292 A NATURALIST ON THE " CHALLENGER." 



a sparrow ; brown with yellow wattles (Ptilotis carunculata). 

 The bird has a sweet and very loud song, and fills the woods 

 with its melody. A Kingfisher {Halcyon sacra) is constantly to 

 be seen sitting on dead twigs, ready to dart on its prey. 

 Amongst the cocoanut trees a beautiful little Swift (Collocalia 

 spocliopygia), of the same genus as the species by which the 

 edible birds' nests, the well known Chinese luxury, are made, 

 and which is a Swift, and not a Swallow, as it is commonly 

 called, skims about with a constant twittering. These Tree- 

 swifts are especially abundant about the villages, though they 

 nest in the crowns of the cocoanut palms.* 



In the thickest masses of foliage, a most beautiful small 

 Fruit Pigeon, of a bright green, with a patch of the purest 

 purple on its head {Ptilinopus porphyraceus) ,is to be heard cooing 

 gently, and the great Fruit Pigeon (Carpopliaga pacified), the 

 note of which is harsh and drawling, but still derivable from a 

 coo, is to be shot with ease by creeping up to the trees on the 

 berries of which it is feeding at this season. 



There are two Parrots known from Tonga, but they are very 

 scarce. One of them, Platycercus tabuensis, is found only in 

 Tonga and in the neighbouring island of Eua. It is called the 

 Pompadour Parrot, from the peculiar purple red of its head and 

 neck. The natives procure it alive from Eua, where it is abun- 

 dant. One was bought for a shilling in the port during our 

 stay. The other is a parroquet (Coripkilusfringillaceus), but is 

 also scarce in Tonga. I saw neither of the parrots in the wild 

 condition. 



Lizards are abundant in Tonga, but of only two or three 

 species. Otosaurus microlepis, one of the Scincidse, is peculiar to 

 the group. On the reefs an Eel (Murama), whitish yellow-coloured 

 spotted with brown, occurs. It is very snake-like in its move- 

 ments, and I took it, on encountering it in the water, for the true 

 Sea Snake (Pelamys bicolor), which also occurs here. 



A large Foraminifer (Obiiolites) is very common on the reefs. 



* For an account of the nesting of Collocalia, see Bernstein, " On the 

 genus Collocalia." Acta Societatis Scientiarum Indo-Nederlandicse, Vol. 

 II. For the nesting of the closely allied "Tree-swift," Dendrochelidon, 

 see Bernstein, " Habits of Javan Birds," Ibid. Vol. III. 



