168 CELEBES. [chap. 



peculiar disease whicli causes the pod to shrivel up after it has 

 been fully formed, and it is in consequence no longer planted. 

 One of the commonest birds we found was a kind of starling 

 (Scissirostrum cluhium), with a most peculiar bill, and with the 

 feathers of the rump tipped with scarlet, in a manner somewhat 

 resembling the wing of the Bohemian waxwing. It appeared to 

 be very abundant, packing m small flocks and frequenting the 

 tops of trees. This bird is peculiar to Celebes, and it was with 

 the greatest interest that I watched it for the first time, for, as 

 I\Ir. Wallace has long ago remarked, it has no representative in 

 any of the surrounding islands, and is perhaps more closely allied 

 to the tick-eating Buphaga of Southern Africa than to any other 

 bird. Another equally interesting bird which fell to our guns was 

 the Eacquet-tailed Parrot {Prioniturus platurus), a genus which is 

 confined to Celebes and the Philippines. On our way we met a 

 man carrying a small animal with thick woolly fur — a little 

 Phalanger {Cuscus), peculiar to Celebes, which, after some dis- 

 cussion, he consented to part with for a guilder. These animals, 

 which are characteristic of the Austro-]Malayan svib-region, make 

 very engaging pets, and we had two or three different species of 

 them on board the yacht during her cruise in the archipelago. 

 They are about the size of a rabbit, and appear to be entirely 

 arboreal in their habits, climbing slowly about among the branches 

 of the trees on which they feed, aided by their long claws and 

 prehensile tail, which is completely bare for some inches at 

 the tip. 



Our road led southward, and about a couple of miles before 

 reaching Lotta, a pretty little village with about two hundred 

 inhabitants, we commenced a steady ascent, and left the gardens 

 of Menado behind us. Our bullocks were so poor that it soon 

 became doubtful whether we should reach Tondano that evening, 

 although it was only twenty -two miles from our starting-place 

 and we were provided with relays. As we went on the road 

 became still steeper, and our dak not having been well laid, in 



