MER.TJ.LA n i g r o r u m .
MERIJLA NIGRORUM (Ogilvie Grant).
NEGROS-ISLAND OITZEL.
Turdus nigrorvm, Ogilvie Grant, Ibis, 1896, p. 644; id. & Whitehead, Ibis, 1898, p. 288,
pi. v. , figs. 8, 9.
M. brunnea : rostro et pedibus flavis : plaga crissali alb a: tibiis et subcaudalibus nigricanti-brunneis, his anguste
albido fasciatim terminatis..
T h i s species has no very close ally. I t is a brown-coloured Ouzel and appertains more to the
American group of the genus Merula, such as M. nigrescens and M. fuscatra, the species which
it most resembles in the Old World being apparently M. samoensis.
I t is confined to the high mountains of the Island of Negros in the Philippines. Here it was
discovered by Mr. John Whitehead on the volcano of Canloon, at a height of 6000 feet, and both
eggs and young birds were obtained by the explorer. At an altitude of 6600 feet on the
above-mentioned mountain Mr. Whitehead found a nest on the 12th of April, 1896, which contained
two eggs, much incubated. On the 21st of April he found a second nest with two young birds,
from which it may be concluded that no more than two eggs are laid by this species. The nest was
built about twelve feet from the ground in a prickly creeping plant, called “ Pandan ” by the Malays
(of. Grant & Whitehead, I. c.). Mr. Whitehead (Ibis, 1899, p. 213) says that the species was not
uncommon' on Mt. Canloon at the above elevation.
The two eggs obtained by Mr. Whitehead have a pale green-coloured ground, over which is
distributed a close mottling of light cinnamon-rufous, which forms more distinct blotches on one
egg than on the other. The underlying spots are pale reddish-brown, but are so thickly intermingled
with the rufous ones that no pronounced difference can be detected. Axis 1*2 inch, diam. 0'8—0‘9.
Adult male. General colour above dark chocolate-brown, the head scarcely darker than the
back; lesser wing-coverts like the back; median and greater coverts black, as also the quills and
tail-feathers; sides of face dark brown; throat and under surface of body light chocolate-brown,
becoming a little more ashy on the breast and abdomen, which have indistinct dusky shaft-lines on
the feathers; vent white; under tail-coverts blackish-brown, narrowly edged with ashy-white at
the ends; under wing-coverts and axillaries dark ashy-brown; lower primary-coverts and quills
below blackish: “ bill bright yellow; feet yellow; iris dark brown; orbital skin bright sulphur-
yellow ” (J. Whitehead). Total length 9 inches, culmen 0*9, wing 4*9, tail 3-5, tarsus 1*35.
Adult female. Similar to the male. Total length 9 inches, culmen 0*9, wing 4*75, tail 3'5,
tarsus 1*4.
Young. Similar to the adults on the upper surface, but rather browner; under surface of body
rufous, dusky on the throat, the rufous feathers of the breast and abdomen having blackish bars at
the ends, producing a spotted appearance; vent white, as in the adults; under tail-coverts with
mesial streaks and tips of white or buff; thighs and lower flanks dark brown.
The descriptions and the figures in the Plate are taken from the typical specimens in the
British Museum. pR g g j
K 2