Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-26
HUNDREDS OF BIRDS
Collection: Made By DR.. Alb
bolt for National Museum.
PLACED IN POSITION
EXPLORED FOREIGN SHORES IN
SEARCH OF SPECIMENS.
Recent Cruise Among Islands on West
Coast Of Sumatra, In Bay
Of Bengal.
PLACED :, IN POSITION

Iut. ~. w. kblCuIHOHQ, aSSlSldtlt VA
the division of birds, which is located in the
Smithsonian Institution. Is busy arranging
and Identifying over $40 specimens Of rare
and curious birds from DR.. w. L. Abbott's
collection. obtained from islands Of the
west coast Of Sumatra. In the Bay OF Ben
gal. on his recent cruise. There are strange.
foreign pigeons. hawks, swallows, crows.
orioles, owls and so on almost without
number.
About six species of various colored
cuckoos, of all sizes. are represented.
Among these is the ground cuckoo. which
is the largest, and is distinguished by an
unusually long claw, that aids 1t In walk
ing.
Vari-colored and finely shaped kingfishers
are present in large numbers. These birds.
as. indeed. nearly all the others. present q
gorgeous appearance as they lie side by
side In the large, fiat boxes in which they
are being placed for safekeeping, their
beautifully colored breasts facing upward.
There are three or four species Of these
birds. The most striking Is the stork-billed
kingfsher. 1t has a long, red bill. from
which 1t gets its name. an orange-cOlored
breast and cobalt blue wings A consider
able number Of these birds are In the col
lection.
Another species Of the kingfisher is one
belonging to the genus halcyon, an old
Greek name. The kingfsher was thought
by the Greeks to be q harbinger of good,
probably because Of the superstition that
its nests ioated on the sea, and thus were
a sign of calm weather.
There are several smaller and more bril-
liant kingfishers in the Abbott collection,
which resemble more closely than the
others the common European variety Of
this bird. There Is one also which Is pecu-
liar on account of its having three toes in
stead of four.
There are several hornbills Of two styles.
One species has large and completely hol-
low bill. The bills Of both species are yell
lowish-red and the feathers are yellow and
black.
Builders Of Edible Nests.
Mr.. Richmond has a large number of
swallows. or swifts. Of the kind that build
the famous edible nests. 80 highly priced
as delicacies by the Chinese. These birds
are grayish-white In color. and have very
short legs They never perch. but are con-
tinually on the wing. except when on their
nests: and for this reason longer legs would
be suDerfuous.
Their nests are built in caves. where they
are easily accessible. II 1t is ever possible
to discover the caves. Some nests are
pure white and others brown the former
being considered the most appetizing They
are made of certain kinds of seaweed,
mixed with the saliva of the bird The
nests sell. among the Chinese, for q sum
equivalent TO s$4O per pound.
The contribution includes several speci-
mems of a kind OF crow. that resembles the
American variety In color and form, but is
much larger. D. ~
There are number of birds that are well
known throughout the east as bulbuls and
are famed for their singing. They have
brilliant yellow breasts and glossy, brown
backs a .iaa, s-g... a.-..s,- -
A kind of pigeon. known as the fruit
pigeon. Is represented by a large series
These birds feed on nutmegs. They are
about foot long from tip of bill to tip of
tail.
Many gorseousy colored orioles are in
the collection. Their colors are yellow and
black. like the Maryland orioles, but they
are of an entirely different family. The
American variety Ii sometimes called new
world oriole" in distinction from the true.
or "old world" Oriole.
Besides all these birds there are rails.
sandpipers, herring and many others that
have not yet been identified The collec-
ton. when mounted, will be a handsome
addition to the Smithsonian exhibit.
DR.. Abbott's Researches.
DIR. Abbott. who Is a resident Of Phila-
delphia, has been collecting mammals
birds. insects and theological specimens
ever since the year 1887. and has Journey
ed to many different countries and islands
OF the sea to accomplish his purpose He
has placed the United States Museum un-
der great obligations. and the work he has
done has won an expression Of most sin
cere appreciation. For two winters Dr.
Abbott has collected specimens from is
lands in the east. Previous to his recent
bars, and the account Of the cruise is Civ
en- by G. Boden kloss, an Englishman of
Singapore. who frequently accompanies
DR.. Abbott.
Singapore-built teak schooner, 81 tons
yacht measurement, OF which DR.. Abbott
Is the captain and owner. She is Is feet
long and 18 feet broad, and the drausht is
tn feet. She is provided with suitable
equipments and the arrangement of the
quarters Is such as would be desirable for
sailing in the tropics. The crew-flve or
binary seamen. "serang." or boatswain
and a sailing master-are Malays Natives
is Is said. are far more satisfactory in near
ly every way, on a small boat in the TROPICS
than are white men. even II the latter could
be obtained. The Malays can put I'D with
more restricted quarters, are less inclined
to grumble under peculiar circumstances, or
to be disobedient, are more at home in
every way in their surroundings, and most
important Of all. keep in good health and
can stand the sweltering sun. Chinese
boy and cook are also carried
The Terrapin is well provided with places
for storing the numerous specimens which
are collected on every voyage.
The schooner left Singapore on the trip
before the last in October, 1900 and cruised
OF the coast of Tenasserim. and among the
islands of Mergui archipelago. few days
were then spent In the Malay peninsula,
where several wild deer and pigs were OBJ
tained. After visiting High Island. where
an unsuccessful search was made for skele-
tons of an animal known as the sellune.
and where a ntinbet Of birds and mammals
were added to tho collection, the schooner
left for the Andanfah Islands, which lie to
the west Of tho Malay peninsula, in the Bay
of Bengal. There are four large islands in
the group and many smaller ones. They
are exceptional places for research for stu
dents in natural history. Below these are
the Nicobar Islands. q smaller group.
The Terrapin crpised among both Of these
groups, stopping; here and there to visit the
natives and collect things Of interest. To a
lover of natural history and ethnology
nothing more like d. paradise could be i'm
agfned, 1t is said. '9Ie
Hundreds sof Specimens.
Hundreds Of specimens were secured.
every one of which is at present mounted
or preserved in some way at the United
States Museum Little trips into the in
terror were made. either on foot or In boats
and explorations made up small creeks or
inlets. Photographs were taken. which to-
day bring back pleasant recollections, and
are very helpful to the curators of the mu-