the Avifauna of New Caledonia. 257 



43. Aplonis striata (Gmel.), and Nos. 44_, 45^ 46, & 47. 



We cannot help thinking that much confusion exists in 

 the nomenclature of these Starlings. We can only find one 

 species near Noumea, the male, female, and young of which 

 exhibit shades of plumage that might entitle them to any 

 of the designations striata, nigroviridis, viridigrisea, or atro- 

 nitens ! ! We are inclined to think this species ought to bear 

 the name of Aplonis caledonica, Bp., the description and 

 measurements of which, as given in the ' Revue Zoologique/ 

 tally very well, except that the closed wing is 10 (not 9) 

 centims. We have found this species also in the Lifu collection, 

 and another one considerably larger, viz. length 8" 6'", wing 

 4" 6'", tail 3" 1'", tarse 1", bill 1". This latter we take to be 

 A. str'iata (Gmel.) {=Coracias pacifca, Forst. p. 261), of 

 which MM. Verreaux and Des Murs say in the ' Revue,' 

 under the head of A. viridigrisea, G. R. Gvay, '^M. Gray 

 rapproche cette espece, avec doute, du Coracias striata de 

 Gmelin, qui en serait la femelle.^' Its large size and robust 

 bill at once distinguish it from the smaller species. It has 

 also a bluer tinge {A. caledonica is greenish) ; there is also a 

 browner tinge on the wing-primaries ; and the undersides of 

 the tail-feathers are brown, not black nor brown-black. 

 The females are sooty, not black ; and one presents a decidedly 

 " striated " appearance on the undersides and head. 



48. Leptornis aubryanus, Verr. & Des Murs. 



While at Honailou E. L. L. heard of a bird answering to 

 the description of this, but with the bare space about the eye 

 orange, instead of crimson as figured in the ' Cruise of the 

 Cura9oa,' and described in the ' Revue Zoologique ' by 

 MM. Verreaux and Des Murs. Now we know, from ex- 

 perience, that orange -coloured skin, in drying, often assumes 

 a reddish or brown tint ; and we are half inclined to fancy that, 

 the figure and description (loc. cit.) having been taken from 

 skins, a mistake was made. If this is not so, there must be 

 two distinct species oi Leptornis in New Caledonia; for E. L. L. 

 closely questioned his two informants, of whom one had seen, 

 and stuffed, two specimens, and the other, a botanist of some 

 note, knew the bird well from the other side of the island. 



SER. IV. VOL, II. T 



