1878.] ORNITHOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES. 9^9 



zensoni or A. virgatus. We have a very similar one from Java ; but 

 as both species are found there, I am not sure to which it belongs, 

 but probably to A. virgatus, as I suspect that A. stevensoni is only 

 a winter visitor to Java. Judging from the size of the tarsus and 

 foot, I think the larger nestling, marked c, is a female though marked 

 male, and that the smaller, marked d, is a male." 



Having expressed to Mr. Gurney some doubts about the correct- 

 ness of identifying example b with the female of A. stevensoni, that 

 gentleman kindly favoured me with the following remarks : — 



" Your rufous-breasted hawk from the Philippines, which I 

 marked b, is certainly nearer to A. stevensoni than to any other 

 species that I am acquainted with ; but since returning it to you 

 I have felt some doubt as to whether it will not prove to belong to a 

 distinct and undescribed species. 



" Your bird differs in having the wing shorter than any of our 

 females, and larger than any of our males. Our three males have 

 but four transverse bars on the tail. Of our four females three have 

 five bars, and the fourth (an immature bird from Java) four, like the 

 males, whereas your specimen b has six, as mentioned in your letter. 



"None of our females have any rufous on the breast ; and in all 

 our males it is hardly more than a tinge of buff. Our type speci- 

 men (a male, figured in the 'Ibis' for 1863, pi. 11) is perhaps 

 somewhat faded ; but our Curator is confident that it was never so 

 rufous as is represented in the ' Ibis ' plate ; and in this I believe he 

 is right. 



" Your bird is more like the male of A. stevensoni than it is to 

 the female ; but as your collector has marked it $ , it probably is so. 



"Specimens of A. stevensoni are scarce, and we hardly know the 

 limits of variation to which it is liable ; and on this account I should 

 be glad if additional specimens like your skin b could be obtained, 

 before venturing to publish it as a species distinct from A. stevensoni ; 

 but at the same time, if it should ultimately prove distinct, it would 

 by no means surprise me. 



" 1 ought to add that as A. stevensoni has not yet been met with 

 when paired, we have no positive proof that the bird which I suppose 

 to be its female (the type being a male) is so, though I do not 

 myself entertain any doubt of such being the case." 



9. Spilornis holospilus (16). 

 [Zamboanga, <5 2 > April and May.] 



JO. Elanus hypoleuctjs (18). 



[Zamboanga, d juv., May : iris light yellow-brown ; bill black ; 

 cere greenish yellow ; feet pale chrome ; claws black.] 



11. NlNOX SPILOCEPHALA, Sp. n. 



[Zamboanga, J , March : iris golden ; bill greenish leaden ; feet 

 pale yellow. $ , April : iris golden ; bill-greenish lead, tinged 

 yellow on culmen and tip ; feet wax-yellow. $ , April : iris light 

 greenish-yellow.] 



