894 'BouRU. 



European jjopulation and government have been established 

 for more than three hundred years. 



Having seen a good many of the natives of Bouru from 

 different villages, and from distant parts of the island, I feel 

 convinced that they consist of two distinct races now partial- 

 ly amalgamated. The larger portion are Malays of the Cel- 

 ebes type, often exactly similar to the Tomore peoj^le of 

 East Celebes, whom I found settled in Batchian, while others 

 altogether resembled the Alfuros of Ceram. The influx of 

 two races can easily be accounted for. The Sula Islands, 

 which are closly connected with East Celebes, approach to 

 within forty miles of the north coast of Bouru, while the isl- 

 and of Manipa offers an easy point of departure for the peo- 

 ple of Ceram. I was confirmed in this view by finding that 

 the languages of Bouru possessed distinct resemblances to 

 that of Sula, as well as to those of Ceram. 



Soon after we had arrived at Waypoti, Ali had seen a 

 beautiful little bird of the genus Pitta, which I was very 

 anxious to obtain, as in almost every island the species are 

 different, and none were yet known from Bouru. He and my 

 other hunter continued to see it two or three times a week, 

 and to hear its peculiar note much oftener, but could never 

 get a specimen, owing to its always frequenting the most 

 dense thorny thickets, where only hasty glimpses of it could 

 be obtained, and at so short a distance that it Avould be dif- 

 ficult to avoid blowing the bird to pieces. Ali was very 

 much annoyed that he could not get a specimen of this bird, 

 in going after which he had already severely wounded his 

 feet with thorns ; and when we had only two days more to 

 stay, he went of his own accord one vening to sleep at a 

 little hut in the forest some miles off", in order to have a last 

 try for it at daybreak, when many birds come out to feed, 

 and are very intent on their morning meal. The next even- 

 ing he brought me home two specimens, one with the head 

 blown completely off", and otherwise too much injui-ed to pre- 

 serve, the other in very good order, and which I at once saw 

 to be a new species, very like the Pitta celebensis, but orna- 

 mented with a square patch of bright red on the nape of the 

 neck. 



The next day after securing this prize we returned to Ca- 



