^^ Introduction: Migration. 



"Halcj/oti samta. The main body of these birds arrive in N. S. W. during 

 August and the early part of Se])tember, breed and depart again by the end 

 of March ; I have, however, noted straggling pairs during the intervening winter 

 months. In Northern Queensland this bird is a resident species. 



"Circus assifnilis {C. jardmii Gould). This bird arrives in N. S. W. during 

 the month of August and is frequently met with in the small clumps of pine 

 [Callitris] growing out on the plains in the inland portions of the colony, and 

 in which it is often found breeding during September and October. It takes 

 its departure again about the end of January or middle of February." 



The paper of Dr. E. P. Ramsay's referred to by Mr. North will be found 

 in the "Ornis" 1885, pp. 581—584. The author remarks: "One thing with 

 respect to our Australian fauna must be carefully borne in mind, strictly 

 speaking we have no migration among our birds"; and again: "The term 

 'migratory' as understood by European naturalists, does not apply to any 

 Australian species, the term I propose for these is 'nomadic'". Dr. Ramsay 

 considers that Australian birds wander from place to place in quest of fresh 

 feeding grounds and suitable breeding quarters; when they have reared their 

 young, they retire to another part, sometimes only 10 or 20 miles away. "The 

 Hirundinidae , our species of Gallinago, Rhi/nchaea, Merops, Artamus and some 

 liallidae, make the closest approach to a migration here as they sometimes 

 wander from the north to the south of Australia"'. We know nothing about 

 the endemic species of Australia, but, as regards others which occur in Celebes, 

 Dr. Ramsay's statements are certainly more or less erroneous and misleading. 

 Two to four natives of Australia occur only as migrants in Celebes, in the same 

 manner as a number of natives of the northern hemisphere reach the island 

 and proceed as far as Australia in the south. Evidences of remarkable migra- 

 tions across the Torres Straits have been given above. Of birds breeding in 

 Australia Merops ornatus (though a few probably stay out of the general migra- 

 tion on occasions) is known to be a migrant to Celebes and the Moluccas; 

 Glareola isabella and Ilalrj/on sancta are almost equally certainly such; the Austra- 

 lian form of Eurj/stomiis orientals has been recorded from Celebes and probably 

 correctly, though we confess to an inability to distinguish the supposed races 

 of this bird. Circus assintilis and Scj/throps novaehollmidiae seem to be residents 

 in Celebes, though it would be a matter for no surprise if their numbers ulti- 

 mately proved to be affected by migration to and from Australia. Some of the 

 greatest migrants of the North travel to Australia, among them being the follow- 

 ing visitors to Celebes: Cypselus paci/icus, Squatarola helvetica, Charadrius fu/ctis, 

 Aegialitis vereda, A. geoffroyi^ A. vwngola, Strepsilas interpres, Totanus glottis and 

 glareola, Ileteractitis brevipes, Actitis hypoleucos, Terekia cinerea, Tringa acuminata, 

 Tringa ruJicoUis, Limosa novaezealandiae , Numenius minutus, N. variegatus and 

 cyanopus. There are also several other species about which particulars as to mi- 

 gration would be very welcome, such as Turnix maculosa, the Herons, Herodias 

 eulophotes , II. alba, II. garzetta, H. intermedia, Notophoyx novaehollandiae, N. picata 





