1878.] THE ISLAND OF LETTE. 595 



Contrihutions to the Ornitliology of the Philippines. — No. VI. On the Collection made hj Mr. A. II. P.Z.S.1878, 

 Everett in the Island of Leyte. By Arthur, Marquis of Tweeddale, F.ll.S., President of the ^' 

 Society. [' From the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London,' read March 19, 



1878*.] 



The island of Leyte is about 130 miles long, and has an average breadth of 35 miles. It lies 

 S.S.W. of Samar, its northern part lying in close contiguity to Samar. Zebu is situated to the 

 west, and Dinagat to tlie south-east, while Mindanao is due south. Water-channels of unim- 

 portant breadth separate Leyte from these other islands. A peculiar ornis is therefore not to 

 be expected, and Mr. Everett's researches have not made known any special feature. That 

 gentleman, however, procured all the birds of which I propose to give a list at Amparo (on 

 the south-west coast of Leyte) and in its vicinity. But Mr. Everett writes that he does not 

 believe the collection he sends at all adequately represents the avifauna of Leyte, and he hopes 

 to revisit it and explore the mountains in the centre and south of the island. 



The most interesting species is Buceros semigaleatus, a purely local form, distinguishable 

 from the two previously known Philippine species by the contour of the casque. Thriponax P-Z.S.1878, 

 pectoralis is another species, the deviation of which from T.javensis of Luzon is probably owing 

 to isolation. In Arachnothera flammifera Mr. Everett has added another Malayan genus to the 

 Philippine area. 



1. CaCATUA HiEMATUEOPrGIA (1). 

 [Amparo, 6 ? , July.] 



2. Tantgnathus luzoneksis (3). 

 [S. Leyte, 6 , September.] 



3. LORICULUS HAETLAUBI (7)'? 



[Amparo, d ? , July.] 



I provisionally identify a series of nine examples of the South-Leyte Loriculiis with 

 L. hartlauhi until further research establishes the permanency of the characters whereby these 

 Leyte birds differ from those of North Mindanao and Dinagat. Five individuals are examples 

 of the male bird in apparently adult plumage. They differ from true L. hartlaubi in having a 

 much smaller orange-red pectoral plastron, and in its not running up to the naked chin, but 

 stopping short some way below, so that tlie upper throat is uniform green. Above, the back is 

 green, and not golden, nor is that of the female. The dimensions are equal. 



4. ASTUE TEIVIEGATUS (11). 



[Amparo, ? , July.] 



In Mr. J. H. Gurney's opinion this Leyte example is in immature plumage, and probably 

 belongs to a male. 



* [Published August 1, 1878.— Ed.] 



