350 Mr. A. 11. Wallace on the Ornithology of Timor. 



but the beautiful T. hcematodus seems rare, as I never saw a 

 specimen, aud with difficulty obtained two live ones in the town. 

 1 observed it in the island of Semao two years ago, but could 

 not obtain an example. There are said to be one or two more 

 Psitiaci in the island, but I could see nothing of them. I ob- 

 tained 3 Ducks, 5 or 6 Herons and Egrets, and a fine Himantopus 

 (perhaps the H. leucocephalus of Australia), and that is all worth 

 mentioning. I was much disappointed in not finding the beau- 

 tiful Pitta irena, but presume it inhabits the interior only. 



I have long been of opinion that there is no foundation what- 

 ever for the very prevalent idea that tropical heat and light have 

 some direct or specific efiect in producing the brilliant colours 

 that adorn birds, or insects, or flowers. Here, in Timor, the birds 

 are remarkably dull in colour ; and I think a fair average com- 

 parison will show that even chilly England possesses more beauty 

 among the common birds that give the character to the ornitho- 

 logy of the country than this tropical island. Out of the 100 

 species of birds I have collected here at Delli, I only find four 

 that are at all brilliant in colour — viz. Cinnyris Solaris, Chalco- 

 phaps, sp., Estrelda, sp., and lanthoenas metallica ; and I think 

 I am correct in saying, that in any part of England we could 

 find in the same time a larger number of species more or less 

 adorned with brilliant colours, and at least as many which might 

 be called pretty or ornamental. 



That the larger number by far of brilliant birds do exist in 

 the tropics cannot be disputed ; but that climatal or solar influ- 

 ence has anything to do with the fact there is not the slightest 

 evidence, while there is much that contradicts the supposition. 

 And first, why does this supposed influence never act on those 

 families and genera which are equally abundant in the temperate 

 and tropical regions ? Why are not tropical Ducks and Accipi- 

 tres, Larks, Crows, Warblers, Goat-suckers, and Finches, much 

 more brilliant on the average than those of temperate and north- 

 ern regions ? Again, when stragglers from purely tropical families 

 occur in the north and south,why are they not the dullest-coloured 

 of their group ? Instead of being so, they are fully up to the 

 average of beauty. Our Kingfisher, Roller, and Bee-eater, the 

 northern and southern Humming-birds, the Psittaci of Tempe- 



