================+===========+=========+=============+=========
NUMBER AND SEX | Wing | Tail | Full culmen | Tarsus
----------------+-----------+---------+-------------+---------
| | | |
20 males | 104 | 76 | 23.5 | 31
| (100-107) | (73-79) | (22.5-24.5) | (29-31)
| | | |
9 females | 97 | 73 | 23.0 | 30
| (94-101) | (71-76) | (22.0-24.0) | (30-31)
----------------+-----------+---------+-------------+---------
_Specimens examined._--Total number, 32 (21 males, 11 females), as
follows: Palau Islands, USNM--Koror, 6 (Nov. 5, 18)--Garakayo, 3
(Sept. 18)--Peleliu, 5 (Aug. 29, 30, Sept. 1, 6)--Ngabad, 2 (Sept.
11); AMNH--exact locality not given, 16 (Oct. 8, 13, 26, Nov. 11,
13, 17, 19, 21, 23, Dec. 9).
_Molt._--The molting process in this species seemingly takes place
from August until December. Most of the birds taken by the NAMRU2
party in August and September were in molt. Molting specimens were
obtained by Coultas in October, November and December.
_Food habits._--The Palau Morning Bird feeds on plant and animal
materials. Stomachs obtained by the NAMRU2 party contained green
plant material, seeds, insect parts, and grit. The bird feeds
principally on the ground or in low bushes.
_Remarks._--The Palau Morning Bird is a thrushlike bird which spends its
time on or near the ground in areas where ground cover is thick. In
1945, the NAMRU2 party found the bird in the thick matting of vines
which had covered over the battle-cleared areas. I did not find the bird
at elevations of more than three to four feet above the ground. When
flushed, it would flutter a short distance and disappear into the brush.
It has a sweet song and may be considered as one of the finest singers
in Micronesia. It heralds the break of day with its melodious carol, and
its name is derived from its calling early in the morning. I heard the
bird only infrequently in the hot part of the day, although it would
sing when the skies were overcast. Its song could be heard also as
evening approached. The bird is moderately common, and evidently is more
abundant on the smaller islands than on Peleliu. Its occurrence on the
smaller islands was noted also by Coultas.
The taxonomic status of the Palau Morning Bird has been one of
uncertainty as shown by the fact that the bird has been treated under
six generic names since its discovery by Captain Tetens. Mayr (1933a:5)
erected a new genus, _Malacolestes_, for the morning bird pointing to
its differences from "_Rhectes_ (= _Pitohui_) and _Pinarolestes_ (=
_Myiolestes_)." Later, he (1944b:5) disregards this name and places the
bird in the genus _Colluricincla_ stating that its special characters
"are due to isolation." This treatment is followed here. The Palau
Morning Bird is the most northern representative of a group of birds
which have their center of dispersal in the New Guinea and Australian
area. As Mayr has pointed out, _C. tenebrosus_ appears closest to the
_C. megarhynchus_ group of New Guinea. These species have bills of
similar shape, coloration which is darker above and lighter below, soft
feathers on underparts, and streaked appearance of throat and breast.
The resemblances between _C. tenebrosus_ and _C. megarhynchus_ might be
such as to indicate that these are merely subspecifically distinct from
each other.
=Artamus leucorhynchus pelewensis= Finsch