176 
Birds of Celebes: Picidae. 
“Tatankul” — near Tanawangko, Meyer, — or “Tatankul Sela”, E'at. Coll, Minaliassa. 
“Tukan besar”, Malay, Minahassa, Nat. Coll. 
“Bitu-bitua”, Gorontalo, Joest a 3. 
“Widi-widua”. Mosenb. a 2. 
For further synonymy and references see Hargitt 1. 
Figures and descriptions. Quoy & G-aimard a I; Eeichb. h II; Malherbe c I; W. Blasius 
f 2; Hargitt 1. 
Adult male. G-eneral colour above dusky slaty, becoming dark bistre-brown on the up per 
tail-coverts and tail-feathers, the shafts of vdiich are whity-brown in places, 
both shafts and webs pure bistre towards the tip; entire front part of head, in- 
cluding forehead, crown, sides of head, and malar region, as far as a line drawn 
about 5 mm behind the eye, red (yellowish crimson); remaining parts of the head 
and hind neck slaty hke the back, but each feather furnished with a small tip of 
white. Chin and throat broccoh-brown , speckled with minute white tips to the 
feathers; remaining under parts huffy clay-colour; tail below broccoli-brown 
washed with tawny-olive towards the tip; under wing-coverts slaty, touched with 
clay-colour (Banka Id. off N. Celebes, 16. V. 93 — C 12275). “Iris light yellow; 
bill black; feet greenish grey” (Griiillem. e 4). 
E. Hargitt remarks that the red immediately behind the eye is developed in 
very old males only. This appears to be the case in our specimens also, though- one 
or two wliich must be old, judging from their bills, have no red behind the eye. 
Adult female. Similar to the male, but without red on the head, this colour being replaced 
by dusky slaty grey like the hind head, speckled with smaller white tips (Banka Id. 
19. V. 93 — C 12276, Manado, C 5156). 
Immature [female] . Like the adult female, but with the crown and most of the forehead red ; 
under parts browner (N. Celebes, C 3600). Obs.: Hargitt was evidently quite right 
in describing a similar specimen as a young female. His opinion is fully confirmed 
by two immature specimens of the next species from East Celebes; they are casting 
off the old worn red feathers on the top of the head and are acquiring new ones 
of slaty with whitish spots, as in the adult female. The young therefore resembles 
the male more than the female. 
Fledging male. Differs from the above plumage (as described 1) in having the red patch on 
the forehead and crown more marked and richer in colour; the under parts more of 
a sandy grey; the tail-shafts lighter and the under surface of the tail greyer (Hargitt). 
Measurements (12 specimens). Wing 176 — 189 mm; tail 150—172; tarsus 30 ca. ; bill 28.5 
(Q ad. and ^ ^ imm.) — 36 (q^ ad.) 
Egg and nest. Two, seldom three, eggs in a hole of a dead tree (Meyer e 4). 
Distribution. Celebes, Northern (and S. E. ?) Peninsula: — Lembeh, Banka and Mante- 
hage, — Is. off the Minahassa (Nat. Coll, in Dresd. Mus.); Minahassa (Meyer e 4, 
Guillem, e 5, etc.); Gorontalo District (Meyer e 4, Joest a 3); Togian Islands 
(Meyer e 4); (?) Kandari, S. E. Celebes (Beccari f 1). 
Touching the occurrence of this form in the S. E. Peninsula, Prof. W. Blasius 
(Z. ges. Orn. 1885, 239) remarks: “As at this place the southern /SAeptoCTYte-species : 
albicollis occurs, it would be very remarkable if the Alophonerpes- (Microstictus) species 
were not also the southern ivallaceiA Blasius’ opinion is strengthened by the dis- 
covery of M. ivallacei in Central and East Celebes. 
Next to nothing has been recorded of the habits of M, fiilmis-. Meyer 
remarks that it feeds on tree insects, on white ants, caterpillars, etc., as all 
