4S 
Introduction : Migration. 
’•‘Halcyon sancta. The main body of these birds arrive in N. S. W. during 
August and the early part of September, breed and depart again by the end 
of March ; I have, however, noted straggling pairs during the intervening winter 
months. In Northern Queensland this bird is a resident species. 
“Circus assirnilis [C. jardmii Gould). This bird anives in N. S. W. during 
the month of August and is frequently met with in the small clumps of pine 
[Callitris) growing out on the plains in the inland portions of the colony, and 
in which it is often found breeding during September and October. It takes 
its departure again about the end of January or middle of February.” 
The paper of Dr. E. P. Ramsay’s referred to by Mr. North will be found 
in the “Ornis” 1885, pp. 581 — 584. The author remarks: “One thing with 
respect to our Australian fauna must be carefully borne in mind, strictly 
speaking we have no migration among our birds”; and again: “The term 
‘migratory’ as understood by European naturalists, does not apply to any. 
Australian species, the term I propose for these is ‘nomadic’”. Dr. Ramsay 
considers that Australian birds wander from place to place in quest of fresh 
feeding grounds and suitable breeding quarters; when they have reared their 
young, they retire to another part, sometimes only 10 or 20 miles away. “The 
Hirundinidae , our species of Gallinago, Rhynchaea, Merops, Artamus and some 
Rallidae^ make the closest approach to a migration here as they sometimes 
wander from the north to the south of Australia”. We know nothing about 
the endemic species of Australia, but, as regards others which occur in Celebes, 
Dr. Ramsay’s statements are certainly more or less erroneous and misleading. 
Two to four natives of Australia occur only as migrants in Celebes, in the same 
manner as a number of natives of the northern hemisphere reach the island 
and proceed as far as Australia in the south. Evidences of remarkable migra- 
tions across the Torres Straits have been given above. Of birds breeding in 
Australia Merops ornatus (though a few probably stay out of the general migra- 
tion on occasions) is known to be a migrant to Celebes and the Moluccas; 
Glareola Isabella and Halcyon sancta are almost equally certainly such; the Austra- 
lian form of Eurystomm orientalis has been recorded from Celebes and probably 
correctly, though we confess to an inability to distinguish the supposed races 
of this bird. Circus assirnilis and Scythrops novaehollandiae seem to be residents 
in Celebes, though it would be a matter for no surprise if their numbers ulti- 
mately proved to be affected by migration to and from Australia. Some of the 
greatest migrants of the North travel to Australia, among them being the follow- 
ing visitors to Celebes: Cypselus pac^cus, Squatarola helvetica, Charadrius fulvus, 
Aegialitis vereda, A. geoffroyi, A. mongola, Strepsilas interpres, Totanus glottis and 
glareola, Heteractitis hrevipes, Actitis hypoleucos, Terehia cinerea, Tringa acuminata, 
Tringa rujicollis, Limosa novaezealandiae, Numenius minutus, N. variegatus and 
cyanopus. There are also several other species about which particulars as to mi- 
gi'ation would be very welcome, such as Turnix maculosa-, the Herons, Herodias 
eulophotes , H. alba, H. garzetta, H. intermedia, Notophoyx novaehollandiae, N. picata 
