Siphia platenæ Blasius, Ornis (1888), 308.
Siphia erithacus (not of Blyth), Sharpe, Ibis (1888), 199, pl. 4,
fig. 2.
Cyornis erithaca Sharpe, Hand-List (1901), 3, 217; McGregor and
Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 72.
Cyornis paraguæ McGregor, Condor (1906), 8, 29.
Cyornis platenæ McGregor, Condor (1907), 9, 162.
Palawan (Lempriere, Whitehead, Platen, Bourns & Worcester).
"Adult male.--General color above rufous-brown, with a slight
olivaceous tinge; lesser wing-coverts like the back; median coverts,
greater coverts, alula, primary-coverts, and quills blackish brown,
more or less broadly edged with the same color as the back, a little
more rufous on the latter; upper tail-coverts and tail-feathers bright
chestnut; crown of head like the back slightly washed with olive;
lores ashy gray; feathers round the eye dusky; ear-coverts olive-brown,
washed with tawny; cheeks, throat, and chest orange-rufous; breast and
abdomen pure white, as well as the sides of body and flanks; thighs
dusky brown; under tail-coverts pale tawny-rufous; under wing-coverts
and axillars white; quills below dusky, whitish along their inner
edge. Length, 107; culmen, 14; wing, 57; tail, 38; tarsus, 18.
"Adult female.--Similar to the male, but with the lores more
tawny. Length, 107; culmen, 13; wing, 57; tail, 38; tarsus,
7." (Sharpe.)
"Quite rare in the ground collected in by us. Found in thickets in the
jungle or forest, and always near the ground. A male measures: Length,
117; wing, 60; tail, 40; culmen, 14; tarsus, 20; middle toe with
claw, 19. Two females, length, 111; wing, 57; tail, 39; culmen, 14;
tarsus, 19; middle toe with claw, 17. Iris nearly black; legs, feet,
and nails light slate-color; bill black." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Genus MUSCICAPULA Blyth, 1843.
Bill somewhat flattened basally and compressed near the tip; culmen
with a decided ridge; rictal bristles moderately developed; wing rather
long; first primary equal to about one-half of second; tarsus slender
and equal to twice the bill from nostril; length of bird from 100 to
125 mm. This genus is a large group of small flycatchers, the members
of which present three distinct types of coloration.
Species.
a1. A conspicuous white patch on wing; upper parts black; lower parts
white (male) ... westermanni (p. 442)
a2. No white wing-patch.
b1. Above smoky slate-gray (males).
c1. Under parts largely orange-buff.
d1. Chin, throat, and breast orange-buff; abdomen white.
e1. White eye-brow stripe about 10 mm. in length
... luzoniensis (p. 443)
e2. White eye-brow stripe reduced to a small patch
... montigena (p. 444)
d2. Chin pure white; throat and breast rich orange-buff
... nigrorum (p. 443)
c2. Under parts mostly white; breast and flanks washed with
slate-gray.
d1. Head lighter; tail darker; superciliary stripe
smaller. ... basilanica (p. 444)
d2. Head darker; tail lighter; superciliary stripe
larger. ... samarensis (p. 445)
b2. Above gray, washed with olive-brown; rump and tail washed with
reddish brown (females).