On tlte Birds of Baldbac and Palawan. 21 



Fig. ?). A portion of a radiuji from the proximal end of fig. 1, highly 

 magnified. 



Fig. 4. Beak of a recently-hatched example of Calodromas eler/ans, mag- 

 nified, showing the deuticalatious along tlie cutting-edges of 

 the distal end. Those of the mandible are slightly exaggerated. 

 Itefereuces : — C. Cere, Cilia ; if. Hyporhachis; R. Radius; T^wj.Iiamus; 



Rh. Rhachis. 



II. — A List of the Birds of the Island of Baldbac, with some 

 Notes on and Additions to the Avifauna of Paldivan. By 

 A. H. Everett, C.M.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 



I. BiKDs OF Balabac Island. 



Balabac Island is separated from Balambaugaii, Banguey, 

 and the other islands wliich cluster around the N.E. extremity 

 of Borneo by the South Balabac Strait, which leads from 

 the China Sea into the Sulu or Mindoro Sea. This strait is 

 about 26 miles wide to the northward of Balambangan Island, 

 and somewhat w ider between Banguey Island and Balabac, 

 the highest peaks of which two last-named islands lie N. ^ E. 

 and S. ^ W. from each other, 37^ miles apart, so that the 

 islands are plainly visible each from the other. The water 

 in the South Balabac Strait is for the most part less than 

 50 fathoms deep, but there is a narrow channel through it in 

 which the soundings vary between 50 and 100 fathoms, 

 though nowhere maintaining the latter depth continuously 

 between the China and Sulu Seas. 



The west coast cannot be approached closely on account 

 of numerous coral reefs and shoals, which extend several miles 

 to seaward, but the east coast is bold, with deep water close in- 

 shore. The island is nearly 20 miles long in a due N. and 

 S. direction, and 9 miles broad; and it is generally hilly, the 

 more elevated trends varying from 800 to 1300 feet, whilst 

 Balabac Peak attains a height of J 890 feet, and forms the 

 culminating point on the island. With the exception of 

 some insignificant clearings, the entire island is densely 

 wooded. The rainfall is very heavy, the driest months being 

 February and JNIarch, as on the neighbouring part of the 

 N.W. coast of Borneo. 



