“The female much resembles the autumn plumage of the male, except that the blue of the upper parts is much duller and the whole of the under parts are pale whitish brown, suffused with pale buffish brown on the axillaries and under wing- and tail-coverts; each feather on the under parts has a dark brown subterminal transverse band, which on the throat is continued on the margins of the feathers; the axillars and the under tail-coverts have several transverse dark bars. After the autumn molt the only perceptible difference in the female is that the pale brown margins of the feathers are somewhat longer. Males of the year scarcely differ from adult females, excepting in having the ground-color of the under parts, especially on the breast and belly, tinged with blue. Females of the year have the ground-color of the upper parts brown, only slightly tinged with blue on the wing-coverts, rump, and upper tail-coverts. Young in first plumage differ very slightly from the females of the year, but have scarcely a trace of blue.” (Seebohm.)
A young female from Calayan is brown, slightly washed with dull blue on mantle and back; feathers of mantle, back, and tail-coverts with subterminal blackish bars and gray tips; under parts ocherous buff the feathers with subterminal blackish bars; wings black, the feathers tipped with white and edged with gray, tail similar; wing-lining, axillars, and crissum richer ocherous barred with black.
“Curiously enough this bird is called ‘solitaria’ by the natives of Negros on account of its habits. Always seen singly or in pairs. Common in the villages, especially about old churches. Also abundant on the rocks along the seashore and in open country in general; never found in the forest. Iris dark brown; bill, legs, feet, and nails black; food, insects.
“Six males average, 210 in length; wing, 111; tail, 85; culmen, 23; tarsus, 27; middle toe with claw, 26. Four females, length, 210; wing, 111; tail, 84; culmen, 23; tarsus, 27; middle toe with claw, 27.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
A specimen from Bataan Province, Luzon, appears to be much nearer Petrophila cyanus (Linnæus) than P. manillensis; the under parts are blue with the chestnut restricted to the axillars, wing-lining, crissum, and a few feathers in the middle of abdomen.
Subfamily RUTICILLINÆ.
Nearly all the members of this subfamily are considerably smaller than any of the Turdinæ. There is much diversity in the color pattern as well as in the length and shape of the tail. The species are mostly terrestrial.
Genera.
- a1. Tail rounded and decidedly shorter than wing.
- a2. Tail-feathers strongly graduated, the longest equal to or longer than the wing; plumage mostly black, or black and white.