SURNICULUS. 367 



and size, the last to disappear witli age being those at tlie ends of the tail- 

 feathers. * * *." { Shelley.) 



"A single male from Palawan measures, 229 in length; wing, 119; 

 tail, 120; ciilmen, 23; tarsus, lo; middle toe with claw, 19." {Bourns 

 and Worcester MS.) 



,330. SURNICULUS VELUTINUS Sliarpe. 

 PHILIPPINE DRONGO CUCKOO. 



t^urniculus velufinus Shakpe, Tl•an^s. Linn. 8t>c'. Zool. (1877), 1, 320; 

 Shelley, Cat. Birds Brit. Mu.s. (1891), 19, 230; Bourns and Wor- 

 cester, ^linnesota Acad. Nat. Sci. Occ. Papers (1894), 1, 40; Shabpe. 

 Hand-List (1900), 2, 15G; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List 

 (1906), 60. 



Basilan (Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns i(- Worcester, McGregor) ; Luzon 

 (Bourns d- Worcester, Whitehead) ; Mindanao (Everett, Bourns d Worcester, 

 Celestino) ; Mindoro (McGregor) ; Negros (Whitehead) ; Samar (Bourns d- Wor- 

 cester, Whitehead) : Sulu (Bourns d Worcester) ; Tawi Tawi (Everett, Bourns d 

 Worcester) . 



"Adult. — Very closely allied to S. higuhris; tail always square, witli 

 the exception of the outer pair of feathers, which are much siiorter ; it 

 differs in having the head, back, throat, and breast velvety black, with 

 absolutely no trace of white on any of the tail-coverts, and a distinct 

 narrow white basal edging to the tail-feathers. 'Iris dark chocolate- 

 brown; bill and claws black; feet bluish gray.' (Everett.) Length, 

 203; culmen, 23; wing, 119; tail. 109 ; tarsus, 14. The sexes are similar 

 in plumage." (Shelley.) 



"Immature. — A young bird from Basilan, two-thirds grown, is light 

 rusty brown in color, lightest on under surface; crown and nape show 

 metallic blue-black feathers; one of the scapulars, many feathers of rump, 

 and all of tail same color, mostly tipped with rusty brown ; wing-coverts 

 rusty brown with faint dark shaft-markings appearing; upper surface 

 of wing black, faintly metallic, all the feathers edged with rusty brown; 

 under surface of body uniform light brown; wing-coverts white strongly 

 washed with brown at tips; white spot on inner webs of primaries appear- 

 ing; under surface of tail dull metallic blue, each feather with several 

 spots of white. 



''A bird nearly grown shows numerous brown feathers on head and 

 back. l*rimaries washed with rusty brown, primary-coverts uniform 

 hrowii. Throat, chin, and upi)er breast nearly black. A third has general 

 color of adult but some feathers of head, nape, primary-coverts, breast 

 and atxlomen as well as tips of some of the secoiKhiiies are waslu'd witli 

 I'usty brown." (Bourns dud Worcrslcr.) 



"'Abundant in Basilan; not uncommon in 'i'awi 'i'awi and Sulu. 

 Found in the forest, or in second growtli. Five males aveiage. 2lo in 



