1916 ] H. C. Robinson & C. B. Kloss: Kedah Peak. 225 



^vhich was extensively worked by one of us. From the nature 

 of the terrain it was not therefore probable that Kedah as a 

 whole would disclose any form of special interest, but it was 

 thought possible that Kedah Peak, rising as it does to a height of 

 approximately 4,000 feet, might harbour some of the mountain 

 species that are known from the main range mountains of the 

 Federated Malay States to the south and from the mountains 

 of Trang and Bandon to the North and North East. Moreover 

 it was desirable to ascertain, whether the faunal boundary 

 separating purely Malayan species from Tenasserimese races 

 passed to the north or south of the peak. 



With this object in view the mountain on its higher levels 

 from the summit to about 2,500 feet was exhaustively searched 

 from November 2gth to December nth, by three trained Dyak 

 Collectors, well acquainted with the local fauna, and we do not 

 think that they are likely to have missed any species really 

 resident on the hill at the time. 



As a result the hill was found to be extraordinarily barren 

 in bird life, both species and individuals being very scarce, the 

 only forfns at all common being Aethopyga temmincki, 

 Turdinus niagnirosiris and Hemixns cinerea. 



The results conclusively show that Kedah Peak has never 

 been connected either with the Trang mountains or those of 

 the main range in such a manner as to permit the passage of 

 the fauna of these two districts to it. The tradition in Malay 

 Legend that until comparatively recent times the Peak was an 

 island has probablv therefore some foundation in geological 

 fact. 



Besides the specimens actually listed, three species of 

 hornbills were seen and numerous individuals of a large 

 Spizaetns, probably the black form of Sp. limnaetns, but these 

 have no bearing on the general conclusions. No game birds 

 were seen or heard nor did pigeons of any kind occur on the 

 peak, though Carpophaga badin is usually found on mountains 

 of this elevation. Round the summit Hirundo javanica and 

 H. gutturalis, Chaetura gigantea and Ch. lencopygialis were noted, 

 but no species of Collocalia. 



The rarest and most interesting acquisition w as Prionochihis 

 tJioracious, of which but few specimens have ever been obtained 

 in the Malay Peninsula, while AntJius uiaculatns and Cichloselys 

 siberictis are rare seasonal visitors. The specimens obtained 

 have been listed in detail but it has not been thought necessary 

 to give any extensive references to the local literature. Occur- 

 rence to the north in Trang and Bandon have, however, usually 

 been quoted. 



Rallina superciliaris (Eyton). 



Rallina superciliaris (Eyton) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. 

 Mus. xxiii, p. 76 (1894) Robinson & Kloss, Ibis, 1911, p. 10. 



a. I Female imm. Kedah Peak, 3,000 ft. 30th Novem- 

 ber, 1915. No. 2,112. "Iris orange, bill dark slate, sea 



February, 1916. 4 



