Introduction: Migration. 39 



Local movements are tlie more to be expected among the birds of Celebes 

 and other parts of the Archipelago in consequence of the great differences in 

 the season often to be found in spots a few miles apart. The east side of the 

 Southern Peninsula, for instance, has its wet season when the west side has its dry 

 one, and when the west coast is deluged with rain, the east coast has fine weather, 

 though the two districts are only some 30 — 60 miles apart. In a similar manner the 

 north and south coasts of Ceram are contrasted, and traces of the same condition 

 are seen on the north and south coasts of the North Peninsula of Celebes. The 

 climate of the mountains is also strongly contrasted with that of the plains. We 

 have been at some pains to obtain particulars of the movements of the birds from 

 gentlemen resident in the East Indies, but have not received any data suited 

 to the requirements of the present work, except some notes from Mr. H. Veen 

 of Kele Londej, a place situated at a height of about 3000 ft. in the Minahassa. 

 Mr. Veen has observed in the case of a few species ("Sonsoliat", "Tegi", "Tang- 

 'kuity ^= Hi/pothj/mis puella, "Keresow") that their movements are affected by the 

 abundance or scarcity of food; they generally arrive in groups and start again 

 after 3 — 4 weeks. He adds: "The blossoming and the ripening of the fruits 

 goes on the whole year, according to the altitude, e. g. the Lansap (Lansium 

 domesticum) ; near the coast this fruit is ripe towards the end of December and 

 in January; a little higher up in February and March; still higher from April 

 to August. The Durian and the Mango are ripe near the coast as early as 

 December and January, but at Langowan (in the hills in April — ^June. The 

 Coffee-tree is in blossom in Kele Londej the whole year round, but at its fullest 

 from November to February, and it begins partially to ripen in May. At Langowan 

 this occurs about a fortnight earlier, and at Tondano a fortnight earlier still. 

 Last year (1893) coffee was gathered every month, though in various quantities. 

 And this though Kele Londej is only about 400 ft. higher than Langowan, and 

 Langowan only about 200 ft. higher than Tondano". 



Other phaenological observations from Celebes than these, except stray ones, 

 have not reached us, though we possess such from Middle Luzon, which, how- 

 ever, would not afford a crucial test for Celebes. 



Islet nomads. — A curious phase of migration is displayed by several Pigeons 

 of the East Indian Archipelago. The species occurring in the Celebesian area and 

 displaying the characteristic in question are Caloenas mcoharica, Myristicivora hicolor, 

 CarpopJtaga concinna and C. pickerhif/i. These birds — at least the two first and 

 better known species — are highly gregarious; they repair to breed on certain 

 fixed islets and during the rest of the year seem to wander from one small 

 island to another within their range, only occurring exceptionally on the neigh- 

 bouring mainlands. In this manner the Mj/risticivora and the Caloenas have a 

 range of three or four thousand miles, and that of Carpophaga concinna is also 

 large. The Nutmeg Pigeon, Mj/risticivora, is often excessively numerous; we 

 read of the lofty trees of a small island being simply covered with thousands 



