CEYX. 315 



"First it is to be noted that in three fully adult birds l)eginning to 

 molt the under surface is pale dirty yellowish, the throat white. 



"In two of the birds a few scattered yellow feathers are appearing in 

 the white of the throat. This then is the worn-out plumage of old birds. 



"A male with rich yellow under surface and white throat has some of 

 the scapulars entirely black, tipped with blue, the remainder being tipped 

 with lilac. Some of the wing-coverts are black, tipped with blue. No 

 rufous on primaries except on outer web of first. 



"Another bird has chin and throat pure white, the breast mottled with 

 golden yellow and light cinnamon-rufous. Feathers of abdomen nearly 

 white, tips washed with rufous. Under wing-coverts and axillars cin- 

 namon-rufous. A little more black in the scapulars than the preceding. 

 Tail with broad black shaft-stripes on apical half of under surface of 

 feathers. 



"Another specimen has chin and throat pure white. Sides of face, 

 breast, flanks, under wing-co.vert^, and axillars cinnamon-nifous, deepest 

 on the breast. Abdomen nearly white. A few golden-yellow feathers 

 appearing on breast, flanks, and abdomen. Scapulars, except a few of the 

 smallest, black quite broadly tipped with l)lue : tail with tips of all its 

 feathers black. 



"Finally, a single specimen has under surface as in preceding except 

 that yellow feathers have not begun to appear. Scapulars and inner third 

 of inner secondaries black, the former tipped with blue, the latter with 

 rufous washed with lilac. • Tail with apical two-thirds of feathers black 

 washed with rufous on edges of webs. The bill of this last bird shows 

 signs of immaturity, being blackish toward the tip instead of clear scarlet. 



"We were at first greatly puzzled by these birds, as the black scapulars 

 with their blue tips form a striking marking and with a single exception 

 the bills of our specimens showed no sign of immaturity. After carefully 

 examining the whole series, however, we are convinced that the cinnamon- 

 rufous under surface, tail-feathers tipped with black, and black scapulars 

 tipped with blue are themselves signs of immaturity, the black gradually 

 disappearing with age, and yellow feathers appearing on the outer surface 

 until the plumage first described l)y us is reached. This finally becomes 

 worn and soiled giving the dirty yellowish under plumage already noted. 

 Our Tawi Tawi birds were shot late in October and early in Xovember, 

 Palawan birds in December, and Calamianes birds in January and Feb- 

 ruary." (Bourns and Worcester.) 



"Usually found along the banks of fresh -water streams in the forest, 

 not, however, strictly confined to banks of streams, but sometimes met 

 with in the woods away from water. 



"Iris very dark brown ; bill, legs, and feet scarlet. Food shrimps and 

 insects, in one case small lizard and crabs. Eighteen specimens average 

 as follows : Length, 140 ; wing, 58 ; tail, 24 ; culmen, 37 ; tarsus, 8 ; middle 

 toe with claw, 16." {Bourns and Worcester MS.) 



