Birds from North Borneo Part 5

_=Harpactes duvauceli=_ (Temminck): Scarlet-rumped Trogon.--_Specimens_, 7: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], 30.9 gm., July 24, 1962, MCT 2648; [Male]?, December 1, 1962, MCT 3407; [Male], December 1, 1962, MCT 3408.

Ulu Balung: [Female], July 18, 1963, ADG 209; [Male], July 18, 1963, ADG 208. Kinabatangan Agricultural Station: [Female], October 13, 1963, ADG 305. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Female], October 10, 1962, MCT 2996.

This trogon of the primary forest was second in abundance only to _H. diardi_.

_=Halcyon concreta=_ (Temminck): Chestnut-collared Kingfisher.--_Specimens_, 2: 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Male], November 8, 1962, MCT 3222; [Female], November 8, 1962, MCT 3223.

This kingfisher was netted near a small stream in the deep primary forest. Another individual was obtained in moss forest at an elevation of 4,000 feet at Tenom, but was discarded.

_=Halcyon chloris chloroptera=_ (Oberholser): White-collared Kingfisher.--_Specimens_, 4: 9.5 mi. E Tawau: [Female] largest ovum 3 mm., 61.7 gm., July 29, 1962, MCT 2683; [Male] testis 5 4 mm., 60.3 gm., July 29, 1962, paired with 2683. Telipok: [Female], February 9, 1963, G. R. Conway; [Female], February 10, 1963, G. R. Conway.

This is a bird of the sea coast. It was seen at Tawau, Siamil Island, and Karindingen Island.

_=Halcyon sancta sancta=_ (Vigors and Horsfield): Sacred Kingfisher.--_Specimen_, 1: Cocoa Research Station: [Male], June 17, 1963, ADG 147.

The specimen was taken along the Apas River in scrubland near the river. One previously was recorded from North Borneo, this from Labuan (Smythies, 1957:660). He (1963:278) saw another at Bauto on the Labuk River.

_=Halcyon pileata=_ (Boddaert): Black-capped Kingfisher.--_Specimens_, 3: Tenom: [Male], January 1, 1963, MCT 3564. Pintasan Agriculture Station: [Female], October 18, 1963, ADG 322; [Male], October 11, 1963, ADG 301.

The specimen from Tenom was caught in a net in the scrub-gra.s.sland a.s.sociation. The others were taken along the Kinabatangan River.

_=Pelargopsis capensis fraseri=_ Sharpe: Stork-billed Kingfisher.--_Specimens_, 2: Telipok: [Male], February 9, 1963, TM 30.

Mt. Rumas: [Male], April 16, 1963, ADG 53.

This species was common along the lower reaches of the Kalabakan and Brantian rivers and in the mangroves near Tawau.

_=Alcedo atthis bengalensis=_ Gmelin: Common Kingfisher.--_Specimen_, 1: Pintasan Agriculture Station: [Female], October 12, 1963, ADG 304.

I saw this kingfisher once along the Apas River at Quoin Hill and again along the beach at Siamil Island.

_=Alcedo euryzona euryzona=_ Temminck: Blue-banded Kingfisher.--_Specimens_, 4: Cocoa Research Station: [Male], September 7, 1962, MCT 2884. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Male], October 19, 1962, MCT 3091; [Female], October 20, 1962, MCT 3099; [Male], October 20, 1962, MCT 3101.

This species was fairly common along streams deep in the primary forest at Quoin Hill.

_=Ceyx erithacus=_ ssp. (Linnaeus): Forest Kingfisher.--_Specimens_, 4: Cocoa Research Station: [Male], 13.2 gm., September 14, 1962, MCT 2924; 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Male], October 18, 1962, MCT 3075; [Female], October 26, 1962, MCT 3163. Oil Palm Research Station: [Male], September 5, 1963, ADG 273.

All specimens taken showed characters intermediate between those of the subspecies _C. e. motleyi_ and _C. e. rufidorsus_. Voous (1951) states that, in all the Malaysian region, the greatest number of hybrids between these two subspecies occurred in Borneo and, further, that he could find hybrid specimens showing practically all imaginable character combinations. My specimens also showed these intermediate tendencies and I am unable at present to allocate the specimens to subspecies.

_=Merops viridis viridis=_ Linnaeus: Blue-throated Bee-eater.--_Specimens_, 9: Mt. Rumas: [Male], March 5, 1963, ADG 9; [Male], March 5, 1963, ADG 10; [Female], March 6, 1963, ADG 20; [Male], March 7, 1963, ADG 21; [Female], March 7, 1963, ADG 22; [Male], March 7, 1963, ADG 23. Telipok: [Female], March 24, 1963; ADG 39. Pintasan: [Male], October 22, 1963, ADG 302; [Female], October 12, 1963, ADG 303.

These specimens were all taken in March and October and seem to support Smythies' (1957:664) idea that they arrive with the northeast monsoon (October to March) and are absent the rest of the year.

_=Nyctiornis amicta=_ (Temminck): Red-bearded Bee-eater.--_Specimen_, 1: Cocoa Research Station: [Male], September 27, 1962, molting, MCT 2970.

The specimen was taken along a stream in the deep primary forest, where it was sitting on a dead twig overlooking the stream. The call note was much like that of a scolding squirrel. This was the only time this species was observed in the Quoin Hill area.

_=Eurystomus orientalis cyanicollis=_ Vieillot: Broad-billed Roller.--_Specimens_, 4: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] testis 2 1 mm., 157.4 gm., heavy molt, July 3, 1962, MCT 2585; [Male] testis 2 1 mm., 152.0 gm., heavy molt, July 21, 1962, MCT 2633; [Female], 146.4 gm., heavy molt, July 21, 1962, MCT 2634; [Female], April 29, 1963, ADG 83.

At the Cocoa Research Station this common bird perched in dead trees in the cocoa. On several evenings in September, an individual was seen catching insects in flight at dusk, repeatedly returning to a stump between forays. This continued until it was so dark that I could barely discern the bird.

_=Berenicornis comatus=_ (Raffles): White-crested Hornbill.--A pair was seen feeding about 150 feet up in a tree at the Cocoa Research Station.

No other was seen in northern Borneo.

_=Annorrhinus galeritus=_ (Temminck): Bushy-crested Hornbill.--This hornbill was seen only on October 3, 1962, at the Cocoa Research Station, when a flock of five flew overhead.

_=Aceros leucocephalus=_ (Vieillot): Wrinkled Hornbill.--On October 3, 1962, a pair was seen in the primary forest at the Cocoa Research Station.

_=Aceros undulatus undulatus=_ (Shaw): Wreathed Hornbill.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] largest ovum 5 mm., October 2, 1962, MCT 2981; [Male] testis 10 11 mm., October 2, 1962, MCT 2982.

This, the most common hornbill at Quoin Hill and at Kalabakan, occurred in primary forest.

_=Anthracoceros malaya.n.u.s=_ (Raffles): Black Hornbill.--A flock of five was seen at the Cocoa Research Station rest house on September 6 and 13, 1962.

_=Buceros rhinoceros=_ Linnaeus: Rhinoceros Hornbill.--It was fairly common at the Cocoa Research Station, where several were observed in July and August.

_=Rhinoplax vigil=_ (Forster): Helmeted Hornbill.--The Helmeted Hornbill was rarely observed, but almost every day we heard its call when we were on the east coast. It was also heard in the forest on the west coast around Tenom, but is not common there owing to hunting by the natives.

Skulls of this and the preceding species were on sale in a shop at Tenom, despite laws prohibiting the killing of these species.

_=Calorhamphus fuliginosus tertius=_ Chasen and Kloss: Brown Barbet.--_Specimens_, 7: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] largest ovum 2 mm., 38.8 gm., brood patch, July 7, 1962, MCT 2610; [Female], 40.0 gm., August 1, 1962, MCT 2702; [Female], 44.8 gm., August 1, 1962, MCT 2703; [Male] testis 5 3 mm., September 25, 1962 (paired with MCT 2956), MCT 2955; [Female], September 1, 1962, MCT 2846, [Female], September 25, 1962, MCT 2956; [Female]?, November 30, 1962, MCT 3436.

These barbets were common at the Cocoa Research Station both in secondary forest and cocoa, usually in groups of three or four.

They were seen also at Kalabakan where the birds fed in the top of a 100-foot tree in the primary forest.

In describing this bird, Smythies (1960:322) said the male's bill is black. The one male that I took had an orange bill and at no time did I observe any black-billed birds at the Cocoa Research Station; this black bill perhaps is a character of the subspecies _C. f. fuliginosus_.

_=Megalaima henrici brachyrhyncha=_ Neumann: Yellow-crowned Barbet.--_Specimens_, 3: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], 72.8 gm., August 1, 1962, MCT 2696; [Male] testis 5 4 mm., 83.2 gm., August 2, 1962, MCT 2705; [Male] testis 6 5 mm., 73.7 gm., August 2, 1962, MCT 2706.

This barbet was common at the Cocoa Research Station and its call could be heard at any time of day until dusk. Smythies (1960:324) described this call as _took-took-took-took-trrrroook_. All birds of this species that I watched and listened to, however, were calling thus: _trrrroook-took-took-took-took_. The number of _tooks_ varies, but is generally four and can be as high as seven.

This species was heard at all stations on the east coast. At Kalabakan, one was heard calling all day long from the top of a 70-foot tree.

Comparison of my specimens with those in the U. S. National Museum revealed that _M. h. brachyrhyncha_ was readily distinguishable from the nominate race by measurements. The average length of bill in my specimens was 23 mm., whereas the average length in two specimens from Sumatra and Siam in the U. S. National Museum was 27 mm. The Bornean specimens differ also in having the blue patch on the head larger and darker than in _M. h. henrici_. _M. h.

brachyrhyncha_ certainly seems to be a valid race on the basis of the available specimens.

_=Megalaima chrysopogon chrysopsis=_ Goffin: Gold-whiskered Barbet.--_Specimens_, 10: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] largest ovum 2 mm., 164.4 gm., July 21, 1962, MCT 2627; [Male] testis 6 3 mm., 156.0 gm., August 1, 1962, MCT 2697; [Female], 177.2 gm., August 1, 1962, MCT 2701; [Male] testis 3 2 mm., 172.6 gm., August 2, 1962, MCT 2717; ?, 182.2 gm., August 2, 1962, MCT 2718; [Female], 181.5 gm., MCT 2721; [Male] testis 10 8 mm., 148.5 gm., August 8, 1962, MCT 2741; [Male], June 23, 1963, ADG 155; [Female], May 25, 1963, ADG 109. Tiger Estate: [Male], November 25, 1962, MCT 3324.

Next to the Brown Barbet, this was perhaps the most common barbet at the Cocoa Research Station and was often the only bird heard in the heat of the day. On three occasions birds were observed clinging to the side of a tree as a woodp.e.c.k.e.r might, pecking away at dead wood. This species was seen both in the cocoa and primary forest.

_=Megalaima mystacophanes mystacophanes=_ (Temminck): Gaudy Barbet.--_Specimens_, 8: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], 60.3 gm., July 25, 1962; [Male] testis 8 5 mm., 79.2 gm., August 9, 1962, MCT 2749; [Male] testis 9 5 mm., September 1, 1962, MCT 2845; [Female], September 25, 1962, MCT 2950; [Female], April 30, 1963, ADG 88. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Male], October 20, 1962, MCT 3103. 5.5 mi. SW Tenom: [Male]

testis 8 6 mm., December 25, 1962, MCT 3530; [Female], December 25, 1962, MCT 3537.

This common bird lived in the secondary and primary forest and cocoa. I saw it at all localities. At least two calls were given by this species. One was a simple _took_ with a long pause between calls; the other was as described by Smythies (1960:323).

The birds fed from high in trees down to nearly ground level. This species like _M. chrysopogon_, clung to the sides of trees and pecked at dead wood.

_=Megalaima australis duvauceli=_ (Lesson): Little Barbet.--_Specimens_, 3: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] testis 7 5 mm., 35.2 gm., August 1, 1962, MCT 2692; [Male] testis 9 5 mm., August 1, 1962, MCT 2699; [Female] ovary granular, 33.0 gm., August 1, 1962, MCT 2704.

I was unable to make detailed observations on this species. All specimens were taken from a high feeding tree, where it was impossible to identify them before hand.

_=Indicator archipelagicus=_ Temminck: Malaysian Honey-guide.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] ovary minute, 29 November 1962, MCT 3394. Tenom: [Male] testis 3 2 mm., January 5, 1963, MCT 3580.