Three owls are also peculiar;
and one, a barn owl (Strix rosenbergii), is very much larger and
stronger than its ally Strix javanica, which ranges from India
through all the islands as far as Lombock.
Of the ten Parrots found in Celebes, eight are peculiar. Among
them are two species of the singular raquet-tailed parrots
forming the genus Prioniturus, and which are characterised by
possessing two long spoon-shaped feathers in the tail. Two allied
species are found in the adjacent island of Mindanao, one of the
Philippines, and this form of tail is found in no other parrots
in the whole world. A small species of Lorikeet (Trichoglossus
flavoviridis) seems to have its nearest ally in Australia.
The three Woodpeckers which inhabit the island are all peculiar,
and are allied to species found in Java and Borneo, although very
different from them all.
Among the three peculiar Cuckoos, two are very remarkable.
Phoenicophaus callirhynchus is the largest and handsomest species
of its genus, and is distinguished by the three colours of its
beak, bright yellow, red, and black. Eudynamis melanorynchus
differs from all its allies in having a jet-black bill, whereas
the other species of the genus always have it green, yellow, or
reddish.
The Celebes Roller (Coracias temmincki) is an interesting example
of one species of a genus being cut off from the rest. There are
species of Coracias in Europe, Asia, and Africa, but none in the
Malay peninsula, Sumatra, Java, or Borneo. The present species
seems therefore quite out of place; and what is still more
curious is the fact that it is not at all like any of the
Asiatic species, but seems more to resemble those of Africa.
In the next family, the Bee-eaters, is another equally isolated
bird, Meropogon forsteni, which combines the characters of
African and Indian Bee-eaters, and whose only near ally,
Meropogon breweri, was discovered by M. Du Chaillu in West
Africa!
The two Celebes Hornbills have no close allies in those which
abound in the surrounding countries. The only Thrush, Geocichla
erythronota, is most nearly allied to a species peculiar to
Timor. Two of the Flycatchers are closely allied to Indian
species, which are not found in the Malay islands. Two genera
somewhat allied to the Magpies (Streptocitta and Charitornis),
but whose affinities are so doubtful that Professor Schlegel
places them among the Starlings, are entirely confined to
Celebes. They are beautiful long-tailed birds, with black and
white plumage, and with the feathers of the head somewhat rigid
and scale-like.
Doubtfully allied to the Starlings are two other very isolated
and beautiful birds.
