44 Dr. A. B. jVIeyer's Field-notes 



I got tliem nearly alwaj's so. This was partly iny own fault, 

 as I had not labelled every specimen in such a way that the 

 labels could not be torn off — partly the fault of ray agent^ who 

 did not follow my instructions and keep the lots together and 

 distinct from each other, as I had sent them. For this reason I 

 am unable to give detailed local lists as they ought to be given, 

 and as I hope they will be given one day. It is only from the 

 Togian Islands, where I collected in the month of August, that 

 I am able to give a trustworthy local list ; and I shall do so at 

 the end of this paper. A list of the birds inhabiting the Sangi 

 Islands I hope to be able to publish soon elsewhere. 



It is not my intention to write now an essay on the birds of 

 the Celebes ; but I simply wish to publish my field- notes from 

 my diary, being afraid that, if I keep them still longer in my 

 desk, my readers, in remembrance of Horace^s " nonum pre- 

 matur in annum,^^ might expect to find something classical, 

 and be totally disappointed. I shall perhaps, on some future 

 occasion, treat fully on the birds of Celebes, which still admit of 

 a monograph, even after Lord Tweeddale's meritorious work. 

 I therefore beg that the following remarks may be regarded 

 only as unpretending notes. 



I should mention that, if a Celebean bird is 7iot noticed 

 in the following remarks, this does not mean that I did not 

 procure it, but only that I did not make a note of it in my 

 diary. 



Cacatua sulphurea (Gm.). 



Malay name, "Gatalla^' and '^Cacatua puti^^ ("puti^' 

 means " white ") ; pincers the Malays call " cacatua," from 

 the bill of this parrot, certainly a good name. 



About this bird a few words may be said, some not quite 

 exact dates being found here and there, perhaps in conse- 

 quence of its singular geographical range. Wallace himself 

 appears not to have met with the species in a wild state on 

 Celebes ; and Von Martens says that in South Celebes nothing 

 is known of its existence. In the Minahassa it is unknown, 

 so far as I am aware. I did not even see a specimen in 

 captivity ; and nobody could give me any information about it. 



