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Show ISi7. ] THE ORNITHOLOGY OF THE PHILIPPINES. 769 73. BUTORIDES JAVANICA (197). [Cebu., March. Iris golden yellow, orbital and loral regions light gr~en. bIll black, hase of mandible yellowish, legs and feet dull green, naIls grey-black.] 74. NYCTICORAX MANILT.ENSIS (198) . . [Zebu, male, May. Iris golden-yellow, bill brown, mandible dIrty yellow, legs li~ht greenish-yellow, nails grey.] . The male of whICh the ~of~ parts are described above is a young bud. Above the plumage IS rich dark brown each feather centred for its entire length (as on the neck) or for its t~rminal half (as on the back) with clear ferruginous. Underneath the plumage has the same character; but the ferruginous colour is diluted, and on the breast tawny. The quills are of the same rich dark chestnut-colour that prevails ill the adult. Chin and throat pure white. The crown of the head is like the neck, and not black as in the adult. Many of the frontal and coronal feathers have prolonged. twisted or partly curled terminal uaked shafts of a yellowish albescent colour and over half an inch in length. This occurs in two specimens. An example (without a label) in almost full dress, has the forehead, crown, and occipital crest black. The remainder of the upper plumage and the exposed surfaces of the wings are rich dark chestnut- mfous, darkest on the interscapular region. The chin and throat pure white, with a few feathers tipped and centred brown. The sides of the head, the sides and front of the neck, upper breast, and flanks pale rufous tawny with broad ruddy-brown margins. Lower breast and abdomen white and tawny-white with the brown margins narrower. Under tail-coverts white, some blotched with creamy rufous. Long axillaries pale pure rufous. Carpal edge pure white. Culmen 2'S7 inches, tarsus 3'75, wing 12'75. The long, pendent, white nuchal plumes are absent, the black tips of which are said to be one of the characters which differentiate N. manillensis from N. caledonicus. The differences between the two species are otherwise well marked; but Professor Schlegel's opinion that N. manillensis = N. crassirostris, ex Bonin Ins., requires confirmation. The bill ofthis Philippine example is thicker than in N. caledoniclls, (ad. ex Port Albany), measuring in altitude 1 inch as against 0'75. 75. DENDROCYGNA VAGANS (203). [Cebu, male, March. Iris dark brown, bil~ shining black, legs and feet dark slate-grey. b. Cebu, male, Apnl.] The example shot in March is in almost full plumage, the secondaries being well developed. Most of the breast-feathe~s have. on.e or two pairs of br?wn spots. The s~cond example, shot In Apnl, IS of smaller dimenSIOns, the secondanes shortened, the breast-plumage uniform. |