( 56) 



differences of the sexes. Specimens from the Carolines (Rnk, Ualau) do not differ 

 from Marianne Islands specimens. 



A number of nests were fonnd in Jaunary, February, and March on Guam. 

 They were placed in l)nshes or trees, chiefly the " Kamachiri " tree, from four 

 to eight feet from the ground. They are deep cups, woven together of rootlets 

 and fine grasses, outside ornamented with leaves, sheepswool, col)webs, etc., and 

 are about 5 — T cm. deep and — 8 cm. wide. The eggs are two in number, white 

 or cream-colour, richly marked with deep rnfous brown spots, especially on the 

 thicker end. They measure from 17-1 : 14 to 10 : 14 mm. In some clutches 

 the sjxits are of a paler somewhat brick-red colour. A similar variation occurs 

 in the eggs of our Phi/lloscopus trochilus. 



Kittlitz, Reise II. p. 127, mentions this species as a "rothe Sonimauga," and 

 gives as its name " Egik." 



11. Cleptornis marchei Oust. (Oust. I. p. 202, PI. VII.). 



This pretty little honey-eater was discovered on the island of Saipan by 

 M. Alfred Marche, and described as Ptilotis mnreliei, or rather as Cleptornis (the 

 distinguishing characters of the reservedly proposed genus being well stated) 

 marchei, by Onstalet in Le Naturaliste 1889. p. 260. It is deep golden yellow, 

 darker and a little merging into orange on the abdomen; back, rump, wings, 

 and tail greenish olive-yellow. Bill light V. 7 (ochraceous); iris III. 8 (burnt 

 umber); feet and legs V. 3 (orange-ochraceous) ; claws light ochraceous. Tlic 

 mnles have the wings 76 — 80 mm., the J'emales 71 — 73 mm.; the J'e/mi/fs have also 

 shorter bills. The local name is " Canario." Our specimens collected in July and 

 August are partly in moult, while those from September are in full plumage. 



A nest was found on July 7th in a " Rakiti " tree. It hangs in the fork of 

 a thin branch, just like the nest of a golden Oriole, at the end concealed by the 

 long oval laurel-like leaves of the " Rakiti." The sides of the nest are not very 

 tightly woven and consist of roots, grasses, etc., outside beautifully ornamented 

 with small leaves and the silk of light green cocoons. It is about ol cm. high and 

 7 to 8 cm. wide. It is not lined with any special soft material, a character pecnliar 

 to all the nests of Guam before me. The egg, when fonnd, was almost hatched, 

 and therefore had to be cut in halves. It is pale blue without gloss, spotted over 

 and over with rufous, more so on the thicker end, and measures about 20 : 15 mm. 



Four more nests, received afterwards, found on Saipan late in August in 

 " Paipai " and " Agauterau " trees, are exactly like the one hero described, also 

 nearly all more or less well shaded on one side by overhanging leaves, some 

 of course being a little smaller, others somewhat larger, but not much different. 

 The eggs, of which two or three were found in a nest, agree with the one 

 described above; some, however, are of a deeper sky-blue, thus resembling the 

 eggs of some species of Pyrrhula. The rufous spots are smaller in some, larger 

 and more like blotches in others, all being richly and some rather beautifully 

 marked. They measure 21o : 16, 20 : 15-1, 19-8 ; 143, 20 ; l."y], 20 : 14-0, 20 : 14-.-), 

 20-6:15, 20-O: 16-2 mm. 



The nest figured by Oustalet agrees witli our nests, but the eggs which he 

 describes and figures are those of a Zosterops 1 



