The most interesting birds I obtained here, were the beautiful blue kingfisher,
Todiramphus diops; the fine green and purple doves, Ptilonopus superbus and P.
iogaster, and several new birds of small size. My shooters still brought me in
specimens of the Semioptera Wallacei, and I was greatly excited by the positive
statements of several of the native hunters that another species of this bird
existed, much handsomer and more remarkable. They declared that the plumage
was glossy black, with metallic green breast as in my species, but that the white
shoulder plumes were twice as long, and hung down far below the body of the
bird. They declared that when hunting pigs or deer far in the forest they
occasionally saw this bird, but that it was rare. I immediately offered twelve
guilders (a pound) for a specimen; but all in vain, and I am to this day uncertain
whether such a bird exists. Since I left, the German naturalist, Dr. Bernstein,
stayed many months in the island with a large staff of hunters collecting for the
Leyden Museum; and as he was not more successful than myself, we must
consider either that the bird is very rare, or is altogether a myth.
Batchian is remarkable as being the most eastern point on the globe inhabited
by any of the Quadrumana. A large black baboon-monkey (Cynopithecus
nigrescens) is abundant in some parts of the forest. This animal has bare red
callosities, and a rudimentary tail about an inch long—a mere fleshy tubercle,
which may be very easily overlooked. It is the same species that is found all over
the forests of Celebes, and as none of the other Mammalia of that island extend
into Batchian I am inclined to suppose that this species has been accidentally
introduced by the roaming Malays, who often carry about with them tame
monkeys and other animals. This is rendered more probable by the fact that the
animal is not found in Gilolo, which is only separated from Batchian by a very
narrow strait. The introduction may have been very recent, as in a fertile and
unoccupied island such an animal would multiply rapidly. The only other
mammals obtained were an Eastern opossum, which Dr. Gray has described as
Cuscus ornatus; the little flying opossum, Belideus ariel; a Civet cat, Viverra
zebetha; and nice species of bats, most of the smaller ones being caught in the
dusk with my butterfly net as they flew about before the house.
After much delay, owing to bad weather and the illness of one of my men, I
determined to visit Kasserota (formerly the chief village), situated up a small
stream, on an island close to the north coast of Batchian; where I was told that
many rare birds were found. After my boat was loaded and everything ready,
three days of heavy squalls prevented our starting, and it was not till the 21st of
March that we got away. Early next morning we entered the little river, and in
about an hour we reached the Sultan's house, which I had obtained permission to