Dicrurus mirabilis Walden and Layard, Ibis (1872), 103, pl. 5;
Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1877), 3, 231; Whitehead, Ibis
(1899), 101 (voice); McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 107.
Ca-uac-uac, Ticao.
Bantayan (McGregor); Cebu (Everett, McGregor); Guimaras (Steere
Exp.); Masbate (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros
(Layard, Meyer, Steere, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester,
Whitehead, Celestino); Panay (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester);
Ticao (McGregor).
Adult (sexes alike).--Black, glossed with steel-green like
D. balicassius, but lower breast, abdomen, and crissum pure white. A
male from Ticao Island measures: Length, 280; wing, 142; tail, 121;
bill from nostril, 23; depth of bill at nostril, 11.5; tarsus, 13. A
female from the same island, wing, 137; tail, 120; bill from nostril,
21; depth of bill at nostril, 11; tarsus, 24.
"Bourns thought that he saw an individual of this species in Siquijor
on one occasion, but he failed to secure it, and it was not again met
with in the island. If it occurs there, it must be very rare. It is
rather more shy than the other Philippine representatives of the genus.
"Four males from Cebu average: Length, 260; wing, 137; tail, 117;
culmen, 33; tarsus, 23; middle toe with claw, 25. Five females,
length, 260; wing, 137; tail, 119; culmen, 33; tarsus, 23; middle
toe with claw, 25. Specimens from other localities agree closely in
dimensions with the above. Bill, legs, feet, and nails black. Food
insects. Breeding in June and July." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Genus CHIBIA Hodgson, 1836.
Tail deeply forked, outermost pair of rectrices with the tips curved
upward and more or less rotated. Plumage entirely black, glossed
with green and blue; back velvety black with little or no blue gloss;
breast black, spangled with glossy steel-green.
Species.
a1. Tail shorter than wing.
b1. Tips of outer rectrices less recurved.
c1. Smaller; wing, about 135 mm. ... palawanensis (p. 706)
c2. Larger; wing, about 150 mm.
d1. Bill larger. ... cuyensis (p. 706)
d2. Bill smaller. ... borneensis (p. 707)
b2. Tips of outer rectrices more recurved; wing, 150
mm. ... worcesteri (p. 707)
a2. Tail much longer than wing; outermost rectrices longer than the
next pair by about twice the tarsus. ... menagei (p. 708)