the Avifau7ia of New Caledonia. 263 



thology/ speak of these as one species. We have only found, 

 both here and in Fiji, what we take to be L. uropyyialis, 

 Gould. 



NUMENIUS UROPYGIALIS, Gould. 



Mr. Gray (B. Trop. Isl., p. 48) gives N. tahitiensis (Gould) 

 as the New-Caledonian bird ; and we have likewise so identi- 

 fied it. Our bird is identical with the Fijian, which we now 

 think we have wrongly called N. femoralis. We hope shortly 

 to transmit specimens to England for the inspection of our 

 friend Mr. Harting. 



77. Hypot^nidia philippensis, Gm. 



Very abundant in the small island of Huon, to the north 

 of New Caledonia. They rarely can be forced to take wing, 

 and are caught in the grass by dogs. We have received 

 several specimens alive. 



78. Ortygometra tabuensis (Gmel.) . 

 Porzana immaculata, Gould. 



We have not yet seen it from this island. 



79. Ortygometra cinerea, Vieill., cited by M. Marie as 

 Zapornia leucophrys, Gould, appears in the Lifu collection. 

 A small Rail is said to be very abundant on the islands of 

 Huon and Surprise, in addition to No. 77 , which is there 

 called a " Quail '' or " Partridge " \ It is probably this 

 species, which is said (Gray's ' Birds of Tropical Islands ') to 

 be found also on the island of Tanna, the large southern 

 island of the New-Hebrides group, which is distant only a 

 few hours' sail. 



81. PORPHYRIO MELANONOTUS, Tcmm. 



82. PORPHYRIO BELLUS, Gould. , 



The only " Blue Gallinule " we have seen from here is 

 undoubtedly identical with the species spread over the whole 

 of the Fijian, Samoan, Tongan, and New-Hebridean groups, 

 and which we cannot look upon as other than P. vitiensis, 

 Peale. We pay no attention to difference of size^ when un- 

 accompanied by other distinctions ; the scarcity or plenty of 

 food may well account for discrepancies in this respect 

 — '' suitability of environment,'^ in fact. 



