50 MR. P. L. SCLATER ON BIRDS FROM TIMOR LAUT. [Feb. 20 



Snakes were tolerably abundant, both on the mainland and on the 

 small surrounding islands. 



"Of Birds some 70 or 80 species were obtained. Eos reticulata, a 

 small white Cockatoo, and a species of Carpophaga were among the 

 commonest species. A species of Geopelia and two lovely species of 

 Ptilopus are not uncommon. A species of Megapodius is found on 

 the islands, but it is rather rare : its mounds were not even seen ; 

 it frequents the shore. The Meropidce are represented by one 

 species ; the Alcedinidce by one species ; Caprimulgidce by one 

 species (not obtained) ; Cypselidce by one species (CoUocalia, not 

 obtained); Nectariniidee by one or two species; Meliphagidce by 

 one species ; Artamidce by one species ; Muscicapidce by several 

 species ; Timeliidce by several ; Sylviidce by several ; Turdidce by 

 two species ; Ploceidce by two or three species ; Corvidce by one 

 species ; Charadriidcc and Scolopacidce by a few species ; Ardeidcs by 

 two species ; Anatidce by two species ; Lariidce by one species ; 

 FalconidcB by one or two species 1 ; Strigidce by two or three species ; 

 PsittacidcB by several species. 



"Of Mammalia, Marsupials are represented by one species of 

 Cuscus, which, however, is not very common. No Kangaroos are 

 found in any of the islands ; but a small species of mouse-like mam- 

 mal, of which I was unable to catch a specimen, may be a Perameles. 



" Of Rodentia there are perhaps two species of Rats. The Sciuridce 

 do not occur. 



"Of Chiroptera there are several small species, besides a common 

 Pteropus or ' Flying Fox.' The Suidce are represented by one species 

 of Pig, of which I was able to obtain only one youngspecimen. On the 

 mainland are found large herds of Buffaloes, black when full-grown, 

 but of a reddish colour in the calf. ' They came up out of the 

 earth,' according to the native tradition. Tliere are no Deer. One 

 species of Sirenian frequents the shores, and is hunted for its large 

 canines, from which the natives make ear-rings ; it is Halicore aus- 

 tralis in all probabilitj\ 



"The Carnivora are represented by the Viverra tangalunga, which 

 is found on the mainland and on the islets of Larat and Vertate 

 (as far as known to me). On Vertate they are kept as pets. 



Of these the Viverra, the Buffalo, the Rats, and perhaps the Pigs 

 are almost certainly introduced. Perhaps also this is the case with 

 the Geopelia among the birds. 



"Timor Laut seems, from our present rough survey, to have great 

 affinity with the Moluccan (Amboiua) region, perhaps more than 

 with the Timor group. The Insecta seem very closely to resemble 

 those of Amboina ; but the Lepidoptera and Coleoptera are exces- 

 sively few in number." 



The following is a list of the species of which examples are in 

 the present collection, arranged according to the system adopted 

 by Count T. Salvador! in his excellent work on the Ornithology of 

 Papuasia and the Moluccas, just completed. 



