- Corvus pusillus Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), 622; Grant and Whitehead, Ibis (1898), 234, pl. 6, fig. 5 (egg); Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 100 (habits); McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 110.
Balabac (Everett); Calamianes (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Schmacker, Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead, McGregor); Palawan (Everett, Lempriere, Whitehead, Platen, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino, White).
Adult.—Entirely black, faintly glossed with purple; bases of many of the feathers drab-gray or white; gloss on alula, primaries, and primary-coverts dark green. A male from Mindoro measures: Wing, 250; tail, 135; culmen from base, 50; bill from nostril, 37; depth of bill at nostril, 18; tarsus, 44. A female from Mindoro, wing, 240; tail, 145; culmen from base, 50; tarsus, 46.
Steere collected a single egg of this species in Mindoro in June, 1888. The egg, taken from the oviduct of female, is thus described: “Shape ovate, rather rounded towards the smaller end. Ground-color pale greenish white, finely spotted and dotted over the entire shell with greenish brown and pale lavender. Measurements 38 mm. by 26 mm.” (Grant and Whitehead.)
“The little crow is very common in Mindoro; much rarer in Palawan and the Calamianes Islands. Unlike Corone philippina, it is a very shy bird. Its note sounds like that of an overgrown ‘katy-did.’ Iris dark brown; legs, feet, nails, and bill black. A male from Culion measures, 381 in length; wing, 243; tail, 136; culmen, 50; tarsus, 46; middle toe with claw, 45. A female from Palawan, length, 368; wing, 237; tail, 137; culmen, 47; tarsus, 39; middle toe with claw, 43.” (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
739. CORVUS SAMARENSIS Steere.
SAMAR CROW.
- Corvus samarensis Steere, List Birds & Mams. Steere Exped. (1890), 23; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 110.
Mindanao (Celestino); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester).
Adult.—In color the same as Corvus pusillus, but smaller in size; bill somewhat shorter and deeper. A female from northern Mindanao measures: Length, 340; wing, 220; tail, 120; culmen from base, 47.5; bill from nostril, 34; depth of bill at nostril, 18; tarsus, 38.