The Black Crested Magpie was common at Quoin Hill in secondary forest and cocoa. At the Kalabakan forest camp, I saw a flock of 10 to 20 feeding 70 to 100 feet up in a tree in primary forest.
Corvus enca compilator Richmond: Slender-billed Crow.—Specimen, 1: Pintasan Agricultural Station: ♀, October 17, 1963, ADG 315.
Small flocks in the cocoa and secondary forest were common at the Cocoa Research Station.
Pityriasis gymnocephala (Temminck): Bald-headed Wood Shrike.—Specimens, 7: Cocoa Research Station: ♂ one testis, 115.0 gm., October 4, 1962, MCT 2987; ♀ largest ova 15 mm., well-developed brood patch, oviduct enlarged, 140.0 gm., October 4, 1962, MCT 2988; ♂ testis 8 × 5 mm., 121.0 gm., October 4, 1962, MCT 2989. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: ♂, November 8, 1962, MCT 3224; ♀, November 8, 1962, MCT 3225; ♂, November 8, 1962, MCT 3226; ♀, November 8, 1962, MCT 3227.
These birds first drew my attention at Quoin Hill by their peculiar whistle, which Smythies (1960:491) calls a "nasal whine." They seem not to descend lower than 30 feet above the ground. They are exceedingly tame; I shot at them two to four times without frightening them off. They were in badly disturbed primary forest at Quoin Hill. At a point 12 miles north of Kalabakan, I found them in primary forest. I took four birds from a flock of five or six. Later in the afternoon, I heard another group in the tops of trees 150 feet high. They seemed to be fairly common, judging by the frequency with which the calls were heard. One of the birds I shot was only wounded and set up such a clamor that soon the rest of the flock approached, seemingly in response to the distress calls. Some individuals came within 20 feet of me. The noise also attracted an accipiter.
Some of the specimens were made into skeletons, which I think show important indications of the systematic position of this species. The Bald-headed Wood Shrike has been placed in various families. Gadow (1883:90) placed it with the Cracticidae, with its closest relative being Cracticus. Amadon (1956) thought that it was best left in the Prionopidae, with subfamily status. Hachisuka (1953) concluded that its closest affinities were with Cracticus of the family Cracticidae. The latest reviser, A. L. Rand (in Peters et al., 1960:364-365), places it in the Laniidae. A brief comparison of my skeletons of Pityriasis tended to confirm Gadow's and Hachisuka's conclusion that it belongs with the Cracticidae. I think that it is best placed in this family, with subfamily status (Pityriasinae).
Sitta frontalis corallipes (Sharpe): Velvet-fronted Nuthatch.—Specimens, 3: Cocoa Research Station: ♀ imm., 14.0 gm., July 23, 1962, MCT 2646; ♂ imm., 13.0 gm., August 20, 1963, MCT 2780; ♂ imm., August 27, 1962, MCT 2820.
I saw several nuthatches feeding in secondary forest at Quoin Hill and one 12 miles north of Kalabakan. One was observed feeding about 100 feet up in a dipterocarp.
Pellorneum capistratum morrelli Chasen and Kloss. Black-capped Jungle Babbler.—Specimens, 7: Cocoa Research Station: ♂ testis 3 × 2 mm., 21.1 gm., July 27, 1962, MCT 2667; ♀, 21.4 gm., July 31, 1962, MCT 2690; ♂, September 24, 1962, MCT 2938; ♀, June 13, 1963, ADG 131; ♀ imm., June 14, 1963, ADG 140; ♀, July 7, 1963, ADG 168. Ulu Balung Cocoa Estate: ♀, July 11, 1963, ADG 188.
This species was seen 12 miles north of Kalabakan and at Quoin Hill. It was fairly common and could be seen running on the ground ahead of the observer, occasionally hopping up on a brush pile or branch, seemingly to make a quick survey before moving back to the ground. It preferred primary forest but was occasionally observed in the primary-secondary forest edge vegetation.
Trichastoma pyrrhogenys canicapillum (Sharpe): Temminck Jungle Babbler.—Specimens, 13: 5.5 mi. SW Tenom: ♀, December 17, 1962, MCT 3445; ♂, December 17, 1962, MCT 3446; ♂, December 17, 1962, MCT 3452; ♂, December 18, 1962, MCT 34554; ♀ collapsed follicles, brood patch, December 18, 1962, MCT 3455; ♂, December 18, 1962, MCT 3460; ♂ testis 2 × 1 mm., December 18, 1962, MCT 3461; ♂, December 19, 1962, MCT 3474; ♂ testis 6 × 3 mm., December 19, 1962, MCT 3475; ♂, December 22, 1962, MCT 3505; ♂, December 24, 1962, MCT 3528; ♀ imm., December 25, 1962, MCT 3532; ♂ testis 5 × 3 mm., December 25, 1962, MCT 3533.