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ON A COLLECTION OF BIRDS FROM SAN CHRISTOVAL, 

 SOLOMON ISLANDS. 



By the HON. \\- ALTER ROTHSCHILD, Ph.D., and ERNST HARTERT, Ph.D. 



FOR years it has been our great wish to receive a collection of birds from Sau 

 Christoval, the southernmost island of the Soloniou group. Although many 

 liirds from San Christoval have been described by Uamsay and Tristram, and many 

 novelties could, therefore, not be expected, they were most necessary to fill up the 

 gaps in the collection, and to understand the relationship of the various forms from 

 other islands ; and we were much pleased when at last our industrious correspondent, 

 Albert S. Meek, decided to visit San Cbristoval. Unfortunately he was not able 

 to stay long and to make an extensive collection, and several of the most interesting 

 species were not found by him. Ceijx gentiana (Tristram, Ihis LS79, pi. xi.) was 

 not met with, no hawks or owls were obtained, and of several other birds only a 

 few specimens have been sent. 



The principal articles on birds from San Christoval are : — 



Tristram, Ibix 1879, jip. i37 — 443, pis. xi, xii. 



Tristram, Ibis 1882, pp. 133 — 146, pis. iii, iv, v. 



Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc, iV. S. Wales, vi, pp. 176 — 181, 718 — 727 (1882). 



Ramsay, ojj. cit. vii, pp. 16 — i3, 299 — 301. 



It appears that the small island of Ugi, not maiiy miles to the north of San 

 Christoval, has several peculiar forms not found on Sau Christoval. 



1. Ptilinopus solomonensis solomonensis Gray. 

 Cf. Nov. Zool. 1905, p. 24.0. 



4 cJcJ ad., 1 ? ad., 1 S juv., Yanuta and Makira. (Nos. 4022, 4028, 4031, 

 4096, 4122 from Yanuta ; No. 4127 from Makira.) 



These specimens do not difi'er from those from New Georgia and Vella 

 Lavella. Canon Tristram described the bird from Sau Christoval as P, ceraseipectus. 



2. Carpophag^a rufigula Salvad. 

 Cf. Noi\ Zool. 1905, p. 245. 



Carpoj>ha(ja (Globiueiu) ricliai-d^i Tthtreim, Ihix 18T9, p. 443 (San Christoval). 



1 c?, 1 ? ad. (Nos. 401J, Yanuta, 4166 Makira.) 



3. Carpophaga pi-istinaria Bp. 



Cf. Noi: Zool. 1905, p. 245. 



1 ? ad., 1. V. 1908. (No. 4128, Makira.) 



v4. Columba albigularis (Bp.). 



Janthoeiias albigularia Bonaparte, Compt. Rend. Paris xjcxix. p. 1105 (Gilolo) (1854). 



1 <J ad. 6. V. 1908. (No. 4165, Makira.) 



We have already recorded this species from Vella Lavella Island. 



