MERULA MIN DOR EN S I S , Ogilvie Grant.
MINDORO OUZEL.
Turdus mindormm, Ogilvie Grant, Ibis, 1896, p. 465; Whitehead, Ibis, 1899, p. 213.
M. rostro flavo: pedibus flavicanti-brumeis: pectore imo et abdomine albis: hypochondria vinaceo-castaneis:
tibiis fuscescenti-nigris : gutture et prsepectore griseis.
The Mindoro Ouzel is a very interesting species, exhibiting characters intermediate between the
chestnut-sided species of Ouzels of the Malayan Archipelago, such as Merula javanica, M. seebohmi,
&c., and the grey-throated section of Ouzels, such as M. canescens and M. pritzbuen.
Mr. John Whitehead, who discovered the species, w r i t e s “ This Blackbird is common on
Monte Dulungan in Mindoro, after an altitude of 4000 feet is passed, and is probably found as high
as 8000 feet, which is about the approximate height of this mountain. The highest point reached
by me was 6000 feet, where the species was still to he met with. I t frequented the thick dark
forest in this rainy region. At the time of our visit (November) many of the young were moulting
to their adult plumage. I have now met with Blackbirds in several tropical islands, but though the
species bear little resemblance to each other when adult, the habits of those species found in Java,
Borneo, and the Philippines differ little from those of our weE-known garden-friend.” (Ibis, 1899,
p. 213.)
Adult male. General colour above sooty-black, the wings and tail Eke the back; crown of head
dull ashy, a Ettle Hghter on the hind-neck and sides of free and neck; feathers below the eye dusky
grey; throat and chest rather lighter ashy-grey, the sides of the upper breast being sooty-blackish ;
upper breast and sides of the body dark vinous-chestnut; centre of breast and abdomen pure white ;
lower flanks blackish; thighs dark slaty-grey ; under tafr-coverts white, mottled with black margins
to the feathers, the lower feathers being black with broad white centres; under wmg-coverts and
axiEaries dark ashy: “ biE king’s yeEow; legs in front yeEowish brown, the back of the tarsus,
soles of the feet, and joint-scales bright yeEow; iris dark brown; orbital skm greenish-yellow
(J. Whitehead). Total length S'5 inches, culmen 0-9, wing 4'2, tail 3-5, tarsus 12.
Adult female. SimEar to the male, hut with the head less ashy and decidedly darker brown,
the ashy-grey of the throat and chest rather duEer in tint, as also is the chestnut colour of the
underparts, the white of the under tail-coverts being slightly tinged with rufous. Total length
8*5 inches, culmen 0*9, wing 4*1, tail 8*5, tarsus 1*2.
The descriptions and the figures in the Plate are taken from the typical specimens in the
British Museum. . ^