601. CALLISITTA MESOLEUCA (Grant).
HIGHLAND NUTHATCH.
- Dendrophila mesoleuca Grant, Bull. Brit. Orn. Club. (1894), 3, 49; Ibis (1895), 450, pl. 4, fig. 2; Whitehead, Ibis (1899); 227 (habits, plumage); Sharpe, Hand-List (1903), 4, 351.
- Callisitta mesoleuca McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 94.
Ta-ká, Benguet.
Luzon (Whitehead, McGregor, Worcester, Mearns, Bartsch).
Adult male.—A small white spot on lower part of lores; middle of mantle with the bases of feathers pale vinaceous-buff to whitish, forming a patch; under parts pale buff with no lilac wash; throat and chin very pale, almost white. Iris yellow; bill and bare skin around eye greenish yellow; legs and nails dark green. Length, about 140; wing, 75; tail, 43; culmen from base, 15; bill from nostril, 10.5; tarsus, 16.
Adult female.—Differs from the male in having no black line over the eye to nape. Wing, 72; tail, 40; culmen from base, 17; bill from nostril, 12; tarsus, 16.
Callisitta mesoleuca is very abundant in the mountains of Benguet Province, while C. œnochlamys inhabits the forests of the lowlands.