Introduction: Variation. 



59 



Sangi 



1 . Tanygnathus muellen sangirensis M. Wg. 



2. Cej/copsis sangirensis M.&Wg. 



3. Cittura sangirensis Sharpe 



4. Hypothgmis roivkj/i^) (Meyer) 



5. Acmonorhgnchus sangirensis (Sal v.) 



6. Anthreptes malaccensis chlorigaster (Sh.) 



7. Zosterops nehrkorni W. Bias. 



8. Calornis panayensis sangirensis (Sal v.) 



9. Osmotreron saiigirensis (Briigg.) 



10. Ptilopus xanthorrhous (Sal v.) 



11. Macropygia albicapiUa sangirensis (S.) 



12. Megapodius sayigirensis Schl. 



Talaut 

 T. muelleri — sangirensis 



2. Dicaeum talautense M.&Wg. 



3. Hermotimia talautensis M.&Wg. 



4. Calornis panayensis sangirensis {Salv. 



5. Ptilopus xanthorrhous (Salv.) 



6. Megapodius sangirensis Schl. 



To the Talaut list the following species having their nearest affinities in 

 the Philippines and elsewhere should be added: 7. Tanygnathus talautensis'NLikWg.; 

 S. Zosterops hahelo M.&Wg.; 9. Oriolus melaiiisticus M.&Wg.; 10. Carpophaga 

 intermedia M.&Wg.; and to the Sangi list should be added Oriolus formosus Cab., 

 allied to Philippine and Sula forms. 



There are about 17 species in Sangi with near affinities to forms on the 

 mainland of Celebes, but which have developed more or less appreciable local 

 differences. Of these 17, no fewer than 12 named in the above list have in- 

 creased in size in Sangi, while two others, Prioniturus platurus and Dicaeum 

 sangirense, are probably also a trifle larger than their relatives on the mainland. 

 Dicrurus leucops, Hermotimia sangirensis and Pitta caeruleitorques have not increased 

 in size, but they are at the same time not smaller than their Celebesian allies. 

 In no case have Celebesian species decreased in size in Sangi. '^) 



The imperfectly explored Talaut Islands are at present known to possess 

 8 peculiar species allied to forms belonging to Celebes or the Philippines, not 

 counting 2 with Moluccan affinities; and to these eight should be added 4 Cele- 

 besian forms which Talaut possesses in common with Sangi. Ten of these twelve 

 species display a marked increase of size in Talaut, and the other two show no 

 reduction. 



The converse supposition that the large forms of Sangi and Talaut represent 

 the original size and that the races of Celebes and the Philippines are those 

 which have undergone alteration, viz. reduction in size, is not plausible. The 

 islands seem most obviously to have been colonised chiefly from the mainlands 



1) Nearest affinities uncertain. 



-) From the island of Siao belonging to the Sangi gi-oup a single very small specimen of an Owl like 

 Scops manadensis has been described by Schlegel as Scops siaoensis. Its distinction is not admitted in this 

 ork (see p. 104). 



8* 



