on the Birds of Celebes. 51 



As to the two lengthened tail-feathers of this bird a few 

 words may be said. Often one of these racket-shaped 

 feathers is wanting in the specimens shot ; and the natives 

 say that, if the bird has one, it has flown round the country 

 once, if it has two, twice. 



I do not share the view of Dr. Finsch that the denuded 

 rhachis is produced by rubbing off the webs, because I obtained 

 a series of specimens which present a racket-shaped tail-feather 

 with naked rhachis still lying on the surface of other tail- 

 feathers, and therefore not extended beyond them. The 

 feather grows naked in the second or third moult. Besides, 

 those shafts which are not quite denuded show remains of an 

 outer web, but not (or at least rarely) of an inner one, and 

 it is more probable that, if the webs were rubbed off, this 

 would be the case with the outer ones, not to mention that on 

 trees the mode of life of this bird is, as stated above, a very 

 quiet one. 



Prioniturus flavicans, Cassin. 



The natives do not distinguish this species from P.platurus 

 by a special name ; generally they are not strict observers 

 of nature, at least not strict in our scientific sense. The 

 young ones are quite green ; old males have a blue cap, with 

 a red patch in the middle ; old females have no red patch. 



P. flavicans is rarer than P. platui'us, and only occurs in 

 the mountains. I got it at Kakas in June, and in the moun- 

 tains near Limbotto in August. 



As regards the tail-feathers, the same remarks apply to this 

 species as to P. platurus. 



LORICULUS STIGMATUS (Mull. & Schl.). 



Native name at Menado, ^'Tintis.'^ 



Everywhere and at all times in the Minahassa from De- 

 cember till July, but especially numerous in the beginning 

 of March near Menado. At Posso, on the south shore of the 

 Bay of Tomini and at Limbotto (district of Gorontalo) in 

 August. March 26, 1871, I got in Menado a young female, 

 about a fortnight old. It was quite green, only with light- 

 yellow shoulder- edges, underparts lighter green; nape light- 



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