REPORT ON THE BIRDS — TONGA, THE FIJLS, API, AND TAHITI. 



35 



[These little Swiftlets were seen Hying about in numbers on every part of the island 

 at which we were. Shot July 20.] 



Judging from the difference in the structure of the nests obtained by Dr Graife from 

 Tongatabu (l.s.c.) and those from the Fijis (On. Central- Poly n., p. 276, t. xiv.), 1 

 expected to find a different species of Collocalia inhabiting the Friendly Group ; but on 

 examining the specimens before me, I find them exactly like those from the Fijis and 

 Navigators'. The structure of the nests seems to vary individually. (Cf. Finsch, Journ. 

 f. Ornith., 1872, p. 35.) 



Mr Layard enumerates C. vanicorensis also among the birds of Tonga, although it 

 was not detected by him. On this latter species compare Finsch, Journ. Mus. Godeffr., 

 Heft xii. p. 23, 1876. Its occurrence in the Fijis, which has been alleged by us (Orn. 

 Central-Polyn., p. 47) upon the faith of a specimen sent us by Dr Graife, the only one 

 we saw said to be from thence, is very doubtful. 



2. Halcyon sacra, Gin. 



Halcyon sacra, F. andH, Ornith. Central-Polyn., p. 32 ; Proc. Zool. Soc, 18G9, p. 545 (Tonga) ; 

 Journ. f. Orn., 1870, p. 1241 (Tonga); Layard, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1876, p. 501; Finsch, 

 Proc. Zool. Soc, 1877, p. 723. 



[Shot July 20 : eyes back. These birds were in considerable numbers near the 

 houses of the natives.] 



No. 23. Tongatabu. Female. 



No. 24. „ Male. 



No. 27. „ Female. 



No. 28. „ Male. 



[Shot July 21.] 



No. 27 (female) has a pure white superciliary stripe ; in the other specimens this is 



