34 THE SULU ISLANDS. [chap. 



most conspicuous bird is the Scarlet- vented Cockatoo {Cacatua 

 hcematuropygia), which possesses a single rose-coloured feather for 

 its crest. This species is occasionally tamed by the Sulus, and 

 apparently can be taught to talk, although not readily. We 

 ourselves did not succeed with our pets, but in one instance I 

 found a much dissipated-looking specimen in a native hut, w^ho 

 seemed to have half forgotten some language w4iich, we were 

 assured, was Sulu. 



Overhead, in the open clearings, the Wood-swallow (Artamus 



Sarco^js calvus. 



leiicorhynchus) hawks unceasingly. Square-tailed and with short, 

 stumpy-looking wings, it has a somewhat clumsy appearance, but 

 its beautiful silver-grey back and snowy under-surface atone for it. 

 Its habits are curiously swallow-like, whether sitting huddled up 

 in company with half a dozen others on a bare bough, or whirling 

 round in wide circles with an incessant twittering cry ; but in 

 reality it is a species of Slu'ike, and has as little affinity with the 

 Hirundinidce as our so-called sea-swallow, the tern. The curious 

 Sarcops — a bird the size of a thrush, with black and silver plumage, 

 and a large fleshy wattle of a bright pink colour round the eye — is 



