1877.] THE ISLAOT) OF MINDANAO (N.E.). 543 



75. Dendeoctgna vagans (203). 



[Cebu, male, March. Iris dark brown, bill shining black, legs and feet dark slate-grey. 

 h. Cebu, male, April.] 



The example shot in March is in almost full plumage, the secondaries being well developed. 

 Most of the breast-feathers have one or two pairs of brown spots. The second example, shot in 

 April, is of smaller dimensions, the secondaries shortened, the breast-plumage uniform. 



Contributions to the Ornitholoqii of the Philippines. — No. III. On the Collection made hi Mr. A. 



PZ8 1877 

 H. Everett in the Island of Mindanao. By Arthur, Marquis of Tweeddale, F.R.S., 'p^gie. ' 



President of the Society. [From the ' Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London,' 



read December 4, 1877, Plates LXXXII.-LXXXV. in orig.*^ 



Visited by the French naturalist Sonnerat some 106 years ago, the large Philippine island of 

 Mindanao has continued to be almost a terra incognita to the zoologist ever since, while the 

 little knowledge of its animals we possessed was restricted to those inhabiting a small portion 

 of its southern and western limb or peninsula in the neighbourhood of the principal Spanish 

 settlement of Zamboanga. 



Dr. Steere and the naturalists of the ' Challenger ' Expedition f added some 40 species to 

 the previously known total of nineteen Mindanao birds; but their researches were likewise 

 confined to the country in the neighbourhood of Zamboanga. 



Mr. Everett last May selected new ground, and proceeded to Butuan, on the Butuan river, p v s 1877 

 in North Mindanao, and afterwards changed his station to Surigao, situated at the most p. 817. 

 northern point of the island, and then to Placer on the north-east side. At these three stations 

 he collected eighty-one species of birds during part of the months of May, June, and July, and 

 has thus largely added to our knowledge of the avifauna of this little-explored island. Mr. 

 Everett in one letter states that his work has been much interrupted by the rains, in another 

 that he has been working under numerous drawbacks — fever, constant heavy rains, and 

 impossibility of getting regular supplies of ammunition. That, in spite of all his difficulties, he 

 should have done so much, redounds all the more to his untiring zeal. 



To the total of fifty-nine known Mindanao birds Mr. Everett has added forty-three. Of 

 these nine are new to science : — 



Tanygnathus everetti. Biccewn cinereigulare. 



MuUeripicus fidiginosus. yEthopyga hella. 



Penelopides affinis. Anthothreptus griseigularis. 



Criniger everetti. Leucotreron'i incognita. 

 Orthotomus nigriceps. 



* [Published AprU 1, 1878.— Ed.] 



t Dr. Steere added some twenty-nine species, and the ' Challenger ' Expedition eleven. 



4a2 



