884 Mr. J. Whitehead on Birds 



215. Batrachostomus microrhynchus Grant, Ibis, 1895, 

 p. 463; 1896, p. 121. 



Two specimens were obtained by us on the summit of 

 Monte Data at an altitude of 7500 feet, and a third on the 

 coast-level at Cape Engafio. The finding of all specimens of 

 this genus is a mere chance, the birds perching hj day in the 

 thickest and most tangled masses of undergrowth, which 

 they seldom leave, even when disturbed. 



Iris dull creamy yellow, speckled, with brown on the outer 

 edge; upper mandible dull brown; lower mandible and 

 inside of mouth dull yellow ; feet creamy white. 



216. EuRYSTOMUs oRiENTALis (Linn.). (Grant, Ibis, 1894, 

 pp. 409, 519; 1895, p. 114; 1896, pp. 122, 555; 1897, 

 p. 243.) 



Widely distributed throughout the entire group. Fre- 

 quenting the edges of forest, and especially partial to dead 

 trees left standing in old clearings. 



217. Merops bicolor Bodd. (Grant, Ibis, 1894, pp. 409, 

 519 ; 1897, p. 243.) 



Distributed widely throughout the Philippines. I noticed 

 a very large nesting colony on the Hio Grande (North 

 Luzon), a steep sandy bank being riddled with holes; the 

 birds were flying in and out of the holes in dozens, and made 

 a beautiful picture in the bright sunshine. 



218. Merops philippinus Linn. (Grant, Ibis, 1894, 

 p. 520.) 



As widely distributed throughout the islands as M. bicolor, 

 but has also an extended range over the Malay Archipelago, 

 M. bicolor being the true Philippine Bee-eater. Curiously, 

 no species of Bee-eater has hitherto been obtained in Palawan 

 or Balabac, two islands of which the ornis is comparatively 

 well known, and which have the genus Merops common to 

 the west and to the south of them. We met with M. philip- 

 pinus in Benguet at nearly 5000 feet. 



Iris lake ; bill and feet black. 



