Birds 
of Celebes: 
Cuculidae. 
233 
Skeleton. 
Length of craniiim . . . . 
118.0 
mm 
Length of tarso-metatarsus 
48.0 
mm 
Greatest breadth of cranium . 
44.5 
» 
Length of digitus I . . . . 
26.5 
» 
Length of humerus . . . . 
91.0 
» 
Length of digitus II . . . 
38.0 
» 
Length of ulna . . .■ . . 
89.0 
» 
Length of digitus III . . . 
52.0 
/> 
Length of radius 
82.0 
» 
Length of digitus IV . . . 
51.0 
> 
Length of manus 
88.0 
» 
Length of sternum . . . . 
60.5 
» 
Length of metacarpus . . . 
43.7 
» 
Greatest breadth of sternum . 
51.0 
» 
Length of digitus I . . . . 
17.0 
» 
Height of crista sterni . . 
18.5 
» 
Length of digitus II . . . . 
40.5 
» 
Length of coracoideum . . . 
46.5 
» 
Length of digitus HI 
13.0 
» 
Length of scapula . . . . 
60.0 
» 
Length of femur 
64.5 
» 
Length of clavicula . . . . 
47.0 
» 
Length of tibia 
86.4 
» 
Length of pelvis . . . . •. 
8J.5 
» 
Length of fibula 
40.0 
> 
Greatest breadth of pelvis 
45.0 
» 
Distribution. “Universally distributed over the whole continent of Australia” (North 21 , 25 )\ 
Tasmania (North 21 ); S. E. New Gluinea, New Britain, Duke of York, Kei, Aru 
(Biedel 17 ), Ceram, Buru, Ohi major, Batchian, Ternate (cf. Salvad. 15 ); Celebes 
— Minahassa (Eorsten 10 , Beinw. c 2 , Meyer 14 , Guillem. 18 ), Gorontalo (Rosenb. 
Macassar (Wallace 26 ), Tjamba, S. Celebes (Platen X9); Elores (Allen 9 , 15 ); 
Talaut — Salibabu Id. (Nat. Coll. 29 ). 
This Cuckoo, the Channel-bill of Latham and of Australian ornithologists, 
is remarkable at once as being the largest of all the Cuckoos, and for the pe- 
culiar structure of its great bill. Prof. Newton (28) remarks that “its system- 
atic position has often been disputed — its large and curiously grooved bill 
inducing some to refer it to the Bucerotidae (Horn bills), while its zygodactyle 
feet cansed others to place it among the Ramphastidae (Toucans)”. Count 
Salvadori (15) believes, that it might be made the type of a distinct sub- 
family constituted by Bonaparte; this we have adopted. The development of 
its plumage also affords points of interest; the immature bird presents certain 
analogies to the young of other Cuckoos of less aberrant structure, but the 
manner in which the cinnamon colour is confined to a single, large, ill-defined 
spot at the tip of the feathers of the upper surface seems to be peculiar to it. 
Gould remarks that in New South Wales it is migratory, arriving in Oc- 
tober and departing again in January (VII, 11). Of late years no one in 
Australia appears to have paid further attention to the subject, except that 
Mr. North mentions it as a straggler in Cumberland County, N. S. W., and in 
iasmania (21). As Count Salvadori remarks, this migration is probably di- 
rected towards the equator, and that the species wanders to New" Guinea from 
Australia, and during its migration extends its way to the Kei Islands, Moluccas, 
Celebes and the islands of the Timor Group. This conclusion does not, how- 
ever, appear to be entirely correct, at least as regards the Minahassa, Celebes, 
where, as we are informed by Mr. Cursham, it is present all the year. 
Meyer found the bird very common in the Minahassa from January till July, 
and was informed that “during the east monsoon, when it is very dry (May till 
November), the bird cries much”. It is a breeding species there as well as in 
Meyer &Wigles worth, Birds of Celebes (Oct. 25tl>, 1897). 
30 
