Gracula religiosa religiosa Linnaeus: Talking Myna.—Specimens, 3: Tiger Estate: ♀, October 11, 1962, MCT 3020. Cocoa Research Station: ♂, May 28, 1963, ADG 114. Gum-Gum: ♀, September 9, 1963, ADG 277.
This was a common bird at Quoin Hill but was not seen elsewhere by me. It frequented the dead trees in the cocoa.
Anthreptes simplex (S. Müller): Plain-colored Sunbird.—Specimens, 6: Cocoa Research Station: ♀ imm., 8.0 gm., August 11, 1962, MCT 2768; ♂ imm., 10.0 gm., August 11, 1962, MCT 2769; ♂, 7.0 gm., September 6, 1962, MCT 2878; ♂, September 25, 1962, MCT 2959; ♀, November 27, 1962, MCT 3332; ♂, November 27, 1962, MCT 3343.
This common bird at Quoin Hill frequented flowers of the Tree Cassava. Trees of that species were shade trees in the cocoa.
Anthreptes malacensis ssp. (Scopoli): Brown-throated Sunbird.—Specimens, 2: Tenom: ♂, January 3, 1963, MCT 3573; ♂ testis 5 × 4 mm., January 4, 1963, MCT 3576.
One of the specimens (MCT 3576) was molting into adult male plumage; the size of its testes suggests that this bird was also coming into breeding condition, all of which seemingly lends support to Chasen's (1939:401) suspicion that the species has an eclipse plumage. Lacking specimens in breeding plumage, I was unable to determine the subspecific affinities of the population at Tenom.
This species was observed also on Siamil Island.
Anthreptes rhodolaema Shelley: Rufous-throated Sunbird.—Specimens, 14: Cocoa Research Station: ♂ testis 3 × 3 mm., 12.5 gm., August 9, 1962, MCT 2742; ♂ testis 5 × 3 mm., 15.0 gm., August 9, 1962, MCT 2743; ♀, 13.5 gm., August 9, 1962, MCT 2744; ♀ imm., 12.7 gm., August 9, 1962, MCT 2745; ♂ testis 3 × 2 mm., 13.5 gm., August 10, 1962, MCT 2749; ♂, 13.0 gm., August 10, 1962, MCT 2750; ♀, 12.0 gm., August 10, 1962, MCT 2751; ♀ imm., 10.8 gm., August 13, 1962, MCT 2775; ♂, September 4, 1962, MCT 2869; ♀ largest ova 3 mm., oviduct enlarged, 12.0 gm., September 12, 1962, MCT 2905; ♀, November 27, 1962, MCT 3350; ♂, November 27, 1962, MCT 3351; ♂, November 27, 1962, MCT 3355.
The Rufous-throated Sunbirds were the most common sunbirds at the Cocoa Research Station. They seemed to prefer foraging about flowers of the Tree Cassava. The stomachs of those examined contained insects. The absence of A. malacensis suggests that these two species are mutually exclusive.
Anthreptes singalensis borneana (Kloss): Ruby-cheeked Sunbird.—Specimens, 3: Cocoa Research Station: ♂, 8.0 gm., August 23, 1962, MCT 2801; ♂, November 29, 1962, MCT 3385; ♀, 8.4 gm., August 10, 1962, MCT 2752.