Introduction: Geographical Distribution. 
123 
its nearest affinities in Celebes, one (Eiidynamis mindanensis sangirensis) in the 
Philippines, [Calornis ]ganayensis sangirensis^ Ptilopus ocanthorrhous, Mega- 
podius sangirensis) in Celebes and the Philippines alike. Consequently it might 
be claimed that the Philippines are known at present to have 9 forms in Talant, 
and Celebes only 8 forms; but as the avifauna of Sangi presents the strongest 
agreement with Talant, and Sangi belongs to Celebes, it is convenient to include 
Talant with Sangi in the Celebesian area. 
The peculiar birds of the Sangi and Talant Islands seem to be of com- 
paratively recent origin; there is not a form among them which can be termed 
an ancient type. There is not a single peculiar genus, and all, or almost all, 
the endemic species are geographical races of forms in the lands lying near at 
hand to north, south, east or west. Moreover, ill-flying birds, such as the 
Bucerotidae and Phoenicophainae^ are absent, or at least not known as yet. Every- 
thing points to the recent colonisation of these islands, and their highly volcanic 
or coral character and the deep sea around them are suggestive of their recent 
upheaval '-) . 
As has been pointed out elsewhere, almost all of the peculiar species of 
Sangi and Talant have increased in size (see p. 58). 
List of the Birds of the Peling Group. 
Name of species 
Peling 
Banggai 
Name of species 
Peling 
Banggai 
*1. 
Spilornis rufipectus -< sulaensis 
* 
* 
*13. Loriculus sclateri ruher M. &Wg 
2. 
Aecipiter sulaensis (Sc hi.) 
* 
14. Aprosmictus sulaensis Rchw 
* 
— 
3. 
Haliaetus leueogaster (Gm.) 
— 
* 
15. Gacomantis virescens (Briigg.) 
— 
* 
4. 
Polioaetus humilis (Mull. Schl.) (typical) 
* 
— 
16. Eudynamis melanorhyneha S. Miill. . . . 
— 
5. 
Haliastur indus — girrenera 
* 
— 
17. Merops ornatus Lath 
— 
6. 
Pernis celebensis (Wall.) 
* 
— 
18. Alcedo molueeana (Less.) 
* 
— 
7. 
Ba%a celebensis Schl 
— 
* 
19. Alcedo meninting Horsf. 
* 
* 
8. 
Tinnunculus molucc. orientalis — oecidentalis . 
— 
*20. Pelargopsis dichrorhyncha M. &Wg. . . . 
* 
* 
9. 
Pandion haliaetus leucoeephalus J. Gd. . 
— 
21. Halcyon coromanda rufa (Wall.) 
* 
— 
10. 
Trichoglossus ornatus (L.) 
* 
22. Halcyon chloris (Bodd.) (typical) 
* 
11. 
Prioniturus platurus (V i e i 1 1.) . . . , . . 
* 
23. Halcyon sancta V. & H 

* 
12. 
Ta/nygnathus muelleri (Mull. Schl.) (typical) 
* 
24. Eurystomus orientalis (L.) 
— 
I) Such a change need call for no surprise; W orcester shows (Pr. U. S.Nat. Mus. 1898, 581) that such has 
evidently been the case with Siquijor, an island, with an area of about 90 sq. miles, to the north of Mindanao. 
“There is a tradition among the natives to the effect that the island has been thrown up from beneath the 
sea within a comparatively short time, and there is abundant geological evidence that this tradition is founded 
on fact. Every stone cracked open by the hammer shows evident signs of its coral origin. The tops of the 
highest hills, which rise a thousand feet above sea level, are strewn with the shells of the very same mollusks 
which to-day live along the shores. The hills themselves are mere masses of coral rag, to which a few trees 
cling with difficulty, as the soil washes down into the valleys almost as fast as it is formed. The fresh-water 
streams are without fish.” Our native collectors sent 16 species in a small collection from Ruang, a volcano 
rising out of the sea close to Tagulandang in the Sangi Islands, and it is pretty certain that these species 
must have settled there since the eruptions of 1870 and 1871, which destroyed the vegetation (see p. 634 of text). 
16 * 
