Birds of Celebes: Oriolidae. 
593 
The typical O.formosus of Siao remains slightly the largest of all known 
Orioles, though very nearly equalled by its near relation O. melanistkiis of Talaut, 
which exceeds it in length of bill. The latter curious bird — when its melan- 
istic hues are not pronounced — may be distinguished from O. formosus by 
its black wings and two middle tail-feathers, on which the yellow-olive of the 
back is absent, or present in only a small amount. 
Schlegel united Oriolus J'ormosus with the Philippine O. acrorhynchus Vig., a 
species distinguished by its much smaller size, its large yellow frontlet covering 
most of the crown, and its lighter greenish yellow back. O. frontalis Wall., 
of Sula, also united by Schlegel with J-. acrorhynchus, is more like O.formosus, 
a very little smaller, but golden yellow on the back, not dark greenish yellow. 
This species is another example of the increase in size of birds in the Sangi 
Islands. 
Several specimens, killed in June — July, are moulting. 
* 250. ORIOLUS MELANISTIOUS M.&Wg. 
Talaut Oriole. 
Plate XXXVII. 
Oriolus melanistieus (1) M. & Wg., J. f. O. 1894, 24/: (2) Rothsch., Bull. B. O. 0. 1894, 
Nr. 19, Ibis 1894, 547; (3) M. & Wg., Abb. Mus. Dresd. 1895, Nr. 9, p. 7. 
“Tariawo” or “Ariawu”, T.alaut, Nat. Coll. 
Adult. Like the adult 0. formosus, but the wings and two middle tail-feathers entirely, or 
almost entirely black; a broad yellow collar round bind neck (about 40 mm wide), 
sometimes mixed with black; back varying from yellow-olive, with a few dark centres 
to the feathers, to almost perfect black with slight fringes of yellow-olive; bill a little 
longer than in 0. formosus (type, Salibabu, 30. X. 93 and 4 others: Nat. Coll). 
Bill in the skin reddish white, feet purplish black. 
Immature. We hold the specimens with the least black on the back for females or immature. 
Young. Very like the young of 0. formosus, but the feathers on the back with dark centres, 
wing-coverts blackish with yellowish tips (juv., Kabruang, 7. XI. 93: Nat. Coll. — 
C 13113). 
Measurements. 
a. (C 13115) ad., Salibabu, 30. X. 93 (Nat. Coll.) . . 
b. (0 13110) ad., Kabruang, 9. XI. 93 (Nat. Ooll.) . . 
c. (0 13112) ad. [? Q], Kabruang, 2. XI. 93 (Nat. Coll.) 
d. (0 13114) ad. [? $], Salibabu, 31. X. 93 (Nat. Ooll.) 
e. (C 13111) ad. [? $], Kabruang, 9, XI. 93 (Nat. Ooll) 
f. (0 13I13) juv., Kabruang, 7. XI. 93 (Nat. Ooll.) 
7 adults from Karkcllang, Nov. 1894, and antumii, 1896 
Average size from 5 adults: wing 166.4, tail 122.6, tarsus 28; bill fr. nostr. 27.8. 
Individual variation. Specimens, apparently adult, vary in having the back and upper wing- 
coverts yellow- olive to black. Yellow covers nearly the whole of the forehead in 
some examples, in others it is reduced to a small amount in the middle of the fore- 
head and at the base of the bill. The yellow collar covers the entu-e hind neck and 
Wing 
Tail 
Tarsus 
Bill from 
nostril 
163 
124 
26 
28 
170 
122 
28 
27.5 
173 
125 
29 
29 
161 
120 
— 
27 
165 
122 
29 
27.5 
156 
113 
— 
25.5 
165-171 
— 
— 
27—30 
Meye 
Wigleswortli, Birds of Celebes (Nov. 1807). 
75 
