Birds of Celebes: Cuculidae. 
229 
interest in questions concerned with the geographical distribution of animals. 
Among birds Arhich appear to be stationary and settled, it is usual to find nerv 
species in localities separated by a narrow reach of sea or other geographical 
barrier; among the Phoenicophaeinae these barriers are often the means of sepa- 
rating forms AA’hich some authorities har^e distinguished as genera. Thus, Rhampho- 
coccyx is confined to Celebes, Rhimcoccyx to Jar^a, Dryococcyx to Palawan, 
Phoenicophaes s. str. to Ceylon, Dasylophus to Luzon and Marinduque (Steere), 
Lepidogrammiis to Luzon, Hyetornis to Jamaica, each of which genera Capt. 
Shelley finds to be represented by a single species; Coua with 12 species is 
peculiar to Madagascar. 
The subfamily Phoenicophaeinae forms an important link between Celebes 
and Asia, no member of it being known from the Moluccas or any other part 
of the Australian Region. OAving to their structure and their habits the 
Phoenicophaeinae appear less likely than any Celebesian genera yet considered to 
haA'e spread their range by flight OA'er AAude stretches of sea. The wing is very 
short and rounded, the tail very long; the length in the flesh of specimen “a” 
(antea) of Phoenicophaes calorhynchus meridmialis was found by Dr. Platen to be 
550 mm, the Aving is only 200 mm; Legge shoAvs the Aving to be only one-third 
the total length in the Ceylon species, P. pyrrhocephahs (B. Ceylon, 256); and 
Shelley’s measurements proA'e that the same condition obtains throughout the 
SAibfamily, the total length being aLvays more than twice, and often more than 
three times that of the Aving. 
It aj)pears that these birds are rarely or never seen on the wing in the 
sense of taking long flights — at least this is the case with the Indian and 
East Indian forms. Davison remarks of Rhopodytes tristis: “Its flight is Aveak, 
and it relies more for its safety on the dense and impenetrable character of 
the places it prefers to frequent. It has a marvellous capacity for making its 
Avay through dense cover” uStr. F. VI, 163) ; and on the next page he remarks 
that the habits of R. simatranus are similar. Urococcyx microrhinus in Borneo 
Avas found by Mottle y to conceal itself among the brushAvood and Avhen disturbed 
to take only very short flights (Oates t. c. 125). Rhinortha chloropdiaea , accor- 
ding to Davison, resembles Rhopodytes in all its habits (S. F. VI, 166). Legge 
speaks of the Avay in Avhich Zanclostomus in Ceylon makes off, threading its Avay 
quickly through the most tangled underwood, but in places AA'here it is common 
it may often be seen flAung across roads. Phoenicophaes Avhen flushed in the 
jungle flies up to high branches and quickly gets out of danger, taking short 
flio-hts from tree to tree. MeA'er found that Phoenicophaes in Celebes “does 
not fly aAvay even after being shot at; it sits quiet if a bird by its side falls 
doAAUi; but I ahvays got the impression that it is the fright Avhich rivets it to 
the spot'). It flies quickly, or rather glides or slides through the foliage” (a 17). 
1) ‘>Oiioe” continues Meyer, in a different connection — “some one told me, at Eemboken, on tlie 
•shores of the Tondano lake, that several years before such a bird flew, crying very loudly, over the village. 
