on lower back, rump,

and

_upper tail-coverts with green^; upper wing-coverts

and

_exposed portion of outer

webs

of_quills, olive-green. Underparts, includingstripe on middle ofchin

and

_throat,

smoke

_gray

washed

with _greenish yellow; lining ofwings ^{white. Tail-} feathers pointed, similar^tothe adultbutshorter

and

duller. Iris

brown

;

bill black,orange at base, yellow

and

_{orange inside;} metatarsus black;

toes orange,

dusky

^above. Older malessoon

grow

^toresemble adults,the orange^firstshowing^inthemiddleof the _breast,the flanks

and

_bellybe

coming

yellow ^at the

same

_time,the _pectoral tufts and richestcoloring probably^notappearing^{before the}second_year.

ThisbeautifulSun-Bird wasseenon

Mount Apo

from Todaya,^{4,000 feet} altitude, tothe actualsummit. Itsometimes fluttered in frontof flowers likea

Hummingbird.

^Itis

named

inhonorofFirstLieutenant

Edward

C.

Bolton, U. S.

Army,

Military Governor ^of

Davao

District, Mindanao,

whose

assistanceenabledthe.authortoreach the

summit

of

Mount

_Apo.

Cyrtostomus

dinagatensis sp. nov.

DINAGAT ORANGE-BREASTED

SUN-BIRD.

Type No. 191,853, U. S. National

Museum,

^from Dinagat, Island of Dinagat,P. I.,April21,1904. Adultmale. _(Originalnumber,13,449.)

This_speciesisintermediate bet

ween

Cyrloftomu* aurora

and

C.jugulctris.

Inthe former, the

band

acrossthe chest adjoining the dark metallic plas tron is rich

cadmium,

^almost orpiment orange, while this

band

in C.

dinagatensis^isplain orange. In C.jugularis this pectoral

band

isabsent,

Philippine Birds.

although, not infrequently,

some

ofthefeathersnexttothe metallic plas tron areshaded with _orange.

Adultmale. Similartothemale of C.jugularis,except that the chest

is orange instead of yellow;

and

the rest ofthe uriderparts are deeper yellow; there^isa metallic black supraorbitalline;

and

the feathers of the

crown

have^{blackishcenters.} Inthetype^{theforehead is metallic violet-} purple.

Wing,

57; tail,45;

culmen

(chord), 18; tarsus,^14.

A

specimen fromthe Island ofPanay,^{P. I.}(No.161,382,U.S.National

Museum),

apparentlythis species,lacksthe metallic forehead, which

may

be

an

inconstantfeature.

Anthreptes cagayanensis

sp. nov.

CAGAYAN SULU BROWN-THROATED

SUN-BIRD. Tal-lu-gus-lu'-gus(Moros^of Caga- yan Sulu_Island).

Type No. 191,897,U.S.National

Museum,

^{fromthe'Island of}

Cagayan

Sulu, P.I.,February25, 1904. Adultmale. (Originalnumber,13,270.) Thisisa_slightinsular form,most closely related to Anthreptes wigles- worthi_(Hartert),fromSulu_{Island, P.I.,}from

which

itdiffers in being de cidedly yellower below; the sides of the head are

more

reddish; the greater wing-coverts arenarrowly edged with^oliveinstead of broadlywith ferruginous;

and

thebillissmaller. Irishazel; bill allblack; feetgreen ish olive,with undersideoftoesyellow.

Merula

kelleri _sp. nov.

MOUNT APO

BLACKBIRD. Po'-lo(Bagobo).

Type No.192,165,U.S.National

Museum,

^from

Mount Apo

at 6,000feet,

southern Mindanao,^P. I.,

June

_18,1904. Adultmale. (Originalnumber, 13,524.)

The Mount Apo

^{Blackbird or}

^Robin

^{is most} closely related to Merula thomnssoni of

Seebohm,

having ^{the color} pattern of Turdus _pritzbueri Layard.

Four

_primaries(2 to5) areemarginate on^{the outer}web.

Adult male (7 specimens). Chest, head

and

neck all round broccoli brown,^darkestonthe top of the head. Body,includinguppertail-coverts

and

_{crissum, uniformly} clove brown, slightly paler below.

Wings and

tailbrownishblack. Iris

brown;

eyelids,^bill,feet,

and

claws all yellow.

Measurements

of type: Total length, 257; ^alar expanse, 388; wing, 116;

tail, 111; ^bill from _{nostril, 13.5;}

culmen

(chord), 21; tarsus, 33; middle toewith_claw,30.

Aduli female(4 specimens). Similar to the adult male, but browner.

Back

sepia; underparts

washed

with

raw

umber. Iris brown; eyelids, bill, feet,

and

claws,yellow. Length,247; ^alar expanse, 375; wing, 119;

tail, 103; ^bill from _{nostril, 13;} culmen, 21; tarsus,33_; middle toe with claw,^30.

Mearns A New Genus and Eleven New

Philippine Birds. 7 Immature _{male (No.192,168,}U.S.National

Museum,

^{from Mt.}

Apo

^at

6,000 feet,

June

20, 1904). Underparts

washed

with

raw umber

as in adultfemales; upperparts slightly darker than the female,faintly oliva ceous,with thefeathers finelyrayed. Colors ofthesoft parts

and

measure mentsas inadultmales except^thatthetailisaboutten millimeters_shorter.

Firstplumage(5 specimens,taken

on

Mt.

Apo

ⁱⁿ

^{June and}

July).

The

spottedplumage^ofthe

young

resembles that of the

European

^Blackbird.

Upperparts dusky,

washed

with

raw

umber,especiallyon the head, neck, upper back

and

wing-coverts^{; feathers}ofbackwith black edgings.

Under

partssepiabrown,spotted with_lighter shades of

brown and

with black.

The

black _spots are cordate on the _breast, occupying ^the tips of the feathers,which havelight shaft-streaks

and

markings varying from

wood brown

to burnt umber. Males are brighter

and

darkerthan the_single female. In_{all,a rusty}

band

occupies themiddleof thethroat.

The

soft partsare similarto those of_adults, except that the eyelids are^dullgreen ish olive,

and

thebase of the maxilla_slightlydusky.

This_speciesis

named

in honor of Mr. Fletcher _{L. Keller^}

my

^faithful

companion

^on

Mount

_Apo.

Qerygone

rhizophorae sp. nov.

PHILIPPINE

MANGROVE GERYGONE.

Type ^No. 190,097, U. S. National

Museum.

Adult _male, from

Zam-

boanga,Mindanao,^P. I.,October_14,1903. Collected

by Edgar

^A.

Mearns

(originalnumber,13,059).

This_speciesismost _closely related to Gerygoneflaveola Cabanis from the Celebes

and

G. saluadorii Biittikofer from Southern Borneo.

From

theformeritdiffers in itssmaller size, in wanting the whitish lores

and

the yellowish

wash

onthecrown

and

ear-coverts, intheupper ^surfacebe ing slightly darker,

and

the white _spots

on

the inner

web

of thetail- feathers

much

larger.

From

theBornean_species,

which

^itresemblesin_size, itdiffers inhaving^thesidesofthe breast almostasyellow^{as in}theCelebean species instead of olive-brown,ⁱⁿ having the crissum nearly pure white instead of pale yellow,ⁱⁿhaving^theinneredge^ofthe quillswhiteinstead of pale vinous,

and

in having^thewhite_spotsonthe inner

web

^ofthetail- feathers very

much

larger.

Adultmale

and

female (seven specimens). Upperparts, including^entire top

and

sides of head,ashy

brown

tinged with olive; uppertail-coverts browner; ^sidesofneck _yellowish olive; tail-feathers drab, subterrninally

and

_broadly

banded

with _{blackish, tipped} with _drab-gray,

and

with a whitespot near theend of theinner

web

ofallthetail-feathersexcept the innermost_pair; wing-coverts^liketheback; quillsdarker

brown and

nar rowly edged^witholive; wholeunderparts straw yellow except the crissum

which

isalmostwhite; lining

and

_edge of wing yellowish white; thighs

mixed

strawcolor

and

olive-brown; inneredge ^ofquills whitish.

Meas

urementsofmale:

Wing,

50; tail,39; culmen,10.5; tarsus,^16.

Muscicapula montigena

sp. nov.

MOUNT APO FLYCATCHER.

K'ri'-kriorSal-yb-see'-bon(Bagobo).

Type No.192,236, U. S. National

Museum.

Adult _male, from

Mount Apo

^at 6,000 feet altitude, Mindanao, ^P. I.,July 7, 1904. Collected

by Edgar

^A.

M

earns_(original number,13,658).

Itwas asurprise^torindon

Mount Apo

^aspeciesofthisgenus^different fromtheone described by ^{\V. Blasius} from Davao, near the base of the mountain. Muscicapula sanuirerisix, M. luzomensis, M. nigrorum

and

M.

m&iitigfna form a related _series,

more

distinct from M. basilanica (=3f.

mindtinensis Blasius)than from eachother.

Adult male (two specimens). General color of upperparts, including lores,eye-ring,

and

sides of head dark _slaty blue; white eyebrow-stripe reducedtosmall supraorbital patches;

rump

slightly

washed

with oliva ceous; uppertail-covertsreddish burnt

umber

; tailfeathersburnt

umber;

wing-coverts ^like the back; quills grayish brown, edged with reddish

brown

_externally

and

withfawncolorinternally^; underparts,exceptbelly

and

sides, ochraceous, palest on the chin

and

under tail-coverts; belly whitish; ^sides bluish _{slate; lining}

and

_edge of

wing

ochraceous-buff.

Length,128; ^alarexpanse,208; wing, 65; tail,51; ^billfromanteriorborder of _nostril,8.1; culmen, 10.5; tarsus,18.5; middletoewith claw,^{15.5. Iris}

brown

; bill black; feet

and

claws_lightgray.

Adult female (two specimens). Similar to the adult male except that the _slaty blue of the back

and rump

^are

^more

perceptibly

washed w

^rith olivaceous,

and

the lores, eye-ring,

and

touches on the ear-coverts are ochraceous-buff. Length, 125; ^alar expanse, 197; wing, 62; tail, 47; ^bill from anterior border of _nostril,7.5; culmen, 10.5; tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, ^{16.5. Iris}

brown

; bill black; feet

and

claws grayish ^flesh- color.

Immaturefemale (No. 192,234,U. S.National

Museum. Mount Apo

^at

6,000 feet, southern Mindanao, ^P. I., July 6, 1904). Similar to adult females,butpaler below, with obscurespotting^acrossthe chest

and

onthe sides.

Pardaliparus elegans

mindanensis

sp. nov.

MINDANAO

TITMOUSE. Kah-too-ree'-nay(Bagobo).

Type ^No. 192,267, U. S. National

Museum.

Adult _male,from

Mount Apo

^{at 6,200feet,Mindanao,P. I.,}

^June

^{25, 1904. Collected} by

Edgar

^A.

Mearns

_(originalnumber,13,580).

Adult male _(threespecimens). Similar to Pardaliparuselegans elegana, butsmallerwitha_relativelysmallerbill; colorationheavier

and

_yellower;

the black of chin

and

throatextending^tothe chest; whitish spots of

up

per wing-coverts

and

tail-feathers

washed

with _yellow. Length,¹¹⁷; alar expanse, 210; wing, 67; ^{tail,41 ;} culmen,9.5; tarsus, 16; middletoe with claw,^15.