( 420 ) 



the non-existence of sparrows, wikl boar, and palin-S(|uirrels, while "deer, roe.* and 

 spotted tigers" are not rare. Ravens were seen in great numbers; but, most unfor- 

 tunately, only one skin sent. 



I may add that the absence of flycatchers, Earylaemidue, Capitonidcie, PitticUte, 

 Trogonidae, is striking. 



A glance at the list shows that the majority of the birds are of Java origin 

 (cf Pidaeornis alexandri, Alcedo beri/Hiim, Gecinus vittatus, Chi-ysocokqAes slrictus, 

 IHcaeum Jtammeum), while others seem to have reached the group from the Les.ser 

 Sunda Islands, or from elsewhere in the East (cf. Mer/apodius duperreyi (No. 1), 

 Treron r/ri8eicav,da vorde)-raani (\o. 3), Carpophfir/a rosacea (Xo. 6), Oriohis 

 insidaris (No. 75), Dicrums jentincki (No. 74), and some of the peculiar Kangeiin 

 birds are of somewhat uncertain origin, namely, CeiUropus kangeatujensis (No. 53), 

 Grancalus sumaireiisis vordermani, which is certainly not nearest to the form 

 found on Java, nor to any form from the Lesser Sunda Islands or Celebes group, 

 Mixornh prUlivitzl (No. 61), and Cittocincla nigricauda (No. 64). 



Altogether the Kangean ornis is of great interest, as 8 out of a total of 78 species 

 known are peculiar to the little gi'oup. 



With quotations of literatm-e I have (as in the article with Count Berlepsch, 

 antm p. 1) restricted myself to tlie first description, and of course those referring 

 to Kangean. Being more than e\er convinced that we cannot be too strict in 

 employing the oldest name of a species in its unchanged form, I have tried to not 

 even alter the gender of the specific term according to the genus. It is evidently 

 inconsistent to treat some specific names as adjecti\es, while others are treated of 

 as substantives. There is already a diversity of opinion, as some authors alter substan- 

 tives, such as sibilator into sibilat'iix (or vice versa), if the gender of the generic 

 name disagrees.! Let us treat all specific terms as names only, and never alter them 

 in any way, and we shall get in time universal stability and equality in nomenclature, 

 but not otherwise. Let schoolboys amuse themselves in finding out the unclassical 

 names; it does not concern zoology what an author should have done, but what he 

 has done. 



The Kangeanese names are given as they were noted down by Mr. Prillwitz. 

 In a country with a well-developed language, and where the people know the birds 

 well, such names are of interest and use for travelling explorers. 



1. Meg'apodius duperreyii Le.ss. & Garn. (?subsp.) 



.Vegajmrlhis dnperrei/ii Less. & Garn., linll Sci. Nat. VIII (1826) p. 113 (Dorey, New Guinea). 

 Megnporlhii rlu,nrrei Vorderm., Xnluurl.: Tijdschr. vn„r Nederl. IndiU L. (1891) p. 520 (Kangean) • 

 id. op cit. LII (1893) p. 182, 



t? Saoebi, ? ? Kangean East. "Iris hellbraun (Milchkaffeefarbe), Fusse roth, 

 Zehenriicken schwarz, Schnabel braun, spitzewarts gelb." (Nos. 162, 215, 241.) 



The three skins from the Kangean Islands are very small (wings 207, 217, 

 220 mm.). Dr. Vorderman {I.e.) has al.so noticed the small size of his Kangean 

 siiecimen. I find that the majority of the specimens collected by Mr. Kuhn on the 

 South-East Islands (Zuidooster Eilanden) are also smaller than those from New 

 Guinea. In a genus, however, where the size is so variable, and the young birds 



* I'robably deer and muntjac are meant. 



t In many instances— as in native words so frequently used in noinenclature— no Ewropean can say 

 if the word is an adjective or not. 



