2. BATRACHOSTOMTJS. G41 



Novara, Vog. p. 34 (1865 ; Borneo) ; Tweedd. Ibis, 1877, pp. 298, 

 388; id. P. Z. S. 1877, p. 432, pi. xlvi. ; W. Bias. J. f. O. 1884, 

 p. 217 (S.E. Borneo) ; Kictter, J. f. O. 188-5, p. 341, pi. iy. 

 (nidif.) ; Grabowski/, Ornis, 1885, p. 157 (habits) ; Shaiye, Ibis, 

 1888, p. 198 (Palawan) ; Whiteh. Ibis, 1890, p. 46. 



Batrachostomiis stellatus ('?), Britggem. Abh. natunc. Ver. Bremen, 

 \. p. 4.56 (1876). 



Batrachostomus adspersus, Briiggem. Ann. ^- Mag. Nat. Hist. 1877, 

 XX. p. 178; id. Abh. naturw. Ver. Bremen, \. p. 528 (1877; Int. 

 Borneo). 



Rufous phase. Deep reddish brown, with nnnierous fine black 

 yermiculations ; an indistinct white band across the neck, and large 

 white spots on the scapulars ; under surface deep reddish brown below, 

 with a broad pure white baud across the upper breast, the feathers of 

 this part being white with dark terminal cross-bars, one distinct and 

 one generallj' obsolete, the bases being dark. Many feathers of the 

 breast have very large central spots of white, margined with a black 

 line ; abdomen mingled with blackish, brownish, and a good deal of 

 isabelline. 



Brown phase. Above dark brown, with many pale bars and vermi- 

 culations ; a broad distinct band of whitish across the hind neck 

 and much white on the scapulars ; a good deal of creamy white on 

 the lower surface. 



BJaclish phase. Several specimens from Borneo are black or 

 blackish in colour, the vermiculations white or whitish. 



The reddish specimens are probably females, the brown and the 

 black ones being probahl}' males in different phases or perhaps 

 representing different ages. 



The size of all is about the same, the total length being about 

 9 to 10 inches, wing 5-3, tail 5-2, tarsus 0*55, culmen 0-8, width of 

 gape 1-3 to 1'4. 



The specimens described above are all from Borneo. Two females 

 in the British Museum from Sumatra, in reddish plumage, are lighter 

 than those from Borneo, being rather of a cinnamon-rufous colour. 

 The patches on the lower throat are cream-coloured, with a cinnamon- 

 rufous border and a blackish subterminal bar, but without any 

 further blackish bars. 



These difterences, however, seem to me not constant after com- 

 paring the material in the Leyden Museum ; nevertheless, I have 

 not yet heard of any blackish specimens from Sumatra, and it must 

 therefore be left open to question at present whether it is possible 

 to separate the Sumatran and Bornean specimens specifically or 

 subspecifically. 



Specimens from Java seem to be identical with those from 

 Borneo, although some are rather small, the wing measuring 4-9 to 

 5'1 inches, tail 5-5, tarsus 0-55, width of gape 1"1 to 1-2, culmen 

 0-65 to 0-7. Specimens from Java are rare in collections, and I 

 have examined a few only. 



Hah. Java, Sumatra, and Borneo, north to Palawan. 



a. Ad. st. "Indian Archipelago." Sir E. Belcher [P.]. 



h. 5 ad. sk. Java. Tweeddale Coll. 



VOL. XVI, 2 T 



