Sphenocercus formosæ McGregor, Bull. Philippine Mus. (1904), 4,
9; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 9.
Sphenocercus australis McGregor, Phil. Jour. Sci. (1907), 2,
sec. A, 344.
Pú-nay, Calayan; a-ri-da-uang', Batan.
Batan (McGregor); Calayan (McGregor); Camiguin N. (McGregor).
Adult male.--General color above olive-green, lighter and grayish on
neck and sides of neck; crown ochraceous-buff; lower parts uniform
green from chin to abdomen; middle of abdomen white, washed with pale
yellow; sides blue-gray; flanks and thighs dark olive-green, mixed
with fine lines of pale yellow; under tail-coverts pale yellowish
(the longest buffy), each with a wide, dark olive-green shaft-mark;
shoulders maroon connected by a maroon band across the back; primaries
and secondaries black; secondaries and greater coverts with narrow
margins of pale yellow; inner secondaries and tail dark green like
back; tail black below with a narrow gray tip. Bill light blue,
the tip whitish; skin about eye blue; inner ring of eye clear blue,
outer ring pink, a dusky intermediate ring; legs dull carmine, nails
pale blue. Length, about 355; three specimens measure: Wing, 188 to
197; tail, 125 to 130; exposed culmen, 19 to 20; tarsus, 24 to 27;
middle toe with claw, 38 to 40.
Adult female.--Differs from the male in lacking the ochraceous of
crown and the maroon of shoulders and back, the entire upper parts
being green. Three specimens measure: Wing, 185 to 189; tail, 118
to 125; culmen, 19 to 19.5; tarsus, 24 to 27; middle toe with claw,
35.5 to 37.5.
This species is closely related to Sphenocercus formosæ and specimens
of the two species should be compared. It is not uncommon in Calayan
and Camiguin. We were first led to search for it by hearing its
weird, prolonged cry which is remarkably like that of a child in
pain. Having located the tree in which one of these birds was resting
it was difficult to see the bird as its yellowish green under parts
were in perfect harmony with the color of the leafy branches.
Genus OSMOTRERON Bonaparte, 1854.
Length, 280 to 305 mm.; colors largely yellow or olive-green; primaries
black; secondaries and coverts with conspicuous yellow borders; tail
nearly square, moderate in length; under tail-coverts very long,
equaling or slightly exceeding rectrices; bill short and moderately
stout; feathers covering proximal tarsal joint.
Species.
a1. Tail green above.
b1. Smaller; green of neck and breast lighter and more tinged with
yellow. ... axillaris (p. 27)
b2. Larger; green of neck and breast darker ... everetti (p. 28)
a2. Tail bluish slate above with a subterminal black bar ... vernans
(p. 28)