Turdus philippensis Gmelin, Syst. Nat. (1788), 1, 814 (not of
Müller, 1776, nor of Boddaert, 1783).
Philedon gularis "Cuvier," Pucheran, Arch. du
Mus. d'Hist. Nat. [Paris], (1855), 7, 344, pl. 18.
Iole philippensis Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit Mus. (1881), 6,
58; Hand-List (1901), 3, 313 (part); Grant and Whitehead, Ibis
(1898), 238 (eggs); Whitehead, Ibis (1899), 215; Oates and Reid,
Cat. Birds' Eggs (1903), 3, 307; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List
(1906), 79.
Tug-bi-á, Bohol; pa-nu-cá, Lubang; tam-si, Manila.
Banton (Celestino); Bohol (Steere Exp., McGregor); Cebu (Meyer,
Murray, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Leyte
(Everett, Steere Exp.); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Kittlitz, Meyer,
Möllendorff, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Whitehead,
McGregor); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Mindanao (Everett, Koch &
Schadenberg, Goodfellow); Panaon (Everett); Samar (Steere Exp.,
Bourns & Worcester).
Adult.--Similar to Iole rufigularis, but smaller, and easily recognized
by the more rufescent chin and throat and the very distinct white,
or whitish, shaft-lines on these parts. The sexes are similar in
colors. Extreme and average measurements of ten males from Mariveles,
Bataan Province, Luzon, are as follows: Wing, 96 to 104 (100); tail,
88 to 90 (89); exposed culmen, 20 to 22 (20.5); bill from nostril,
15 to 16 (15.5); tarsus, 18 to 21 (20). Ten females from the same
locality measure: Wing, 91 to 100 (94); tail, 81 to 89 (85); exposed
culmen, 19 to 22 (19.5); bill from nostril, 15 to 16 (15.5); tarsus,
19 to 22 (20).
"Found about fruit trees in the forest, but more abundant in the open
country, so far as our observation goes. Masbate birds are larger than
those from the other islands, as the following measurements will show.
"Six males from Masbate average: Length, 229; wing, 106; tail, 92;
culmen, 46; tarsus, 19; middle toe with claw, 23. Six females, length,
226; wing, 99; tail, 88; culmen, 27; tarsus, 18.5; middle toe with
claw, 21. [The Masbate bulbul is I. guimarasensis].
"Four males from Cebu, length, 219; wing, 100; tail, 90; culmen, 51;
tarsus, 18; middle toe with claw, 21. Four females from the same place,
length, 205; wing, 94; tail, 83; culmen, 25; tarsus, 18; middle toe
with claw, 21.
"Iris chocolate-brown; legs, feet, and nails dark brown; bill black,
lower mandible sometimes dark brown." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Two eggs of the Philippine bulbul collected by Whitehead at
Cape Engaño, Luzon, in May, 1895, are described thus: "Shape
ovate. Ground-color pure white, thickly speckled all over with brown,
lake, and pale violet under-markings. Measurements 29 mm. by 20
mm. The nest which is constructed of fine roots, like that of other
bulbuls, was placed in a bush in the vicinity of the forest." (Grant
and Whitehead.)