collected in the Philippine Islands. 243 



198. Alauda gulgula Frankl. (Grant, Ibis, 1895, p. 112.) 

 We found this species fairly common on some open 



grass-plains in Isabella, where it was nesting. Two nests 

 were found under some grass-tufts, with eggs, on the 25tli 

 of May. 



199. Mikafra PHiLiPPiNENSis Wardlaw-Ramsay. (Grant, 

 Ibis, 1894, p. 518.) 



Scarce in Luzon. In Benguet I obtained a specimen at 

 4000 feet on a large semi-cultivated plain. I also noticed a 

 few birds on the plains bordering the Rio Grande in North 

 Luzon. 



200. Pitta eryturogastha Temm. (Grant, Ibis, 1896, 

 pp. 121, 470, 555 ; 1897, p. 240.) 



Distributed throughout the Philippine grouj); also met 

 with in Palawan and Balabac. This Pitta is more common 

 in the belts of forest on the sea-coast than inland, but in 

 Samar we met with it in the centre of the island at an eleva- 

 tion of 1500 feet. 



In my opinion. Pitta propnnqua of Sharpe is not a good 

 species, though the late Mr. A. H. Everett supported 

 Dr. Sharpe. In 'The Ibis' (1895, p. 29) Mr. Everett states that 

 Balabac-Palawan birds, when compared with those from Luzon 

 and Mindanao, have " the green tract on the backs of the 

 former series forming a comparatively narrow band, whereas in 

 the latter series it extends nearly to the rump. I have there- 

 fore no longer any doubt that P. propinqua differs sufficiently 

 from P. erythrogastra to make it necessary that it should 

 be separated.^'' Mr. Grant, who also supports Dr. Sharpe 

 (see Ibis, January 1896, p. 121), says, '^ It must, however, 

 be stated that both forms were found by Mr. Whitehead in 

 the island of Palawan," &c. 



In the Philippines I obtained specimens from Luzon, 

 Mindoro, Samar, and Negros. These birds often diifer 

 slightly in the amount of blue on chest and back, a speci- 

 men from Samar having less green on the back than any of 

 my Palawan birds ; but I fancy much of the diflerence is due 

 to age, and more to the make of the skin. On examining 



