218 bulletin: museum of comparative zoology. 



79. Aplonis vitiensis Layard. 



Aplonis vitiensis Layard, Proc. Zool. soc. London, 1876, p. 502. (Fiji Islands). 



A female was taken on Kambara in the Fiji Islands, 7 December. 

 This bird is an adult in very worn plumage. 



SO. Aplonis brunnescens Sharpe. 



Aplonis brunnescens Sharpe, Cat. birds Brit, mus., 1890, 13, p. 132, pi. 6. 

 (Savage Island). 



There are in the collection six skins and one alcoholic specimen 

 collected on Nine or Savage Island, 25 November. The sexes are 

 apparently similar in color, but females have the wing averaging shorter 

 than males. One male has a strong rufescent wash on the feathers of 

 the entire plumage. This wash is most pronounced on head, neck, 

 breast, and back. Following are measurements of the skins exam- 

 ined: — 



" 212,384 9 97.0 54.5 17.0 29.5 



Oberholser (Bull. 98 U. S. N. M., 1917, p. 58, 59) has recently 

 pointed out the distinctions between the genus Lamprocorax Bona- 

 parte and Aplonis Gould, showing that in the former group the second 

 primary (counting from the outside, and beginning with the spurious 

 primary) is longer than the fifth, while in Aplonis the second primary 

 is sometimes equal to but usually shorter than the fifth. Aplonis 

 hrunncsccns was not included in his list of species studied in this 

 connection, but upon examination is found to have the second primary 

 shorter than the fifth so that this species is a true Aplonis. Aplonis 

 cinerascens Hartlaub and Finsch also belongs here, as it has the more 

 rounded wing found in this group. 



