576 Birds of Celebes: Sturnidae. 



The above measurements show great indi\idual variableness in regard to the 

 tail, a point already observed by Prof. "W. Blasius. It consists as usual of 12 feathers, 

 strongly graduated, the outermost being only 75 — 85 mm long. 

 Distribution. South Celebes: Buton or Muna Island (Labillardi&re a I); Kandari (Beccari 

 4, P. & F. Sarasin Uy, near Macassar (Wallace 1, 2, 9, Everett 12); Maros (Ribbe 

 &Kuhn in Dr. Mus., "Weber iO); Tjamba Distr. (Platen hi, VII); Bonthain Distr. 

 (Doherty 13, P. &F. Sarasin). 



This species was first made known to science by Labillardiere, one of the 

 naturalists who accompanied Dentrecasteaux's expedition in search of the 

 unfortunate "I^a Perouse". Labillardiere mentions with some circumstantiality 

 that he and his companions killed it in a great forest in New Caledonia, and 

 Lesson (fi) notes that Quoy & Gaimard got it in Vanicoro in the Santa 

 Cruz Group ! The genus is, however, found nowhere but in the Celebes Province 

 and the present species is known only from the south of the island. On his 

 way home, after leaving Buru, Dentrecasteaux passed through the Strait of 

 Buton between the islands of Buton and Muna. Eighteen days were spent in 

 making the passage, and parties landed on both islands. No other point of Ce- 

 lebes was touched at, and there can be no doubt that it was on one of these 

 islands that the "Pie de la Nouvelle Caledonie" was obtained. The "Astrolabe", 

 whose collections were treated of by Quoy & Gaimard, called at Manado on 

 the way home, and a number of new species were then obtained there. The 

 common Streptocitta torquata of North Celebes was no doubt obtained here, and 

 confused, apparently, with S. albicollis by Lesson, to whom possibly the wrong 

 locality, Vanicoro, is due. 



In appearance this bird is very like a Magpie, but it seems to occupy an 

 intermediate position between the Corvidae and Sturnidae. The absence of pro- 

 jecting bristles covering the nostril induces us to class it with the Starlings. A 

 trait of character described by Dr. Platen is very Magpie-like; the traveller 

 describes his encounter with a fine Bird-of-prey , which was chased with loud 

 cries, bold opposition, and occasional attacks with the bill made from the rear 

 by six or eight birds of this species. 



The genus Streptocitta is most nearly allied to Charitornis of Sula, which 

 has the sides of the face and the chin and upper throat bare. Schlegel (3) 

 remarks that Streptocitta approaches the Graculae (Melaimpyrrhus, Mainatus) rather 

 than the Pies, especially by the relative proportions of the primaries, the bare 

 nostrils, the form of the feathers on the sides of the forehead, and the angle 

 of the gape being tiu'ned downwards, as is the case in the great family of Star- 

 lings of which the Graculae are a part. After Charitornis albertinae, which, 

 besides having the face bare of feathers, may be distinguished from Streptocitta 

 by its white head and under surface (except crissum, thighs and under tail- 

 coverts), we should place Basileornis as the nearest known ally of Streptocitta. 

 The characteristic feathering of the head of Basileornis repeats itself to some 



