TOWNSEND AND WETMORE: THE BIRDS. 161 



bird collection: — Ptilopus porphyraceus, Sauropatis sacra sacra, 

 Hypurolepis tahitica, Lalage pacifica, Aplonis tahuensis, Meliphaga 

 carunculata, wood shrike {Pinarolestes heinei), and Polynesian duck 

 {Anas supercUiosus pelewensis). 



Vavau, the last island in the Tongas visited by the Expedition, is 

 100 miles north of Nomuka. It is nine miles in length and in one part 

 about 700 feet high. It is cultivated, wooded, and has a population 

 of over 3,000. The ship lay off Neiafu village 4 and 5 December. 

 The name Neiafu should not be confused with Niuafou, the latter 

 being an island about 200 miles north of Vavau. The birds of Niuafou 

 were made known by Finsch in 1877. It was not visited by the 

 Albatross. The birds taken at Vavau were Ptilopus porphyraceus, 

 Sauropatis sacra celada (new), CoUocalia francica townsendi, Lalage 

 pacifica, a shrike (Pachycephala jacquinoti) , and Aplonis tahuensis. 



Wild ducks were seen in the ponds. This island would probably 

 repay careful ornithological exploration. 



A single specimen of Plumalis dominicus fuhus was taken at Vavau. 



The Fiji Islands. This great archipelago contains about 150 

 islands and as many more islets and reefs. It extends through seven 

 degrees of latitude and of longitude. The islands are of both volcanic 

 and of coral formation, are densely forested, and have a native popula- 

 tion of more than 100,000. 



Kambara, where the Albatross lay from 7 to 9 December, is a 

 wooded, volcanic island, four miles long, with a height of 470 feet. 



Two of the birds found in the Tongas, Ptilopus porphyraceus and 

 Lalage pacifica, were also found here. The other land birds were 

 Aplonis vitiensis, honey eater {Myzomcla jugularis), Halcyon sacra 

 vitiensis, flycatcher {Myiagra townsendi), and wood shrike {Pinaro- 

 lestes nesiotes), the last two being new species. 



The honey eater, Myzomela, was the only species that appeared to 

 be common near the village of Tokalau, where all the birds were 

 obtained. Its native name is Bithi-bithi Kula. The new flycatcher, 

 Myiagra, is called Sia-sia. Other birds might have been found in the 

 higher woods, had there been time to search for them. There are 

 apparently no records to show that Kambara had ever been visited 

 by naturalists. There are perhaps a dozen islands in the Fiji Group, 

 of the size of Kambara, about which naturalists have no information. 



The Albatross arrived at Suva, Viti Levu Island, 10 December, 

 and remained until the 19th. Viti Levu, largest of the Fijis, is also 

 the largest island of Eastern or Central Polynesia, having an area of 

 over 4,000 square miles. Its highest peak has an elevation of 5,000 



