594 
Birds of Celebes: Oriolidae. 
upper portion of the mantle in some, especially the most melanotic examples ; in others 
there is only a narrow space of yellow below the black of the nape. One specimen 
— from its darker bill scarcely adult — is especially mottled with black centres to 
the feathers above, and wth black streaks on the throat. Those which are blackest 
above are generally most clear of black streaks on the yellow below. 
In none of the specimens unfortunately has the sex been ascertained. It appears 
very hkely that the most melanotic specimens will prove to be old males. No young 
specimens (with duskier bills) are melanotic. 
Distribution. Talaut Islands: Karkellang, Kabruang and Salibabu (Nat. Coll, in Dresden 
and Tring Mus.). 
This interesting Oriole seems to be sprung from the Sangi Islands’ Oriole, 
O.formosus, and not O. formosus from it. O. melanistiais seems to be in process 
of acquiring a black back, and at present it appears to be an unusually variable 
and instable species, the colour of the back ranging from bright yellow -olive 
to almost black. The former colour indicates immaturity and, probably, the 
female sex, though unfortunately Ave know nothing positively on the latter point; 
the similarity of these specimens with the Sangi species suggests that the two 
races were formerly identical and that the melanistic influence has recently 
asserted itself in Talaut. Three of the ten known peculiar species of Talaut 
display an increase of black in certain parts of their plumage; Pitta mspeculata 
has the quills black, having lost, or nearly lost, the white speculum ; the Bicaeum 
is blacker on the under surface than its Sangi and Celebes allies; O. melamsticus 
is much blacker than its nearest ally of Sangi; but, on the other hand, the black 
has decreased in amount on the wings of Bos histrio talautensis, the black wing 
bands being narrower than in the typical form of Sangi. 
ORDER COLUMBAE. 
Perhaps the best external means of distinguishing a Pigeon from other birds 
is furnished by its bill, which is about as long as the head — more or less, 
the basal portion fairly straight, soft, and covered by a skin in which the nostrils 
open, while the tip is formed of a hard and horny rhamphotheca or “nib”. The 
shafts of the contour-feathers are thick, the webs at the base disintegrated and 
very woolly, forming a dense plumage; no aftershaft. 
The toes are normal, three in front and one behind; the tarsus is covered 
with a network of scales behind, usually scutellated in front, but sometimes 
irregularly scaled (Starnoenas, Gotcra). In other respects some Pigeons are much 
like certain Cuckoos in external appearance; others resemble somewhat the 
Game-birds and Sand-grouse. A strong point of difference between them and 
the two latter families is that the young of Pigeons are hatched blind and naked. 
