f a a eee a oo a anette eet ar a er > roan gonen ng a ae eee O— HARVARD UNIVERSITY oo LIBRARY OF THE Museum of Comparative Zoology LIBRARY : IVER C Ty ost lla Bhs YALE PEABODY MUSEUM oF Naturat History Number 73 December 20, 1962 New Haven, Conn. NEW BIRDS FROM PALAWAN AND CULION ISLANDS, PHILIPPINES S. Ditton Rieitey anp D. S. Rasor INTRODUCTION BY D. S. Razor The Palawan Expedition of 1962 was sponsored jointly by the Yale Peabody Museum, the Entomology Section of the U. S. Army Medical Research and Development Command of the Office of the Surgeon General, under the auspices of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, and by Silliman University at Dumaguete City, P. I. Collections were made on Palawan Island March 26 until May 18, 1962, working in southern Palawan from March 26 until April 21, 1962, and in northern Palawan from April 25 until May 18, 1962. The main collecting localities in scuthern Palawan included the forested areas in the vicinity of the municipality of Brookes Point, from the sea coast up to about 6,700 feet to the top of the main peak of Mount Mantalingajan. Collecting camps were established at Macagua (sea level to 500 feet), Pinigisan (2,100-2,500 feet), Magtaguimbong (3,600-4,350 feet), and 2 Postilla Yale Peabody Museum No. 73 on the ridge and top of the peak of Mount Mantalingajan itself (5,000-6,700 feet). The collecting localities in northern Palawan included Sitio Malabusog (sea level to 500 feet) of Barrio Tinitian, munici- pality of Roxas, and Sitio Tarabanan (sea level to 1,000 feet ) of Barrio Concepcion, municipality of Puerto Princesa. A small collecting party worked on Balabac Island from April 17 until May 2, 1962, and rejoined the main body of the expedition party in northern Palawan on May 5, 1962. Mr. Max Thompson, Research Fellow of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, who was a member of the expedition party, headed a small group that carried on additional collecting for the Bishop Museum, on Busuanga and Culion Islands of the Cal- amianes Group, north of Palawan, from May 20 until June 20, 1962, after the main party had already left for home. His collections of 141 birds from both islands were included in our study. It is interesting to note that six months earlier, in August and September, 1961, a small collecting party of the Danish *Noona Dan” Expedition, together with two Filipino collectors from the Philippine National Museum, worked in the same collecting localities where we collected later on, with the ex- ception of the ridge and top of the main peak of Mount Man- talingajan itself, which they failed to reach. Our collecting party made camps on the very camping sites of the Danish Expedition collectors in the lower elevations of the Mount Mantalingajan Range and even employed the same head moun- tain guide for the work in the highlands of Mount Mantaling- ajan. Salomonsen (1961, Dansk. Ornith. Foren. Tiddsskr., vol. 55, p. 219-221; 1962, vol. 56, p. 129-134) reported and de- scribed one new species of tree-babbler, Stachyris hypogram- mica, and two new subspecies, a mountain tailor-bird, Ortho- tomus cucullatus viridicollis and a mountain leaf-warbler, Phylloscopus trivirgatus peterseni, from the collections made by the “‘Noona Dan” collectors in southern Palawan. Dec. 20,1962 New Birds from Palawan, Culion Islands 3 Salomonsen reported six forms of true mountain birds which } were taken by the “Noona Dan” collectors, which included the following: 1. Zosterops montana Muscicapa westermannt 3. Seicercus montis 4. Phylloscopus trivirgatus ¢ 5. Orthotomus cucullatus 6. Stachyris hypogrammica Our Palawan Expedition Party secured very good series of most of the above mentioned mountain birds, except Seicercus montis, of which only 5 specimens were taken by us. In addition, two more true mountain birds were collected by our party, increasing the list of true mountain birds from Palawan to 8. These forms are Brachypteryx montana and Cettia Mon- tana, We are reporting six new subspecies of birds from our re- cent collections on Palawan, most of them from the highlands of southern Palawan in the Mount Mantalingajan_ local- ities, and from the Calamians. It is very possible that the highlands of northern Palawan, notably in the localities of Cleopatra’s Needle, the high peak which dominates this area may still yield additional forms distinct from those that we have collected in the Mount Mantalingajan localities of south- ern Palawan. The highlands of northern Palawan remain as still another largely unworked locality. We are indebted to the authorities of the American Museum of Natural History and of the Chicago Natural History Museum for the use of some of the comparative materials in our present study. D. S. Rabor acknowledges his indebtedness to the Frank M. Chapman Memorial Fund of the American Museum of Nat- ural History, to the Entomology Section of the U. S. Army Medical Research and Development command of the Office of the Surgeon General, and to the Yale Peabody Museum, for the research grants, which enabled him to come to the United 4 Postilla Yale Peabody Museum Noosa States to study and prepare the report on the present bird collections from Palawan, Balabac, and the Calamian Islands of Culion and Busuanga, in collaboration with Dr. Ripley. New SuBSPECIES FROM PALAWAN BY S. Ditton RieiteEy anp D. S. Razor Ninox seutulata palawanensis, subsp. nov. Tyre: Yale Peabody Museum No. 73202 from Tarabanan, Concepcion, Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island, Philippines, sea level to 1,000 feet elevation. Adult male collected May 8, 1962 by D. S. Rabor. Diacnosis: Similar to N. sc. randi of most of the larger Philippine islands in the reddish chocolate-brown upper- and underparts, but decidedly smaller. Shghtly smaller than N. sc. totogo of Botel Tabago but lighter brown on upperparts with decidedly more reddish wash; light parts on the streaked individual feathers of underparts purer white with much less buff, and brown streaks darker; blackish tail bands similar in width, number and location on tail feathers, but brown bands in palawanensis tinged more ashy. Closest to Ninow scutulata borneensis in size, but upperparts slightly darker brown with more red wash; blackish tail bands much narrower, more in number and darker, and the brown bands tinged more ashy. Measurements: N. sc totogo from A’Oshima, Loo Choo Islands, and Okinawa: Wing ¢ (2) 214, 210, 2 (5) 204- 212.5) (av. 208.5) 3 tail ¢ (2) 1195 1155 a(5)) SSG 115.6); culmen from base 6 (2) 24.5, 23.5, 2 (4) 23.5-25 (av. 24.5); tarsus 6 (2) 26, 24.5, 2 (5) 25-26.5 (av. 26 mm). N. sc. borneensis from Borneo: Wing 46 (4) 176-184.5 (av. 179.6), 2 (2) 182.5, 176, sex ? (4) 183-187.5 (av. 185-6) tail $ (4) 98-102 (av. 99.5), 2 (2) 96.5, 96, sex ? (4) 94- 104 (av. 100.1); culmen from base ¢ (4) 21.5-22.5 (av. 22.1), 2 (2) 22, 22.5, sex ? (4) 21.5-24 (av. 22:2) tarsus=¢ 4) Dec. 20,1962 New Birds from Palawan, Culion Islands 5 23-25 (av. 24.4), 2 (2) 24.5, 23.5, sex ? (4) 22.5-24 (av. 23.6 mm). N. sc. palawanensis from Palawan Island. Wing 4 195.5; tail 108; culmen from base 25.5, tarsus 25 mm. Rance: Palawan Island. Remarks: The three races totogo, borneensis and palwanen- sis are lightly differentiated from one another, based on plum- age coloration. In size, however, palawanensis is intermediate between totogo and borneensis. Pitta erythrogaster thompsoni, subsp. nov. Tyre: Yale Peabody Museum No. 73203 from 6.5 km south- west Culion, Culion Island, Philippines. Adult male collected June 7, 1962 by Max C. Thompson. Orginial field no. BBM- PI 3290, Bernice P. Bishop Museum. Diacnosis: Closest to P. e. propinqua of Palawan and Bal- abac Islands but back, rump, tail and scapulars pale blue, not cobalt. Differs from P. e. erythrogaster in the much paler blue of back, rump, tail and scapulars, and in the much narrower dull green band on mantle, as in propinqua. MeasvureMENts: P, e. propinqua from Palawan: Wing 4 (3) 96-100 (av. 98); tail 6 (8) 34-36.5 (av. 34.8); culmen from base 6 (3) 18.5-14.5 (av. 14); tarsus 6 (8) 32-33.5 (av. 32.8 mm); weight ¢ (3) 50.7-53.4 (av. 51.2 grams). P. e. erythrogaster from Luzon: Wing ¢ (4) 96.5-99 (av. 97.5). 2 99.5; tail 6 (4) 32-87.5 (av. 35.1), 2 34.5; culmen from base ¢ (2) 23.5, 23.5, 2 28; tarsus 6 (4) 33.5-35.5 (av. 34.2), 9° 35 mm; weight 4 (4) 56.2-69 (av. 63.3), 2 55.2 g. P. e. erythrogaster from Mindanao: Wing ¢ (2) 98.5, HOO 2s (2) 9575, 98eetailles (2) W350, 40-5, -25 (2) 0025204 culmen from base 6 (2) 23.5, 24, 2 22; tarsus 6 (2) 35.5, 35.5, 2 (2) 34, 34.5 mm. or) Postilla Yale Peabody Museum No. 73 P. e. erythrogaster from Negros: Wing ¢ (3) 98-100.5 (av. 99.5), 2 99;tail 6 (3) 38-35.5 (av. 34.3), 2 32; culmen from base 6 (3) 22-23.5 (22.6), 2 23; tarsus ¢ (3) 33-33.5 Cave So-0)), & Garo min, P. e. erythrogaster from Samar: Wing (sex?) 94.5; tail 35.5; tarsus 33 mm. P. e. erythrogaster from Bongao: Wing ¢ 95; tail 36.5; culmen from base 22; tarsus 35 mm. P.e. thompsoni from Culion: Wing ¢ (2) 94.5, 94; tail 35, 36; culmen from base 22.5, 23.5; tarsus 33, 34.5 mm. Rance: Culion Island. Remarks: The Negros population of P. e. erythrogaster comes closest to P. e. thompsoni in the intensity of the blue color on the back, rump, tail and scapulars, but the Culion form is still paler on these parts. Also, the dull green band on the mantle in the Negros birds is much wider as is character- istic of erythrogaster. We take great pleasure in naming this form after Mr. Max C. Thompson, Research Fellow of the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, the young collector who was a great help in the field work in Palawan, Balabac, and the Calamians. Brachypteryx montana sillimani, subsp. nov. ~ de Tyre: Yale Peabody Museum No. 73204, from Magtaguim- bong, Mount Mantalingajan, 3,600-4,350 feet, Palawan Is- land, Philippines. Adult male collected April 11, 1962, by D. S. Rabor. Dracnosis: Closest to B. m. poliogyno of northern (north- western) Luzon and Mindoro, and B. m. andersoni of southern Luzon, but differs in the following characteristics: a) Male averages much brighter and richer slate-blue upper- and under- parts, with much less wash of gray on abdomen; b) female with much duller rusty brown undertail coverts:; c) longer culmen. Dec. 20, 1962 New Birds from Palawan, Culion Islands a MeasvreMENts: B. m. poliogyna from northern Luzon: Wing, ¢ (3), 65-68.5 (av. 66.6); 2 (2) 68.5, 62.5; tail, ¢ (3) 45.5-47 (av. 46.8), 2 (2) 46, 40; culmen from base, ¢ (3) 15.5; 2 (2) 16.5, 15.5; culmen from anterior margin of nostril, 6 (8) 8.5, 2 (2) 9, 8.5; tarsus, 6 (3) 26-27.5 (26.5), 2, (2) 28, 27. B.m. poliogyna from Mindoro: Wing, ¢ (5) 65.5-67.5 (av. 66.7), ° (3) 60.5-64 (av. 62.3); tail, 3 (5) 45-46.5 (av. 46), 2 (8) 41-483 (av. 42); culmen from base, ¢ (5) 15.5- 17 (av. 16.2), 2 (3) 15.5-17 (av. 16.3) ; culmen from anterior margin of nostril, ¢ (5) 8.5-9 (av. 8.9), 2 (3) 8.5-9.5 (9); tarsus, 6 (5) 28-29.5 (av. 28:5), 2 (8) -26-29' (av. 27.6). B. m. andersoni from southern Luzon: Wing, ¢ (2) 71, 66, m2 )\n638 5: tail, 6 (2) 45.5, 47,2 »(2)- 4235; 43 culmen trom: base, ¢- (2) 116.5, 165 2 (2) 16.5,.16; culmen from anterior margin of nostril, ¢é (2) 9, 8.5, 2 (2) 9; tarsus, 4 (2) 28.5, 2 (2) 28, 27. B. m. sillimani from southern Palawan: Wing, ¢ (3) 68- 70.5 (av. 69), 2 (3) 63-68 (av. 66); tail, 8 (3) 46.5-48 (av. 47.38), 2 (3) 42-45 (av. 42.8); culmen from base, ¢ (onnlialio (av. Lia), ¢ (3) 171-18 (av. 17-5) 5 culmen* from anterior margin of nostril, ¢ (3) 9-9.5 (av. 9.3), 2 (8) 9-10 (av. 9.5); tarsus, ¢ (3) 27-29~(av. 28:1), 2 (3) 27- 28 (av. 27.6). Rance: The highlands of southern Palawan as far as known. Remarks: In the male, the Palawan form is the brightest and richest in coloration of plumage, with the least powdery gray wash on the slate-blue color, both on the upper- and underparts, when compared to males of other races of the species in the Philippines, Borneo, and Sumatra. The female of this race also averages brighter and richer slate-blue on the upperparts than those of the other races. The Palawan birds resemble most closely those of northern Luzon The species is recorded for the first time on Palawan Island 8 Postilla Yale Peabody Museum No. 73 and is a new addition to the recently known mountain bird fauna of this island. The various races of the species within the geographic unit of the Philippines include: B. m. poliogyna—northern (northwestern) Luzon, B. m. andersoni—southern Luzon, B. m. brunneiceps—Negros, B. m. mindanensis—Mt. Apo, Mindanao, B. m. malindangensis—Mt. Malindang, Mindanao, B. m. sillimani—southern Palawan. Some of the larger islands with highlands attaining ele- vations of 3,000 feet or more may have representatives of this species that remain to be discovered. In southern Luzon, in the Mount Isarog localities, the species ranges as low as 2,200 feet along shaded banks of mountain streams. The new race is named after Dr. Robert B. Silliman, Vice- President of Silliman University, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, Philippines, for his interest in and active stimulation of biological research in the university. Muscicapa westermanni palawanensis, subsp. nov. Type: Yale Peabody Museum No. 73205 from Mount Man- talingajan Peak, 5,500-6,000 feet, Palawan Island, Philippines. Adult female, collected April 14, 1962 by D. S. Rabor. Diacnosis: Like M. w. rabori and M. w. westermanni but dif- fers in: a) bill decidedly more robust than that of either, as shown by the comparative index derived from the ratio between length of culmen from base and width of maxilla at level of frontal feathering; b) in the female, the upperparts being a purer, darker slate gray, and with the tawny-olive wash on the back and rump still further reduced; c) longer wing and tail. MeasvreMents: M. w. palawanensis: wing ¢ (5) 58.5-61 (av. 59.5), 2 (1) 55.5; tail 6 (5) 42.5-44 (av. 43.3); 9 (1) 40; culmen from base 6 (5) 18-13.5 (av. 18.3) , 2 (1) 13: width of bill at level of frontal feathering ¢ (5) 4.6- 5.5 (av. 4.9), 2 (1) 5.1; tarsus ¢ (5) 13.5-14.5 (av. 14 mm). Dec. 20,1962 New Birds from Palawan, Culion Islands 8) M.w. rabori: wing 6 (9) 55.5-59.5 (av. 57.9), 2 (3) 55- 57 (av. 56); tail 6 (9) 39-43 (av. no. 2 (3) 39-41, (av. 39.8); culmen from base ¢ (9) 12-13.5 (av. 12.8), 2 (38) 12-13 (av. 12.3); width of bill at level of frontal feathering 6 (9) 3.8-4.9 (av. 4.4), 2 (38) 4-4.4 (av. 4.2); tarsus ¢ (9) 14-15.5 (av. 14.6), 2 (38) 13.5-15 (av. 14.3 mm). M. w. westermanni: wing 6 (16) 55-57.5 (av. 56.2), @0) 752.5 Ade (av. 54.7); tail 6 (16) 39-41.5 (av. 40), (10) 37-39.5 (38.5); culmen from base 6 (16) 12-13.3 (av. 173.259) 5 tee: aes 12-13 (av. 12.5); width of bill at level of frontal feathering é (16) 4-4.6 (av. 4.3), 2 (10) 4-4.6) (av. 4.4); tarsus 6 (16) 13.5-15 (av. 18.9), 2 (10) 14-14.5 (av. 14.2 mm). Rance: Mountains of southern Palawan Island, Philippines, as far as known. Remarks: The Palawan males are indistinguishable from the males of the various Philippine races of the species, as 1s characteristic of this particular species if based on plumage coloration and color pattern. The main bases for naming the Palawan population are: a) the decidedly more robust bill in both sexes compared to that of any other race of this species; b) the distinctive plum- age coloration of the female; and c) the longer wing and tail lengths as compared to that of the other races in the Philip- pines. In order to arrive at comparative figures which deter- mine the comparative degrees of heaviness of the bill in the various Philippine races, we are using the ratio of the length of culmen from base to the width of maxilla at level of frontal feathering. We call this figure the ‘index of bill heaviness.” The lower this figure is, the more heavy or robust the bill. We included the figure for both sexes to arrive at indices which will give a general idea as to the average heaviness of the bill in either sex of a particular race. The indices for bill heaviness of the races in the Philippines are: M. w. palawanensis—2.70 (53,12). M. w. westermanni—2.87 (164,102). M. w. rabori—2.91 (93,32). 10 Postilla Yale Peabody Museum No. 73 Cettia montana palawana, subsp. nov. Tyre: 6 ad (Y.P.M. No. 54238), collected April 12, 1962, by D. S. Rabor on Mount Mantalingajan, 6,700 feet, Palawan Island, Philippines. Diacnosis: This form differs strikingly in color from the other subspecies of Cettia montana from India east to Laos and south to Sumatra and Borneo. In olivaceous brownish tone this population is paler than sepiaria and more olive, less warm brown than oreophila, but altogether darker, more suf- fused than mainland birds. Olive yellow is on the throat and abdomen with warm olive brown on the flanks and invading the breast in a light wash in some specimens forming an incomplete breast band. These yellowish throat feathers tend to be streaked along the shaft and adjacent areas of the vanes with dull ashy, difficult to see on account of the make-up of the skins. This yellowish tone of the underparts is strikingly different from all other forms of Cettia montana. Like other Palawan animals, however, this warbler points up the South- east Asian affinities of this island. MeasvureMEnNts: Type: wing, 54.5; tail, 56; culmen from base, 15.5; culmen from anterior margin of nostril, 8.5; tarsus, 22 mm. Seven other males measure: wing, 54.5-57.5 (av. 55.8) ; tail, 55.5-60 (av. 57.6); culmen from base, 14.5-15.5 (av. 15.1); culmen from anterior margin of nostril, 8-8.5 (av. 8.4); tarsus, 20-22.5 (av. 21.6). Six females measure: wing, 51-55.5 (av. 52.4); tail, 47.5-54 (av. 51.5); culmen from base, 13.5-16 (av. 14.9); culmen from anterior margin of nostril, 8-8.5 (av. 8.4); tarsus, 21-22 (av. 21.3). Rance: Mountains of Palawan Island, Philippines. Remarks: Stays singly or in pairs among the dense tangles and low stunted growth on the mountain ridges, always actively hopping from branch to branch, all the while giving out its very characteristic short note. Frequently the course of the bird may be followed by the sound of these notes, even though the bird itself may not be visible among the dense growth. Dec. 20,1962 New Birds from Palawan, Culion Islands ul | The species is recorded for the first time on Palawan, and in the Philippines, as a geographical unit and is a new addition to the recently known mountain birds of this island. Lonchura leucogastra palawana, subsp. nov. Tyre: Yale Peabody Museum No. 73206 from Macagua, Brooke’s Point, sea level to 250 feet, Palawan Island, Philip- pines. Adult male, collected April 3, 1962 by D. S. Rabor. Diacnosis: Closest to L. 1. manueli in the deep chocolate brown on chest becoming blackish brown to almost black on throat and chin, but differs in: a) having the deep chocolate brown on the chest, and the blackish brown or black on the neck, throat and chin occupying a decidedly much larger area up the sides of the neck and face; b) having a smaller bill. Measurements: L. 1. palawanas: Wing 4 (14) 48.5-51.5 (av. 50.3), 2 (14) 49-52.5 (av. 49.9); tail 6. (14) 33-36.5, 2 (14) 31.5- i (av. 35.4): length of culmen ¢ (14) 11.5 13 (av. 12.4), 2 (14) 11-13 (av. 12); greatest width of cul- men ¢ (14) 7.5-8 (av. 7.5), 2 (14) 7-7.5 (av. 74); bill index 4 (14) 19-20.5 (av. 19:2), 2 (14) 18:5-20.5 (av. 19.5); tarsus 6 (14) 12.5-13.5 (av. 18), 9 (14),12-13.5 (av. 13 mm). L, l. leucogastra: Wing ¢ (7) Ele 5-50 (av. 49.2), 2 50. tail 6 (7) 27-85.5 (av. 83), 2 33; length of culmen 3 10.5-12 (av. 11.6), 2 12; greatest width of culmen 4 65-0) (av.56.7)s 2 6.5 > bill index 6 (7), 17-19) (av. 18-3). ORS tarsus: 6 (¢7)) 12.5-13-5) (ave 13), 3d) 13:5,am- L. 1. castanonota: Wing 4 (2) 49.5, 50.5; 2 (2) 49; tail 6 (2) 33.5, 34, 2 (2) 33.5, 36.5; length of culmen ¢ (2) 1125, 12, 9 (2) 12, 12.5; greatest width of culmen ¢ (2) 7, Om (2) ie Wea billlindex. ic) 1¢2)) 192555205 2) 1(2))20; 2075 farsuse (2) 12:5) 13.32 (2) Loe mm L. 1. everettt: Wmg 6 (9) 50-54 (av. 51.3), 2 (7) 50-52 (av. 50:6) = tail 3 (9) .83-37.5 (ave 35.3), 2 (C7) ee 7.5 12 Postilla Yale Peabody Museum No. 73 (av. 36.4); length of culmen ¢ (9) 12-12.5 (av. 12.3), Me 11.5-13 (av. 12.3); greatest width of culmen ¢ (7) 7.5- 5D (8), 2 (G6) 7.5-8.5: (av. 7.9); bill mdex 6° (7) Milgi5-20 at: 20.3), 2 (6) 19.5-20.5 (av. 20.3); tarsus 6 (9) 12-13.5 (Cav Sa SSC )e 2a Soave. lod mm): L. l. manueli: Wing 6 (7) 50.5-55 (av. 51.9), 2 (4) 48- 54 (av. 51.6); tail $ (7) 33-37.5 (av. 36.2), 2 (4) 32:5-35 (av. 33.8); length of culmen ¢ (7) 12.5-13 (av. 12.8), 2 (4) 12.5-13.5 (av. 13); greatest width of culmen 6 (7) 8- 8.5 (av..8), 2 (4) 7.5-8.5 (av. 8); bill mdex ¢ (7)820%5 21.5 (av. 20.4), 2 (4) 20-22 (av. 21-1); tarsus ¢ (fete 13.5 (av. 13), 2 (4) 18-13.5 (av. 18.4 mm). L. l. smythiest:. Wing ¢ 51.5, 2: 50.5; tail. 6:35, Qeaas length of culmen ¢ 12, 2 13; greatest width of culmen ¢ 7.5, S-billiindex, 6, 19:5; 9 2: tarsusili3,.2) 13-5 mm: We follow Parkes’ measurement of the bill index, the index derived from the sum of the greatest length of culmen plus its greatest width. Rance: Palawan, Busuanga and Culion as far as known in the Philippines; the highlands of eastern and northern Borneo. Remarks: Parkes (1958, Proc. U. S. Nat. Museum, vol. 108, no. 3402, p. 279-284) reviewed the taxonomy and nomen- clature of this species and described two new races, bringing the total number of races that he recognized for the species to five. He gave the ranges of these various races as: L. 1. lewcogastra—Thailand, Malay Peninsula, and Sumatra. L. l. castanonota—Southern Borneo. L. 1. everetti—Luzon and the adjacent islands of Mindoro, Catanduanes, and Polillo, in the Philippines. ». 1. manueli—Southern half of the Philippine Archipelago and the highlands of northern Borneo, eastern Borneo, ~ and Sarawak. L. 1. smythiesi—Known only from the vicinity of Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo. Dec. 20,1962 New Birds from Palawan, Culion Islands i3 Parkes had some Palawan specimens in his studies of this species and he included them with the variable manweli. In this connection he commented that “Although, as mentioned above, manueli is quite constant in its characters for a bird whose range encompasses so many islands, there is a certain amount of intraracial variation present. The most noticeable of these variations is a tendency for Palawan specimens to have smaller bills than those of the other islands within the range of manueli as here defined.” Our material, considering only the fully adult and properly sexed specimens, consists of 8 (76,12) L. Ll. leucogastra, 4 (2d) 2.2 ) -castanonota, 16 (9 6, 72) ‘everett, AL (7s, 42) manueli, 2 (146,12) smythiesi, and 28 (146, 142) palawana. Our material of palawana includes 23 birds from Palawan, two from Busuanga, one from Culion, and two from northern Borneo. In addition, we also examined but did not include the measurements, of two adult Palawan specimens of undetermined sex. In studying the various races of L, lewcogastra, especially those which are found in the Philippines, we made the following observations: a) Age of birds and their plumage. Immature and subadult birds of the three Philippine races are indistinguishable from one another. Only fully adult birds show to the best advantage the characters which are of any value in differentiating the various races. b) Color of wpperparts. L. l. castanonota differs distinct- ively from the other races in having the deep rufous chestnut upperparts. The other races differ very shghtly from one another in the general colors of the upperparts in being brown streaked with white on the back and crown. There is a tendency, however, toward a very gradual deepening in the intensity of the brown upperparts in the various races (excluding casta- nonota), starting from everetti as the lightest and ending with leucogastra, in the order everetti > smythiesi > manueli > palawana — leucogastra. The degree of development of the white shaft streaks on the feathers of the back up to the crown is a very variable charac- 14 Postilla Yale Peabody Museum Noss ter, even within the same race, and depends much on the age of the individual bird and the freshness of its plumage. Within the same population, in any one race, there are individuals where these white shaft streaks have totally disappeared from the crown, giving this part a uniform color. These white shaft streaks are not as well pronounced on the back in some birds and yet are very distinct in others of the same race and from the same population of a particular locality. gradual increase in the c) Upper tail coverts. There is a degree of intensification from the original plain brown upper tail coverts, which hardly contrast from the plain brown color on the rump and lower back in smythiesi, to deeper brown, blackish brown, blackish, and finally to black in castanonota. Among the races there is also a tendency for this color on the upper tail coverts gradually to invade the rump, thus in- creasing the area that it occupies. We summarize below the condition of the upper tail coverts in the various races: L. l. smythiesi—plain brown, almost with no contrast to the rest of the rump and back. L. l. everetti—plain brown with tendency to be slightly more intense than the rump and lower back, thus beginning to show a contrast. L. l. manueli—darker brown, contrasting distinctly with the rump and the rest of back, but covers only a small area of the upper tail coverts. L. 1. palawana—blackish brown contrasting distinetly with the rump and rest of back, occupying a larger area on the upper tail coverts than in manuweli, and in some specimens already beginning to show the tendency to invade the rump. L. ~ . leucogastra—deeper blackish brown to almost black, this color having invaded the greater part of the rump or all of it, the whole area contrasting distinctly with the rest of back. L. 1. castanonota—very intense blackish brown to black, occupying the upper tail coverts and the rump, and contrasting distinctly with the rest of back. Dec. 20,1962 New Birds from Palawan, Culicon Islands 185) d) Anterior underparts. L. l. smythiesi—chocolate brown, becoming deeper and richer on throat and chin. L. 1. everetti—chocolate brown, becoming deeper and richer on throat and chin, as in smythiesi. L. 1. manueli—deep chocolate brown on the chest, becoming blackish brown on throat and chin, these colored areas being separated by a wide band of light brown on the sides of the chest and neck from the upperparts. L. 1. palawana—as in manueli, deep chocolate brown on the chest becoming blackish brown to black on throat and chin, but these colored areas occupying a decidedly much larger portion of the chest, neck, throat and chin, so that the plain brown band separating them from the upperparts is very much reduced. L. l. lewcogastra—the entire anterior underparts very intense blackish brown to black, this color extending up the sides of the chest, neck, throat and chin, coming in direct contact with the much lighter brown of the upper- parts. L. 1. castanonota—as in leucogastra, with the tendency to be black instead of intense blackish brown. The newly-described race is intermediate between manueli and leucogastra in color pattern. When the various races (excluding castanonota, because it is easily differentiated from the others) are arranged in the order of increasing inten- sity of the colors of the upperparts and underparts, the fol- lowing arrangement results: smythiest > everetti > manucli > palawana — leuco- gastra, We did not have the opportunity to examine specimens from the Sulu Archipelago but Parkes found the two birds that he examined to be small-billed. a condition similar to the 16 Postilla Yale Peabody Museum No. 73 Palawan race. From this character and from geographic con- sideration we are inclined to include the Sulu Archipelago birds with the race palawana. The Philippine races of L. leucogastra have the following ranges: L. 1, everetti—Luzon and the adjacent islands of Mindoro, Catanduanes, and Polillo. L. l. manueli—Central and southern Philippines. L. l. palawana—Palawan, Busuanga, Culion, Sulu Archi- pelago. win pear eae ote So as Se ee er : r _ - avail “ ‘ oot SCE pet so “es : - oe ernie eames ere pisaaurenant 2 . r ate ae as artes po hare poi’ FPO” - ies ae 7 < . pore : tener ; 4 a a I I ppelrsi - Sth cy Nether ¢ een RS rt epee es Coretta eter