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Show 1871.] VISCOUNT WALDEN ON THE BIRDS OF CELEBES. 329 appeared very late in autumn. I find tbe following entries in an old note-book of mine:-' The first larger white-rumped Swallows I have seen this season appeared to-day (March 18, 1865); but a very few were visible, though the day was sultry and still.' ' They continued to pass every day, observing a north-easterly direction, until the 25th, when a storm came up from the south and cooled the air.' " But other years they have appeared in spring or early in summer, and, from the south-westerly direction to which they proceed at such times, I am inclined to believe that their summer habitat is in the mountain-region of Western Patagonia. It is remarkable that some years they have continued to pass all, or a greater part of, the hot season, and sometimes appear in vast numbers. Thus in the autumn of 1863 I had a good opportunity of observing them here, as every day thousands of them would descend to the stream near m y house to glide over the surface, sip and dip themselves in the water in the manner common to all the Swallows. All the birds that arrived through the hotter part of the day would remain by the stream and congregate by thousands on the bushes; but two or three hours before sunset they would rise up and scatter about the sky and then proceed north or north-east; this continued for many days ; and they have never since been so numerous. "They do not, like other birds, when migrating proceed with a rapid flight in a straight line, but are always seen leisurely circling about the sky with a serene graceful flight, never in close flocks, but scattered about here and there-first one bird passing, a minute or so afterwards another, then two or three, and so on for a great part of the day. "Their notes differ much from those of all our other Swallows- the birds incessantly uttering, as they circle about on high, a series of remarkable sounds resembling somewhat the creaking of the ungreased axle of a vehicle dragged along at a very slow rate of speed. " In m y next letter I will proceed to describe the other Swallows found in this neighbourhood." Professor Flower, F.R.S., exhibited, and made remarks on, the mounted skeleton of the young Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) recently born in the Society's Gardens, which had been prepared for the collection of the Royal College of Surgeons. The skin of this specimen, which had been likewise mounted, was stated to have been placed in the Giraffe-house in the Society's Gardens for the examination of visitors. The Viscount Walden, President of the Society, read a memoir on the birds of the Island of Celebes. Lord Walden commenced his paper with the following observations :- " Situated in the midst of the vast collection of islands which contribute to form the Malay archipelago, Celebes possesses an avifauna of a type peculiar to itself. The geographical position of the island and the leading characteristics of its fauna have been so clearly |