27 
head was moved about as if its owner had swallowed a fish bone. 
Several times this uneasy bird thrust his bill into the nest opening 
and I suspect that the female was being fed by regurgitation. The 
same performance, observed by my assistant on the day preceding, 
was accompanied by a low call. This time we opened the nest too 
soon, as no eggs had been deposited. During the nesting period 
the hornbill undergoes a more or less complete molt and females 
taken from the nesting cavities were in a sorry condition as to 
wings and tails. Probably they are at times unable to fly. I do 
not think that these birds drill out their nesting holes, although 
they may do something at enlarging a natural cavity. No doubt a 
choice cavity is used year after year, for it must be rather difficult 
for so large a bird to find a hole large enough for its use. In the 
same tree with the hornbill’s nest shown on the plate were eggs of 
Prioniturus ; these were in a cavity above the hornbill’s hole. 
CH#®TURA GIGANTEA (Temm.). 
The giant swift is to be added to the lst of Culion birds, the 
record being based on two female specimens collected in September, 
1904, by Secretary Worcester and Major Carter. 
TACHORNIS PALLIDIOR, new species. 
Tachornis infumata McGrecor, Bull. Phil. Mus., No. 1, p. 6 (Ticao) ; id. 
No. 4, p. 21 (Luzon). 
Specific characters—Similar to Tachornis infumata (Sclater) 
but lighter in color on the underparts, especially on the throat; 
tail shorter. 
Type.—No. 4140, adult male, Philippine Museum; Anao, Tarlac 
Province, Luzon; March 16, 1904; McGregor et ale. 
Description of type-—Upper parts dark brown; nearly black on 
head, neck, and back, which have a faint green gloss; rump and 
upper tail-coverts lighter brown, the latter with dark shafts; wing 
feathers blackish brown, glossy on outer webs, dull brown on inner 
webs; short primaries narrowly edged with white on inner webs; 
tail of the same color as wings; sides of head brown; chin and throat 
light gray, merging gradually into the smoky brown of the lower 
breast and abdomen, where the feathers are narrowly edged with 
gray; stiff feathers in front of eye white with brown tips. Total 
length in flesh, 4.5 inches; wing (pressed flat on rule), 4.70; lateral 
rectrices, 1.9%; central rectrices, 1.22. 
Known habitat—Ticao and Luzon, Philippines. 
