350 The Philippine Journal of Science ww 



ciated with Prionochilus johannse in both cases. So far as I 

 know there are no other records of any birds of this genus having 

 been found on Palawan. 



NECTARINIID^ 



-Slthopyga shelleyi Sharpe. 



Shelley's sunbird was quite rare, but it was occasionally found 

 in the forest in company with other species of sunbirds. Its 

 song was a peculiar, thin pipe, very high in tone, difficult to 

 describe, but quite distinctive and unmistakable when once 

 heard. Records and specimens are from Brooke's Point and 

 Balabac. 

 Ciimyris sperata (Linnseus). 



The red-breasted sunbird was seen occasionally in company 

 with other species of the family, but it was rather uncommon 

 and more wary than the others, and was usually the first to take 

 alarm. The brilliant plumage of the males made them con- 

 spicuous even at a distance, while if they were in the bright 

 sunlight they were dazzling. I noted the species only at 

 Brooke's Point, where I secured four males. 



Cinnyris aurora (Tweeddale). 



The dap-dap, or coral, trees {Erythrina indica?) were in full 

 bloom at Brooke's Point, and about their flaming blossoms were 

 scores of bright-hued sunbirds of several species among which 

 the present one was most in evidence. One of these trees, not 

 a gi'eat distance from the house, was one of the liveliest spots 

 in the forest. At times I have seen parrots, cockatoos, leaf- 

 birds, nuthatches, chickadees, woodpeckers, orioles, flowerpeck- 

 ers, sunbirds of various kinds, spider-hunters, pigeons, and 

 starlings, all in this tree at once, while in nearby foliage were 

 cuckoos, fairy bluebirds, flycatchers, minivets, thrushes, tailor- 

 birds, bulbuls, and the like. The clamor was indescribable, and 

 the conglomeration of assorted colors exhibited by the assem- 

 blage and set off by the brilliant blossoms of the tree was most 

 striking and yet harmonious. Toward the latter part of my 

 stay in the region the dap-daps began to drop their flowers and 

 put out leaves and the host of visitors once accustomed to as- 

 semble and feast on these hospitable branches now sought other 

 places of entertainment. Then these spots where I had prev- 

 iously found the bird life most abundant became by comparison 

 quite deserted. 



Cinnyris aurora was noted at every locality visited. Speci- 

 mens were secured at Brooke's Point. 



