116 OX BIRDS EECEXTLY OBSERVED OR OBTAINED [1S72. 



The Parrots to which he alhides he afterwards obtained, and describes as " a large green 

 Parrot, with a blue patch above the root of the tail, and a large red beak, out of which 1 took 

 good care to keep my fingers." This is probably either Tanyij iiathus muelleri (Temm.) or else 

 a new species. T. muelleri has been doubtfully stated to occur in the southern Philippines 

 {coiif. O. Finsch, Pap. ii. p. 3G0). 



From the forest-clad mountains numerous rivers, abounding in tisli and crocodiles, descend 

 Ibis, 1872, to the sea, which equally swarms with sharks. Up one of these rivers Mr. L. Layard proceeded 

 P" ^^' on one excursion. " We went about 40 miles down the coast in a little steamer to a place 

 called Ponte Pedra. Next morning early we got a 'dug-out' and went up the river. It was 

 very lovely, with huge trees drooping down to the water's edge on each side, but very lonely, 

 as there were hardly any birds and no butterflies, only a few of the red and blue and blue and 

 white Kinghunters [Ilalci/on (/ularis and //. chlor/s), and some Kingflshers about, a Dove or 

 two flying overhead, and half a dozen Anhingas (Plotus melanogaster) in the water. We went 

 out shooting in the afternoon ; but it was cold and rainy, and we did not see half we ought to 

 have seen in the river-bush. I shot two large white Cockatoos and some Doves, also a lizard, 

 3 feet long, with a sort of large fin on the root of his tail (IJi/drosaurusI)*. The Cockatoos 

 have bright red eyes, red feathers under the tail, and yellowish under the wing." 



No specimens of this Parrot were preserved ; but were it not for the expression " large " 

 we should not hesitate to identify the bird with Cacatua hoematuropygia (Miill. )=Ps. phili^jpi- 

 narum, Gm. No other known species agrees with the above description, and no other Cockatoo 

 has been described as an inhabitant of the Philippines. But the exact habitat of the true 

 C. philippinarum itself has never been accurately determined ; for that bird does not appear to 

 have been seen wild by any trustworthy traveller. It is therefore to be regretted that we are 

 unable to identify with absolute certainty the bird referred to by Mr. L. Layard. It is, however, 

 probable that the term " large " was not used comparatively, and that in the Island of Negros we 

 have at length discovered one point in the archipelago where C. philippiiiarum is indigenous. 



In another of his notes Mr. L. Layard alludes to his bathing in the river, and mentions 

 that " the Bee-eaters have a beautiful scarlet patch on the head ; they frequent a bamboo clump, 

 and sit on the lateral branches while I swim beneath ; so I get a good view of them." No 

 examples were secured, and we are unable to identify the bird. Mr. L. Layard, from African 

 Ibis, 1S72, experience, is well acquainted with Merops ; and so there can be little doubt that he is correct 

 in the genus. The species may possibly be a form of Isljctiornis. 



The Kinghunters {Ilalnjon (jularis and //. chloris) frequented the house and buildings of 

 the sugar-factory. " Three of the latter keep about the old ' camarine ' and the bamboo staging 

 of the chimney ; and I hope to get their eggs." 



" A Wagtail, with a breast as yellow as a ' Seysie's " {Crithagra sidphurata), was also common 

 — probably Eiidytes viridis. " A little ' Sun-bird,' with back of head and shoulders of a brilliant 

 scarlet (probably Dicceum cruentatuin), frequented some shrubs near, as did also a Flycatcher 

 with a dull red throat and a white stripe along the eye." This last may be Muscicapa miigiuia/ii, 

 Temm. & Schl., a species which migrates from .Siberia to Malacca [Krytltrostcnia erytliaca, Blyth). 

 The eggs of Italcyon chloris were not obtained ; but the eggs of a bird, the description of 



• [This may be U. nuchalis, described by Dr. tiiinthcr iu 1'. Z.S. for February last, which we have some reason to 

 believe may have come from Xegros. — ^Eb. of ' Ibis.'] 



