30 Mr. R. B. Sharpe's Contributions to the 



by him in the ' Birds of Asia' (part xxiv.) ; he is also known 

 as the collector of a series of birds from the district of Sa- 

 rawak, described by Lord Walden (Ibis, 1872, p. 360). The 

 present consignment is also from the same part of the island, 

 most of the birds being from the immediate neighbourhood 

 of Sarawak. Sibu Island and the Matu river are situated 

 in the northern part of the Brunna district, the former being 

 some little way up the Bruit river. Although many of the 

 species now recorded have been already mentioned by Lord 

 Walden, I have included them in the present paper for the 

 sake of the excellent notes as to the coloration of tlic soft 

 parts &c. for which Mr. Everett's collections are always so 

 favourably distinguished. It is to be hoped that his ex- 

 ertions will be continued, as there remains a vast amount 

 of ornithological work to be done in Borneo, and even a small 

 consignment like the present adds several species to the avi- 

 fauna of the island. I must not conclude these introductory 

 remarks without acknowledging the great assistance I have 

 derived from Count Salvadori's work on the ornithology of 

 Borneo, as is evidenced by the frequent references to it in 

 the following pages : — 



1. Circus spilonotus, Kaup; Sharpe, Cat. B. i. p. 58. 



a. No. 160. Sibu. Iris bright yellow ; legs greenish 

 yellow. 



b. Sibu, Dec. 15th, 1874. 



As hitherto no Harrier had been found in the island, this 

 must be considered an interesting addition to the avifauna of 

 Borneo, if I am correct in referring the species to C. spilo- 

 notus, and not to C. ceruginosus. The birds are both young, 

 and are in the brown plumage with whitish heads which 

 usually distinguish immature Marsh-Harriers ; they are ap- 

 parently male and female, and measure as follows :■ — 



a. Total length 20 inches, wing 15-6, tail 9*7, tarsus 3-5. 



b. Total length 23 inches, wing 16-6, tail lO'O, tarsus 3'7. 

 It is quite certain that some time must elapse before the 



Harriers will be understood by ornithologists ; and at present 

 every fresh specimen examined by me seems to present in- 



