A Manual of Philippine Birds

by Richard C. McGregor

Mindanao (Mearns).

“Type (adult male).—Third primary equal to ninth; fifth, sixth, and seventh subequal and longest. Upper parts bistre, washed with burnt umber on lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts; tail blackish seal-brown; the feathers of the rump, which are very long and soft, have concealed white spots; sides of head and neck (including lores and ear-coverts), breast, and abdomen slate-gray, the latter washed with white; sides gray washed with burnt umber, particularly on the flanks, some of the feathers with concealed white spots; thighs gray washed with burnt umber; under tail-coverts tawny olive, the longest ochraceous; chin and throat white. Iris reddish brown; bill black; feet and claws plumbeous. Length, 205; alar expanse, 280; wing, 90; tail, 87; bill, measured from nostril, 10; culmen, 16; tarsus, 38; middle toe and claw, 27.” (Mearns.)

The type and only known specimen was taken on Mount Apo, Mindanao, at 1,220 meters altitude.

Subfamily BRACHYPTERYGINÆ.

Tarsus slender; plumage normal, the feathers of back not lengthened; sexes unlike in colors.

Genus BRACHYPTERYX Horsfield, 1821.

Bill small and slender; rictal bristles weak; wing and tail moderate; tarsus long and slender, equal to more than one-half the tail and to about three times the bill from nostril. Sexes very unlike in colors; male with a concealed eyebrow-patch; female with head and neck brown.

Species.

• a¹. Head, neck, and throat slate-blue like the rest of the plumage (males).
  • b¹. Smaller; throat and top of head dark slate. poliogyna (p. [539])
  • b². Larger; throat and top of head black.
    • c¹. Smaller. brunneiceps (p. [539])
    • c². Larger; no grayish white on abdomen.
      • d¹. White spot above the eye larger and not entirely concealed. mindanensis (p. [540])
      • d². White spot above the eye minute and wholly concealed. malindangensis (p. [540])
• • b¹. Crown lighter; chin and throat lighter. poliogyna (p. [539])
  • b². Crown darker; chin and throat deeper in color; belly not paler than breast.
    • c¹. Smaller, tail shorter. brunneiceps (p. [539])
    • c². Larger, tail longer; abdomen washed with brownish gray.
      • d¹. Color much lighter. mindanensis (p. [540])
      • d². Color much darker; russet of front of head intensified to almost a burnt umber and not extending backward beyond the eyes. malindangensis (p. [540])
• a². Head, neck, and throat rusty brown, contrasting with the rest of the plumage (females).

520. BRACHYPTERYX POLIOGYNA Grant.