On Collections of Birds from Kina Balu Mountain in North-Western Borneo
Senior Assistant, Department of Zoology, British Museum.
PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1879. Part II.
[Received February 14, 1879.]
The great mountain of Kina Balu has always been a locality of interest to the student of Bornean ornithology; but I am not aware that any notes on the natural history of this part of northern Borneo have ever been published. It gives me great pleasure, therefore, to give a list of the specimens obtained by Mr. Treacher’s collectors,1 and of a few others submitted to me by Mr. Burbidge, and obtained during his recent expedition to this mountain. The latter gentleman is well known from his successful botanical researches on Kina Balu; and I shall shortly lay before the Society an account of some of his ornithological discoveries in the Sulu archipelago.
The present collection, though small, is of some importance; and the character of some of the birds seems to show that the mountains of Borneo, when thoroughly explored, will produce many species akin to those found in the mountains of Java, Sumatra, and even of the Himalayas.
1. Butastur indicus.
Butastur indicus (Gm.), Sharpe, Cat. B. i. p. 297.
Poliornis indica (Gm.), Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 9.
A specimen in nearly full plumage, collected by Mr. Burbidge.
2. Bubo orientalis.
Bubo orientalis (Horsf.), Sharpe, Cat. B. ii. p. 39.
B. sumatranus (Raffl.), Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 19.
A fine adult specimen in Mr. Treacher’s collection, agreeing with the diagnosis given by me (l.c.), and measuring 13 inches in the wing.
3. Megalæma versicolor.
Megalæma versicolor (Raffl.), Marsh. Mon. Capit. pl. 22.
Chotorea versicolor, Salvad. tom. cit. p. 33.
Three adult specimens, obtained by M. Burbidge.
4. Rhopodytes erythrognathus.
Rhopodytes erythrognathus (Hartl.), Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 604.
Rhamphococcyx erythrognathus (Hartl.), Salvad. tom. cit. p. 74.
A specimen in Mr. Treacher’s collection, having the two centre tail-feathers rufous at their ends.
5. Halcyon chloris.
Halcyon chloris (Bodd.), Sharpe, Monogr. Alced. pl. 87.
Sauropatis chloris (Bodd.), Salvad. tom. cit. p. 103.
One specimen, sent by Mr. Treacher.
6. Dendrochelidon longipennis.
Dendrochelidon longipennis (Rafin.), Salvad. tom. cit. p. 122.
One specimen, collected by Mr. Burbidge.
7. Corone tenuirostris.
Corone tenuirostris, Moore, Cat. B. Mus. E. I. Co. ii. p. 558.
Corvus tenuirostris, Tweedd. Ibis, 1877, p. 320.
One specimen, in Mr. Treacher’s collection.
The constant character of the long thin bill in specimens from N.W. Borneo impresses me with the idea that Lord Tweeddale is right in keeping C. tenuirostris distinct from C. enca, with which I united it in my “Catalogue of Birds” (vol. iii. p. 43).
8. Dicrurus annectens.
Dicrurus annectens, Hodgs.; Sharpe, Cat. B. iii. p. 231; id. Ibis, 1878, p. 414.
The first occurrence of this species in Borneo was recorded by me in my list of Governor Ussher’s Sarawak collection; but it cannot be uncommon in North-western Borneo, to judge from numerous specimens which have been sent from Labuan and from the opposite coast by Governor Ussher and Mr. Treacher. Two specimens are contained in the collection made on Kina Balu by Mr. Burbidge.
9. Chibia borneensis, sp. n.
C. similis C. pectorali, ex insulis Suluenisibus, sed plumis lanceolatis colli lateralis metallice chalybeo-viridibus nec purpurascentibus, et maculis jugularibus et præpectoralibus valde minoribus et conspicue metallicis chalybeo-viridibus distinguenda. Long. tot. 10, culm. 1·3, alæ 5·9, caudæ 4·5, tarsi 0·85.
An adult and young bird, in Mr. Treacher’s collection.
This is an interesting addition to the avifauna of Borneo, and seems to indicate an entirely new species. It bears considerable resemblance to C. bimaensis of Timor and Lombock, but differs in having the long silky plumes on each side of the lower back black instead of greyish white; while the Timor bird has not, like C. borneensis, any long hair-like plumes on the head. On the other hand the latter character allies it to C. pectoralis of the Sulu Islands; but it may be recognised on comparison by the much smaller and more metallic spots on the throat and fore neck, which are steel-green, as also are the neck-hackles. In C. pectoralis the spangles are large, dull, and incline to purplish in tint. This species appears to me to be a thorough Chibia, and I do not at present see how naturalists can avoid recognizing the existence of Chibia in the Malay archipelago; nor do I understand how the Indian and Malayan species are to be separated, when such a perfect gradation is now offered by C. borneensis and C. pectoralis. Under these circumstances I believe that Salvadori’s genus Dicruropsis, which I was lately inclined to admit (Mittheil. k. zool. Mus. Dresd. iii. p. 360), cannot be sustained; and I therefore revert to my old opinion concerning these birds (Cat. B. iii. p. 234). I have given this species the name of borneensis to celebrate the addition of a Chibia to the avifauna of Borneo. Mr. Treacher has also procured a single specimen of it on the Lawas river.
The young bird from Kina Balu differs from the adult in being duller black, with fewer and less metallic chest-spots and hackles.
10. Buchanga stigmatops, sp. n.
B. similis B. leucophææ, sed macula lorali alba magna distinguenda. Long. tot. 10, culm. 0·9, alæ 5·3, caudæ 5·1, tarsi 0·7.
The presence of white on the facial region of a species of grey Buchanga would seem to ally it at once to B. leucogenys. In the Bornean bird, however, of which I have three specimens before me, the white is confined to a large loral spot in front of the eye, whereas in B. leucogenys the eyebrow and ear-coverts, as well as the feathers below the eye, are also white or whitish. The new species is also of the same dark grey as B. leucophæa (B. cineracea of my Catalogue, iii. p. 250), and not of the light pearly grey which is another character of B. leucogenys. One specimen was contained in Mr. Burbidge’s collection, and two in Mr. Treacher’s.
11. Pericrocotus igneus.
Pericrocotus igneus, Blyth; Salvad. tom. cit. p. 144; Sharpe, Cat. B. iv. p. 78.
An adult male, in Mr. Burbidge’s collection.
12. Trachycomus ochrocephalus.
Trachycomus ochrocephalus (Gm.), Salvad. tom. cit. p. 197.
One specimen, in Mr. Burbidge’s collection.
13. Rubigula montis, sp. n.
R. similis R. flaviventri, sed multa minor et gula flava nec nigra distinguenda. Long. tota 5·7, culminis 0·5, alæ 3·1, caudæ 2·8, tarsi 0·7.
General colour above olive-yellowish, the wing-coverts like the back; quills and tail dull blackish brown, externally washed with olive-yellow like the back, the greater coverts also brown washed with olive-yellow; tail-feathers paler brown at the tip of the inner web; head crested, black, as also the sides of the face, ear-coverts, and cheeks; entire under surface of body yellow, slightly more olive-green on the sides; under wing-coverts yellow, the longer ones white washed with yellow; quills sepia-brown below, white along the edge of the inner webs.
This species is almost exactly the same as Rubigula atricapilla of Ceylon, but has not the white tips to the tail-feathers, while its long crest distinguishes it from the Ceylonese species, which is not crested. In the form of the crest and in general appearance it is almost precisely similar to R. flaviventris of Pegu and Tenasserim, but is smaller, and has the throat yellow like the rest of the under surface. The single specimen obtained was in Mr. Treacher’s collection.
14. Criniger ruficrissus, sp. n.
C. similis C. gutturali, sed supra ubique sordidior, supracaudalibus caudaque saturate rufescenti-brunneis; loris et regione oculari cum genis et regione parotica sordide cinereis, gula alba, corpore reliquo subtus sordide olivascente, sub caudalibus castaneis. Long. tot. 8, culm. 0·85, alæ 4·0, caudæ 4·0, tarsi 0·7.
This species is not very different from C. gutturalis, but differs in its much darker coloration, especially on its under surface, which is dull olivaceous, with a white throat and chestnut-red under tail-coverts. There is an entire absence of the pale-brown colour of the breast washed with yellow, and of the light yellow abdomen and pale fawn-coloured under tail-coverts. The crest is very long in C. ruficrissus, and extends nearly to the mantle.
15. Ianthocincla treacheri, sp. n.
I. similis I. mitratæ (S. Müll.), ex Sumatra, sed genis, mento et regione parotica sicut caput castaneis facile distinguenda. Long. tota 10, culminis 0·85, alæ 4·15, caudæ 4·5, tarsi 1·5.
Adult. General colour above dark ashy grey, with a very slight shade of ochraceous under certain lights; the wing-coverts slightly more bluish grey than the back: quills blackish, externally bluish grey, the primaries white along the basal part of the outer web, giving the wing a conspicuous white outer aspect; tail-feathers dark slaty grey, shading into blackish at the end of the feathers; entire crown and nape, as well as the sides of face, ear-coverts, and fore part of cheeks deep chestnut-red, the under cheek-feathers slightly tipped with ochraceous; frontal plumes with lanceolate tips of light ashy grey or hoary whitish; under surface of body dull ochraceous brown, with lighter shaft-lines of pale ochraceous, imparting a striped appearance to the throat and breast; the sides of the body more ashy grey; chin chestnut, like the sides of the face; thighs dark grey, with a few chestnut feathers near the tarsal bend; under tail-coverts chestnut; under wing-coverts ashy grey, slightly marked with ochraceous; quills sepia-brown below, paler along the edge of the inner web.
Four specimens are sent by Mr. Treacher, all adult, and exactly similar in plumage. On comparing them with Sumatran specimens of I. mitrata, a very marked difference presents itself, which shows that the Kina Balu bird belongs to a new species. Although similar to I. mitrata in its general coloration and white-edged quills, it is distinguished at once by its chestnut ear-coverts, while the chin and fore part of the cheeks are also chestnut.
16. Turdus pallens.
Turdus pallens, Pall.; Salvad. tom. cit. p. 256.
An adult specimen, sent by Mr. Treacher.
17. Monticola solitarius.
Monticola solitarius (P. L. S. Müll.), Walden, Tr. Z. S. ix. p. 192.
A specimen sent by Mr. Treacher.
This is the second occurrence of the bird in Borneo, the first having been recorded by me under the name of Monticola pandoo (Ibis, 1877, p. 13), from Mr. Alfred Everett’s Bintulu collection. Mr. Treacher’s specimen is in full blue-and-red plumage, with the usual margins to the feathers found in the winter dress.
For permission to use the foregoing Papers, I am under obligations to James Britten, Esq., Editor of the Journal of Botany, and to P. L. Sclater, Esq., Secretary of the Royal Zoological Society of London.
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Notes
1 These collectors accompanied Mr. Peter Veitch and myself during the first expedition to Kina Balu, undertaken in November and December, 1877. The specimens collected by them were obtained along the route from Gaya Bay to the village of Kiau (alt. 3,000 feet). They did not ascend the mountain itself, but collected around Kiau until our return.—F. W. B.