A NATVBALIST IN CELEBES 



of this shot were so exceptional that it is worthy of being 

 classified as a ' crack ' shot, and should be recorded with a 

 certain amount of respect. At the same time, I cannot 

 recommend to ornithologists the Dutch naval rifle as the 

 best weapon for use in collecting specimens, for the bullet 

 is apt to derange the feathers. I found in the crop of this 

 specimen a partially digested starling {Calornis neglecta), 

 but both this great osprey and the sea-eagle {Baliatus leu- 

 cogaster), which is very common in these parts, mainly 

 prey upon fish. I have often watched them for hours from 

 the pier at Talisse fishing in the shallow waters of the reefs. 

 They hover over the water for some time and then suddenly 

 splash into it, seize an unfortunate fish with their claws, 

 and sail away majestically to their home in the forests. 



A bird, often seen on the orange trees and the higher 

 branches of the trees in the mangrove swamps, is the 

 beautiful brown falcon {Erythrospiza trinotata). The only 

 specimen I obtained was shot for me by Cursham's boy 

 on an orange tree just in front of my hut. I had been out 

 shooting all the afternoon, and on my return I found 

 this bird lying dead upon my table with a little skewer 

 of wood through its breast. The boy, who boasted of 

 the name of ' Solomon,' noticed the bird as he passed 

 my hut on his way to the panchuran, and, finding that 

 I was out, hastily manufactured a blowpipe from a piece 

 of bamboo, and using a dart of the same wood and a little 

 plug of cotton wool, at the first shot pierced the bird 

 through the heart. Now this was not only an excellent 

 example of the ease and accuracy with which the natives 

 of these islands can use the blowpipe, but, as not a single 

 feather was displaced in the operation, and scarcely a drop 

 of blood spilt, an instance of the superiority of the weapon 

 in many respects over fire-arms for collecting specimens. 

 I am afraid, however, that it will never come into general 



