5. _Zosterops basilanica_ Steere. Basilan, Bongao, Dinagat, Leyte,
Mindanao, Papahag, Samar, Jolo, Tawi Tawi.
I have given the new form, which is named in honour of Governor W.
Cameron Forbes, specific rank because in an enormous genus, largely
composed of island forms, like Zosterops, I do not know where to draw
the line between species and subspecies and much prefer leaving the
question to be decided by some future reviewer of the genus.
_Zosterops meyleri_ McGregor also of Camiguin Island, is a small
species with _wholly_ yellow under parts, belonging in a different
group of the genus.
ORIOLUS XANTHONOTUS PERSUASUS, subsp. nov.
Four adults, both sexes, Palawan, August.
TYPE.--M. C. Z. 64,180 adult [Male], Puerto Princesa, Palawan Island,
14 August, 1913. W. Cameron Forbes.
CHARACTERS.--Similar to _O. xanthonotus xanthonotus_ Horsfield of
Java, but larger with longer tail. Adult [Male] differing in color in
much more heavily striped under parts and in the black of chest
extending farther backward to include the upper breast; and much less
sharply defined posteriorly against the white under parts; back more
greenish yellow; yellow spot on outer tail feather large. The adult
[Female] besides differing, as does the [Male], in heavier stripes
below etc., has the whole pileum, occiput, upper neck, and sides of
neck heavily streaked black and olive-green, and the throat and chest
dull gray with whitish streaks. (A [Female] probably an older bird in
the U. S. N. M. has the head neutral gray with an olive wash, very
conspicuously streaked with black, the black streaks extending as in
the others right to base of bill).