Oriolus steerii (not of Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus.) Sharpe,
Trans. Linn. Soc. 2d. ser. Zool. November (1877), 1,
329 (description of adult male from Basilan); Tweeddale,
Proc. Zool. Soc. (1879), 71 (Basilan); Worcester and Bourns,
Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. (1898), 20, 558, no. 302 (Basilan and
Mindanao); McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 106 (Basilan
and Mindanao).
Oriolus basilanicus Grant, Ibis (1896), 532; Ibis (1906), 471.
Oriolus steerei McGregor, Phil. Jour. Sci. (1907), 2, sec. A,
290 (Basilan).
Basilan (Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester,
McGregor); Mindanao (Platen, Bourns & Worcester).
Adult.--Similar to Oriolus steeri of Negros from which it differs in
having the lores, chin, throat, and chest lighter gray and the black
stripes of lower breast and abdomen narrower; inner webs of quills
edged with pale yellow instead of with white; the yellow spots on
inner webs of rectrices much smaller. Iris red; bill reddish brown;
feet dark plumbeous. A male measures: Length, 200; wing, 111; tail,
69; culmen from base, 22.5; bill from nostril, 16; tarsus, 21. A
female measures: Length, 195; wing, 106; tail, 68; culmen from base,
22; bill from nostril, 16; tarsus, 20.
Young.--Like the adult but chin, throat, and chest white, streaked
with gray or black. Iris gray with very little mixture of red; bill
dark brown.
"Had we known the habits of the orioles of this type as well at the
beginning of our trip as we did at its close, we should doubtless
have done more than we did to extend their known distribution within
the Philippines. The peculiar note which they utter at frequent
intervals when feeding is absolutely unmistakable, and can be heard
for a considerable distance. They feed for the most part in the tops
of high trees, seldom coming down into the second growth. They can,
however, be readily called by imitating their note.
"Eleven males average: Length, 192; wing, 111; tail, 71; culmen,
23.8; tarsus, 21; middle toe with claw, 23. Five females, length, 182;
wing, 105; tail, 71; culmen, 23.6; tarsus, 20; middle toe with claw,
22. Iris varies from gray to brown and red; legs and feet dark drab,
nails black; bill light reddish brown." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)