( 462 ) 



In fact there is nothing to distingnish the former from P. mcnadensis bnt its 

 generally more whitish abdomen. Some specimens, however, are qnite indistinguish- 

 able, and it is hardly necessary to separate the two forms. (See also Meyer & 

 Wiglesworth's Birds of Celebes, Vol. I.) 



53. Haliastnr Indus intermedius (Gnru.). 



Alor. Typical intermedius, with very narrow black shaft-lines on the head and 

 breast. 



54. Astur sylvestris (Wall.). 



Alor and Pantar. The great difference in size between the sexes and the 

 kestrel-like plnmage of the yonng bird have been described before on p. 47. The 

 nestling is covered with pinky white or pale brownish wliite down. The iris of the 

 nestling, jnst getting its first feathers, is " brown, orbital region and lores greenish, 

 cere bright chrome-yellow; bill jet-black; legs wax-yellow, claws black." 



55. Falco lunulatus Lath. 

 One ? ad. Pantar. 



56. Tinnunculus moluccensis > occideutalis M. & Wg. 



A series of kestrels from Alor, Pantar, and Lomblen shonld, I think, be 

 identified with the Western subspecies occidentalism but at the same time they point 

 to the t3'pical form, being nearly as dark below, and the ear-coverts being less 

 grevish in some sjiecimeiis. I liave here again adopted the system of Messrs. Meyer 

 & Wiglesworth to denote h^sser degrees of supposed local variation than subspecies, 

 thinking that these signs are sometimes useful as a supplementary addition to the 

 trinomial method of nomenclature. 



57. Ptilinopus everetti Rothsch. 



Mr. Hothschild characterised this most interesting pigeon in Bull. Brit. Orn. 

 Club No. LI. p. xxxiv (February 1898) as follows : — 



" This new species may be described as being between P. cinctus and P. albo- 

 cinctus. It differs from P. cinctus in having the throat and neck white, with fine 

 narrow wavy very pale grey cross-lines, instead of white, washed with lemon- 

 yellow, and in having a wider and lighter terminal bar to the tail-feathers. 

 /'. olbocinctus has the throat and neck bluish grey, and the abdomen darker, the 

 bar across the tail narrower. P. lettiensis differs in having the neck and throat 

 ivory-white, and the end of the tail yellowish white, not pale grey." 



Mr. Everett found this Ptiiinnpus not rare on Alor and Pantar. Some speci- 

 mens have the neck and chest so closely barred with grey that these parts appear 

 quite ashy, but much lighter than in P. albocinctu.%, while in others they are almost 

 white. If the sexes noted by Mr. Everett's natives can be trusted, then these are 

 not sexual differences, but I almost think the darker birds must be the females. 

 One specimen (a ? , nat. coll.) has a slight yellowish wash over the white chest. 

 The young bird in its first plumage has the wing and back green, with lemon- 

 yellow edges to the feathers ; the bluo-bhuk band across the breast not developed. 



