Birds of the Philippine Islands. 437 



wliich is about half the size of that of the allied speeies from 

 the islands of Mindanao and Panay. Lastly, there is the 

 Crimson-spotted Racquet-tailed Parrot mentioned above, 

 which makes the third species of the genus Prioniturus known 

 to inhabit Luzon. Besides these, additional specimens of 

 all the previously described novelties from Benguet, except 

 the Oriole already alluded to, are included in the present 

 collection, and the female of the hitherto unique Water- 

 Redstart {Chimnrrhornis bicolor) has now been discovered 

 and is described below. 



The mammalian fauna of this wonderful district is, if pos- 

 sible, more surprising than the ornithology, and Mr. Oldfield 

 Thomas, of the Natural History Museum, will shortly give a 

 detailed account of the numerous new forms Mr. White- 

 head met with ; many being referred to new genera, while a 

 particularly curious rat finds its nearest ally in an Australian 

 species ! The Lepanto collections contain, besides the 

 mammals and birds, some reptiles, which have not yet 

 been examined, and boxes of insects, as well as a number of 

 dried plants, which will probably prove as interesting as 

 the rest of the specimens that our indefatigable friend has 

 sent home. 



We feel sure that all the readers of ' The Ibis ' will join in 

 offering Mr. Whitehead hearty congratulations on his success 

 and in wishing him good health to continue his work. 



1. Circus spilonotus, Kaup; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. 

 i. p. 58 (1874). 



An immature male of this handsome Harrier was obtained. 



2. Circus melanoleucus (Forst.) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. 

 Mus. i. p. 61 (1874). 



The Pied Harrier is represented in the present collection 

 by adult male and female specimens ; and on comparing the 

 latter with Professor Steere^s description of Circus phillp- 

 pinensis from Mindanao, Guimaras, and Luzon, there can be 

 little room to doubt that this supposed speeies is founded on 

 the female of C. melanoleucus, for his description agrees in 

 almost every particular. 



