Myiagra oceanica erythropsHartlaub and Finsch

Monarcharses takatsukasaeYamashina, in Takatsukasa and Yamashina, Dobutsu. Zasshi, 43, 1931, p. 485. (Type locality, Tinian.)

Monarcha takatsukasaeYamashina, Tori, 7, 1932, p. 400 (Tinian); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 175 (Tinian); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Tinian); Mayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 296 (Tinian); Downs, Trans. Kansas Acad. Sci., 49, 1946, p. 100 (Tinian).

Geographic range.—Micronesia: Mariana Islands—Tinian.

Characters.—Adult male: Forehead, lores, eyering, auriculars, and underparts rufous, chin paler; under tail-coverts white; crown and nape dark slate-gray; back reddish-brown; rump white; wing and tail dark brown, outer edges of first three primaries white, tail with white tips, more broadly tipped on outer tail feathers; outer edges of scapulars and secondaries buffy but tips more whitish, forming two wing bars; under wing-coverts whitish; bill slate-blue, tip pearl; feet dark slate; iris dark brown.

Adult female: Resembles adult male, but slightly smaller and crown more brownish.

Immature: Resembles adult, but base of bill lighter and underparts paler.

According to the original description by Yamashina,M. takatsukasaeresembles closely the immatureM. godeffroyiof Yap in coloration; however, the Tinian Monarch has a shorter wing.

Measurements.—Measurements are listed intable 41.

Table 41. Measurements ofMonarcha takatsukasae

Specimens examined.—Total number, 20 (10 males, 10 females), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM—Tinian, 10 (Oct.); AMNH—Tinian, 9 (Sept.); KMNH—Tinian, 1 (Sept.).

Nesting.—Yamashina (1932a:400, 401) records two nests of the Tinian Monarch. He writes of one nest containing two eggs taken at Churo, Tinian, on January 29, 1932, that was "hung on a fork of an upward pointing branch of a road side tree commonly called 'Oba' 1.5 m. high from the ground in a forest.... The ground color of the egg shells is white. The spots are pale reddish-brown and distributed all round the surface like small dots, being concentrated especially round the larger end." Another nest containing three eggs was found on January 29, 1932. Yamashina writes that the eggs measure 20.5 x 15, 21 x 15, and 18 x 15 mm. In describing these nests Yamashina notes, "The shape of the two nests mentioned above is like a deep cup. The outer layer of them is made chiefly of dead leaves, fibers, cotton, wools and moss, and the inner layer of fine stems and fibers only."

Downs (1946:101) writes that a nest found near Lake Hagoi at Tinian on August 31, 1945, "was about three feet from the ground carefully woven into the framework of a triangular crotch.... It was composed exteriorly of small leaves, scattered white feathers, and heavy grass; interiorly of grasses only." In the nest he found a young bird which "was black-skinned, with ugly white quills and a few short dark feathers on its tail and wings. The back feathers were rusty brown as were the tufted head feathers." Marshall (1949:219) assumes that this bird breeds all year.

Molt.—Birds taken by Coultas in September are in fresh plumage.

Remarks.—The Tinian Monarch is known only from Tinian, where it was described in 1931 by Yamashina. Downs (1946:100-103) presents a detailed account of this bird as he saw it in 1945. He found it living in brushy woodlands where other birds, includingRhipidura rufifrons, were observed. From his description, the actions and food-catching behaviors of this bird must be much like those ofRhipidura. Gleise (1945:220) estimated the population of these birds to be 40 to 50 in 1945.

Myiagra erythropsHartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, p. 6. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.)

Myiagra erythropsHartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, pp. 117, 118 (Pelew Islands);idem, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. 89, 97 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 4, 20 (Palau); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 658 (Pelew); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, pp. 399, 403 (Palau); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. 383 (Pelew); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 23 (Pelew); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 195 (Palaos); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 55 (Palau); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Palau); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 283 (Pelew); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 260 (Palau); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 (Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 64 (Pelew); Yamashina, Tori, 10, 1940, p. 674 (Palau); Handlist Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Babelthuap, Koror); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 69 (Peleliu, Ngabad, Garakayo).

Submyiagra erythropsMathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 504 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 176 (Palau).

Myiagra oceanica erythropsMayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 296 (Palau).

Geographic range.—Micronesia: Palau Islands—Babelthuap, Koror, Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad.

Characters.—Adult male: Crown, occiput, nape, and auriculars dark "slate-blue"; forehead, lores and orbital ring dark "cinnamon-rufous"; black and upper wing-coverts olive-brown; rump more like crown; underparts near "cinnamon," paler on middle of abdomen, sides, and under tail-coverts; wings and tail dark brown, edged with white; secondaries edged with brownish; under wing-coverts whitish with dusky bases; bill and feet black.

Adult female: Resembles adult male, but slightly smaller and paler in color.

Immature: Resembles adult, but head and rump browner; forehead, lores, and orbital ring sandy in some individuals, more rufous in others; underparts usually paler than in adult; bill basally lighter.

Measurements.—Measurements are listed intable 42.

Table 42. Measurements of Adult Specimens ofMyiagra oceanica

14 males

11 females

25 males

16 females

11 males

10 females

14 males

14 females

Specimens examined.—Total number, 33 (17 males, 15 females, 1 unsexed), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM—Babelthuap, 1 (Nov. 27)—Koror, 4 (Nov. 6, 19, 26)—Garakayo, 1 (Sept. 18)—Peleliu, 2 (Aug. 30)—Ngabad, 2 (Sept. 11); AMNH—exact locality not given, 23 (Oct., Nov., Dec.).

Molt.—Molt apparently takes place in fall and early winter. Of the specimens examined, there is little evidence of molt in those obtained in August and September while there is considerably more evidence of molt in those taken in November and December.

Food habits.—A bird taken by the writer on September 17, 1945, at Garakayo had approximately one-half cc. of insect parts in its stomach.

Remarks.—The Micronesian Broadbill at Palau is a friendly little bird and easily called-up to within a few yards of a person by imitating its note. It was seen by the NAMRU2 party in 1945 as singles and in pairs in the dense underbrush of the undisturbed forested areas. The bird was seen at only one woodland area at Peleliu (Southeastern Peninsula), but it was observed more frequently on the smaller islands of Ngabad and Garakayo. Coultas (field notes) also notes that in 1931 this bird was found more frequently on the smaller islands.Myiagrawas found to be much less conspicuous at Palau thanRhipidura lepida.Myiagraappears to be less active, more solitary in its habits, and possibly more restricted in the territory that it covers in feeding thanRhipidura.

Myiagra freycinetiOustalet, Bull. Soc. Philom. Paris, (7), 5, 1881, p. 73. (Type locality, Mariannes = Guam.)

Myiagra freycinetiReichenow and Schalow, Journ. f. Ornith., 1884, p. 395 (Mariannes = Guam); Oustalet, Le Nat., 1889, p. 260 (Mariannes = Guam); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 24 (Marianne = Guam); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 194 (Guam); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 5, 1898, p. 54 (Guam); Wheeler, Report Island of Guam, 1900, p. 13 (Guam); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 112, 113 (Guam); Seale, Occ. Papers Bernice P. Bishop Mus., 1, 1901, p. 50 (Guam); Safford, Osprey, 1902, p. 69 (Guam);idem, Amer. Anthro., 4, 1902, p. 711 (Guam);idem, The Plant World, 7, 1904, p. 263 (Guam);idem, Contr. U. S. Nat. Herb., 9, 1905, p. 79 (Guam); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 260 (Marianen); Cox, Island of Guam, 1917, p. 21 (Guam); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 65 (Guam); Bryan, Guam Rec., vol. 13, no. 2, 1936, p. 25 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Guam); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 68 (Guam).

Submyiagra freycinetiMathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 504 (Guam); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 176 (Guam).

Myiagra oceanica freycinetiMayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 296 (Guam).

Myiagra oceanicaStrophlet, Auk, 1946, p. 539. (Guam).

Geographic range.—Micronesia: Mariana Islands—Guam.

Characters.—Adult male: A small flycatcher with head and neck near "dark delft blue" with a metallic luster; lores and anterior forehead ashy-gray, more bluish and darker on auriculars and sides of neck than on lores; back and upper wing-coverts near "green-blue slate" but darker and with metallic luster less apparent than on head; rump grayer than back; chin and throat white; breast light "cinnamon," fading to pale buff and white on abdomen, sides, and under tail-coverts; tibia smoky-gray, tips of feathers paler; wings dark brown edged with light bluish-gray; tail bluish-slate, especially middle rectrices, tips of tail feathers edged with white; bill and feet black; iris dark brown.

Adult female: Resembles adult female ofM. o. erythrops, but crown and neck near "deep Payne's gray," auriculars grayer than neck; anterior forehead and lores buffy and tinged with cinnamon; back browner than lores with upper wing-coverts and scapulars edged with slightly lighter brown; rump resembles crown but grayer; underparts paler than those ofM. o. erythrops, especially chin and throat; tibia more brownish.

Immature male: Resembles adult male, but back more brown and less blue-green, lacking luster; anterior forehead more rufous; scapulars, upper wingcoverts, and wings edged with light brown; underparts variable but generally more buffy than those of adult.

Immature female: Resembles adult female, but more brown and less blue on head and back; underparts more buffy; base of bill paler.

Measurements.—Measurements are listed intable 42.

Weights.—The author (1948:68) records the weights of five adult males as 10.5-12.5 (11.9), and those of two adult females as 11.4 and 12.0 grams.

Specimens examined.—Total number, 64 (33 males, 22 females, 9 unsexed), as follows: Mariana Islands, USNM—Guam, 26 (Jan. 21, March 16, May 21, 29, 30, June 1, 3, 14, 24, 26, July 10, 12, 13, 20, 23, Aug. 30); AMNH—Guam, 38 (Jan., Feb., March, July, Aug.).

Nesting.—The writer (1948:68) records a nest containing one egg found by Muennink at Guam near Mt. Santa Rosa on May 7, 1945. The nest was in a bamboo stump approximately six feet from the ground. The egg hatched on about May 21. Seale (1901:50) reports on a nest and egg taken in the period from May to July. The NAMRU2 party obtained a female on March 15 with an enlarged gonad. Strophlet (1946:539) observed a pair of broadbills building a nest on September 20, 1945; it was completed on October 4 and was approximately seven feet above the ground. Hartert (1898:33) reports on a nest taken at Guam on February 14, 1895.

Molt.—As shown by the specimens examined, molt begins in June or July.

Food habits.—The stomach of a bird obtained on January 21, 1945, contained one unidentified bug (Hemiptera) and several parts of other insects.

Remarks.—The Micronesia Broadbill at Guam is not a common bird, and like its relativeRhipidura rufifronsis an inhabitant of forested areas, especially those containing brushy undercover. It is an active bird, although less conspicuous thanRhipidura. The birds were found as singles or in pairs. The pair of birds which had a nest at the west base of Mount Santa Rosa in May, 1945, allowed the observers to approach closely to them. The birds are easily attracted by squeaking sounds. There is considerable variation in the amount of cinnamon coloring on the breasts of adult birds.

The Micronesian Broadbill at Guam was first discovered by Quoy and Gaimard, who called it "Moucherolle à gorge rouge." Kittlitz (1836:304) evidently records two species of flycatchers from Guam, which he callsMuscicapa. I judge these birds to beMyiagraandRhipidura. It was not until 1881 that Oustalet recognized this birdto be new. The first large series of specimens was obtained by Marche for the Paris Museum and was reported on by Oustalet (1895:194). Marche collected 12 skins in August and September, 1887, and 4 additional skins in February, 1889.

Myiagra oceanicaPucheran, Voy. Pôle Sud, Zool., 3, 1853, p. 77. (Type locality, Hogoleu = Truk.)

Myiagra oceanicaHartlaub, Journ. f. Ornith., 1854, p. 168 (Carolinen = Truk); Gray, Cat. Birds Trop. Is. Pacific Ocean, 1859, p. 18 (Hogoleu = Truk); Finsch and Hartlaub, Fauna Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 94 (Hogoleu = Truk); Gray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 328 (Caroline Is. = Truk); Pelzeln, Journ. f. Ornith., 1875, p. 51 (Hogoleu = Truk); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. 383 (Hogoleu = Truk); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith., 1879, p. 403 (Ruk); Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 575 (Ruk); Oustalet, Bull. Soc. Philom. Paris, (7), 5, 1881, p. 73 (Carolines = Truk); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 353 (Ruk); Reichenow and Schalow, Journ. f. Ornith., 1884, p. 395 (Carolines = Truk); Tristram, Cat. Birds, 1889, p. 200 (Ruk); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 23 (Ruk); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 196 (Hogoleu = Truk); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, p. 30 (Ruk); Hartert, Novit. Zool., 7, 1900, p. 5 (Ruk); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 111, 112, 113 (Ruck); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 283 (Hogoleu = Truk); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 260 (Karolinen = Truk); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 (Ruk); Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 204 (Truk); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 64 (Ruk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Truk); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 68 (Truk).

Myiagra albiventrisFinsch and Hartlaub, Fauna Centralpolynesiens, 1867, p. 93 (Hoguleu = Truk); Giebel, Thes. Ornith., 2, 1875, p. 658 (Carolinae = Truk).

Submyiagra oceanicaMathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 505 (Ruk); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 175 (Truk).

Myiagra oceanica oceanicaMayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 296 (Truk).

Geographic range.—Micronesia: Caroline Islands—Truk.

Characters.—Adult male: ResemblesM. o. freycineti, but larger with crown and nape less green and with less metallic luster; lores and anterior forehead darker gray; chin, throat, and sides of neck more buffy-cinnamon; back, rump, upper wing-coverts, and scapulars less blue and more ashy gray; tibia, wings, and tail more brownish.

Adult female: Resembles adult male, but smaller with less blue and more gray on crown; lores and anterior forehead lighter.

Immature: Resembles adult, but crown and nape grayish, slate-blue; under-parts paler.

Measurements.—Measurements are listed intable 42.

Specimens examined.—Total number, 23 (12 males, 10 females, 1 unsexed), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM—Truk, 2 (Feb. 16); AMNH—Truk, 21 (Feb., June, Nov., Dec.).

Nesting.—Hartert (1900:5) reports the taking of several nests in the period from March to July by Owston's Japanese collectors. One nest contained two eggs, the other nests contained one.

Remarks.—The broadbill at Truk was first taken by Hombron and Jacquinot, who called it "Platyrhynque océanien." Later, Kubary obtained material which was studied by Finsch (1880e:575).In December, 1945, McElroy of the NAMRU2 party examined two adults with enlarged gonads. Specimens obtained by him at Truk were lost in shipment to the United States. In coloration this subspecies is closest toM. o. freycineti; in size it is closest toM. o. pluto.

Myiagra plutoFinsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1875 (1876), p. 644. (Type locality, Ponapé.)

Myiagra plutoFinsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 12, 1876, pp. 17, 19 (Ponapé);idem, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1877 (1878), p. 779 (Ponapé); Sharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 4, 1879, p. 380 (Ponapé); Nehrkorn, Journ. f. Ornith. 1879, p. 404 (Ponapé); Finsch, Journ. f. Ornith., 1880, p. 288 (Ponapé);idem, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1880, p. 576 (Ponapé);idem, Ibis, 1881, pp. 110, 112, 115 (Ponapé); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 280 (Ponapé); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 23 (Ponapé); Oustalet, Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, (3), 7, 1895, p. 195 (Ponapi); Bolau, Mitteil. Naturhist. Mus. Hamburg, 1898, p. 55 (Ponapé); Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers., 1899, p. 26 (Ponapé); Christian, The Caroline Islands, 1899, p. 358 (Ponapé); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, pp. 111, 112, 113 (Ponapé); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 283 (Ponapi); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 260 (Ponapé); Takatsukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 (Ponapé); Wetmore, in Townsend and Wetmore, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zoöl., 63, 1919, p. 204 (Ponapé); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 64 (Ponapé); Mayr, Proc. 6th Pacific Sci. Congr., 4, 1941, p. 204 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 195 (Ponapé).

Submyiagra plutoMathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 505 (Ponapé); Yamashina, Tori, 1, 1932, p. 401 (Ponapé); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 176 (Ponapé).

Myiagra oceanica plutoMayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 296 (Ponapé).

Geographic range.—Micronesia: Caroline Islands—Ponapé.

Characters.—Adult male: A dark, bluish-gray broadbill with head, ear-coverts, and nape dark, metallic, steel-blue; back and rump darker and more slate-blue than head; upper tail-coverts blackish; tail black edged with greenish gloss; wings dark brown, scapulars and secondaries with outer edges tinged with metallic bluish-gray; lores black; chin, throat, and upper breast dark with light metallic-blue wash; lower breast and abdomen slate-gray; under wing-coverts brownish-black; bill black; feet bluish-black; iris dark brown. Female resembles male, but slightly smaller and somewhat duller. Immature duller.

Measurements.—Measurements are listed intable 42.

Specimens examined.—Total number, 42 (23 males, 19 females), as follows: Caroline Islands, USNM—Ponapé, 3 (Feb. 11); AMNH—Ponapé, 39 (Nov., Dec.).

Nesting.—Yamashina (1932a:401) records nests and eggs of the Ponapé broadbill. The nests were at heights of between .9 and 2.2 meters above the ground. Nests, each containing a single egg, were obtained on July 21, 25, and August 6. The eggs measure 19.5 by 16, 20.5 by 15.7, 20.5 by 16, and 20.2 by 16. Coultas (field notes) describes the nest as a cup-shaped structure, made of fine grasses and ferns, and placed in small trees and bushes at low elevations. Of specimens taken by Coultas in November and December, 1931, approximately fifty percent of the males had enlarged gonads. According to his specimen labels, none of the females was in breeding condition.

Molt.—Of the large series of broadbills taken by Coultas, approximately twenty percent of those taken in November were in molt whereas only approximately ten percent of those taken in December were in molt. Specimens taken in February were not in molt. It is evident that molting takes place in the fall, possibly from August to December.

Remarks.—The coloration of the Micronesian Broadbill at Ponapé is in marked contrast to that of other representatives ofMyiagrain Micronesia, being dark, bluish-gray in color. Probably the bird has taken on melanistic characters, which is not unusual in birds which have become isolated; examples of this condition may be observed inRhipidura,Terpsiphoneand other genera.

Coultas (field notes) writes that the bird is "Common everywhere on the island except in the grasslands. Two birds are working together usually, darting around in the low trees, among the branches or on the ground. The birds are playful, friendly and inquisitive. I should not call them noisy as one or more will sit for many minutes watching the intruder without making a peep. Their call, "Que Que," is a spasmodic outburst that might be repeated many times or just once. The male, presumably, erects the long crown feathers when calling. Perhaps both male and female do this, I can't say. The bird flutters on the wing and displays the feathers as doesRhipidura. When sitting, the bird often erects the crest and fluffs the tail and feathers."

Evolutionary History of Myiagra oceanica.—According to Mayr (1933d:1)Myiagra"is easily recognizable by its broad bill and the color pattern which is similar in all species." The range of the genusMyiagraextends from Australia and Tasmania westward to Timor, northward to the Moluccas, and Micronesia, and eastward to Polynesia.Myiagra oceanicais restricted to Micronesia and consists of four subspecies, which until recently have been considered as four separate species. Unlike many of the species of this genus,M. oceanicashows comparatively little sexual dimorphism. The male ofM. oceanicahas metallic coloring on the head and the upper back and often has rich, rufous coloring on the breast. The female is less brilliant in coloring, lacking the sheen. The four subspecies vary from each other in size, color and even, to some extent, in basal breadth of the bill.M. oceanicaresembles several broadbills, includingM. galeataof the Moluccas,M. rubeculaof Australia,M. vanikorensisof Fiji, andM. ruficollisof Australia and the Lesser Sundas; however, in my opinion, it has probably been derived fromM. galeataof the Moluccan area or from a closely related species. In Micronesia,M. o. oceanicaandM. o. freycinetiappear to resemble closely this parent stock, whereasM. o. erythropsandM. o. plutoare more differentiated but are considered to have been derived from this same colonization.M. o. plutobears some resemblance toM. atraof the Papuan area, particularly in the dark coloring; this is probably only a parallel evolution, since they have little else in common.M. vanikorensisof the Fiji area is close toM. oceanicain color and structure; the two species, I suspect, have been derived from a common source rather than from each other. Study of the evolutionary history of the entire genus is necessary before we can understand fully the derivation of the Micronesian and Polynesian species. It seems safe to say that the center of dispersal has been in the Australian region; the lack of diversity of this genus within the Papuan area is at present unexplained.

Muscicapa narcissinaTemminck, Pl. Col., 3, 1835, pl. 577, fig. 1. (Type locality, Japan.)

Muscicapa narcissina narcissinaMayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau).

Geographic range.—Breeds in eastern Asia and Japan. Winters south to Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands—exact locality unknown.

Remarks.—Mayr (1945a:302) records the Narcissus Flycatcher as a migrant visitor to the Palau Islands on the basis of two specimens in the Turloff collection, formerly in the Zoölogical Museum in Hamburg.

Hemichelidon griseistictaSwinhoe, Ibis, 1861, p. 330. (Type locality, Amoy.)

Hemichelidon griseistictaHand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 175 (Koror); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 194 (Koror).

Muscicapa griseistictaMayr, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 302 (Palau); Marshall, Condor, vol. 51, 1949, p. 221 (Palau).

Geographic range.—Breeds in northwestern Asia and Japan. Winters south to Malaysia. In Micronesia: Palau Islands—Koror.

Remarks.—The Chinese Gray-spotted Flycatcher is a casual winter visitor to the Palaus. Marshall (1949:221) took two specimens at Palau on November, 1945.

Rectes tenebrosusHartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, p. 6. (Type locality, Pelew Islands.)

Rectes tenebrosusHartlaub and Finsch, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1868, p. 118 (Pelew Islands);idem, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1872, pp. 89, 99 (Pelew); Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffroy, 8, 1875, pp. 4, 18, pl. 3, fig. 1 (Palau); Schmeltz and Krause, Ethnogr. Abth. Mus. Godeffroy, 1881, p. 407 (Palau); Wiglesworth, Abhandl. und Ber. Zool. Mus. Dresden, no. 6, 1890-1891 (1891), p. 27 (Pelew).

Colluricincla tenebrosaGray, Hand-list Birds, 1, 1869, p. 386 (Pelew); Dubois, Syn. Avium, 1, 1902, p. 496 (Pelew); Mayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 1269, 1944, p. 5 (Palau);idem, Birds Southwest Pacific, 1945, p. 297 (Palau); Baker, Smithson. Misc. Coll., vol. 107, no. 15, 1948, p. 69 (Peleliu, Ngabad, Garakayo).

Pinarolestes tenebrosusSharpe, Cat. Birds British Mus., 3, 1877, p. 298 (Pelew); Matschie, Journ. f. Ornith., 1901, p. 112 (Palau); Reichenow, Die Vögel, 2, 1914, p. 296 (Palau); Takasukasa and Kuroda, Tori, 1, 1915, p. 54 (Pelew); Kuroda, in Momiyama, Birds Micronesia, 1922, p. 69 (Pelew); Hand-list Japanese Birds, rev., 1932, p. 174 (Palau).

Myiolestes tenebrosusTristram, Cat. Birds, 1899, p. 188 (Pelew).

Caleya tenebrosusMathews, Syst. Avium Australasianarum, 2, 1930, p. 649 (Pelew).

Malacolestes tenebrosusMayr, Amer. Mus. Novit., no. 590, 1933, p. 5 (Palau); Hand-list Japanese Birds, 3d ed., 1942, p. 193 (Babelthuap, Koror, Peliliu).

Geographic range.—Micronesia: Palau Islands—Babelthuap, Koror, Garakayo, Peleliu, Ngabad.

Characters.—Adult: Upper parts between "snuff brown" and "bister," head blacker; chin, throat, and upper breast like upper parts but darker; lower breast and abdomen lighter and more buffy, sides darker; feathers of underparts with darker shafts producing a streaked appearance; underside of wing and under tail-coverts light-colored; bill dark brown; feet lighter brown; iris yellowish. Female smaller.

Immature: Resembles adult, but head and neck lighter; ear-coverts, sides of neck, throat, upper breast darker; lower breast and abdomen paler.

Measurements.—Measurements are listed intable 43.

Table 43. Measurements ofColluricincla tenebrosus

Specimens examined.—Total number, 32 (21 males, 11 females), as follows: Palau Islands, USNM—Koror, 6 (Nov. 5, 18)—Garakayo, 3 (Sept. 18)—Peleliu, 5 (Aug. 29, 30, Sept. 1, 6)—Ngabad, 2 (Sept. 11); AMNH—exact locality not given, 16 (Oct. 8, 13, 26, Nov. 11, 13, 17, 19, 21, 23, Dec. 9).

Molt.—The molting process in this species seemingly takes place from August until December. Most of the birds taken by the NAMRU2 party in August and September were in molt. Molting specimens were obtained by Coultas in October, November and December.

Food habits.—The Palau Morning Bird feeds on plant and animal materials. Stomachs obtained by the NAMRU2 party contained green plant material, seeds, insect parts, and grit. The bird feeds principally on the ground or in low bushes.

Remarks.—The Palau Morning Bird is a thrushlike bird which spends its time on or near the ground in areas where ground cover is thick. In 1945, the NAMRU2 party found the bird in the thickmatting of vines which had covered over the battle-cleared areas. I did not find the bird at elevations of more than three to four feet above the ground. When flushed, it would flutter a short distance and disappear into the brush. It has a sweet song and may be considered as one of the finest singers in Micronesia. It heralds the break of day with its melodious carol, and its name is derived from its calling early in the morning. I heard the bird only infrequently in the hot part of the day, although it would sing when the skies were overcast. Its song could be heard also as evening approached. The bird is moderately common, and evidently is more abundant on the smaller islands than on Peleliu. Its occurrence on the smaller islands was noted also by Coultas.

The taxonomic status of the Palau Morning Bird has been one of uncertainty as shown by the fact that the bird has been treated under six generic names since its discovery by Captain Tetens. Mayr (1933a:5) erected a new genus,Malacolestes, for the morning bird pointing to its differences from "Rhectes(=Pitohui) andPinarolestes(=Myiolestes)." Later, he (1944b:5) disregards this name and places the bird in the genusColluricinclastating that its special characters "are due to isolation." This treatment is followed here. The Palau Morning Bird is the most northern representative of a group of birds which have their center of dispersal in the New Guinea and Australian area. As Mayr has pointed out,C. tenebrosusappears closest to theC. megarhynchusgroup of New Guinea. These species have bills of similar shape, coloration which is darker above and lighter below, soft feathers on underparts, and streaked appearance of throat and breast. The resemblances betweenC. tenebrosusandC. megarhynchusmight be such as to indicate that these are merely subspecifically distinct from each other.

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