576 MANUAL OF PHILIPPINE BIRDS. 



over with brown-lake over-markings and a few pale reddish lilac under- 

 markings. Measurements 16 mm. by 13 mm. 



"The nest of the green-backed tailorbird is of the ordinary type, being 

 a pocket formed by two leaves sewn together. It was placed among the 

 herbage by the side of a path about 8 inches [20 cm.] from the ground. 

 On the 19th of May a second nest was found on a small islet in a stream 

 where a few slender large-leaved plants were growing just above the 

 water. This nest contained two young birds." (Grant and Whitehead.) 



559. ORTHOTOMUS RUFICEPS (Lesson). 



RUFOTJS-HEADED TAILORBIHB. 



Edela ruficeps Lesson, Traits d'Orn. (1830), 309. 



Orthotomus ruficeps Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1883), 7, 224; Hand- 

 List (1903), 4, 193; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 88. 



Balabac {Everett) ; Calamianes {Bourns <& Worcester) ; Palawan {Steere, 

 Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns d Worcester, McGregor, White, Celestino) ; Sibutu 

 {Everett) ; Sitanki (Bartsch). Malay Peninsula, southern Tenasserim, Sumatra, 

 Borneo. 



Adult. — Top of head, lores, and upper ear-coverts chestnut; back, 

 lump, and tail-coverts ashy gray; wing-featbers blackish, edged with 

 ashy gray ; rectrices chestnut, basal one-third or more ashy gray or brown ; 

 under parts including cheeks, and lower part of ear-coverts, silky white; 

 breast, sides, flanks, and crissum washed more or less with pale buff. 

 Length, about 125. Male, wing, 48; tail, 42; culmen from base, 17; 

 bill from nostril, 12; tarsus, 20. Female, wing, 45; tail, 40; culmen 

 from base, 16 ; bill from nostril, 11 ; tarsus, 19. 



In certain individuals (young?), each rectrix, except the two outer 

 pairs, has a large black spot Hear its tip. 



"This tailorbird is often found in the deepest forest; its habits are 

 like those of the species already described. Birds from the Calamianes 

 Islands average larger than those from Palawan. Four females from 

 Palawan average: Length, 114; wing, 44; tail, 37; culmen, 17.5; tarsus, 

 19 ; middle toe with claw, 15. Seven males from the Calamianes Islands, 

 length, 130 ; wing, 50.5 ; tail, 46 ; culmen, 19 ; tarsus, 22 ; middle toe 

 with claw, 17. Iris light brown; legs, feet, and nails very light brown; 

 upper mandible light brown, lower nearly white." (Bourns and Worces- 

 ter MS.) 



560. ORTHOTOMUS CINERACEUS Blyth. 



ASHY TAILORBIRD. 



Orthotomus cineraceus Blyth, Jour. As. See. Bengal (1845), 14, 489; 

 Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1883), 7, 225; Hand-List (1903), 4, 

 193; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 88. 



Cagayan Sulu {Guillemard, Mcarus). [Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo. 



Male (Cagayan Sulu). — Forehead, crown, chin, entire sides of face, 

 and ear-coverts chestnut-rufous ; back dark gray ; under parts gray, lighter 



