This bird was seen only in the moss forest above Tenom. It was not taken in nets the first four days they were erected, nor did we see individuals in the forest. Then, on December 21, three were taken in widely separated nets, and the species was then seen nearly every day for a week. Such sporadic and unpredictable local occurrences may indicate wide separation of the loosely-organized foraging groups of this species. The call is a harsh, jaylike note.
Criniger phaeocephalus connectens (Chasen and Kloss): Crestless White-throated Bulbul.—Specimens, 31: Cocoa Research Station: ♀, December 1, 1962, MCT 3406; ♂ testis 5 × 4 mm., 35.0 gm., July 31, 1962, MCT 2689; ♂, May 2, 1963, ADG 104; ♂, June 22, 1963, ADG 122. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: ♂ testis 6 × 4 mm., October 12, 1962, MCT 3002; ♀, October 12, 1962, MCT 3003; ♀, October 12, 1962, MCT 3004; ♂, October 14, 1962, MCT 3037; ♂, October 14, 1962, MCT 3038; ♀, October 14, 1962, MCT 3039; ♀, October 17, 1962, MCT 3063; ♂, October 17, 1962, MCT 3071; ♂, October 19, 1962, MCT 3080; ♂, October 20, 1962, MCT 3106; ♂, October 20, 1962, MCT 3110; ♂, October 21, 1962, MCT 3115; ♀, October 22, 1962, MCT 3125; ♀ October 23, 1962, MCT 3135; ♀, October 24, 1962, MCT 3142; ♀, October 26, 1962, MCT 3155; ♂, October 28, 1962, MCT 3175; sex?, October 30, 1962, MCT 3186; ♀, November 1, 1962, MCT 3191; ♂, November 8, 1962, heavy molt, MCT 3234. Kalabakan: ♀, November 15, 1962, heavy molt, MCT 3288. 5.5 mi. SW Tenom: ♀, December 17, 1962, MCT 3453. Oil Palm Research Station: ♂, August 15, 1963, ADG 241; ♂, August 27, 1963, ADG 259; ♂, September 5, 1963, ADG 276. Gum-Gum: ♂, September 4, 1963, ADG 283. Lamag: ♂, October 15, 1963, ADG 308.
This species of the primary forest was common both at Cocoa Research Station and 12 miles north of Kalabakan. Although not frequently seen, it was caught in mist nets with regularity. Specimens taken near Kalabakan on November 8 and 15, 1962, were in heavy molt.
Criniger finschii Salvadori: Finsch's Bulbul.—Specimens, 9: Cocoa Research Station: ♂ testis 5 × 4 mm., 23.1 gm., August 23, 1962, MCT 2798; ♀, 24.4 gm., August 23, 1962, MCT 2799; ♂ testis 6 × 4 mm., 24.5 gm., September 13, 1962, MCT 2914; ♀, 24.0 gm., September 13, 1962, MCT 2915; ♂ testis 4 × 3 mm., September 24, 1962, MCT 2942; ♂ testis, 6 × 5 mm., September 26, 1962, MCT 2969; ♀, September 27, 1962, MCT 2972; ♀, November 27, 1962, MCT 3341. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: ♀, October 19, 1962, heavy molt, MCT 3077.
This bulbul was common in the cocoa at the Cocoa Research Station. It fed in the company of other bulbuls in shade trees (Trema orientalis). The size of the testes of the males taken is characteristic of the beginning or ending of the breeding season, but ovaries of the females showed no signs of being in breeding condition.
According to Smythies (1960:385), this species had never been taken in North Borneo. These specimens, therefore, are the first recorded from there. Specimens previously were saved from Sarawak and Indonesian Borneo.
Hypsipetes criniger viridis (Bonaparte): Hairy-backed Bulbul.—Specimens, 26: Cocoa Research Station: ♂, September 26, 1962, MCT 2963; ♀, September 27, 1962, MCT 2971; ♀, November 27, 1962, MCT 3337; ♂, November 27, 1962, MCT 3356; ♀, July 7, 1963, ADG 169; ♂, June 14, 1963, ADG 139; ♂, June 12, 1963, ADG 125. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: ♀, October 13, 1962, MCT 3022; ♂, October 13, 1962, MCT 3023; ♀, October 13, 1962, MCT 3029; ♀, October 13, 1962, MCT 3033; ♂, October 14, 1962, MCT 3040; ♀, October 16, 1962, MCT 3054; ♂, October 16, 1962, MCT 3055; ♀, October 19, 1962, MCT 3081; ♀, October 19, 1962, MCT 3082; ♂, October 20, 1962, MCT 3109; ♂, October 22, 1962, MCT 3129; ♂, October 26, 1962, MCT 3162; ♂, November 11, 1962, MCT 3251; ♀, November 13, 1962, MCT 3273; ♀, November 13, 1962, MCT 3274; ♂, November 13, 1962, MCT 3275. Gum-Gum: ♀, October 3, 1963, ADG 288; ♂, October 3, 1963, ADG 289; ♂, August 12, 1963, ADG 228.
These bulbuls regularly feed on berries of Trema orientalis. I saw these bulbuls darting out after insects from branches, much as flycatchers would do, and have noticed a tendency toward flycatching in other bulbuls, but not so commonly as in this species. In using the name Hypsipetes instead of Microscelis I follow Rand and Rabor (1959:102).
Hypsipetes malaccensis Blyth: Streaked Bulbul.—Specimens, 4: Cocoa Research Station: ♂ testis 8 × 5 mm., 41.0 gm., August 20, 1962, MCT 2787. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: ♀, October 19, 1962, MCT 3092. 5.5 mi. SW Tenom: ♂, December 22, 1962, MCT 3497; ♂, December 22, 1962, MCT 3498.
I did not find this species common at any collecting locality. Smythies (1957:707) considered it a lowland species, but its occasional occurrence in the highlands is indicated by the specimen from Tenom.
Deignan (in Peters, 1960:291) regards Hypsipetes virescens and Hypsipetes malaccensis as specifically distinct.