SPODIOPSAR. "13 
The violet-backed starling, like the next preceding species, is of irreg- 
ular occurrence in these Islands. A very large flock was observed on 
Calayan Island in October, 1903. 
“A winter migrant occasionally met with in small flocks. Three males 
from Tawi Tawi average: Length, 180; wing, 100; tail, 52; culmen, 
17.5; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 25. Two females, length, 178; 
wing, 103; tail, 51; culmen, 17; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 27. 
Tris black; legs and feet dark olive; upper mandible black, lower black 
at tip, gray at base.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.) 
Genus SPODIOPSAR Sharpe, 1889. 
Similar to Sturnia, but bill longer and more slender; feathers of 
occiput and nape lanceolate, forming a short broad crest. 
Species. 
a+, Wing shorter; outer webs of primary-coverts white; bases of primaries white. 
; sericeus (p. 713) 
a’, Wing longer; outer webs of primary-coverts seal-brown; bases of primaries 
IE, Din Ree eee ee cee A oe edd 8 ee ee cineraceus (p. 714) 
728. SPODIOPSAR SERICEUS (Gmelin). 
SILKY STARLING, 
Sturnus sericeus GMELIN, Syst. Nat. (1788), 1, 805. 
Heterornis sericea CASSIN, Ornith. Perry Japan Exped., Washington (1856), 
2, 238, pl. 5. 
Poliopsar sericeus SHARPE, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1890), 13, 44 (generic 
name emended to Spodiopsar, addenda, p. 665). 
Spodiopsar sericeus McGrecor, Bull. Philippine Mus. (1904), 4, 24; Meo- 
GREGOR and WorcESTER, Hand-List (1906), 108. 
Calayan (McGregor). Central and southern China. 
“Adult.—General color above light ashy gray, a little darker on the 
hind neck, where the feathers are long and lanceolate; scapulars like the 
back, externally white, with a subterminal shade of black; rump and 
upper tail-coverts a little lighter gray, with ashy whitish margins; lesser 
wing-coverts blackish, edged with slaty gray; median coverts glossy 
purplish black; greater coverts black, externally glossy green, with 
purple reflections, velvety black interiorly; alula-feathers black, exter- 
nally white; primary-coverts white, black near the center of the tips of 
the feathers; quills black, the primaries externally glossy purple, and 
white at the extreme base; the secondaries externally glossy green, like 
the greater coverts, bluish or purple toward the ends; center tail-feathers . 
glossy green, the remainder black, externally bluish green or purple; 
crown of head and nape, sides of face, ear-coverts, cheeks, throat, sides 
of neck, and fore neck white, followed by an ashy gray breast; abdomen 
white ; sides of body and flanks pale ashy gray tinged with brown; thighs 
