Young birds have the abdomen white, and the malar stripe entirely black or with a few red spots.
“If the Luzon record of this species is correct, and we can see no reason for doubting it, the distribution of T. javensis within the Philippines is very peculiar. Why should it disappear in Samar and Leyte, to reappear in Cebu and Luzon? There is not the slightest doubt as to the identity of the Cebu birds, of which we have a fine series.
“Three males from Sulu average, 400 in length; wing, 185; tail, 146; culmen, 45; tarsus, 28; middle toe with claw, 39. Two females from same place, length, 384; wing, 192; tail, 141; culmen, 42; tarsus, 28; middle toe with claw, 36.
“Cebu birds are slightly larger. Two males average, 403 in length; wing, 204; tail, 158; culmen, 48; tarsus, 29; middle toe with claw, 41. Two females, length, 407; wing, 198; tail, 159; culmen, 45; tarsus, 29; middle toe with claw, 37.
“Iris varies from light to dark yellow; legs and feet gray; nails nearly black; upper mandible black, lower dirty white. Food, ants.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
373. THRIPONAX PECTORALIS Tweeddale.
TWEEDDALE’S BLACK WOODPECKER.
- Thriponax pectoralis Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), 340; Hargitt, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1890), 18, 500, pl. 13; Sharpe, Hand-List (1900), 2, 23; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 66.
Bohol (McGregor); Leyte (Everett, Steere Exp., Whitehead); Panaon (Everett); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead).
Adult male.—Upper parts as in T. javensis; chin and throat white with narrow black shaft-stripes; ear-coverts and sides of neck black, narrowly streaked with white; breast-feathers black with edges and tips light buff; rest of under parts as in T. javensis but with more buff on the thighs. A few feathers of breast and hind neck may be tipped with red but this character is variable. Length of a male from Bohol, about 450; wing, 224; tail, 200; culmen from base, 50; bill from nostril, 39; width of bill at base, 19; tarsus, 33.