Introduction; Geographical Distribution. 
123 
its nearest affinities in Celebes, one [Eudynamis tnhidunensis sangivensis) in the 
Philippines, and three [Calornis panagensis sangivensis, Ptilopus wanthorrhous, Mega- 
podius sangivensis) in Celebes and the Philippines alike. Consequently it might 
be claimed that the Philippines are known at present to have 9 forms in Talaut, 
and Celebes only 8 forms; but as the avifauna of Sangi presents the strongest 
agreement Avith Talaut, and Sangi belongs to Celebes, it is convenient to include 
Talaut with Sangi in the Celebesian area. 
The peculiar birds of the Sangi and Talaut Islands seem to be of com- 
paratively recent origin ; there is not a form among them which can be termed 
an ancient type. There is not a single peculiar genus, and all, or almost all, 
the endemic species are geographical races of forms in the lands lying near at 
hand to north, south, east or west. Moreover, ill-flying birds, such as the 
Biicevotidae and Phoenicophainae, are absent, or at least not known as yet. Every- 
thing points to the recent colonisation of these islands, and their highly volcanic 
or coral character and the deep sea around them are suggestive of their recent 
upheaval'). 
As has been pointed out elsewhere , almost all of the peculiar species of 
Sangi and Talaut have increased in size (see p. o8). 
List of the Birds of the Peling Group. 
Name of species 
Peling 
Banggai 
Name of species 
Peling 
bo 
1 
M 
*1. 
SpUornis riifipectus < sulaensis 
* 
* 
*13. Lorieulus sdatcri ruber M. & Wg 
* 
* 
14. ApTOsmictus sulaen^'is Rcliw 
* 
— 
3. 
Haliaetus ktteogasier (Gm.) 
* 
15. Caeomantis vireseens fBriigg.) 
♦ 
4. 
Polioaettis hnmilk (Mil 11. Sc hi.) (typical) . 
♦ 
— 
16. Eudynamis melamrhynelui S. Miill. . . . 
* 
— 
5. 
HaliasUir indtis — girrewra 
* 
— 
17. Merops nrnaius Lath 
* 
— 
6. 
Pemis celebensk (Wall.) 
— 
18. Alcedo rmluccana (Less,) 
* 
— 
7. 
Baxa celebensis Sc hi 
— 
* 
19. Alcedo menmting Ilorsf. 
* 
S. 
Tinnuncnlus Ttwliiee. orieMtalis — oeeidentalis . 
♦ 
— 
Pelargopsis dichrorhynelm TA. &'Wg. . ■ . 
* 
* 
9. 
Pmidion haliaetus leucocephalus J. Gd. . 
— 
* 
21. Halcyon coromanda rufa (Wall.) 
* 
— 
10. 
Trichoglossus omatus (L.) 
* 
22. Halcyon chlm'is (Bodd.) (typical) 
* 
* 
11. 
Prioniturus platurus (Vie ill.) 
* 
23. Halcyon saneta V. & H 
. 
* 
12. 
Temygnattms muelleri (Miill. Schl.) (typical) 
* 
* 
24. Eurystomus orientahs (L.) 
* 
1 ) Such a change need call for no sui-prise; Worcester shows (Pr.U. S. Nat. Mus. 1898, 581) that such has 
evidently been the case with Siquijor, an island, with an area of about 90 sq. miles, to the north of Mindanao. 
“There is a tradition among the natives to the effect that the island has been thrown up Irom beneath the 
sea within a comparatively short time, and there is abundant geological evidence that this tradition is founded 
on fact Everj' stone cracked open by the hammer shows evident signs of its coral origin. The tops of the 
highest hUls which rise a thousand feet above sea level, are strewn with the sheUs of the very same mollusks 
which to-day live along the shores. The hills themselves are mere masses of coral rag, to which a few trees 
cling with difficulty, as the soil washes down into the vaUeys almost as fast as it is formed. The fresh-water 
streams are without’ fish.” Our native coUectors sent 16 species in a smaU collection from Ruang, a volcano 
rising out of the sea close to Tagulandang in the Sangi Islands, and it is pretty certain that these species 
must have settled there since the einiptions of 1870 and 1871, which destroyed the vegetation (see p. 634 of text). 
l(i* 
