TOWNSEND AND WETMORE : THE BIRDS. 159 



Blue lory {Choriphilus peruvianus), kingfisher {Todirhamphus tutus), 

 and the introduced weaver bird (Lonckura castaneothorax) . A whole 

 afternoon of diligent exploration failed to reveal any other species. 

 The Blue lory, Choriphilus, is called Ve-ne, and the kingfisher, Todi- 

 rhamphus, O-ta-tari by the natives. 



Bora Bora, like all of the Society Islands, is volcanic, surrounded 

 with coral reefs. It is one of the most picturesque islands in Eastern 

 Polynesia, with its range of craggy peaks, one of which rises to a height 

 of 2,400 feet, and its encircling barrier reef dotted with cocoanut groves. 

 It is heavily forested and has a population of about 600. 



The Cook or Hervey Isl.\nds. — This group has nine rather 

 widely separated islands, some of which are volcanic and rise to con- 

 siderable heights. Others of less height are elevated coralliferous 

 islands. All are forested and most of them are surrounded by barrier 

 reefs, often enclosing lagoons. 



The group has a native population of over 7,000. Six species of land 

 birds have long been known, four of which are autochthonous. 



Our stop of half a day at Aitutaki, the only one visited, on 21 

 November, afforded little time for bird collecting. The only bird 

 found was the Blue lory {Choriphilus peruvianus), of which I secured 

 seven specimens. These were not difterent from those obtained at 

 Rangiroa and Bora Bora. This common pet of the natives will 

 probably be found on several other islands. Aitutaki has a length of 

 four miles and a height of 450 feet. It is well wooded and watered 

 and has a population of 1,500. 



The Isolated Island of Xiue. Nine or Savage Island, where we 

 anchored for a few hours on 25 November, is an isolated coralliferous 

 peak lying 600 miles west of Aitutaki and 250 miles east of the nearest 

 part of the Tonga Group. Our soundings between Aitutaki and Niue 

 revealed ocean depths exceeding 2,800 fathoms, and between Niue 

 and the Tongas, depths exceeding 4,500 fathoms. It has a diameter 

 of about ten miles, an elevation of 200 feet, and is well wooded. We 

 saw trees perhaps sixty feet high. The island is fertile and has many 

 breadfruit and mango trees. It has 4,000 inhabitants. The land 

 birds secured were fruit pigeon {PtHopus porphyraceus), parrot {Vini 

 australis), cuckoo shrike (Lalage whitmeei), tree starling {Aplonis 

 brunnescens), and a White-rumped swift {CoUocalia francica town- 

 send i), recently described by Oberholser from Albatross collections 

 as new. This species was also taken in the Tonga Islands. The 

 genus is celebrated for the nest it builds against clift's, from a secretion 

 of its salivary glands, and which is marketed as "edible birds' nest." 



