WCP6599

[1] [p. 112]¹

In a letter written from Ternate in March last,² before starting for Havre-Dorey [Manokwari], Mr. Wallace remarks, speaking of the Eastern tropics generally, "This part of the world is very poor in species compared with South America. In Java, so rich, so varied, and so well explored, there are barely 300 species according to Müller³, a number which any one spot in tropical America would probably furnish if well explored." In the same letter, with reference to the distribution of the Parrots, he says, "The Psittacidae are very interesting. It is, however, almost impossible to get all the species of each locality, some being always scarce and difficult to shoot. The greatest confusion exists as to their distribution, owing to their being carried from island to island by the native traders. This I hope in a great measure to set to rights. Almost every island of any extent has some peculiar species, but there are others which extend over a considerable range of the Archipelago. The representative species in the different islands are often very closely allied. In Gilolo [Halmahera] I have found the true Geoffroiius cyaneicollis, which is quite distinct from G. personatus of Amboyna [Ambon], and also from the Aru species, which, if different, as I think, from the Amboyna one, is new†.⁴ In my second Macassar [Makassar] collection I have sent a Trichoglossus‡,⁵ which I think new — the most western of the genus. At Manado, in the north of Celebes [Sulawesi], I shall find many of the rare birds which do not occur at Macassar. I have a pair of the superb Pitta maxima of Forsten,⁶ [2] [p. 113] from Gilolo."