Trichostoma rufifrons Tweeddale, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1878), 616,
pl. 38 (Trichostomus on plate).
Turdinus rufifrons Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1883), 7,
546; Hand-List (1903), 4, 33; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List
(1906), 81.
Balabac (Everett); Palawan (Everett, Whitehead, Platen, Steere
Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino).
Adult.--Above fulvous-brown, the feathers of head more rufous and
with dark shafts and tips; back more ashy, rump more rufous; lores,
line under eye, and line over eye to occiput ashy gray; cheeks and
ear-coverts fulvous; under parts white; chin and throat with a few
dusky shaft-lines; fore breast, sides of breast, and under tail-coverts
washed with ocherous; flanks and thighs light brown; wings brown,
edges of primaries and secondaries lighter and slightly olivaceous;
rectrices bark-brown, the edges rusty brown. Length, 185 to 200. A
male from Palawan measures: Wing, 86; tail, 81; culmen from base,
23; bill from nostril, 14; tarsus, 25. A female, wing, 82; tail, 73;
culmen from base, 20; bill from nostril, 12; tarsus, 24.
"Common in the deep woods of Palawan, where it is found in the tops of
low trees and in tangled vines. It hides cleverly and is difficult to
see. It is a great whistler, and can be readily called up by imitating
its note.
"Six males average: Length, 204; wing, 85; tail, 78; culmen, 23;
tarsus, 24; middle toe with claw, 24. Four females, length, 191; wing,
82; tail, 64; culmen, 21; tarsus, 24; middle toe with claw, 23. Iris
pale straw-color; legs and feet light slate; nails lighter than feet,
their tips white; upper mandible black, lower light slate." (Bourns
and Worcester MS.)
Genus PTILOCICHLA Sharpe, 1877.
Bill moderate in size; culmen from base contained one and one-half
times in tarsus; no bristles anywhere about the mouth; wings rounded
and short; tarsus and feet stout, the outstretched toes extending to,
or beyond, the end of tail; plumage lax and decomposed; feathers
of the back long and overhanging the rump. Chin and throat white;
breast and abdomen streaked with white.
Species.
a1. Back blackish brown; larger; wing, about 80 mm.; tail,
60. ... falcata (p. 522)
a2. Back reddish brown; smaller.
b1. Shaft-lines on upper parts less prominent; wing, about 75 mm.;
tail, 50.
c1. Above slightly darker and more reddish brown. ... mindanensis
(p. 523)
c2. Above lighter and slightly olivaceous. ... basilanica (p. 523)
b2. Shaft-lines on upper parts more prominent; wing, about 70 mm.;
tail, 42. ... minuta (p. 524)