Birds from North Borneo Part 4

This species was seen twice, both times in the research station cocoa plantings. The specimen taken was from a shade tree, _Trema orientalis_.

_=Chalcites malaya.n.u.s aheneus=_ Junge: Malaysian Green Cuckoo.--_Specimens_, 9: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] definite brood patch, 17.5 gm., body molt, July 4, 1962, MCT 2587; [Male] testis 4 4 mm., 19.1 gm., August 8, 1962, MCT 2736; [Female], 17.5 gm., August 8, 1962, MCT 2737; [Male], 17.5 gm., August 8, 1962, MCT 2738; [Male]

testis 4 3 mm., 18.2 gm., August 8, 1962, MCT 2739; [Female], August 25, 1962, MCT 2809; [Male], 21.1 gm., September 11, 1962, MCT 2900; [Male], October 2, 1962, MCT 2984. Tiger Estate: [Female] oviduct enlarged, brood patch, November 25, 1962, MCT 3318.

This cuckoo was common in the cocoa planting at the Cocoa Research Station and not found in any other type of habitat. Smythies (1960:255) thought that possibly two species of _Chalcites_ were represented in the series of _Chalcites malaya.n.u.s_ from Borneo. I have a.s.sembled all 20 known specimens, however, including seven in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard unreported by Smythies (1957:638) and find that the variation in the coloration of the head and upperparts is due to the difference in s.e.xes, the males being darker than the females. There is much variation in the length of the wing, but the meaning of this variation is not yet clear.

_=Surniculus lugubris barussarum=_ (Oberholser): Drongo-cuckoo.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] imm., July 28, 1962, MCT 2672, discarded; [Female] imm., 28.6 gm., August 25, 1962, MCT 2810.

The first specimen was taken in secondary forest; it had been sitting in a dead tree, occasionally darting out after insects.

The second specimen was taken in cocoa; its stomach contained 50 caterpillars.

_=Eudynamys scolopacea=_ (Linnaeus): Koel.--This species was observed at Tawau and on Siamil Island, on August 30 and September 18, respectively.

_=Clamator coromandus=_ (Linnaeus): Red-winged Crested Cuckoo.--_Specimen_, 1: Telipok: [Female], February 10, 1963, TM 33.

_=Phaenicophaeus chlorophaeus fuscigularis=_ (Baker): Raffles Malcoha.--_Specimen_, 1: Cocoa Research Station: [Male], August 26, 1962, MCT 2813.

Flocks of three and four were seen in the cocoa. At Kalabakan the species was feeding about 40 feet up in the second canopy layer of the primary forest.

_=Phaenicophaeus diardi borneensis=_ (Salvadori): Lesser Green-billed Malcoha.--_Specimens_, 3: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], 58.2 gm., July 22, 1962, MCT 2636; [Female], 55.8 gm., September 8, 1962, MCT 2890; [Male], September 13, 1962, MCT 2918.

This malcoha was seen only three times; it was the second most common malcoha.

_=Phaenicophaeus javanicus pallidus=_ (Robinson and Kloss): Red-billed Malcoha.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], 97.0 gm., August 31, 1962, MCT 2841; [Male], 98.0 gm., September 8, 1962, MCT 2889.

The two specimens were taken in cocoa. On October 2, 1962, I saw one about 100 feet up in the top canopy layer of the primary forest at the Cocoa Research Station and, on October 3, two more hopping from branch to branch about 150 feet up in a tree.

_=Phaenicophaeus curvirostris borneensis=_ (Blasius and Nehrkorn): Chestnut-breasted Malcoha.--_Specimens_, 7: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] old brood patch, 121.8 gm., July 6, 1962, MCT 2602; [Female], September 4, 1962, MCT 2864; [Male] testis 3 2 mm., 143.6 gm., wing molt, July 7, 1962, MCT 2611; [Male] testis 6 2 mm., 111.0 gm., August 11, 1962, MCT 2763; [Female], May 25, 1963, ADG 110. Ulu Balung: s.e.x?, July 24, 1963, ADG 216. Tiger Estate: [Male], June 22, 1963, ADG 156.

This was the most numerous of the malcohas at the Cocoa Research Station. It was observed in primary forest, secondary forest, citrus trees, and cocoa trees. In the primary forest it ranged in the upper canopy from 100 to 150 feet up.

As Peters has indicated (1940:56), the name _P. c. borneensis_ (Blasius and Nehrkorn) 1881 has priority over _P. c. microrhinus_ Berlepsch 1895 (used by Smythies).

_=Centropus sinensis=_ (Stephens): Common Coucal.--_Specimen_, 1: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], May 15, 1963, ADG 108.

The finding of a coucal at the Cocoa Research Station on May 15, 1963, came as something of a surprise, since none had been seen there earlier by our group. Coucals were seen at Tawau but were not collected or identified to species.

_=Centropus bengalensis=_ (Gmelin): Lesser Coucal.--_Specimens_, 2: Tuaran: [Female], April 1, 1963, ADG 46; s.e.x?, December 3, 1963, SCFC 17.

_=Carpococcyx radiceus radiceus=_ (Temminck): Ground Cuckoo.--_Specimen_, 1: 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Male] imm., November 7, 1962, MCT 3217.

This male was taken in a native snare in primary forest and provides our only record. The specimen is in the postjuvenal (first prebasic) molt.

This record is the first for this species from North Borneo (Smythies, 1957:643); others are known from Sarawak and Indonesian Borneo.

_=Otus bakkamoena lemurum=_ Deignan. Collared Scops Owl.--_Specimens_, 3: Tiger Estate: [Female], November 25, 1962, MCT 3319. Tenom: [Male]

testis 6 5 mm., body molt, January 1, 1963, MCT 3552. Agricultural Oil Palm Station: [Male], October 6, 1963, ADG 299.

The specimen from Tenom was taken in a bird net set in a gra.s.s-scrubland situation; the testes were regressing. Harrison (Smythies, 1957:645) found this species breeding in the Kelabit uplands in January.

_=Glaucidium brodiei borneense=_ Sharpe: Pygmy Owlet.--_Specimen_, 1: Ulu Balung: [Male], July 19, 1963, ADG 210.

The specimen taken by Garcia is the sixth known (Smythies, 1957:646) from Borneo and the first from the east coast. Specimens were collected in 1956 in North Borneo by the Cambridge Expedition.

_=Ninox scutulata borneensis=_ (Bonaparte): Hawk-owl.--_Specimen_, 1: Tenom: [Female] largest ovum 2 mm., oviduct evident, January 6, 1963, MCT 3583.

This female, taken in a bird net in a gra.s.s-scrubland a.s.sociation, was coming into breeding condition.

_=Strix leptogrammica=_ Temminck: Malaysian Wood Owl.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: s.e.x?, July 9, 1963, ADG 182; [Male], May 25, 1963, ADG 111.

On September 7, 1962, I flushed two of these owls from a tree beside the Apas River in primary forest. One was subsequently shot but lost. Garcia's two specimens were not identified to subspecies.

_=Caprimulgus macrurus salvadori=_ Sharpe: Long-tailed Nightjar.--_Specimens_, 3: Tuaran: [Female], January 12, 1963, MCT 3592; [Female], March 2, 1963, ADG 6. Mt. Rumas: [Male], March 6, 1963, ADG 13.

This was an abundant bird on the Jesselton-Tuaran road but was not seen at any of the other collecting stations in North Borneo.

_=Collocalia fuciphaga natunae=_ Stresemann: Thunberg Swiftlet.--_Specimens_, 3: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] largest ovum 7 mm., oviduct enlarged, 13.1 gm., June 30, 1962, MCT 2570; [Female]

ovary small, September 8, 1962, MCT 2887. 5.5 mi. SW Tenom: [Female], December 20, 1962, MCT 3485.

This swiftlet was seen every day while we were at the Cocoa Research Station and was common also in the mountains around Tenom, where it flew in and out of the fog over our camp.

_=Collocalia esculenta=_ ssp.: White-bellied Swiftlet.--_Specimens_, 7: Cocoa Research Station: [Male], 5.5 gm., July 4, 1962, MCT 2591; [Male], 6.2 gm., July 5, 1962, MCT 2594; [Male], 6.2 gm., July 1, 1962, MCT 2574; [Female], 6.0 gm., July 4, 1962, MCT 2589; [Female], 5.7 gm., July 4, 1962, MCT 2590. 12 mi. N Kalabakan: [Male] testis 4 2 mm., November 10, 1962, MCT 3236; [Male], November 10, 1962, MCT 3237.

This was the most abundant of all the swifts at the Cocoa Research Station and in the Kalabakan area and was seen also at Semp.o.r.na on August 16, 1962, in a small coral cave near the District Officer's house. This cave was 10 feet high at most, but averaged five to six feet. It harbored about 1,000 birds, most of them nesting back in the dimly lit zone but one small group of 50 nested in the entrance in bright light. The adults were still feeding young, although the latter could fly strongly.

_=Chaetura leucopygialis=_ (Blyth): White-rumped Spine-tailed Swift.--_Specimens_, 12: Cocoa Research Station: [Female] well-developed brood patch, June 28, 1962, MCT 2565; [Female], 12.9 gm., June 30, 1962, MCT 2567; [Female], June 30, 1962, heavy molt on body, head, wing, tail, MCT 2568; [Female], 14.5 gm., June 30, 1962, MCT 2569; [Female], 13.0 gm., June 30, 1962, MCT 2571; [Female], 13.0 gm., July 1, 1962, MCT 2572; [Male] testis 4 2 mm., 12.3 gm., July 1, 1962, MCT 2575; [Male]

testis 2 1 mm., 14.9 gm., July 2, 1962, MCT 2576; [Female], 15.4 gm., July 5, 1962, MCT 2595; [Male] testis 2 1 mm., 15.4 gm., wing molt, July 5, 1962, MCT 2596; [Male] testis 2 1 mm., 11.9 gm., July 6, 1962, MCT 2598; [Female], 13.0 gm., July 6, 1962, MCT 2599.

This species was common around the Cocoa Research Station but was not seen elsewhere. There is some variation in color within the populations.

_=Hemiprocne comata comata=_ (Temminck): White-whiskered Tree Swift.--_Specimens_, 3: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] testis 2 1 mm., 17.0 gm., July 28, 1962, MCT 2675; s.e.x?, young in juvenal plumage, MCT 2812; [Male], April 28, 1963, ADG 76.

At the Cocoa Research Station this common bird usually was seen sitting on a dead branch of a shade tree in the cocoa whence it would dart out after insects. It rarely perched higher than 12 feet. Occasionally it was seen in a clearing in the primary forest.

_=Hemiprocne longipennis longipennis=_ (Rafinesque): Crested Tree Swift.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Male] testis 4 3 mm., September 4, 1962, MCT 2866; s.e.x?, 42.8 gm., September 8, 1962, MCT 2888.

These swifts also were common at the Cocoa Research Station. Unlike _H. comata_, these birds flew high and sat far up in trees while resting. I never observed them in the primary forest.

The two specimens were more greenish-blue dorsally than typical _H.

l. longipennis_. Specimens from Java were paler gray ventrally and their tertials were more nearly white. Too few specimens were available to permit determination of the constancy of the mentioned variation and the two from the station are referred to the nominate subspecies until more material becomes available.

_=Harpactes diardi diardi=_ (Temminck): Diard's Trogon.--_Specimens_, 8: Cocoa Research Station: [Female], 95.9 gm., July 2, 1962, MCT 2579; 3 alcoholic naked young, July 3, 1962, presumed young of 2579, MCT 2581-83; [Female], 95.0 gm., August 20, 1962, MCT 2782; [Male] testis 6 3 mm., September 5, 1962, MCT 2870; [Male], September 5, 1962, MCT 2871; [Male], December 1, 1962, MCT 3409.

This was the most numerous of the trogons at the Cocoa Research Station. One female was taken in a live trap set for rats in the cocoa. The next day a laborer found a young, presumably of that female, in a nest in the same area. On August 20, a flock of 5 to 10 birds was seen moving together in a loose group through the jungle. This species appeared to be a bird of the primary forest, but occasionally was found in the cocoa.

_=Harpactes kasumba impavidus=_ (Chasen and Kloss): Red-naped Trogon.--_Specimens_, 2: Cocoa Research Station: [Male], 72.1 gm., August 5, 1962, MCT 3730 (discarded); [Female], September 7, 1962, MCT 2883.

This species of the deep forest was not seen in any other habitat.