594 Birds of Celebes: Oriolidae. 



upper portion of the mantle in some, especially the most melanotic examples ; in others 

 there is only a narrow space of yellow helow the black of the nape. One specimen 

 — from its darker bill scarcely adult — is especially mottled with black centres to 

 the feathers above, and with black streaks on the throat. Those which are blackest 

 above are generally most clear of black streaks on the yellow below. 



In none of the specimens unfortunately has the sex been ascertained. It appears 

 very likely that the most melanotic specimens will i^rove to be old males. No young 

 specimens (with duskier bills) are melanotic. 

 Distribution. Talaut Islands: Karkellang, Kabruang and Salibabu (Nat. Coll. in Dresden 

 and Tring Mus.). 



This interesting Oriole seems to be sprung from the Sangi Islands' Oriole, 

 O.formosus, and not O. formosus from it. O.melanisticiis seems to be in process 

 of acquiring a black back, and at present it appears to be an unusually variable 

 and instable species, the colour of the back ranging from bright yellow -olive 

 to almost black. The former colour indicates immaturity and, probably, the 

 female sex, though unfortunately we know nothing positively on the latter point; 

 the similarity of these specimens with the Sangi species suggests that the two 

 races were formerly identical and that the nielanistic influence has recently 

 asserted itself in Talaut. Three of the ten known peculiar species of Talaut 

 disjilay an increase of black in certain parts of their plumage; Pitta inspeculata 

 has the quills black, having lost, or nearly lost, the white speculum ; the Dicaeum 

 is blacker on the under surface than its Sangi and Celebes allies; O. melanisticus 

 is much blacker than its nearest ally of Sangi ; but, on the other hand, the black 

 has decreased in amount on the wings of Eos histrio talautensis, the black wing 

 bands being narrower than in the typical form of Sangi. 



ORDER COLUMBAE. 



Perhaps the best external means of distinguishing a Pigeon from other birds 

 is furnished by its bill, which is about as long as the head — more or less, 

 the basal portion fairly straight, soft, and covered by a skin in which the nostrils 

 open, while the tip is formed of a hard and horny rhamphotheca or "nib". The 

 shafts of the contour-feathers are thick, the webs at the base disintegrated and 

 very woolly, forming a dense plumage; no aftershaft. 



The toes are normal, three in front and one behind; the tarsus is covered 

 with a network of scales behind, usually scutellated in front, but sometimes 

 irregularly scaled (Starnoenas, Goura). In other respects some Pigeons are much 

 like certain Cuckoos in external appearance; others resemble somewhat the 

 Game-birds and Sand-grouse. A strong point of difference between them and 

 the two latter families is that the young of Pigeons are hatched blind and naked, 



