( 63 ) 



120. Neoscolopax rochussenii (Schleg.)- 

 Tkis most interesting woodcock (or suipc) has hitherto only been known with 

 certainty from Obi Major, bnt Mr. Waterstradt has sent a skin, marked " ? " on 

 the label, from Batjan, where it was shot in Augnst 1902. It agrees fully with our 

 skin from Obi (ex Lucas), but is not such a fine skin, being much shot on the 

 wings, flanks, and belly. It is not stated at what altitude it was obtained, but this 

 bird must be a mountain bird, or it would be less rare in collections, and we know 

 that most of Mr. Waterstradt's birds were taken in the mountains. {AiUea, p. 17.) 



121. Gallinago megala Swinh. (Migrant.) 



Gullinagu megala Swinhoe, Ibis 1801. p. 343 (Amoy). 



Batjan : Wallace, Bernstein, Platen. 



122. Ardea sumatrana Kaffl. 

 Batjan : Wallace, Bernstein. 



123. Demiegretta sacra (Gm.). 

 Batjan : teste Finsch. 



124. Bubulcus coromanda (Bodd.). 

 Batjan : Wallace (Mus. Brit.). 



125. Butorides stagnatilis (Gould). 



AnktUi sUigiuililis Gould, P. Z. S. 1847. p. iu'l (Port Essiugton). 



I have no doubt that the bird mentioned as found on Batjan by Platen under 

 the name of Butoiidcs javaiiica (Nehrkorn, J.f. O. 1804. p. 161) is B. stagnatilis, this 

 being the form occurring on Halmahera, Obi, etc. 



120. Dupetor flavicoUis gouldi (Bij.) (?). 



lAnUaflacirullh Latham, 1ml. dni. ii. p. 701 (17'JU; ludia).] 

 Ardetta goulill Bonaparte, Consp. Av. ii. p. 132 (1857 : Australia). 



Batjan : Wallace, Platen, Doherty, Waterstradt. 



These Dupetor (or jierhajjs better Xanthocmis Sharpe) are very puzzling, and 

 Dr. Sharpe's treatment {('at. B. Brit. J/«.s-. xxvi. pp. 246 — 251) is not quite satis- 

 factory. One thing is certain : D.JIavicollis,ffamcoUis (India to China, etc.) has the 

 upper throat always spotted with rufous (red), while the birds from Celebes, the 

 Moluccas, New Guinea, and Australia have it spotted with blackish, deep brown or 

 brown-. Therefore at least one form must be separated from Jiamrollix, and the 

 oldest name is gouldi, based on Australian specimens. Dr. Sharpe separates further 

 a form which he calls itesophilus from Duke of York Island (and New Britain;, 

 while he calls all his examples from the Moluccas " Dupetor melas.'" This is, in 

 my opinion, more or less incorrect. First of all, I am doubtful if the Australian 

 form (witli pale abdomen) is separable from that inhabiting Celebes, the Moluccas, 

 New Guinea, and Duke of York Islands, which are doubtless all one and the same 

 form — at least so far as wc can make out from the material available in the 

 Hritisii and Tring Museums. It is said that Australian examples have a paler 

 abdomen, but it is, I believe, doulitful if this is not due to age or season. II' 

 Australian specimens dilfer constantly, then we have : 



