212 Mr. J. Whitehead on Birds 



87. Geocichla VARiA (Pall.). (Grant, Ibis, 1895, p. 445.) 

 I obtained my first specimens of White's Thrush in the 



highlands of Lepanto, at an altitude of between 6000 and 

 8000 feet. The bird is somewhat rare in the Luzon hiffh- 

 lands, to which it is a winter migrant from China and Japan. 

 As yet it has only been recorded from Luzon. 



Iris black ; upper mandible dark brown, lower greyish 

 white ; feet dull pinkish brown. 



88. TuRDUs THOMASsoNi Scebolim. 



Morula thomassoni Grant, Ibis, 1894, p. 508; 1895, 

 p. 445. 



The resident Philippine Thrushes will doubtless prove to 

 be the most interesting of highland forms in the whole 

 group. At present I have only explored the mountain- 

 regions of three of the principal islands — Luzon, Mindoro, 

 and Negros. On the first two we find the highland ornis 

 nearly identical, Stoparola, Muscicapula, Chlorura, Hyloterpe, 

 Lanius, and several other genera and species being common 

 to the two islands ; but two Blackbirds more distinct than 

 those of Luzon and Mindoro it would be difficult to find. 

 In Negros, again, the Blackbird is quite distinct from either, 

 and doubtless most of those islands which have mountain- 

 ranges of over 6000 feet will also possess their own peculiar 

 species. 



This handsome Blackbird was first obtained in Benguet ; 

 it was again met with in Lepanto, and was common on the 

 summit of Monte Data. It frequents the thick stunted 

 bush on the mountain-sides, where it finds the many berry- 

 bearing shrubs on which it chiefly subsists. 



(^ . Iris dark brown ; orbital skin, bill, and feet bright 

 king's yellow; in the ? the yellow is duller. 



89. TuRDUs oBscuRus Grael. (Grant, Ibis, 1896^ p. 545.) 

 Merula obscura (Gmel.). (Grant, Ibis, 1895, p. 445.) 



A winter migrant to the Philippines, occurring in large 

 flocks in the high mountains of Luzon and Negros ; in the 

 latter island it was plentiful as late as the 32nd April. This 

 Thrush will doubtless be found to extend its migrations over 



