Corvus philippinus Bonaparte, Compt. Rend. (1853), 37, 830;
Grant and Whitehead, Ibis (1898), 234 (eggs); Whitehead, Ibis
(1899), 100 (habits).
Corone philippina Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1877), 3, 42;
McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 110.
Wak, in general use.
Babuyan Claro (McGregor); Bantayan (McGregor); Basilan (Steere
Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Bohol (Everett, McGregor);
Bongao (Bartsch); Cagayancillo (McGregor); Calayan (McGregor);
Caluya (Porter); Camiguin S. (Murray); Catanduanes (Whitehead);
Cebu (Everett, Bourns & Worcester, Everett); Fuga (McGregor);
Guimaras (Meyer, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Libagao
(Porter); Lubang (McGregor); Luzon (Cuming, Meyer, Everett,
Whitehead, Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Maestre de Campo
(McGregor & Worcester); Marinduque (Steere Exp.); Masbate
(McGregor); Mindanao (Murray, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns &
Worcester); Mindoro (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, McGregor);
Negros (Meyer, Everett, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester,
Whitehead); Palawan (Everett); [107] Panaon (Everett); Panay
(Murray, Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester); Polillo (McGregor);
Romblon (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Samar (Steere Exp., Bourns
& Worcester); Semirara (Worcester); Sibay (McGregor & Worcester);
Sibutu (Everett); Sibuyan (Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Siquijor
(Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester, Celestino); Sulu (Guillemard,
Bourns & Worcester); Tablas (Bourns & Worcester); Tawi Tawi
(Bourns & Worcester); Ticao (McGregor); Verde (McGregor).
Adult.--Entirely black, the feathers white basally; feathers, of neck
at least, more white than black; upper parts including greater part of
wing glossed with purple; alula and primary-coverts glossed with dark
green; two outer primaries without gloss; under parts with a slight
bluish gloss. Length, about 500 mm. A male from Siquijor measures:
Wing, 325; tail, 230; culmen from base, 65; bill from nostril, 47;
tarsus, 52. A female from Bohol, wing, 300; tail, 220; culmen from
base, 60; bill from nostril, 41; tarsus, 48.
Three eggs of the Philippine crow collected by Steere in Marinduque,
May, 1888, are thus described: "Shape ovate. Ground-color pale
sea-green, thickly mottled all over, especially towards the larger
end, with olive-brown; under-markings faint gray. Measurements 43
mm. by 28 mm. The nest is a loosely constructed platform of fiber,
mixed with a few rootlets, etc." (Grant and Whitehead.)
"The Philippine crow is very common throughout the Islands, except in
the Palawan group, where it is lacking. It picks into young coconuts,
steals young pigeons, and even comes into the kitchens of the native
houses to steal. As a natural consequence, the bird is thoroughly
detested. Two males measure: Length, 546; wing, 314; tail, 210; culmen,
59; tarsus, 54; middle toe with claw, 52." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
Genus CORVUS Linnæus, 1758.
First primary decidedly shorter than the outer secondaries, the latter
longer than any of the interior ones; tail very slightly rounded and
shorter than the longest secondary.
Species.
a1. Larger; wing, about 250 mm.; tail, 140; bill longer and more
slender. ... pusillus (p. 723)
a2. Smaller; wing, about 220 mm.; tail, 120; bill shorter and
stouter. ... samarensis (p. 724)