260 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie Grant on the 



Looking at these different ranges on the map, it will be 

 seen that all the grey-backed forms on the table before me 

 are found west of about longitude 122", which cuts through 

 the Islands of Marinduque and Basilan. The Marinduque 

 bird belongs to the typical grey -backed form, while the only 

 male we have from Basilan, though it certainly must be in- 

 cluded in the black-backed group, has a distinct grey shade 

 on the feathers of the mantle and upper back, which may be 

 described as greyish black. Tweeddale, in writing on the 

 birds of Basilan (P. Z. S. 1879, p. 72), says, "One example 

 is) [which is the example just mentioned] with inter- 

 scapular region brown, the others with that part hoary grey." 

 From this it appears that both forms intergrade in this 

 island. Again, in specimens from the island of Guimaras, 

 which lies rather to the west of longitude 122°, I have three 

 examjiles which are undoubtedly referable to the black- 

 backed form, but one of them has distinctly a greyish tinge 

 on the mantle. It would be interesting to see specimens 

 from Panay, the large island touching 122° longitude, as no 

 doubt the forms found there are mostly of an intermediate 

 type. 



Briefly summing up the above facts, we find that east of 

 longitude 122°, or thereabout, all the Philippine examples 

 of S. calvus have the mantle and upper back brownish black; 

 while west of this line all have the upper parts uniform 

 silvery grey ; intermediate forms being met with only in 

 localities situated along the line where the two forms inter- 

 grade. 



It may be considered advisable to separate the brown- 

 backed eastern form under a distinct name, but before doing 

 so it would be necessary to examine a series of birds from 

 Panay. 



Calornis PANAYENSis (Scop.) ; Sliarpc, Cat. B. Brit. Mus- 

 xiii. p. 147 (1890). 



Two examples of this Glossy Starling were obtained at 

 Albay and Catanduanes. 



