in insects as I had expected, and my hunters got me very few birds, but
what they did obtain were very interesting. Among these were the rare
forest Kingfisher (Cittura cyanotis), a small new species of Megapodius,
and one specimen of the large and interesting Maleo (Megacephalon
rubripes), to obtain which was one of my chief reasons for visiting this
district. Getting no more, however, after ten days' search, I removed
to Licoupang, at the extremity of the peninsula, a place celebrated for
these birds, as well as for the Babirusa and Sapi-utan. I found here
Mr. Goldmann, the eldest son of the Governor of the Moluccas, who was
superintending the establishment of some Government salt-works. This was
a better locality, and I obtained some fine butterflies and very
good birds, among which was one more specimen of the rare ground dove
(Phlegaenas tristigmata), which I had first obtained near the Maros
waterfall in South Celebes.
Hearing what I was particularly in search of, Mr. Goldmann kindly
offered to make a hunting-party to the place where the "Maleos" are most
abundant, a remote and uninhabited sea-beach about twenty miles distant.
The climate here was quite different from that on the mountains; not a
drop of rain having fallen for four months; so I made arrangements to
stay on the beach a week, in order to secure a good number of specimens.
We went partly by boat and partly through the forest, accompanied by the
Major or head-man of Licoupang, with a dozen natives and about twenty
dogs. On the way they caught a young Sapi-utan and five wild pigs. Of
the former I preserved the head. This animal is entirely confined to the
remote mountain forests of Celebes and one or two adjacent islands which
form part of the same group. In the adults the head is black, with a
white mark over each eye, one on each cheek and another on the throat.
The horns are very smooth and sharp when young, but become thicker and
ridged at the bottom with age. Most naturalists consider this curious
animal to be a small ox, but from the character of the horns, the fine
coat of hair and the descending dewlap, it seemed closely to approach
the antelopes.
Arrived at our destination, we built a but and prepared for a stay of
some days--I to shoot and skin "Maleos", and Mr. Goldmann and the Major
to hunt wild pigs, Babirusa, and Sapi-utan. The place is situated in the
large bay between the islands of Limbe and Banca, and consists of
steep beach more than a mile in length, of deep loose and coarse black
volcanic sand (or rather gravel), very fatiguing to walk over. It is
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