1878.] THE ISLAND OF PALAWAN. 609 



Of other males Mr. Everett notes the iris as being reddish brown. 



This Coucal is a representative form of P. curvirostris and P. erythrognathns, closely resem- 

 bling both species, but differing structurally in the shape and position of the nostril. Mr. Sharpe 

 (P. Z. S. 1873, p. 604) has generically separated P. curvirostris from P. erythrognathus, on 

 account of the shape and position of the nostrils in those two species being different, and for the 

 same reason has established (/. c.) the genus Dryococcyx for the reception of this Palawan repre- 

 sentative form*. That three birds, one inhabiting Java, another Borneo, the Malay peninsula, P.Z.S.J878, 

 and Sumatra, and the third Palawan, all so closely resembling each other in their colouring and P" ^^'^' 

 markings that they are difficult to recognize without careful comparison of their shades and tints, 

 should possess nostrils structurally differing in all three is remarkable ; but is it a sufficient reason 

 for placing them in three different genera ■? I can only regard the character as being specific. 



The plumage of the sexes is alike. The amount of dark chestnut on the middle pairs of 

 rectrices varies considerably, from thi-ee inches to one inch in depth. 



9. Centrococctx eurtceecus. 



Centropus eurycercus, A. Hay, Blyth, J. A. S. B. 1845, p. 551. 



[P. Princesa, c? , January 8, 1878 : iris bright crimson; bill, legs, and feet black. d G'-*^-)' 

 December 9, 1877 : iris neutral tint ; bill and legs jet-black.] 

 Bather smaller than the Malaccan type. 



10. Lanius luzoniensis (72). 



[P. Princesa, c? ? , December 6 and 11, 1877.] 



11. Graucalus sumatrensis. 



Cehlepyris sumatrensis, S. Miiller, Verb. Land- en Volkenk. p. 191. 



[P. Princesa, $ , December 1877 : iris light lemon-yellow.] 

 Does not differ from Sumatran, Malaccan, and Bornean examples. 



12. DiCRURUS PALAWANENSIS, n. sp. 



In the Philippines three species of Dicruridse are known : — D. halicassius, type of the genus 

 Picrurus ; P. mirahiUs, its representative form ; and P. striatus. This last, by its even, almost 

 unfurcated tail, resembles P. baUcassius in structure, but in its general colouring and in the 

 distribution of its markings exhibits a close relationship to the Papuan and Malaccan species 

 associated by Mr. Sharpe with Chihia hottentotta. These Papuan species seemed to me to belong 

 to a group distinct from that represented by P. halicassius on the one hand and Chihia hottentotta 

 on the other ; and their geographical range favoured this viewf . But Mr. Everett has discovered 

 in Palawan a species which undoubtedly belongs to the Papuan section of the Dicruridse ; and it 

 would appear that, with P. striates as a connecting link, the Papuan and the Philippine species 

 must be regarded as members of one section of the family, to which the title of Picrurus should 

 be applied. Besides this undescribed species, Palawan is inhabited by at least one other member 



* The type was from Balaliac : but the Palawan bird does not appear to differ. 



t Count T. Salvador! has recently (P. Z. S. 1878, p. 8y, note) proposed the generic title of Dkruropsis for this group. 



