40 Mr. J. Whitehead on the 



birds from the far north takes place these plains have a 

 much more lively aspect ; hundreds of Wagtails, Pipits, 

 Snipes, and other small Waders are continually flyirrg up on 

 your approach. 



The swamps at the river-mouths have also their occupants 

 ■ — Sunbirds, Rhipiduras, and several species of Herons and 

 Kingfishers, which are not met with elsewhere. 



Towards the middle of September, after we had collected all 

 the resident species within our reach, the sea-coast, with its 

 rocky points and estuaries, was by far the most attractive hunt- 

 ing-ground; for about that time the great winter migration 

 from the north reaches the coasts and forests of Palawan. 

 Most Waders passed between 5 and 6 p.m., all in one direction, 

 S.W. ; if a small flock settled and was disturbed, never did 

 the birds return, but still hurried on their southward course. 

 By continuing this line of flight they would touch Balabac, 

 and then turn due south down to the coast of Borneo, where 

 some remain for the winter, but most seem to travel further 

 still. When the wind was blowing gales from the S.W., 

 bringing up heavy clouds loaded with rain, then was the 

 liveliest time for moving ; on calm, and even moderate days, 

 it was seldom worth while to visit the coast. All these great 

 travellers were as fat as butter, and in no state for a bird- 

 collector. 



The number of species as yet recorded from the island of 

 Palawan is 157, of which 36 are peculiar to that island, 19 

 are found only in the Philippines, 36 in the Malayan, but 

 not in the Philippine region, and 13 are common to both 

 regions. Then there are no less than 49 migrants, which 

 distribute themselves over the Eastern Archipelago during 

 the northern winter. One species {Cryptolopha montis) is 

 Bornean and not Malayan, one (Dendrophila frontalis) is 

 Malayan but not Bornean, and one (/Egithhia viridis) has " 

 been hitherto only found in Borneo and Sumatra. Lastly 

 comes Gallus bankiva, which is found throughout the Malayan 

 and Philippine regions, but of which I believe no specimens 

 are as yet known from Borneo. 



Of 36 species peculiar to the island, 5 only have their 



