545. KITTACINCLA CEBUENSIS Steere.
CEBU BLACK SHAMA.
- Cittocincla cebuensis Steere, List Birds and Mams. Steere Exped. (1890), 20; Bourns and Worcester, Minnesota Acad. Nat. Sci. Occ. Papers (1894), 1, 58; Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 162; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 86; McGregor, Phil. Jour. Sci. (1907), 2, sec. A, 307.
Cebu (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor).
Adult.—Glossy blue-black; wings black; coverts, alula, and some of the secondaries edged with glossy blue-black; axillars and wing-lining similar; tail black. Two adult males measure: Wing, 90, 95; tail, 105.6, 99 (imperfect); culmen from base, 19; bill from nostril, 12; tarsus, 27, 26; middle toe with claw, 24, 23.
An immature male from Toledo, Cebu, October 13, differs from the adult as follows: Feathers of crown and nape tipped with dull rusty brown; wings dull seal-brown; each feather of alula and greater coverts with a subterminal spot of ocherous brown; lesser coverts black, fringed with silvery gray; lower parts dull blue-gray, tips of feathers ocherous, becoming more rusty on flanks.
“An immature female is slaty black above, tail dull black; wing-coverts brown, tipped with distinct spots of rufous-brown, these spots forming two irregular bars; quills fulvous-brown; primaries faintly washed on outer webs with rufous-brown; forehead brownish; lores, ring round eye, sides of face and chin light rufous-brown; center of throat and upper breast slaty gray, a few of the feathers still retaining brownish centers; rest of under surface slaty black washed with brown; under tail-coverts black with brown shaft-stripes.” (Bourns and Worcester.)
“Apparently confined to the island of Cebu where it is very rare. Invariably found in the forest and in dense thickets close to the ground. It is both quiet and shy. We never heard it utter a note.
“Two males from Cebu average: Length, 205; wing, 90; tail, 100; culmen, 20; tarsus, 26; middle toe with claw, 24. Iris very dark brown; legs, feet, and nails dark brown, almost black; bill black. Breeding in June.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)