Birds of Celebes: Dicruridae. 435 



of the show-cases in the bad light of the Leyden Museum, unfortunately- 

 described A. monachus in his six-worded diagnosis as having these parts black, 

 thus making his description better applicable to A. insignis, but we do not find 

 with Briiggemann that this is a sufficient reason for cancelling the name. 



The pure white back of these two Artami shows a rather anomalous con- 

 dition among birds; Cracticus and Myristicivora are other instances of it, not 

 taking into consideration, of course, those of entirely white plumage. 



In its habits A. monachus corresponds with A. leucogaster. It "feeds on in- . 

 sects, butterflies on the wing, grasshoppers, etc. Sits quiet on a tree till it 

 sees its prey, then rushes on the flying animal and returns. Flies in flocks. 

 Cries 'tschirr-woouit' twice; at the same time a trembling movement goes over 

 the wings and the body, chiefly over the wings" (Meyer, 13). 



This species may be easily distinguished from A. leucogaster by its white back. 



FAMILY DICRURIDAE. 



The Drongos are easily distinguished from other Passeres by their forked 

 tail of 10 feathers, the lateral feathers having an outward curl, and by their 

 black plumage with metallic glosses in places. The sexes do not differ in 

 coloration. 



GENUS DICRURUS Vieill. 



Bill as long or longer than the cranium, strong, tapering, slightly decurved, 

 ridge of culm en high and sharp, tomia slightly notched; nostril roundish, ossi- 

 fied, with a coriaceous area behind, screened with bristles and dense feathers 

 from the forehead; large rictal bristles; tail well forked, nearly as long as the 

 wing; wing rather long, 1^* primary about half its length, 3"*— 6*'' the longest; 

 hind toe and claw as long as the middle toe and claw, tarsus hardly longer, 

 anteriorly scutellated. Oriental, Australian, and Ethiopian Regions. 



The Celebes Drongo, when adult, has white eyes, a peculiarity of equal 

 interest with the black bill of the Celebes forms of Pelargopsis and Eudynamis. 

 The Sula and Obi Drongo has red eyes. Old birds of both often have a few 

 long fine hairs — the shafts of web-less feathers — growing backwards from 

 the forehead. Dicrurus hottentottus has a crest of such hairs. They undoubtedly 

 point to an affinity of the three forms, but the exact meaning of such growths 

 is merely a matter of speculation. 



4- * 168. DICRURUS LEUCOPS Wall. 

 White-eyed Drongo. 

 Plate XXIV. 



We find it impossible to separate D. axillaris (Salvad.) of Great Sangi 

 as a distinct species, ^since specimens from Siao are intermediate as regards the 



55* 



