Birds from North Borneo Part 8

_=Stachyris nigriceps hartleyi=_ Chasen: Gray-throated Tree Babbler.--_Specimens_, 16: 5.5 mi. SW Tenom: [Male], December 17, 1962, MCT 3451; [Female], December 18, 1962, MCT 3456; [Male] testis 7 5 mm., December 18, 1962, MCT 3457; [Male] testis 6 3 mm., December 18, 1962, MCT 3458; [Female], December 18, 1962, MCT 3459; [Female] old brood patch, December 19, 1962, MCT 3471; [Male] testis 9 5 mm., December 19, 1962, MCT 3472; [Female] several collapsed follicles, December 19, 1962, MCT 3473; [Male] testis 6 4 mm., December 20, 1962, MCT 3480; [Male] testis enlarged, December 20, 1962, MCT 3481; [Female]

imm., December 20, 1962, MCT 3482; [Male] testis 7 5 mm., December 20, 1962, MCT 3486; [Female], December 21, 1962, MCT 3493; [Male] testis 7 5 mm., December 21, 1962, MCT 3494; [Female] imm., December 21, 1962, MCT 3495; [Female] imm., December 22, 1962, MCT 3506.

This babbler was abundant in the moss forest above Tenom and appeared to be at the height of its breeding season in December.

The specimens were compared with material at the American Museum of Natural History and proved to be _S. n. hartleyi_, which has not previously been reported from North Borneo.

_=Stachyris poliocephala=_ (Temminck): Gray-headed Tree Babbler.--_Specimens_, 8: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] testis 3 2 mm., 24.0 gm., July 28, 1962, MCT 2674; [Male], December 1, 1962, MCT 3414; [Female], December 1, 1962, MCT 3415. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Female], October 18, 1962, MCT 3072; s.e.x?, October 29, 1962, MCT 3181; [Female], November 2, 1962, MCT 3202. Oil Palm Research Station: [Male], August 16, 1963, ADG 248; [Female], August 15, 1962, ADG 239.

This species of the secondary forest usually was a.s.sociated with piles of brush or heavy growth of fern. I never saw it higher than three feet above the ground.

_=Stachyris nigricollis=_ (Temminck): Black-necked Tree Babbler.--_Specimens_, 4: Cocoa Research Station: [Male], June 15, 1963, ADG 144. Ulu Balung Cocoa Estate: [Female], July 15, 1963, ADG 201. Oil Palm Research Station: [Male], August 12, 1963, ADG 224; [Female], August 19, 1963, ADG 251.

Although I worked in the same area and at the same time of year as did Garcia, I did not see this species.

_=Stachyris leucotis obscurata=_ Mayr: White-necked Tree Babbler.--_Specimen_, 1: Oil Palm Research Station: [Male], September 5, 1963, ADG 274.

Garcia's specimen was taken in primary forest. Smythies (1960:418) states that most records come from submontane localities, except for those from Bettotan; the specimen is from an alt.i.tude of 40 feet, near Bettotan.

_=Stachyris maculata maculata=_ (Temminck): Red-rumped Tree Babbler.--_Specimens_, 12: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] largest ova 2 mm., brood patch, July 10, 1962, MCT 2613; [Male], 25.8 gm., August 5, 1962, MCT 2731; [Male], 28.0 gm., August 5, 1962, MCT 2732. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Male] testis 3 3 mm., October 12, 1962, MCT 3006; [Female], October 12, 1962, MCT 3007; [Female], October 12, 1962, MCT 3008; [Male], October 12, 1962, MCT 3009. Cocoa Research Station: [Female], June 11, 1963, ADG 121; [Female], June 13, 1963, ADG 133; [Male], June 14, 1963, ADG 134. Oil Palm Research Station: [Female], August 14, 1963, ADG 235; [Female], August 15, 1963, ADG 237.

This babbler was common in small groups at Quoin Hill. Whitehead (1893:227) states that the species "frequents the true forest near the ground." I observed these babblers only in sub-canopy trees, at least 30 feet above the ground. Smythies (1960:419) stated that he had never seen this species in the forest undergrowth.

_=Stachyris erythroptera bicolor=_ (Blyth): Red-winged Tree Babbler.--_Specimens_, 11: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] testis 2 1 mm., 13.4 gm., July 24, 1962, MCT 2654; [Female] imm., 13.0 gm., August 28, 1962, MCT 2832; [Female], 12.5 gm., August 28, 1962, MCT 2833; [Male], December 2, 1962, MCT 3432; [Female], December 2, 1962, MCT 3433. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Male], October 10, 1962, MCT 2995; [Male], November 6, 1962, MCT 3215; [Male], November 7, 1962, MCT 3218. 5.5 mi.

SW Tenom: [Male] testis 3 1 mm., December 18, 1962, MCT 3463. Ulu Balung Cocoa Estate: [Male], July 10, 1963, ADG 184; [Male], July 17, 1963, ADG 206.

This species was seen most often in primary forest undergrowth, but occasionally as high as 10 feet up in small trees. I saw it also in and around brush piles in secondary forest. The one specimen from 5.5 mi. SW Tenom was taken in the moss forest. MCT 2833 was in heavy molt on the wings, head, and body.

_=Stachyris rufifrons sarawacensis=_ Chasen: Hume's Tree Babbler.--_Specimen_, 1: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] testis 4 3 mm., November 28, 1962, MCT 3358.

There was no comparative material in the U. S. National Museum where I studied the specimen but it fits Chasen's original description of _S. r. sarawacensis_. H. G. Deignan (_in_ Peters _et al._, 1964:303) considered this subspecies doubtfully distinct from _S. r. poliogaster_.

The specimen was taken at a height of one and one-half feet in a mist net set along a path. The bird was caught when it attempted to cross the path from a patch of heavy undergrowth to a patch on the other side. Mary Norman observed them at Kalabakan (Smythies, 1963:281) in saplings. They should probably be considered birds of the understory.

_=Alcippe brunneicauda=_ (Salvadori): Brown Quaker Babbler.--_Specimens_, 22: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] imm., 14.4 gm., August 20, 1962, MCT 2781; [Female], 14.9 gm., September 6, 1962, MCT 2877; [Female], September 25, 1962, MCT 2957; [Female], November 28, 1962, MCT 3361; [Female], November 28, 1962, MCT 3362; [Male], November 28, 1962, MCT 3376; [Male], November 28, 1962, MCT 3378; [Male] testis 5 3 mm., December 1, 1962, MCT 3410; [Male], December 2, 1962, MCT 3435; [Male], November 30, 1962, MCT 3440; [Male], November 30, 1962, MCT 3441. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: s.e.x?, November 1, 1962, MCT 3194; [Male], November 11, 1962, MCT 3243; [Male], November 11, 1962, MCT 3245; [Male], November 11, 1962, MCT 3247; [Male], November 11, 1962, MCT 3248; [Male], November 12, 1962, MCT 3261; [Female], November 13, 1962, MCT 3267; [Female], November 10, 1962, MCT 3306. 5.5 mi. SW Tenom: [Female], December 22, 1962, MCT 3501; [Female], December 22, 1962, MCT 3502; [Female], December 22, 1962, MCT 3503.

Birds of this species were common in primary forest at the three localities listed under "specimens." They travel in small, loose flocks, calling as they move through the forest. Periodic calling, interspersed with periods of silence, was characteristic of the species; vocalization of this sort may function in maintaining the unity of the well s.p.a.ced flock.

_=Yuhina castaniceps everetti=_ (Sharpe): Chestnut-headed Yuhina.--_Specimens_, 14: 5.5 mi. SW Tenom: [Female], December 19, 1962, MCT 3468; [Male] testis 6 3 mm., December 23, 1962, MCT 3512; [Male]

testis 7 3 mm., December 23, 1962, MCT 3513; [Male] testis 6 3 mm., December 24, 1962, MCT 3520; [Female], December 24, 1962, MCT 3521; [Male] testis 5 3 mm., December 24, 1962, MCT 3523; [Male] testis 6 3 mm., December 24, 1962, MCT 3524; [Female], December 24, 1962, MCT 3525; [Female], December 24, 1962, MCT 3526; [Male] testis 6 3 mm., December 24, 1962, MCT 3527; [Male] testis 6 3 mm., December 28, 1962, MCT 3542; [Male] testis 6 3 mm., December 28, 1962, MCT 3543.

I saw several flocks of this species in moss forest at a point 5.5 miles southwest of Tenom. Some were observed going into cavities in the moss, where they apparently caught insects. They sometimes did this simultaneously, in several places on the same tree.

_=Yuhina zantholeuca brunnescens=_ (Sharpe): White-bellied Yuhina.--_Specimens_, 4: 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Female], October 12, 1962, MCT 3010; s.e.x?, November 1, 1962, MCT 3193; s.e.x?, December 22, 1962, MCT 3500; [Male] testis 7 4 mm., December 23, 1962, MCT 3519.

One flock of about five of these yuhinas was seen in primary forest at Kalabakan. Another small group was observed in the moss forest near Tenom.

_=Tephrodornis gularis frenatus=_ b.u.t.tikofer: Hook-billed Graybird.--_Specimens_, 3: Cocoa Research Station: [Male], September 25, 1962, wing molt, MCT 2946; [Female], September 25, 1962, wing molt, MCT 2947; [Female], September 25, 1962, MCT 2948.

I observed this species twice in six months on the east coast. The three collected at the research station in the cocoa were in a family group. On November 9, 1962, I saw three birds feeding at the edge of the primary forest.

_=Coracina striata sumatrensis=_ (S. Muller): Barred Graybird.--_Specimens_, 2: Tiger Estate: [Female], December 30, 1962; [Male], December 30, 1962.

_=Coracina fimbriata schierbrandi=_ (Pelzeln): Lesser Graybird.--_Specimens_, 6: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] imm., 25.7 gm., July 22, 1962, MCT 2637; s.e.x?, 29.5 gm., July 28, 1962, MCT 2676; [Male], 28.4 gm., August 5, 1962, MCT 2729; [Female], 30.0 gm., September 13, 1962, MCT 2917. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Female], October 25, 1962, MCT 3147. Tiger Estate: [Male], November 25, 1962, MCT 3317.

This species was common at the Cocoa Research Station, most common in the cocoa, and an occasional bird was observed in the primary forest.

The adult male (MCT 3317) from Tiger Estate was darker than any in the series of _C. f. schierbrandi_ in The American Museum of Natural History, and closely approached a series _C. f. culminata_ from Malaya in the same museum.

_=Hemipus hirundinaceus=_ (Temminck): Black-winged Flycatcher Shrike.--_Specimen_, 1: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], 10.2 gm., July 21, 1962, MCT 2632.

The specimen was taken in the cocoa where it was sitting on a dead limb, occasionally darting out after insects, and provides the only record from this locality. At the collecting site 12 miles north of Kalabakan, however, it was seen several times feeding in small flocks in a clearing near a trail.

_=Hemipus picatus intermedius=_ Salvadori: Bar-winged Flycatcher Shrike.--_Specimens_, 6: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] imm., August 27, 1962, MCT 2815; [Male] imm., August 27, 1962, MCT 2816; [Female], August 27, 1962, MCT 2817; [Female], 9.8 gm., September 12, 1962, MCT 2906; [Female], 10.2 gm., September 12, 1962, MCT 2907; [Male] imm., 8.7 gm., September 12, 1962, MCT 2908.

Smythies (1960:362) lists this species as a montane resident.

However, the elevation of the Cocoa Research Station is only 750 feet, which is clearly submontane (Smythies, 1960:693). I saw the birds in a flock of three or four, feeding in shade trees in the cocoa fields. They acted like typical flycatchers, sitting on twigs and darting out after insects. On September 12, a flock of 10 was seen in the same area. Whitehead (1893:208) described the habits of the species as being like those of _Tephrodornis gularis_ and not at all like those of a flycatcher.

_=Lalage nigra=_ (Forster): Pied Triller.--Common in the lowlands near Tawau and Tuaran. On September 19, 1962, I saw an adult feeding one young on Siamil Island.

_=Pericrocotus igneus igneus=_ Blyth: Fiery Minivet.--_Specimens_, 3: Cocoa Research Station: [Male], 15.8 gm., August 11, 1962, MCT 2764; [Male], 14.0 gm., August 11, 1962, MCT 2766; [Female], 15.2 gm., August 11, 1962, MCT 2767.

I saw this species only on August 11, 1962, when a flock of eight was seen feeding in a cocoa tree.

The female is somewhat darker than comparative material from Borneo, possibly owing to fresh plumage in my specimen and foxing in the older comparative material.

_=Pericrocotus flammeus insula.n.u.s=_ Deignan: Scarlet Minivet.--_Specimens_, 5: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] testis 2 1 mm., 20.0 gm., July 7, 1962, MCT 2608; [Female], 19.7 gm., August 4, 1962, MCT 2728; [Male], 19.0 gm., August 23, 1962, MCT 2802. Tiger Estate: [Female], June 23, 1963, ADG 160; [Male], June 23, 1963, ADG 161.

This minivet was common at the Cocoa Research Station, where it usually inhabited the shade trees in the cocoa groves. The birds seen and the one taken on July 7 were all in heavy molt.

_=Pycnonotus eutilotus=_ (Jardine and Selby): Crested Brown Bulbul.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], December 2, 1962, MCT 3421; [Male], June 19, 1963, ADG 152.

The species was netted twice in much disturbed primary forest.

_=Pycnonotus melanoleucos=_ (Eyton): Black and White Bulbul.--_Specimen_, 1: 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Female], November 5, 1962, MCT 3211.

The specimen was caught in a mist net in primary forest. It was aberrant; the two outer tail feathers were white and it had a few white under tail coverts.

_=Pycnonotus squamatus borneensis=_ Chasen: Scaly-breasted Bulbul.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] 24.0 gm., August 2, 1962, MCT 2708; [Male] testis 4 3 mm., 22.2 gm., August 23, 1962, MCT 2802.

Both specimens were taken from a feeding tree, _Trema orientalis_, in which they were eating berries. This species of tree was used for shade in the cocoa.

_=Pycnonotus cyaniventris paroticalis=_ (Sharpe): Gray-bellied Bulbul.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] largest ovum 2 mm., 21.6 gm., August 25, 1962, MCT 2808; [Male] testis 7 4 mm., 20.5 gm., September 13, 1962, MCT 2916.

On August 23, 1962, I saw four in the cocoa but they took flight into the forest. I later collected two specimens from a shade tree, _Trema orientalis_, in which they were feeding upon the berries.

_=Pycnonotus atriceps atriceps=_ (Temminck): Black-headed Bulbul.--_Specimens_, 9: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], April 29, 1963, ADG 85; [Female], April 27, 1963, ADG 72; [Female], April 20, 1963, ADG 90; [Male], April 27, 1963, ADG 69; [Male], April 28, 1963, ADG 79; [Male], April 26, 1963, ADG 61; [Male], April 28, 1963, ADG 81; [Male] juv., April 28, 1963, ADG 82; [Male], May 1, 1963, ADG 97.

I did not see this species in my stay at the Cocoa Research Station, and the specimens taken by Garcia const.i.tute the only record. The juvenal plumage in one specimen indicates that the species breeds at Quoin Hill.