Mulleripicus fuliginosus Tweeddale, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (1877),
20, 534; Proc. Zool. Soc. (1877), 821, pl. 83.
Microstictus fuliginosus Hargitt, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1890),
18, 492; Grant, Ibis (1897), 246; Sharpe, Hand-List (1900), 2,
230; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 66.
Leyte (Whitehead); Mindanao (Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns &
Worcester, Celestino); Samar (Steere Exp., Whitehead).
"Adult male (type of species).--Plumage slaty gray, the whole of
the body, wings, and tail uniform, the head (except the loral and
orbital region) and neck spotted with white, the spots on the top
of the head and on the nape having a striped character, those on
the chin and throat larger and more or less triangular in shape; a
large patch of brilliant scarlet covers the entire malar region and
extends upwards nearly to the eye; shafts of the quills and of the
tail-feathers dusky black. 'Iris naples-yellow.' (Everett.) Length,
305; culmen, 41; wing, 160; tail, 110; tarsus, 30." (Hargitt.)
"Adult female.--Closely resembles the female of M. funebris, but may
be distinguished by the general color of the plumage being grayer;
the ground-color of the chin and throat gray like the cheeks, and
the white dots distinctly larger. In the female of M. funebris the
chin and throat are brownish gray, and contrast with the blackish
gray cheeks. Length, 269; culmen, 37; wing, 147; tail, 104; tarsus,
28." (Grant.)
Genus MULLERIPICUS Bonaparte, 1854.
Of large size; bill very powerful; proximal half of culmen curved,
distal half straight; nostrils large, oval, and covered by feathers;
nasal ridge prominent; feathers of head short; no crest.