THE BIRDS OF THE TAMBELAN ISLANDS, SOUTH 



CHINA SEA. 



Bj'^ Harry C. Oberholser, 

 Of the Biological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture. 



The Tambelan Islands are in the southern part of the South 

 China Sea, about 100 miles west of the westernmost point of 

 Borneo and about 150 miles southeast of the Anamba Islands. 

 They consist really of two groups, \ymg not far apart, and each ex- 

 tending some 13 or 14 miles southeastward and northwestward. With 

 the Tambelan Islands proper we here include the Rocky Islets, or 

 Pulo Mandariki, about 12 miles west-northwest of the northwest- 

 ern end of the Tambelan group; and Pulo Kayu Ara, or Saddle 

 Island, some 10 or 12 miles farther to the northwest. Both Saddle 

 Island and Pulo Mandariki are faunally part of the Tambelan group. 



The islands of the Tambelan group are numerous, but all rela- 

 tively small. Many of them rise precipitously from the water, or 

 have interior hills of considerable height. The larger islands are 

 heavily forested, but some of the others are mere rocky heaps. 

 Many have coral reefs about their bases. 



Only one, Great Tambelan, is inhabited, and its population con- 

 sists of 500 or 600 Malays. Wild mammals are not numerous on the 

 islands, and consist chiefly of squirrels, rats, bats, and monkeys. 



Great Tambelan Island, the largest and highest of all, is in the 

 northeastern group, and is triangular, about 4| miles on each side. 

 It has several high hills, the highest reaching an altitude of 1,300 

 feet. A creek, which enters in a northeasterly direction from the 

 western side, nearly divides it into two parts, and forms an advan- 

 tageous location for the Malay settlement. Many coconut trees grow 

 on the island, and there are also plantations of sago and fruit trees. 



Pulo Bunoa, the largest of the southwestern group, is about 4 

 miles in length from southeast to northwest, and about 2^ miles wide. 

 The highest of its several hills reaches a height of 915 feet. Like 

 Great Tambelan Island, it is thickly forested and has only a few 

 clearings, these along the shore. Pulo Wai is another of the larger 

 islands and occupies the northwesternmost position in the Tambelan 

 Islands proper. It is about 2 miles long and has several peaked 

 hills, the highest of which rises 1,057 feet above the sea. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum. Vol. 55— No. 2262. 

 62055— 20— Proc.N.M.Vol.55 10 129 



