﻿THE BIRDS OF BAT AN, ETC. 341 



Nearly adult male. — No. 6411, Bureau of Science Collection; Batan Island; 

 June 1, 1907 ; McGregor and Celestino. 



Description. — Similar to the preceding but some feathers of lower back and 

 a few of the inner remiges edged with chestnut ; middle of lower breast, axillaries, 

 and lining of wing, mottled with white ; abdomen, white ; under tail-coverts, terra- 

 cotta-yellow with small, dusky patches. Total length in flesh, 14.8 inches; wing, 

 3.56; tail-feathers: longest, 10.5; second, 5.0; shortest, 3.15; culmen from base, 

 0.74; bill from nostril, 0.5; tarsus, 0.65; middle toe with claw, 0.65; longest 

 crest feathers, 0.64. 



Adult male first year. — No. 6372, Bureau of Science Collection; Batan Island; 

 May 29, 1907; McGregor and Celestino collectors. 



Description. — Head, neck, throat, and breast, glossy-black; mantle, back, and 

 rump, bright-chestnut ; upper tail coverts, chestnut and glossy-black ( mixed plum- 

 age) ; lower breast, gray ; abdomen, white ; flanks dull chestnut ; under tail-coverts, 

 white washed with terra-cotta; alula, primaries, and primary coverts, blackish- 

 brown; primaries and secondary coverts edged with chestnut; secondaries edged 

 with rusty brown; rectrices, dark-brown, slightly chestnut; outer pair minutely 

 tipped with white. Length, 7.5 inches; wing, 3.34; tail, 3.36; outermost rectrices, 

 2.82; culmen from base, 0.73; bill from nostril, 0.50. 



Adult female. — No. 6494, Bureau of Science Collection; Batan Island; June 

 10, 1907; McGregor and Celestino. 



Description. — Differs from the adult male, first year, in having mantle, back, 

 tail-coverts, and secondary coverts reddish-brown instead of chestnut. Length, 

 7.5 inches; wing, 3.37; tail, 3.44; outermost rectrices, 2.92; culmen from base, 

 0.78; bill from nostril, 0.50. Another female (No. 6496) is duller, having the 

 mantle, back, and rump decidedly grayer. Length, 7.4 inches; wing, 3.34; tail, 

 3.48 ; culmen from base, 0.66 ; bill from nostril, 0.46. 



First plumage. — No. 6394 J; Bureau of Science Collection; Batan Island; 

 May 30, 1907; McGregor and Celestino. 



Description. —Above, dull-brown; top of head, back, and tail, dull reddish- 

 brown; post ocular band dull-ocherous ; chin, throat, and breast, gray, the latter 

 crossed by an ocherous band ; lower breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts, white, 

 slightly washed with ocherous ; wings, blackish, primaries edged with dull reddish- 

 brown; primary coverts blackish, secondaries and secondary coverts edged with 

 dull rusty-ocherous taking the form of terminal spots on median coverts. Bill, 

 dull-brownish; legs, pale-blue; nails, white. 



Apparently this species breeds in its second year but does not reach its most 

 perfect plumage until its fourth year. 



A nest of this species found May 29 was saddled securely in a fork of a small 

 branch. The single egg was heavily incubated. It measures 0.61 by 0.80. In 

 color the egg is dull-white, sparsely spotted with dark umber-brown. 



This species is abundant in Batan and several birds may be found in each 

 patch of forest. A pair, or a pair and two to four young birds, may be seen 

 feeding together. The adult male is usually fearless, often alighting within a few 

 feet of the intruder. The flight is easy and graceful, but slow because of the long 

 rectrices. The call is harsh and cat-like; the song is simple and of limited range, 

 consisting of several clear notes uttered in quick succession. The native name 

 of the species is "ti-uay-uay'." 



This species seems to be closely .related to Tchitrea corvina E. Newton from 

 Seychelles. It also agrees with the meager description, of Gallaeops periopthal- 

 -miica Grant; 4 the latter, however, has no lengthened central rectrices and the type 

 may be a young bird. 



4 Grant: Bull. B. 0. C. (1895), 4, 18; Ibis (1895), 1, 253. 



