148 Menage Expedition to the Philippines 



breast. It is probably distinct, but may be only a variety. An 

 oriole, resembling Oriolus Sturii, of Basilan, from which it 

 differs in having under-tail coverts invariably streaked with black 

 Only one of the specimens we obtained in Basilan was so marked. 

 It also has a gray throat, not seen in Basilan birds, and a rather 

 brighter black, probably a variety. A Phabotreron, somewhat re- 

 sembling Phabotreron amethystina, from which it is however 

 readily distinguished. This may prove to be a new species. A 

 kingfisher identical in coloring with Halcyon Winchelli of Ba- 

 silan, but differing constantly in form and size of bill. We do not 

 know what to make of this bird. A kingfisher which greatly 

 resembles the beautiful Halcyon coromanda of the north and east, 

 with which it may prove identical. I am not prepared to say, 

 as we have not seen a specimen of H. coromanda for more than 

 a year. In any case we have secured some fine specimens of a 

 very valuable bird, not hitherto known from the southern islands. 

 A kingfisher resembling Halcyon pileata, probably identical with 

 it, but the latter has previously been known only from Balabac. 

 We got only two specimens of H. pileata during our year's work 

 before, and I do not remember the bird with sufficient distinct- 

 ness to feel sure. 



In general I may say that we confined ourselves to the rare 

 and interesting birds, and let the common ones go. We ob- 

 tained a starling, probably Sturnia violacea, of which we could 

 get no specimens before. We got a splendid series of the beautiful 

 Aethopygia that we first found here in Sulu. We obtained a fine 

 series of specimens of the small blue Ceyx which has puzzled us so 

 much, varying from a bird with brilliant deep -blue back to one 

 with a silver-gray back and no blue on it at all. This is the most 

 remarkable variation I have ever observed. Other fine birds 

 we have in abundance. We obtained in all nine distinct species 

 of kingfishers from the island, besides several varieties. Luzon 

 is the only other island known to possess as many, and the list 

 has been completed there only by years of work by half a dozen 

 different naturalists. 



We put up four hundred and eleven skins. Mr. Bourns was 

 ill during the first eight days of our stay, otherwise the num- 

 ber would have been larger. We could not get the slightest 

 evidence that the island had ever been visited before. We were 

 able to record eighty-nine species of birds. We never did so 



