One flock of about five of these yuhinas was seen in primary forest at Kalabakan. Another small group was observed in the moss forest near Tenom.
Tephrodornis gularis frenatus Büttikofer: Hook-billed Graybird.—Specimens, 3: Cocoa Research Station: ♂, September 25, 1962, wing molt, MCT 2946; ♀, September 25, 1962, wing molt, MCT 2947; ♀, September 25, 1962, MCT 2948.
I observed this species twice in six months on the east coast. The three collected at the research station in the cocoa were in a family group. On November 9, 1962, I saw three birds feeding at the edge of the primary forest.
Coracina striata sumatrensis (S. Müller): Barred Graybird.—Specimens, 2: Tiger Estate: ♀, December 30, 1962; ♂, December 30, 1962.
Coracina fimbriata schierbrandi (Pelzeln): Lesser Graybird.—Specimens, 6: Cocoa Research Station: ♂ imm., 25.7 gm., July 22, 1962, MCT 2637; sex?, 29.5 gm., July 28, 1962, MCT 2676; ♂, 28.4 gm., August 5, 1962, MCT 2729; ♀, 30.0 gm., September 13, 1962, MCT 2917. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: ♀, October 25, 1962, MCT 3147. Tiger Estate: ♂, November 25, 1962, MCT 3317.
This species was common at the Cocoa Research Station, most common in the cocoa, and an occasional bird was observed in the primary forest.
The adult male (MCT 3317) from Tiger Estate was darker than any in the series of C. f. schierbrandi in The American Museum of Natural History, and closely approached a series C. f. culminata from Malaya in the same museum.
Hemipus hirundinaceus (Temminck): Black-winged Flycatcher Shrike.—Specimen, 1: Cocoa Research Station: ♀, 10.2 gm., July 21, 1962, MCT 2632.
The specimen was taken in the cocoa where it was sitting on a dead limb, occasionally darting out after insects, and provides the only record from this locality. At the collecting site 12 miles north of Kalabakan, however, it was seen several times feeding in small flocks in a clearing near a trail.
Hemipus picatus intermedius Salvadori: Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike.—Specimens, 6: Cocoa Research Station: ♀ imm., August 27, 1962, MCT 2815; ♂ imm., August 27, 1962, MCT 2816; ♀, August 27, 1962, MCT 2817; ♀, 9.8 gm., September 12, 1962, MCT 2906; ♀, 10.2 gm., September 12, 1962, MCT 2907; ♂ imm., 8.7 gm., September 12, 1962, MCT 2908.
Smythies (1960:362) lists this species as a montane resident. However, the elevation of the Cocoa Research Station is only 750 feet, which is clearly submontane (Smythies, 1960:693). I saw the birds in a flock of three or four, feeding in shade trees in the cocoa fields. They acted like typical flycatchers, sitting on twigs and darting out after insects. On September 12, a flock of 10 was seen in the same area. Whitehead (1893:208) described the habits of the species as being like those of Tephrodornis gularis and not at all like those of a flycatcher.