[72] Birds of the genus Planesticus are called “blackbirds” in Europe and “robins” in the United States; as both of these names are in common use for birds of entirely different genera I have employed the name “black thrush” for the Philippine species of Planesticus. [↑]
[73] I use Forster’s name for this rock thrush on the recommendation of Dr. C. W. Richmond. [↑]
[74] Cf. Grant, Ibis (1896), 117. [↑]
[75] I follow Sharpe in alloting Lanius validirostris and L. nasutus to Cephalophoneus. The type of this genus is said to be Lanius bucephalus, a species resembling Lanius validirostris in length of tail and turgidity of bill. These two species appear to be congeneric. In L. nasutus, however, the tail is much longer; the rectrices are more strongly graduated and relatively narrower. Possibly another genus should be recognized for nasutus and suluensis. [↑]
[76] Philippine specimens of this genus have usually been referred to Lanius (Otomela) lucionensis, but both O. cristata and O. superciliosa are credited to the Philippines in Sharpe’s Hand-List and for this reason they are included here. Having no specimens of undoubted identity I am unable to determine many of the specimens of shrikes in the Bureau of Science collection. Of the last two species mentioned I give the distribution and short descriptions on the authority of Dresser.
The following paragraphs may be of use in distinguishing the three species.
“L. superciliosus Latham * * * has the entire upper surface very bright uniform rufous, a very broad frontal band, a very broad superciliary stripe, and the throat pure white; the inner webs of the basal parts of the primaries white underneath, which shows through on the upper surface of the quills at their insertion, almost forming a white, yet concealed alar bar; shoulder-edge and under shoulder-coverts pure white.
“L. cristatus Linnæus has the head, nape, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail rufous, but less bright and browner than in L. superciliosus. The back is colored with the same tint, but paler or less rufous. The chin and upper part of the throat are white; but the tawny hue of the breast extends higher up than in either L. superciliosus or in L. lucionensis; and all the throat is usually washed with tawny.
“The white frontal band is narrow and ill-defined; and the white supercilium is much less prominent than in L. superciliosus. The quills at their insertions show indications, although slight, of a rudimentary alar bar. The shoulder-edge and under shoulder-coverts are tawny. The female is colored as the male, but has the subocular stripe brown and not black and the sides of the breast and flanks more or less striated and freckled with faint brown marks.
“L. lucionensis Linnæus has the forehead and crown delicate pale pearl-gray, no pure white whatever on the forehead. A narrow white supercilium commences above the eye, becoming somewhat broader behind, and shading off into the gray of the head. The occiput, nape, and back are ashy liver-brown. The rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail are washed with rufous, most marked on the upper tail-coverts; the chin and throat pure white, as in L. superciliosus; shoulder-edge and under shoulder-coverts pure white; indications of a concealed white alar bar, as in L. cristatus; and the female has the sexual distinguishing characters of that species. The almost entire absence of rufous in the plumage of the adult Philippine species suffices to distinguish it at a glance from L. cristatus and L. superciliosus.” Walden, Trans. Zool. Soc. (1875), 9, 171, 172. [↑]